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International Metal Tube Volume 1 Issue 1

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We keep our customers’ business on the move. You can succeed if you design your production processes to be fast and ef. cient. Cranes and materials handling components from Demag Cranes & Components are decisive factors on the road to success. With speed and ef. ciency, uncompromising quality and intensive monitoring, we optimise value chains, ensure you are able to deliver and offer solid investments and ef. ciency thanks to our seamless service. SUCCESS FACTORS Comment I have pleasure in bringing you this first issue of International Metal Tube magazine, designed solely for those involved in the metal tube and pipe production and processing industry worldwide. Over the coming months, we will address some of the key topics that are essential to many mill owners, including the reduction of environmental impact via new technology, energy efficiency plus logistics and material handling. IMT magazine is available in both print and digital formats, the digital version being an exact duplicate of the print issue but with the addition o embedded items; including direct response email, hyperlinks straight to the contributor’s own site and video. Examples of this additional material can be seen in this issue via www.internationalmetaltube.com With constant pressure from rising raw material costs, IMT will also be investigating how operational costs can be reduced by the introduction of new automation and process control systems. For those of you like myself who are planning to visit Fabtech/AWS in Las Vegas, this should be an excellent event, with nearly 1,000 exhibitors’ products and displays to see spread over some 400,000 square feet of exhibit space. In addition to any new developments from the Fabtech/AWS shows, our next issue will also look at cutting, sawing and profiling technology (including lasers), tube and pipe mills (including roll forming lines) plus information on exhibitors attending Tube Arabia 2009 (Dubai). These topics are in addition to the regular sections that include industry news, product news, equipment news and people. Editorial submissions would be required on or before 2 December. Finally, on behalf of the whole team at IMT, I would like to thank all those companies who have contributed to this first issue of International Metal Tube and hope that our readers will make use of the services and equipment they provide. Vince Maynard IMT Contact Information Industry News Product & Equipment News Tube and pipe bending Welding Equipment & and end forming Technology 10 Years of Innovation Laser technology looks to the future BLM tube laser Crippa finds solution PUBLICATION MANAGER & EDITORIAL CONTROLLER Vince Maynard +44 (0) 1732 505724 Mobile +44 (0) 7747 002286 Fax +44 (0) 1732 860052 imtmagazine@btopenworld.com CONSULTANT EDITOR Sarah Sturt editorial@internationalmetaltube.com TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS EDITOR David Young editorial@internationalmetaltube.com CIRCULATION June Bray Fax 01268 711567 PUBLISHER - PAUL BARRETT hartswoodmedia@aol.com DIGITAL CONVERSION BY Print to Digital REPRO BY Anton Print Solutions antonprint1@btconnect.com www.antonprintsolutions.co.uk PUBLISHED BY Hartswood Media Hallmark House 25 Downham Road Ramsden Heath Essex CM11 1PU United Kingdom T- + 44 (0) 1268 711560 F- + 44 (0)1268 711567 Success for growing Tube and wire 2008 D espite concern over the rise of raw material prices, the mood in the exhibition halls at Düsseldorf following the 2008 International Tube and International Wire and Cable Trade Fairs was upbeat, with reports of full order books and an excellent outlook for post-fair business, according to organiser Messe Düsseldorf. The two trade fairs, traditionally the meeting point for metalworking specialists from around the world, notched up just under 2,200 exhibitors between them (1,129 companies at wire and 1,028 at Tube) over the five fair days and together occupied a display area of more than 95,000 square metres. The duo attracted an impressive 73,600 trade visitors from more than 90 countries, each gaining a high proportion (50 per cent-plus) of international visitors – an increase of 25 per cent for Tube and 11 per cent for wire. Once again, Düsseldorf has proven to be the number one platform for the wire and tube industries,” said Joachim Schäfer, managing director of Messe Düsseldorf. “Many large and also medium-sized businesses have told me of new, promising business contacts.” With a product range that included tube materials and accessories, tube production machines, process engineering tools and auxiliary materials, measurement and control technology, testing technology and pipeline and Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG) technology, Tube 2008 succeeded in bridging the gap between traditional tube production and processing and new processing methods. At wire 2008, manufacturers of process engineering tools, companies producing machines for the production and refining of wire, materials manufacturers and companies offering specialty wire and cables declared themselves “very satisfied”, praising also the high decision-making authority of visitors to their stands. “The demand for high-quality steel products has grown significantly over the past years. As a globally active, all-round supplier of specialised steel products, we are very happy about this positive development,” reported Benedikt Niemeyer, ceo of Schmolz + Bickenbach AG. “Based on the current order situation and the feedback from our customers, we are expecting excellent utilisation of our plants in the future as well,” he added. And Dr. Ing. Joachim Schönbeck, chairman of the management board of SMS Meer GmbH, Mönchengladbach and member of the management of SMS GmbH, Düsseldorf, said: “The economic result is positive, while our customers are very concerned about the development of the raw material prices.” Statistics reveal that Tube visitors were primarily interested in tubes and accessories, tube production and processing machines, and systems for the processing of tubes. Raw materials were also in high demand. A total of 61 per cent of the visitors came from within the industry, 21 per cent from the retail and seven per cent from the trade sector. Pipelines and OCTG technologies were assessed as ‘attractive’ additions to the trade fair portfolio by 10 per cent of tube visitors. Most wire visitors were interested in machines and systems for wire production and processing, materials, specialty wire and cables, testing technology, measuring and control technology as well as process engineering tools. DIARY NOTE wire and Tube 2010 12 to 16 April 2010 FPS Method (pat.pend.). In-Line Diameter and Shape Contr ol For all Types of Pipe, Tube, Profile – Any Shape STEELMASTER gauges for hot and cold processes Hi-speed laser scanning. Measurement of diameter, ovality, height, width and diagonals. Possible measuring modes Standard measuring ranges: 60, 100, 150, 300, 500 mm* (2.4, 4, 6, 12, 20 in.) No. of measuring axes: 1...6 Measuring frequency: 1000/s for each axis Typical accuracy: +/- 0.005 ... +/- 0.1 mm (+/-.0004 ... .002 in.) *Largest product depending on centering Novel measuring method with Full Profile Synthesis. Captures also asymmetrical shape deviations of round, oval and polygonal products. PROFILEMASTER® gauges for cold processes Advanced vision technology (light-section). For any tube and profile of any shape and material. Full profile contour measurement. Profile and critical dimensions, radii and angles can be programmed (teach-in) and monitored. Any shape Standard measuring range: 25, 140, 300 mm* (1, 5.5, 12 in.) No. of cameras: 1...6 (standard 4) Measurable parameters: length, width, height, diameter, radii, angles Typical accuracy: +/- 0.01 ... 0.05 mm (+/-.0004 ... .002 in.) *Largest product depending on centering We Measure Quality Worldwide Zumbach Customer Service and Sales Offices in: Switzerland (H.Q.): Tel. +41 (0)32 356 04 00, E-mail: sales@zumbach.ch India: Tel. +91 20 3048 4801, E-mail: joseph@zumbachindia.com Argentina: Tel. +54 (0)11 4701 0774, E-mail: ventas@zumar.com.ar Italy: Tel. +39 0332 870 102, E-mail: zumit@zumbach.it Belgium: Tel. +32 (0)2 478 16 88, E-mail: zumlux@skynet.be Spain: Tel. +34 93 666 93 61, E-mail: gestion@zumbach.es Brazil: Tel. +55 (0)19 3849 5008, E-mail: vendas@zumbach.com.br Taiwan: Tel. +886 2 2630 5530, E-mail: zumfareast@giga.net.tw China: Tel. +86 (0)21 542 60 443, E-mail: office@zumbach.com.cn UK: Tel. +44 (0)870 774 3301, E-mail: sales@zumbach.co.uk France: Tel. +33 (0)1 64 24 46 31, E-mail: ventes@zumbach.com.fr USA: Tel. +1 914 241 7080, E-mail: sales@zumbach.com Germany: Tel. +49 (0)2238 8099-0, E-mail: verkauf@zumbach.de www.zumbach.com ZUMB.707.0083.E_JAN.08 Otto Junker’s new chairman of the board Vogel Tool heads for prison V ogel Tool & Die is heading for prison – it’s supplying the United States Government with one of its large capacity tube cut off machines. The machine will be use by the Federal Prison System’s manufacturing division for the cutting of metal tubing used to make furniture and office equipment. The largest of Vogel’s product line, it accepts round tubing up to 6in OD and square tubing up to 3-7/16in. Vogel’s two-blade technique is designed to cut with no deformation and produces a slug, not chips, so no chip-removal operation is needed prior to mandrel bending or piercing. By incorporating a micro-switch stop assembly, the machine automatically cycles when the tube is at the right location for cutting. Part length accuracy of ±.005in can be expected on shorter parts. Burr is maintained at 10 per cent or less of the cut tube’s wall thickness. Vogel’s cut-off machines currently do not carry the CE mark, and are not offered for export, but the same two-blade technology is also available in cut off dies designed for punch press use, which are available for export and are in use worldwide Vogel Tool & Die, a division of T-E-S Tube Equipment, Inc, invented and manufactured the first punch and die process for tube notching in the 1930s. Vogel now offers a broad range of tubular part fabrication tools, including piercing, flattening, cut off, notching and more. More information about Vogel Tool & Die at: www.vogeltool.com, tel: +630-562-1400 x 107, email: : lsiegal@vogeltool.com, fax: +630-562-1500. Dr Hans Rinnhofer, 45, has been named as the new chairman of the board of Otto Junker. Described as a “proven expert in the technology areas of our group of companies” by chairman of the supervisory board, Klaus K. Moll, Dr Rinnhofer studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Vienna and obtained his PHD in 2001. He started his industrial career in 1989 in the liquid metal sector and after four years as managing director of a Voest Alpine Group company in Sydney, Australia, he joined the RHI Group in 1997. Here he held various executive positions, including managing director of Maerz Gautschi Industrieofenanlagen. From 2006 to 2008, Dr Rinnhofer headed Austria's largest non-university research enterprise, Austrian Research Centres in Vienna, as chairman of the board. A lecturer in industrial furnace technology at the University of Leoben in Austria, he Dr Hans Rinnhofer said: "I’m looking forward to taking up my position as chairman of the board of the Otto Junker Group and to contribute to the group's further economic and technological success." The Otto Junker Group is a global leader in the field of complex industrial furnace equipment for foundry and thermal processing technologies. More information on Otto Junket at: www.otto-junker-group.de, tel: +49 (0)2473 601 508, email: mtg@otto-junker. New factory in China boosts Eastern Steel capacity Steel pipe and tube manufacturer, Wenzhou Eastern Steel Co.Ltd, has set up a new factory in Fujiang, Province of China, to produce high-quality small diameter tube (OD from 3mm to 89mm). Together with its factory in Jiangsu, Province of China, which produces OD from 25mm to 356mm, Eastern Steel BLM opens its doors to new Adige Lasertube now boasts a producing capacity of 15000 tons for seamless pipe and tube. Eastern Steel has expanded its business in industries – ranging from petroleum, chemical and engineering to electric power, boiler heat exchangers, the pharmacy industry, food, etc – all around China. It also exports to B LM Group, the UK supplier of machines and systems for tube cutting, tube manipulation and production sawing, hosted an in-house exhibition of its latest tube laser cutting and profiling system in September. Visitors to the company’s premises on the Ampthill Business Park in Bedfordshire saw the eighth-generation Adige LT 722D Lasertube in action, and also took the opportunity to verify BLM’s claim of up to 30 per cent productivity increase compared with the previous model. Whether the decision is to move on from the traditional multi-machine approach or simply to upgrade, the rewards of single-cycle CNC tube laser processing have been shown to be Yoder updates website Yoder - Formtek Metal Forming has given its website a brand-new look. Check out the updated and redesigned site at: www.yodermfg.com. It includes an updated news and events section, and an opportunity for subscribers to receive updates when a new press release, trade show or job opening is announced. far-reaching and substantial, and the greater the complexity of the component, the greater the benefits, claims the company. Prototypes and redesigns, for example, can be completed in minutes rather than days, says BLM, because it calls for reprogramming rather than producing hard tooling. Cycle time and direct labour savings result, too, whether from consolidating separate production operations into a single, non-contact, process or from the ever-increasing speed, flexibility and overall productivity of each succeeding generation of Adige Lasertube. More information on BLM at: www.blmgroup.uk.com, email: sales@blmgroup.uk.com, tel: +44 (0)1525 402 555 or fax: +44 (0)1525 402312 more than 15 countries, since its focus on prescriptive manufacturing as per correlative specifications. More information on Eastern Steel at: www.eastern-steel.com, email: admin@eastern-steel.com, tel: +86(0) 577 56666588 or fax:+86(0) 57756666566 Combilift launches new Combi-CB C ombilift has launched the new Combi-CB, a compact model, measuring just 1.5m square excluding forks. Combilift has expanded its premises by 20,000ft² to cope with the additional volume of output and predicts the new model will increase its turnover by €10m during 2009, and create 20 additional jobs on top of the 200 currently employed. The Combi-CB enables space saving four-way handling of both palletised goods and long loads, and it can also work in containers for streamlined offloading and transportation of product around the premises. One of the first customers to sign up for the new model in April 2007 was Maurice Graham Builders’ Providers , which uses a 4t conventional Combilift for handling packs of timber and bundles of steel. In another area, pallet racking is used for the storage of other products such as pallets of cement and packs of insulated board and panel products. The versatility of the new all-round Combi-CB lends itself perfectly to such a scenario as it copes easily with the palletised local as well as national economy, stressing the importance of innovation in the current market. New model Yoder reducing mill destined for Europe Ohio-based Yoder Manufacturing, reducing configuration, recently a member of the Formtek Group, updated with full digital controls, has developed a new version of its is said to decrease changeover W-10S/W-15S reducing tube mill time and improve repeatability of system to meet the needs of setups. Additional upgrades of the small-diameter appliance mill enable sizing of tubes up to refrigeration and automotive 1in diameter, along with its fuel line tubing. reducing capabilities. The Yoder W-10S/W-15S can More information on Yoder produce 0.5in diameter tube and Manufacturing at: reduce a range of finish diameters www.yodermfg.com, and wall thicknesses down to tel: +(800) 631-7948, 3/16in. The versatility of this email:yoder@formtekcleveland.com 6 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com 2D bar codes on tubes Automatic identification of tubes used to be done with a 1D bar code encoding a PIN or Piece Identification Number containing relatively few numeric digits. This PIN is used as a unique tube identifier as well as a database entry vector used to find additional information about the tube maintained in an external computer database. 2D code marked on a tube using Today’s trend is to LabeLase technology maintain a database actually on the tube, so that can be used to spray-apply a white more of its pedigree can be paint patch on the pipe in the pipe obtained directly from the tube mill, and then laser mark a 2D bar using auto-ID methods. code on the patch. One example is to identify and This type of code enables the log drill pipes at the oil rig encoding of much more wellhead using a bar code information on the tube using an scanner just before the pipe goes auto-readable 2D code symbology. down the well. The code resolution More information: is coarse enough to have good www.infosight.com , survival through the tel: +001(0) 740 642 3600, manufacturing process. email: sales@infosight.com , InfoSight LabeLase technology fax: +001(0) 740 642 5001 WE’VE FOUND “THE NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK” Think very small ! NOW THINK EVEN SMALLER ! Mechanical I.D.-scarfer for Tube I.D. 10.5 - 12.5 mm. Ernst Blissenbach GmbH Complete systems for inside tube scarfing An der Hasenjagd 8 • D-42897 Remscheid/Germany Phone +49 (0) 2191-99 82-0 • Fax +49 (0) 2191-99 82-24 E-Mail info@blissenbach.de • Internet www.blissenbach.de www.blissenbach.com New portable Rockwell hardness tester I ndentec has introduced a new portable Rockwell hardness tester, the RH-150, which performs a true Rockwell test in accordance with both ASTM E18 and ISO 6508-2 standards. Said to be ideal for testing thin metallic samples up to 100mm thick, operators are prompted through the test cycle by simple instructions displayed on the LCD front panel. A load cell monitors and displays the applied force during the test cycle while a digital transducer measures the indentation depth and converts this to a Rockwell valve to a resolution of 0.1 Rockwell point. Rockwell HRA, HRB and HRC tests can be performed simply by fitting the correct indenter. Various materials can be tested and results converted to Vickers, Brinell or UTS equivalent and up to 500 individual test results can be stored and transferred via an IrDA red transmitter to a printer for storage. The RH-150 also displays the average, maximum and minimum values. Combined with an accuracy of +/- 0.5 Rockwell point at 60 HRC makes it ideal for quality inspection testing. More information from Indentec Hardness Testing Machines Ltd at www.indentec.co.uk, tel: +44 (0)1384 896949, email:mail@indentec.demon.co.uk/ BLM’s new E-TURN. all-electric tubes, typically used for complex CNC tube bending machine has car and motorcycle components, been designed specifically for the hydraulic pipes and furniture. bending of small- to medium-sized Because the complete head can rotate through 180 degrees the new machine, available in four maximum tube OD capacities (30 mm, 35 mm, 40 mm and 52 mm), is capable of left- and right-hand bending in automatic cycle. This eliminates work in progress and optimises just in time operation, says the company. Overall, the all-electric technology contributes a 20 to 50 per cent productivity increase when compared with traditional powered models of bending machine. The four models N have X, Y and Z axis accuracies of +/-0.05 degrees, with a maximum bending radius of 165 mm and a minimum bending radius of 25 mm. Complex components requiring radii of less than 1 x diameter can be produced using the ‘bend boost’ device, which can have its power modulated during the bending process to avoid unsightly stress marks on high-value components. These performance figures, combined with the precision control of the E-TURN’s 12-axis movements courtesy of the Visual Graphics Programming software, are claimed to significantly reduce set-up times because all parameters are stored and can be recalled without further mechanical adjustment. The electric axes automatically adjust position and components are not only produced ‘right first time’, they are repeatable batch to batch. Since all axis movements are set automatically, a job change-over can typically be completed within two to three minutes. This multi-tool stack tube bender – up to eight different bend tools can be mounted at any one time – brings with it fewer bend tool changes and less downtime. The VGP software allows checking on-screen, providing a reliable guide to component cycle times and identifying any possible collision risk. Safety fencing and an automatic workpiece unload and remote service facility are supplied and available options include weld seam detection, ‘boost bend’ system and electric follower slides. The machine is also environmentally friendly, since power is only required during axis movements and power consumption may be a low as 10 per cent of previously accepted norms. More information from BLM Group UK Ltd at: www.blmgroup.uk.com, tel: +44 (0)1525 402 555, email: sales@blmgroup.uk.com, fax: +44 (0)01525 402 312. 8 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com H alcor, based in Athens, has awarded the contract for an indirect gas-fired roller hearth furnace for bright annealing 3,250 kg/h of level wound coil DHP copper tube to Otto Junker of Germany. Halcor produces copper manufactured and semi-manufactured products for use in second-stage industries. The new roller hearth furnace will be used for bright annealing copper tube in the form of level wound coils and pancake coils, and will be installed at its copper tube production plant in Inofyta, Greece. The level-wound coils are individually loaded onto trays which are then transported into a stacking device which automatically stacks them. The ends of the individual coils are connected to the atmosphere distribution system of the Otto Junker CTP system and the stack is transported to the furnace line via a cross conveyor. On the entry table, the coils are automatically purged with protective atmosphere (N2 + H2) and, working on a step continuous basis, the stacks are transported by rollers from one stationary position to the next. Halcor installs Otto Junker roller hearth furnace The stack is driven into the vacuum chamber where a vacuum is created, the chamber is refilled with the process protective atmosphere and the stack advances into the entry vestibule, where it remains for one cycle before going into the high-convection furnace. The stack of coils moves through the furnace on a step continuous basis, during which time the coils are automatically purged by the ER CTP system, removing any lubricant from the bores of the tube as it vaporises and producing a ‘super clean’ tube. At the end of the heating-up phase, the stack is passed into the cooling section, where the material temperature is reduced to a level at which the copper will not oxidise when it comes into contact with air. The stack is discharged from the line and transported to the destacking device, where the coils are removed from the separated trays. More information on Otto Jumker at: www.otto-junker-group.de, tel: +49 (0)2473 601 508, email: mtg@otto-junker.de, fax +49 (0)2473 601 697. Expert advice on steel tube deburring Tube Scarfing Equipment designs, manufactures and installs equipment for the inside and outside weld bead scarfing (deburring) of longitudinally welded steel tubes. The equipment is designed for small diameter tubes (12mm) up to large diameter tubes (600mm), as well as aluminium-coated tubes, heavy wall tubes, inox tubes, and tubes that need to be cold drawn. The German compnay offers solutions for ID and OD scarfing, strip conditioning, and bead chopper applications and its main product range includes ID cutting rings, inserts/holders for OD scarfing, At Tube 2008 Düsseldorf, T.S.E. showed its high temperature-resistant coating for epoxy glass tubes, double lower leg ID scarfing tools, bead-rolling tools, notching rolls for obtaining small chips and large diameter ferrite cores, ready to use through flow impeders and return flow impeders. Acid pickling tanks India-based Arvind Anticor manufactures and exports acid pickling tanks made from corrosion-resistant polypropylene thermoplastic. The tanks are custom designed according to size and weight of load, such as pipes, tubes, wires coil, bars, rods and structural steel and are popularly used for pickling, degreasing, electro plating, rinsing, fluxing, anodising, passivation, pre and post treatment and metal surface treatment. Housed in a steel structure frame and designed and engineered on the Rita tank building software module, Anticor says its strengths include butt fusion welding hot gas extrusion welding technology and hydro-thermo radius forming technology, which offers better performance, higher efficiency, higher productivity and lower rejection rates. More information from Arvind Anticor Ltd at: www.picklingplant.com, email: info@picklingplant.com, tel: +91 (0)79 25894693, fax: +91 (0)79 25891941. 10 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com M akers of pipe, tube, profiles and bars can now benefit from Zumbach Electronic’s enhanced gauges, which the Swiss-based company says offer even more significant advantages than previously. The new series of Steelmaster hot and cold gauges, based on high-speed laser scanning, now offers up to 6 x 1’000 measurements per second, (in up to six axes), with new calibrated single-scan (CSS) technology. This results in a highly accurate and fast non-contact measurement of diameter, ovality and width/height at production speeds of 100m/s (19,685ft/min) and beyond. The new Full Profile Synthesis (FPS) method and algorithm now allows for precise measurement and accurate display of most shape deviations of asymmetrical and polygonal products. Steelmaster gauges are available in fixed or in oscillating configurations and for diameters of up to 500mm (20in). The Profilemaster line of cold in-process gauges is now available for diameters or diagonals of up to 250mm (10in) for round and non-round shapes. Profilemaster gauges are based on the principle of laser contouring and machine vision (the light cut method) and can handle virtually any shape or profile. Relevant dimensions can be entered into the program, which are then monitored during the production run at all times. Typical applications are cold rolled/welded tubes and pipes (ERW) and inspection stations for tube, pipe, profiles and bar. More information from Zumbach Electronics at: www.zumbach.com, tel: +41 (0) 32 356 0400, email: sales@zumbach.ch, fax: +41 (0) 32 356 0430. Two (2) – 500 Ton Drill Pipe and Casing Tube End Forming Machines PP-682-683 THE PUSH POINTER PEOPLE Since 1963 the George A. Mitchell Company has been producing state of the art Push Pointing equipment for the tube and rod drawing industry. Over the years, Mitchell has also been a leader in developing special cold forming processes and equipment for the production of various tubular parts, such as . . . ¦ VARIABLE WALL AXLE TUBES ¦ FUEL FILLER TUBES ¦ DRIVE SHAFT TUBES ¦ TRAILER AXLE TUBE END FORMING ¦ TURF AERATION TINES ¦ TUBULAR STABILIZER BARS ¦ BICYCLE FRAME & STEERING TUBES ¦ FOSSIL FUEL BOILER TUBES ¦ TUBULAR TIE RODS ¦ ALUMINUM BASEBALL BAT TUBES ¦ SHOCK ABSORBER RESERVOIR TUBES ¦ AUTOMOTIVE STEERING GEAR COMPONENTS ¦ TUBULAR INSTRUMENT PANEL BEAMS ¦ POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY CYLINDER TUBES ¦ DRILL PIPE AND CASING TUBES FOR OCTG PRODUCT George A. Mitchell Company – Youngstown, Ohio, USA e-mail: sales@mitchellmachinery.com www.mitchellmachinery.com www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2008 11 Roll form and tube mill tooling E uroBlech 2008 exhibitor data M will unveil the new version of its Finite Element Simulation solution for the roll form process – COPRA FEA RF 2009 – at the October show. The system helps to understand the roll form process, traces reccurring problems and provides a target-oriented optimisation. This new version of the nineties classic has come closer to reality than any other simulation or analysis software, claims data M. One example is the handling of cage-forming methods. COPRA allows for a modelling of various types of straight edge-forming systems, due to its parametric structure. The lineal beams are either predefined or, if there are single-mounted rolls, each roll and its respective position is defined in specific database tables. To achieve a proper forming result, it is important to have a smooth strip entry into the forming cage, so it is necessary to optimise both entry passes as well as the position of forming and guiding rolls in the forming line, says data M. Input dialogue boxes are provided for designing the cage tools and references for accurate positioning and there is also a 3D collision check available where the user can verify if roll tooling and sheet strip match. There are clear advantages to perform a mill set-up on the computer rather than on the mill, including being able to add, edit or remove any cage station within the current tube mill roll tool layout. This is done via the built-in tool browser, where the forming lineal can be positioned between the existing forming stations. The cage beams are defined in a spreadsheet style, where every cage beam is treated as an independent part. Once such a forming lineal has been defined in the software database and can be re-used in any other design project as well. With COPRA FEA RF 2009, you can now automatically build an FEA model with rotating rolls and friction, says data M, including investigation of the distribution of pressure in, for example, breakdown or idler stations, fin and calibration stations when the contact pressure is represented by arrows. Size, colour and direction of the arrows provide information about roll pressure over the circumference of the tube More information on data M at: www.data-m.com , tel: +49 (0)8024 640-0, email: datam@datam.de, fax: +49 (0)8024 640-300. A Quality pioneer Quality Group, the India-based Quality Stainless Pvt Ltd (QSPL), manufacturer of cold rolled which is also an ISO 9001:2000 stainless steel precision strips, certified company. At present, the coils, tubes and pipes , has been size range is 0.5in OD to 6in OD an industry pioneer for nearly 30 and 0.5in NB to 6in NB. years. With ISO 9001:2000 Further work is in progress to certification from TUV SUD South set up another unit in the Asia and imminent ISO 14001 Western Indian State of Gujarat approval, the company boasts a for the manufacturing of state-of-the-art plant comprising seamless stainless steel tubes hi-tech manufacturing and and pipes in the size range of testing facilities, backed by a Apart from being a major supplier packing for refineries, utensils, 15mm to 90mm. technically skilled team. of raw materials to the tube and cutlery, kitchenware and sinks, More information on Quality The company says it can meet pipes manufacturing industry, it decorative applications, etc. Group at: www.qualitygroup.in, the needs of specific widths also looks after industries The Quality Group has entered tel: +91 (0)1126254767 between 15mm to 710mm and a manufacturing flexible hoses, into the area of manufacturing SS email: ContactUseQualityGroup.in thickness 0.10mm to 4.00mm. automotive components, tower tubes and pipes under the name fax: +91 (0)1126252633 12 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com Oto Mills in twin cold saw exclusive O to Mills is claiming an exclusive with its launch of a cut-off machine with a cold saw for round tubes that can guarantee a performance of 120m/min on 6m bars. Similar With Turkey now the world's 11th-biggest producer of raw steel, with an annual output of 25.8 million tons, Unifit Boru , the manufacturer and wholesaler of seamless steel pipes, steel pipe fittings, flanges and forged fittings established just three years ago, has an important part to play in the country’s steel industy. It boasts a production and stock program that covers 0.5in up to 24in (DN 15 – DN 600) elbows and tees in DIN & ASTM performances in the past have only been reached with cut off machines via hot saws, which have shown problems in terms of safety, maintenance, blade life and final cut quality. The company’s new TAGB 120 DF hot saw is based on the experience it has developed with its cut-off machine series TAGB and TWIN. The cut-off machine has two hot saw heads with speed gears to optimise the use of the high-speed steel blades and the brazed welded tungsten carbide inserts. This means it can cut tubes with a maximum diameter of 127mm and with a thickness of 8mm in high tensile steel, while two heads mounted at a 30° angle allow square and rectangular tubes to be cut. Small overall dimensions allow for easy container transport: the installer simply has to place and line up the machine, making operations quick and easy to carry out. Maintenance is similarly reduced to a minimum, thanks to the sophisticated Eltav5 adjusting board. This optimises the working cycle relative to the actual production requirements, thus reducing the mechanical stress. Oto Mills’ investments in cut-off manager software mean the machine use is easier, so even the operators with little experience can choose the right blades , depending on production needs ,and can set the optimum cut parameters to reach the best performances. More information from Oto Mills at: www.otomills.com, tel: +39 (0)522 481211, email: otoinfo@otomills.com, fax +39 (0)522 964188. norms. In addition, sister company Burak Boru, the seamless carbon steel stockist, supplies all UNFIT’s product ranges and, despite unstable market periods and fluctuating prices, it can provides the entire pipe range. More information on Unift Boru and Burak Boru at: www.unifitfittings.com, tel: +90 216 581 81 00, email:okanbozkurt@unifitfittings. com, fax: +90 216 593 04 09. RSA develops new high-performance circular saw RSA has developed a new circular sawing machine, RASACUT XXL, for use in the pre-production of mass production cutting in the diameter range 100mm up to 170mm. Cutting times are reduced by up to 90 per cent, says the company. With up to 40 kW, the saw drive attains a rated torque of up to 1,500 Nm which is almost consistent at any speed. Workpieces from 20mm diameter upwards can be produced in fixed lengths between 50 and 3,000mm. Saw blade changes – for example, from HSS to carbide - are made with only a few manual movements, since the saw head is easily accessible. For the singling and feeding of the base lengths, a bundle loader and a flat magazine are used alternatively or in combination. After the cut, the direct interlinking to further processing steps, such as deburring, is possible. Sorting systems ensure a trouble-free removal of the material - particularly when different fixed lengths are sawn from the same base material. More information on RSA at: www.rsa.de, tel: +49 (0)2351 995-5, email: rsa.d@rsa.de, fax +49 (0)2351 995-300. www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2008 13 Mitchell manufactures endformers for VAM USA USA at: www.vam-usa.com and from George A. Mitchell Company at: www.mitchellmachiner.com, sales@mitchellmachinery.com, tel: +33(0) 758.5777, email: fax: +33(0) 758.7263 G eorge A. Mitchell Company has been contracted for two 500-ton drill pipe and casing tube end forming machines by VAM USA of Houston, Texas. The two 1,000,000lb end forming machines are the largest of their type ever produced by the Ohio-based company. The process is very similar to push pointing, Mitchell’s main line of equipment; however, the API drill pipe and casing material possesses yield strengths up to 150,000 PSI. The two end forming machines prepare, via cold forming, the ends of seamless drill pipe and casing tubes prior to machining a premium thread, with tube diameters accommodated ranging from 4.5in up to 10.75in. The machines perform one of two operations: a mandrel expansion, required prior to machining a female premium thread, and a die reduction, required prior to machining a male premium thread. The machines will be installed in a brand new VAM USA facility in the Houston area, in a continuous line process, which allows VAM to provide fast deliveries of the highest quality premium threads. More information from VAM Dynobend innovations in mandrel bending help save costs Dynobend’s latest development in its stable of bending machines is the combi-bending machine, which it says combines the advantages of rolling with variable radii and the well-known mandrel bending technique. The Dutch company’s bending tools (horizontally divided/ vertically clamped) can be used to bend fixed radii from approximately 1.2 x D to approximately 3 x D and the rollers can also be used to roll larger radii and bend many different types of products. Dynobend’scomplete line-up of combi-bending machines consists of the CB12, CB25, CB40, CB60, internet connection and network connection and b using the correct tools, all types of tubes and profiles can be bent. When the machine is used for mass production, it can be extended by adding a bunker, loading systems, weld seam detection, unloading systems, etc, meaning that the bending machine plays a central role in the production unit and enables significant savings to be made in relation to handling and operator costs. More information from Dynobend at: www.dynobend.com, tel: +31(0) 53 8507730, email: Info@dynobend.com, fax: +31(0) 53 8507731. www.internationalmetaltube.com Faro and TeZet in new joint partnership Faro, the manufacturer of portable 3D measurement devices, has entered into a new European technology and marketing agreement with TeZet, the Swiss-based tube measurement software specialist. Under thenew agreement, TeZet’s tube specialised software solution TeZetCAD, will be integrated into the leading portable devices for 3D measurement ­FARO ScanArm and FaroArm. This new joint solution will be available to customers in all major industries involved in the measurement and correction of tubes of all sizes and forms, including complex geometries of freeform bent tubes. At present, TeZet claims to be the only software globally that can measure and correct freeform bent tubes. The innovative element of the agreement is the ability to measure freeform bent tubes with the Faro Laser ScanArm so that tube benders can actually bend tubes by extracting them graphically from CAD drawings. Until now, the only method that allowed measurement of the reproducibility and quality control for freeform bent tubes was traditional laser scanning. Users need to collect points and convert the point cloud into polygons or nurbs to generate a tube design, and TeZet offers a software module for FARO ScanArms that allows automatic calculation of tube data during the scanning procedure. The user no longer needs to use the complex and lengthy method of converting millions of points in order to extract the tube coordinate and bending data necessary for masterpiece inspection and comparison within the production procedure. More information on Faro at: www.faro.com and on TeZet Technik at: www.tezet.com, tezet_leistritz@compuserve.com, tel: +41 (0)56 2493760, email: fax: +41 (0)56 2492878. Emmedi’s new solid state welder E mmedi, the welding and annealing division of the SAET Group, unveiled its new solid state welder at Tube Dusseldorf 2008. With a 250kW output power, it is based on a Mosfet inverter capable of working up to 450kHz. The new welder consists of a transformer, power supply, welding head, cooling system and control desk. The power supply is a three-phase, full bridge thyristor rectifier, and filters are inserted in order to reduce the harmonic components that could affect the welding process. The inverter is a current-fed type, with a number of modules (each rated 25kW power) that are connected in parallel: output oscillating circuit is directly connected to the inverter. A system control board communicates with the inverter through optical fibres. Full protection measures, for both hardware and software, have been implemented on the single module and on the whole system, to limit component failures. The modular structure and a complete diagnosis system allows a quick and easy maintenance in order to reduce production stops, says the company. A special digital control system has been developed for an optimum phase locking (and increased efficiency), with the possibility of following the change of frequency due to load variation, in any working condition. SAET Group also offers a special teleservice in remote mode which enables its technicians to operate from its premises directly into the welding unit installed at the customer plant. More information on Emmedia and SAET Group at: www.saetgroup.com, tel: +39 (0)11 9977999, email: info@emmedi.it, fax: +39 (0)011 9974328. Superior HF welding solutions S uperior Technologies Europe (STE) was formed in 2004 as a specialist supplier of High Frequency (HF) welding consumables serving the global tube and pipe Industry. With almost 20 years technical experience in the tube industry, the company claims to offer specialist advice and products for virtually every HF welding application, from the smallest diameter aluminium radiator tube up to a 24in diameter API/structural product. Inductors are manufactured from high conductivity copper with special insulation and coatings on contact surfaces – particularly important with Transistor (Solid State) HF generators, as power consumption can be affected by increased resistance at the inductor fixing points. Superior offers coils and impedors for all applications Large inductor and coil holders for all HF welders Specialised impedors are or ID coating applications These include a bio-degradable offered for many different • Quartz glass and ceramic cleaning chemical that will requirements, including: return flow impedors remove all deposits from the • Return flow designs to keep STE also offers a range of cooling system without harm to the inside tube dry high-performance ferrite cores internal components. • Standard through-flow impedors and casings, including TDK IP-H More information on Superior or exposed ferrite impedors and Ferromax, as well as Technologies Europe at: • For larger diameters, unique consultancy services for HF www.st-europe.co.uk, cluster impedors with ‘quick welding applications and a tel: +44 (0)1344 868860, change manifold’ design; relatively new range of HF email: sales@st-europe.co.uk, • Hollow impedors for ID scarfing generator maintenance products. fax: +44 (0)1344 426626. Precision laser welding at high speed Rofin’s Macro Group showcased its Profile Welding System (PWS) at Tube 2008. Designed and configured to weld tubes and profiles, it uses fully integrated sensor technology which detects the weld gap and enables seam tracking. When used to join tubes and profiles, laser welding enables narrow seams with fine grain structure to be produced, together with a minimum of heat-affected zones. In contrast to conventional TIG welding, non-contact laser welding achieves significantly higher process speeds, and the weld seams generated can withstand very high stress levels without tearing, says Rofin. The PWS comprises a beam guidance and sensor system together with PC-controlled linear axes. The sensors used for weld seam position recognition and seam tracking can detect even the slightest discrepancies in the seam position and this adaptive system ensures that the laser beam always follows the seam, thus providing high process reliability and consistency. The high-speed precision linear drives used by the PWS provide positional accuracies of 20µm at production speeds of up to 60m/minute. A beam delivery system on the PWS provides safe operation under tough industrial conditions. Designed with modular construction in mind, the system can be configured to suit individual customer’s requirements. For example, the beam guidance system can be supplied with either a beam switch unit or a beam splitter unit, while a number of options can also be used to further customise its configuration for a specific application. These include: • Process gas jet geometries configured for the application • A 300 rotating weld head – enabling drag welding for higher welding speeds • Process data monitoring and storage. More information on Rofin-Baasel UK Limited at: www.rofin-baasel.co.uk, tel: +44 (0)1327 701 100, email: sales@rofin-baasel.co.uk, fax: +44 (0)1327 701 110. 16 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com A decade of change After years of research and development of a new product, Martin McVicar and Robert Moffett, both formerly of truck-mounted specialist Moffett Engineering, establish Combilift Ltd. to manufacture and market the world’s first all-wheel drive, engine-powered, multi­directional forklift. This was designed to fill a gap in the materials’ handling market – a versatile forklift that would enable the safe and space-saving handling of long and bulky loads in confined spaces. As this innovative truck could replace a combination of other forklifts, the new product was christened the Combilift. The first Combilift to roll off the production line was sold to Monaghan-based JG Kelly Supplies, where it is still in operation. Combilift Ltd started its export drive by appointing distributors and selling trucks into Norway, Benelux and France. 1999 The first Combilift was the four-tonne capacity C4000, which is still considered to be the core model of the Combilift range, well suited to handle loads across a wide range of industry sectors. Exports to the UK, Germany, Finland and North America are initiated. Initial customers reacted enthusiastically, realising that using a Combilift rather than a combination of, say, counterbalance forklift for loading/offloading and narrow aisle truck for storing goods in the warehouse, would bring multiple advantages. These included: reduced numbers of forklifts and operators, quicker operations due to elimination of multiple handling, and major reductions in product damage to long, non­palletised materials such as timber and PVC extrusions. 2000 The 1999 output of 130 units more than doubles, and more sectors such as the steel and aluminium industries are supplied. 2001 Combilift wins prizes: the company is awarded the title of DHL Exporter of the year, and Martin McVicar is named Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. 2002 The model range diversifies with the introduction of the 2.5t Combilift and the development of larger trucks with capacities of up to 10t. New applications continue to emerge as a result of this. Sales in more than 40 countries are recorded, and the floor space at the original factory grows to accommodate increased production. More than 650 units are manufactured, and it’s time to move. With no room left for expansion, Combilift acquires a new site in Monaghan town and starts to build what is now its global headquarters, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and R&D centre. 2004 Sales’ milestone in the UK as the 500th truck is sold to a major timber and panels supplier. New models this year include the four-way sideloader, and electric power is also now available on selected Combilifts. Combilift continues to listen to customers when developing new machines, and the sideloader was produced in answer to feedback from traditional sideloader users who indicated a need for a more manoeuvrable machine which could provide better storage density and block stack, while still able to work in their pre­existing aisle widths. First GT units delivered to North America. 2005 The UK Fork Lift Truck Association awards Combilift the Design Achievement Award. The 46-acre Monaghan site becomes fully operational. Combilift USA is Incorporated in Greensboro, NC, to offer local technical assistance and parts supply to support the North American growth. 2006 Annual production rises to 1,500 units. Irish Enterprise and Employment Minister Micheál Martin officially opens Combilift’s new premises in June at an event attended by more than 400 people from around the world. 2007 Combilift unveils its largest model to date – a 14t capacity truck, at Promat in Chicago and at the IMHX exhibition in Birmingham. Combilift Australia is established. Sales now recorded in over 50 countries. 2008 Combilift is now the proven global market leader in the long load handling sector. Far from resting on its laurels, it has continued to launch new Combilifts, and there are now more than 15 models to choose from, depending on your application. As each Combilift is made to order, the original company slogan of ‘customised handling solutions’ still holds firm. From the outset, the company has been known for its innovation, and innovation continues to be Combilift’s hallmark. A brand new compact Combilift model the Combi-CB was unveiled this September to mark the company’s 10-year anniversary. Once again, Robert and Martin and their team have done their homework and have come up with another original, versatile niche product: 9,500 units will be in operation by the end of 2008. 2009? Turnover is estimated to reach €100m, one year ahead of Combilift’s projections publicly set in 2006. More information on Combilift: www.combilift.com, tel: +353 47 80500, email: info@combilift.com, fax: +353 47 80501. Laser technology looks to the future While the dispute rages on which laser source will own the future of material processing, one thing is clear: there is no single ideal beam source for industrial lasers. Users will continue to need different beam sources, the industrial sectors are too different and the laser technologies too complex L aser technology expert, Trumpf, offers a huge range of different technology platforms. “We focus on specific uses and offer our customers the right laser for each application,” says Jens Bleher, managing director of Trumpf Laser Technology Division. Whenever new technologies appear on the market, users and experts ask if the new platforms will replace the old tried-and­true approaches. For example, experts prophesied the end of the CO2 laser when the first high-power, solid state lasers were introduced. Diode lasers The first diode laser in the kilowatt range with its superior efficiency and compact size was also considered to be the laser beam source of the future for a long time. In retrospect, one thing is clear: no one single new beam source technology has completely replaced existing, proven technologies. Rather, new technologies have found their own niche among users and have generally expanded the potential of lasers in processing materials. In the present Trumpf can offer its customers a suitable laser for virtually every application. Its product portfolio ranges from lasers for microprocessing (TruMicro), to lasers for welding and cutting complex components (TruPulse, TruFiber), to marking lasers (TruMark), to disk lasers (TruDisk) for demanding welding jobs, and CO2 lasers (TruFlow, TruCoax) that have become indispensable in everyday production. Different laser technologies are based on different approaches. Each radiation source has its strengths and weaknesses. The beam quality of both disk and fiber lasers is high, and they are highly effective. “Whereas the strength of the fiber laser is in the low output range, the disk laser is more practical in the high output range,” says Bleher, summarising the applications for the two solid state lasers. Disk lasers The advantage of the disk laser over the fiber laser in multi-kilowatt applications is obvious. Given its large illuminated area, the power density of the disk laser is not critical, even at a high output. Fiber lasers generate an enormous power density that negatively influences process reliability. Another disadvantage of the fiber laser is its high sensitivity to reflection that frequently arises when processing material with the laser. If a fiber laser resonator experiences reflection, it generally needs to be shut off to ‘ protect the laser. Since the resonator of the disk laser is insensitive to reflection even when materials are highly reflective, the user can weld and cut any material without the risk of having to stop production. Another user benefit is the modular design of the disk laser. Since the customer can exchange the individual modules for service or if a malfunction arises, downtime is minimal, and so are repair costs. Due to the monolithic structure of the fiber laser, the customer cannot exchange defective modules without assistance. This leads to long downtimes. For applications in the low output range, fiber lasers can be advantageous. This type of laser can easily generate a continuous wave beam in basic mode and achieve superior beam quality relatively easily. “Such a laser is The primary focus is the application, not the laser technology good for welding and cutting thin sheet metal where very fine contours are required,” states Bleher, summarising the uses of the fiber laser. For two-D laser cutting, the CO2 laser remains the gold standard for Trumpf. “At present, we don’t understand why people feel that the 1µm wavelength of the solid state laser is preferable. The cutting behavior of the CO2 laser with a 10µm wavelength offers a high degree of flexibility when cutting sheet metal of different thicknesses,“ emphasizes Bleher. In addition, the high edge quality argues for the CO2 laser as a universal cutting machine. In the final analysis, the client always chooses which laser should be used for which application. The laser technology ’ itself is not the primary concern of the customer. The complete technology package, application and service, needs to work for the customer. Trumpf not only offers the right laser for each application, but also an international service network of approximately 900 service technicians that the customer can call on at any time. Only the future will reveal how BLM tube laser working with Hydram Sheet Metalwork Over the past two years, Hydram Sheet Metalwork has invested more than £2m in capital equipment and plans to expand its factory by a further 30,000sq ft next year. IMT finds out more A crucial part of the £2m­plus investment by the ISO 9001:2000­accredited subcontractor has been the installation of a BLM Dynamo CNC tube bender and, more recently, a BLM Adige LT 712D CNC tube laser. This is in response to the current three-year business plan that identifies possible additions to the company’s range of services. With more than 30 years experience in subcontract manufacturing and more than 150 customers spread across virtually every industry sector, Hydram has built a reputation for high quality sheet metal components, assemblies and light fabrications produced at its 70,000 sq. ft. factory. However, a decade ago this 130-employee company’s customer base did not extend much beyond a 40-minute drive from its location on the Chilton Industrial Estate, near Ferryhill in County Durham. Today, it is a very different picture. “The marketplace is becoming increasingly competitive, with UK companies looking to offshore manufacture or dual source as a way of combating increases in energy, material and labour costs,” says John Young, managing director. “To counter this trend we are investing in more efficient and productive equipment while, at the same time, looking further afield for customers within the UK and Europe. Tube bending is one of our core competencies and we needed to upgrade our capability in terms of automated operation. The tube laser, on the other hand, is in addition to our flat sheet laser machining capability and has opened up new market opportunities while differentiating Hydram from its competitors.” The decision to purchase the LT 712D tube laser was based in part on the performance and reliability of the BLM Dynamo CNC tube bender, BLM GROUP’s acknowledged expertise in tube processing, and the new machine’s 8.5m tube length processing capacity. “We were also impressed by the build quality of the machine, its off-line programming capability, the service and support provided by BLM GROUP UK Ltd, and the experiences of other end-users,” says David Greatorex, operations director. “Where we would previously have used several machines to process tubular components, we now use the tube laser and have eliminated inaccuracies and work-in-progress. It has also impacted on operations downstream, for example, by 22 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com eliminating the need for welding jigs as parts can now be tagged. “All of this has enabled us to take cost out of the job because it is not just about cutting faster, it is about revisiting the entire production process from design to delivery of the completed component.” This BLM Adige LT 712D is equipped with a Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC and can process round, square, rectangular and flat-sided oval section tube up to 152 mm diameter, courtesy of a 2500 W laser source. Off-line programming software specifically developed for the machining of tubes creates new programs quickly and easily, typically less than 10 minutes from drawing to finished part, while the Siemens control allows the operator to manage all the main functions, including program downloads. Fast set-up and change-over times – around three minutes – which means short batches can be managed as cost-effectively as longer production runs. In addition to sheet metal processes such as CNC punching, presswork, folding and rolling, and its expertise in laser tube cutting and profiling, Hydram also offers MIG/TIG welding of mild, stainless steel and aluminium. Precision CNC machining is also available, with parts requiring painting being powder coated prior to final assembly and delivery. “We consider Hydram to be one of the top sheet metalworking companies in the UK, with more than 150 customers spread across virtually every industry sector,” says David Greatorex. “However, the objective is to be confirmed as world class when assessed against the criteria typically used by ‘blue chip’ manufacturing companies such as Nissan. “It is, of course, difficult to compare our performance with businesses operating outside of The BLM AdigeLT 712D tube laser can process round, square, rectangular and flat-sided oval section tube up to 152 mm diameter the sheet metal sector and especially those serving high-volume production markets. “However, we have concentrated on key aspects such as cost, quality and delivery, and have arrived at target figures that we believe represent a truly world-class standard – for example, 99.9 per cent of orders delivered on time and in full. “Training, too, is a big thing for Hydram. Last year training averaged four days per person and 90 per cent of our workforce is educated to a minimum NVQ Level 2 standard.” The upshot, he adds, is that Hydram’s customers “are benefiting from a single-source supplier pursuing a policy of continuous improvement and committed to high-quality products, competitive pricing and prompt delivery.” More information on Hydram at: www.hydram.co.uk, email: enquires@hydram.co.uk tel: +44 (0) 1388 720222 fax: +44 (0) 1388 720222 More information on BLM at: www.blmgroup.uk.com, email: sales@blmgroup.uk.com, tel: +44 (0)1525 402 555 or fax: +44 (0)1525 402312 www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2008 23 Crippa finds solution for bending hybrid tubes Crippa has introduced a new bending machine, the CA IBRI, said to allow improved economies of production for tubes connected with flexible parts The CA IBRI has been specially designed for tubes with the following applications: power steering: steel, small diameters, ends with fittings and blocks, presence of rubber parts. Mechanical and plant engineering: different tube diameters, various materials, also extra-long tubes. Bending of extra-long tubes Method The tube can be handled by clamping it centrally. The tube is divided into two parts and bent alternatively on one side and then the other, thus halving the tube range. Advantages Great speed, thanks to the reduced length of the tube range. Complex bends, which are to be carried out on the tube end for tubes used in the sectors of brake, gasoline and conditioning. Using the traditional method, these bends should be carried out at the end of the bending operations on one end. Bending of hybrid tubes consisting of two metal sections and one rubber section Method Using the same method, the machine can handle and bend a tube by clamping it centrally, thus making the side to be bent alternatively available. Advantages It is now possible to bend a hybrid tube installed and tested before bending, thus helping the production cycle and testing under vacuum and reducing overall dimensions for handling and storage. Bending of KIT tubes or of two equal tubes Method Using the same method, it is possible to bend KIT tubes or two equal tubes not connected by rubber parts. The tubes are loaded all together on the machine and stored on both sides of the positioner, which makes both tubes alternatively available for bending. Advantages Bending of KIT tubes and two identical tubes with a single loading and unloading operation. The storage capacity is doubled, thus guaranteeing a longer working cycle, and the managing and handling process of KIT tubes is also simplified. Technical description Electro-pneumatic machine The tube deformation is carried out by bending and not by compression bending, thus assuring a higher precision. The bending head is equipped with a direct drive gearmotor with reductions and maintenance for other handling systems The particularly small head (radius 40mm with right or left configuration) allows the bending of complex, already assembled tubes with one single run. There is the possibility of using multi-groove and multi­level tooling, for example for a tube with 10mm diameter and five different levels. Optional in-line right and left head with the same reduced dimensions of the standard head. It has double tooling capacity. High speed. The innovative and patented translation system of both head and positioner at the same time allows for double speed and acceleration. Advantages Easy programming: a special program allows programming operations and corrections to be carried out as on a traditional machine. The device for automatic recovery of the tube lengthening during bending guarantees high precision, especially for hybrid tubes The optional device with additional numeric axis on the positioning collet allows bending of hybrid tubes with three rigid parts alternated with two rubber parts. The optional laser device for presetting the tube length from the ends is particularly useful for hybrid tubes and allows cut and crimping tolerances to be managed. The optional mechanical or visual device for the automatic tube orientation with flanges or small blocks allows the tubes to be rapidly positioned on the loader. The optional automatic device for the detection of the tooling to be used allows an easy and safe machine setup. Technical data Capacity/Dimensions Max. diameter of steel tube R=350/450N/mm2 16 x 1 (RM 2D) mm Max. diameter of aluminium tube 20 x 1.5mm Tube useful length 3000mm Max. bending radius 60mm Noise level 72 dB(A) / 65 dB(A) Installed power 6kW Weight 1800Kg Overall dimensions 1800 x 4400 x 1600mm Axes data Axis Speed Precision Travel Bending C 540°/1” +/- 0.05° 190° Rotation B 330°/1” +/- 0.05° Progress Y 3350 mm/1” +/- 0.05 mm 1500 mm Radius change X 1170 mm/1” +/- 0.05 mm 890 mm Vertical Z 1000 mm/1” +/- 0.05 mm 160 mm Side rotation A 240°/1” +/- 0.05 ° IMT October/November 2008 25 Sparkling debut for Las Vegas show P re-registration data indicates a whopping 48 per cent of visitors will be first-time attendees to the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show, including METALFORM, taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Centre, according to the organisers. Nearly 1,000 exhibitors’ products and displays will occupy 400,000 square feet of exhibit space, an increase of 28 per cent from the comparable 2006 show in Atlanta. “These figures underscore why we decided to stage our event for the first time in the western United States, one of the strongest manufacturing regions in the country,” said John Catalano, show manager for co-sponsor Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). “The Las Vegas venue is attracting a wave of key decision makers and influential buyers who have never attended the event, and exhibitors are responding in kind with added space. We anticipate more than 30 per cent of attendees will be from the Rocky Mountain and Western states, a huge increase from our recent shows in Chicago and Atlanta. “Plus, international pre-registration is up 15 per cent, attesting both to the draw of our programs and the Las Vegas venue.” Also sponsored by the American Welding Society (AWS) and Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA) and supported by industry partner the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show, including METALFORM, will feature new product displays and a wide array of educational offerings on technical and management issues led by more than 100 experts. More than 20,000 industry professionals are expected to attend to see a full spectrum of metal forming, fabricating, stamping, tube and pipe, and welding equipment and technology. Keynote addresses will include those by Dean Kamen, the American inventor and tireless advocate for science and technology, and Jim Waters, a top global expert from Caterpillar, the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. The 2008 show also will feature a METALFORM Pavilion displaying innovations in stamping technology. This pavilion was added as a result of the new strategic alliance with the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), the producer of METALFORM shows since 1981. Held concurrently with the exposition, a world-class conference will feature programmes on a variety of forming, fabricating, and welding technologies and processes and related business topics. More information about the 2008 FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show, including METALFORM, at: www.sme.org/fabtech, www.fmafabtech.com, www.aws.org/show, or www.metalform.com. 26 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com Featured Technologies Automation/robotics Hydroforming Saws Bending/folding Lasers Software Coil processing Material handling Stamping Contract manufacturing Plate and structural fabricating Thermal spray Controls Punching Tooling Cutting (waterjet/plasma) Roll forming Tube and pipe technology Finishing Safety equipment Welding 2008 Show hours Monday, October 6: 9am to 5pm Tuesday, October 7 : 9am to 5pm Wednesday, October 8 : 9am to 3pm Tube and Pipe Exhibitors Abbey International 8188 ABP Induction 8178 Accurex Measurement 4246 AddisonMckee 8182 AIM Inc. 8165 Ajax TOCCO Magnethermic 5249 AltaMAR Laser and Control 4198 Ameritherm 8194 AMS Controls 8117 Andy J. Egan 8198 AQUARESE 7177 Aristo Machines 8200 Baileigh Industrial 5164 BendPak 5225 BetaRam 7166 BEWO 7177 BGM Machine Imports 7195 BKB Manufacturing 5229 BLM Group USA Corporation 7199 Bronx/Taylor Wilson 8188 Cambridge Machinery 7189 Cambridge Metal Products 5227 Carbinite Metal Coatings 8176 Chatham Steel 8201 Chiyoda Kogyo-Maruka USA 4226 Clark Fixture Technologies 5207 COB Industries 7149 CogniTens (see Hexagon Metrology) 7140 Combilift USA 7223 Coop Engineering 7216 D&H Machinery 5256 Dalian Field Heavy Machinery 8177 Design Storage & Handling 7165 Dubak Engineering Group 7221 Dunkes 7177 E.M.S. 7177 Eagle Precision Technologies 8183 Eaton Leonard 7155 Eaton Leonard Tooling 4188 EddyTech Systems 5242 EFD Induction 8225 Electronic Heating 7158 Encur 5193 EST Group 4218 ETCO (China) International Trading 11279 European Technology Center 7177 Fairing Industrial 8224 Fluxtrol Inc. 8192 Gem Tool 5253 GH Electrotermia 7219 Guild International 3182 H & S Tool 4256 HABERLE/Ken Bergman & Assoc. 5195 Haeusler 8202 Haven Manufacturing 5222 Hexagon Metrology 7140 Horn Machine Tools 5188 Hydratight 5239 Innovo 5246 Interlaken Technology 5262 IPEX 7178 J & S Machine 8207 J&B Industries 5173 CMF-Jammes 7177 Jancy Engineering 4009 Kent/Tesgo 5213 KGK International 7183 King Architectural Metals 8214 Leica Geosystems 7140 (see Hexagon Metrology) Lillbacka Powerco USA/Finn-Power 5235 Mair USA 8173 Manchester Tool & Die 5229 Manufacturing Solutions 4176 Medford Tools & Supply 13299 Metallurgical & Materials Technologies 4178 Michigan Manufacturers Service 5252 MiiC America 5189 Mill Masters 7170 New Form Tools 5179 Numamerica 7182 OMNI-X 7212 ORT (Thread Rolling) 7220 OSG Power Tools 13286 Oto Mills SpA 8221 Overton Carbide Tool & Engineering 4202 Pador Marketing Group 8217 Paramount Innovative 8216 www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2008 27 Tube and Pipe Exhibitors continued TaurinGroup USA 5183 Pat Mooney Inc. 8151 T-DRILL Industries 5165, 7194 PDM Steel Service Centers 8201 Team Industries 8212 PHI 5248 Techno Industrial Machinery 7150 Pines Technology 7174 Tenryu America 4206 Polymer Molding 7192 Thermatool 5155 Production Tube Cutting 4194 Tools for Bending 8206 Proto-1 Manufacturing 7224 Total Tooling 5247 Qinhuangdao North Metal Hose 8218 Tower Oil & Technology 5250 Qiqihaer Haoying Iron and Steel 4192 Tru-Chem Company 5219 Quaker Chemical 5245 Int. Tube Association 5217 Ramco Equipment 4172 Tube Bending Concepts 5201 REA Elektronik 7188 Acme-Saw/Tubex Technology Machinery 5214 Roll Machining Technologies & Solutions 8172 Unison - TJP Electronics 5188 Romer (see Hexagon Metrology) 7140 Universal Tube & Rollform Equipment 8168 Saar Hartmetall USA 4242 UTE 5175 SAV North America 4248 Vernon Tool Company 8213 Saws International 5223 Vulcan Tool 5171 Shandong Yanshan Pipe Engineering 12291 Wafios Machinery 7146 Shanghai Tianyang Steel Tube 4174 Wauseon Machine & Manufacturing 7213 Shelby Welded Tube/Middletown Tube 5199 Weil Engineering North America 8174 Shenyang Debang Stainless Steel Industry 8196 Weldlogic 8155 SST Forming Roll 5203 Winton Machine 7206 T&H Lemont 8189 YLM Industrial 8209 Tallyrand Industrial Systems 12263 Zhejiang Tianbao Industrial 8220 AddisonMckee Stand : 8182 Personnel: Christian Rogiers, Jim Sabine and Daniel Jacobs AddisonMckee wil be demonstrating enhanced levels of bender versatility at FABTECH, with its innovative new CBE model. In addition to displaying one of its high-performance DataBend small diameter draw bending machines and formally launching Maestro, the tube bending control solution, AddisonMckee will also use the show to present the benefits of its new DataBend 89 CBE model. CBE tube benders enable customers to specify the precise levels of functionality required for their specific bending processes. Developed primarily for larger diameter, thin-wall 1D bending of automotive exhaust components, CBE models combine six electric servo axes (Y, B, C, X, Z and YP) and three hydraulic operations (clamp, pressure die and mandrel). The standard single-radius 89mm OD capacity model has been designed to provide maximum productivity for both OEM, tier one and two exhaust component manufacturers who are increasingly looking for robust, value-priced solutions. www.addisonmckee.com AIM Stand: 8165 Personnel: Gus Goudis, Bob Lump, Craig Tucker and Jack Olivier AIM will debut its new AFC AccuForm high­performance/compact CNC wire bending machine, claimed to set new benchmarks for cost-effective, automatic wire bending operations with up to 8mm wire capacity. AIM will also be running the AFM-3D8T-Ultra, which utilises its exclusive SmartEditor operating system for bending even the most complicated parts. www.aimmachines.com Bronx and Abbey International Stand: 8188 When it comes to supplying the world with innovative tube and pipe technology, Bronx/Taylor-Wilson and Abbey International says it delivers. The on-going commitment remains to develop innovative machinery, systems and software that maximise efficiency and to continue to provide solutions for a competitive, ever-changing industry in both mill and finishing floor technologies. www.btwcorp.com 28 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com Combilift Stand: 7223 Combilift, the supplier of long load handling solutions, will be exhibiting some of its range of Combilift four-way forklifts at this year’s Fabtech . Combilift celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, and there are now more than 9,000 units in operation in over 45 countries. These versatile four-way forklifts have a track record of safe and space saving handling in confined spaces, particularly in the tube and pipe, fabricating and manufacturing sectors. The design of the truck enables it to do the job of a combination of other forklifts, thereby saving time on double handling of product and expense on capital outlay for multiple trucks such as sideloader, reach truck and counterbalance forklift. Combilift manufactures a range of models with load capacities from 5,000lbs to 30,000lbs, powered by diesel, LPG or electric. A model particularly suited to the requirements of the metal sector is the four-wheel steer GT stand-on forklift for very narrow aisle operation. Available in LPG with 6,000lb or 10,000lb capacities, it can be used indoors and out, as can all Combilift models. www.combilift.com Faspar Stand: 1248 (hosted by Costa & Grissom Machinery) Established in 1966, Faspar, the coil processing technology machinery expert, has been producing complete sheet metal working lines for more than 30 years. With a 4000sq m covered production area, it is well known for its slitting lines, levelling and straightening and cut-to-length lines (with rotary, flying and mechanical shear)surface finishing lines, feeding and pressing/punching lines, tension/stretch leveling lines, roll forming lines and sandwich panel lines. Processed material can be mild/carbon steel, galvanised steel, pre-painted steel stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, copper and tin plate. www.faspar.it For the latest news on FABTECH visit www.internationalmetaltube.com Formtek Stand: 5001 Formtek is a single-source provider of what it describes as “the best and broadest productivity solutions available. “B&K, Cooper-Weymouth, Peterson (CWP), Dahlstrom, Engel, FMI/Dahlstrom, Hill Engineering, Iowa Precision, Iowa Rebuilders, Lockformer, Lion, Rowe, Tishken, Winpro, and Yoder are all members of the Formtek Group. www.formtekgroup.com. Haven Stand: 5222 Haven Manufacturing will introduce the Haventrak flying shear at the show. Working with Universal Controls Group, the company has combined its dual-blade shear cut-off head with the U-Trak precision roller screw accelerator from Universal Controls Group. www.havenmanufacturing.com Interlaken Stand: 5262 Interlaken will be exhibiting hydroforming press systems for use in production or materials research applications. The systems are computer-controlled hydraulic press systems with data acquisition that uses a high-pressure liquid to hydroform materials and are designed to embrace both tube and sheet hydroforming applications. Gas forming systems are also available. The Hydroforming press systems are equipped with Interlaken’s UniPress control system for reliable and precise control over the hydroforming process. It offers dynamic mode switching which enables the user to switch between a variety of feedbacks such as force, position, internal pressure and other system variables. www.interlaken.com Oto Mills Stand: 8221 Oto Mills will demonstrate its latest developments made during the past year for complete tube mills and electronic controls, including: the recent innovations in entry lines, changes and innovations for tube and pipe mills, flying cut offs, Elview software for the complete tube mill and pipe mill, various measuring systems for flying cut offs and quality control, plus complete plant automation. www.otomills.com Unison Stand: 5188 Unison will announce a new version of its all-electric twin-head CNC bending machinery, offering much broader application versatility. Among the new features is the ability to bend to smaller radii, a shorter minimum distance between bends, plus enhanced control and HMI software with features including a monitoring facility to help users deal with variations in material quality. The latest version of the Unison twin-head machine offers a five-axis solution for bending symmetrical parts, with left and right bending heads situated on twin carriages, plus a central rotation control axis. The machine range can bend tubes (and other materials such as rod, flat stock, aluminium profiles) with diameters from 16 to 50mm and to angles of up to 180 degrees. On the new machine the radius of bends that are possible has been extended to a range from 25.4-127mm, while the minimum distance between bends has also been reduced to 279mm, with a special version having the ability to get down to 203mm — extending the versatility of parts that can be fabricated. For very high throughput applications, Unison can provide automated twin head bending cells complete with features such as robot arm loaders and unloaders, weld seam detection units, end formers, tube marking equipment, bar code readers, etc. www.unisonltd.com/products and www.hornmachinetools.com For our FABTECH show report, see issue two of International Metal Tube Educational opportunities at North American welding show For welding offered, as well as a free professionals in all basic seminar on professional categories, thermal spray and a free there will be more than programme on money­100 valuable educational saving practices for steel presentations during the fabricators. FABTECH International & For welding AWS Welding Show. educators, there are a Conferences will be number of career-held on friction stir enhancing sessions that welding, new thermal highlight the latest in cutting technologies, and welding education, breakthroughs in non- training programmes, destructive testing. A and higher education, as two-day school in well as opportunities to resistance welding will network with peers. also take place and some A one-day conference 80 live presentations on will be presented in welding research and conjunction with the new commercial applications will be included in the three-day programme. Welding inspectors and those who aspire to become inspectors or to increase their knowledge of inspection will be able to take advantage of seminars covering visual inspection, welding procedure specifications, introductory metallurgy, and the new D1.1 Structural Welding Code for steel. A two-day seminar covering welding of stainless steels will be National Centre for Welding Education and Training and free lectures and presentations for educators will include a programme on welder training in the energy industry. There will also be a free lecture on welding in the deep oceans. To explore all the educational opportunities for welding professionals at the show, please visit www.aws.org/show. 30 IMT October/November 2008 www.internationalmetaltube.com www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2008 31 International Metal Tube To start receiving your FREE copy of IMT magazine please complete in full the registration form below, for individuals outside of Europe we will be providing the magazine in a digital (cover to cover) version to ensure the fastest delivery. The printed version is however available outside of Europe via a subscription. 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