Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Open, flexible, powerful – Siemens Sinumerik 840D is the premium CNC for machine tools.
View the Sinumerik 840D sl Brochure and visit Siemens at Fabtech, Booth S-4686.
For additional product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue readingBetter welding control helps R.H. Peterson produce a new line of grills achieve up to 30% improvement savings. View the case study here and visit Siemens at Fabtech, Booth S-4686.
For additional product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue readingWhen implementing mechanical and hydraulic presses and handling equipment, for instance in the automotive industry, a predominantly modular design ensures the highest degree of flexibility and shortest engineering and installation times for customized systems. The Metal Forming Solution Package provides all of the functions required to automate press systems, therefore supporting press manufacturers when quickly implementing their specific press concepts.
View the Metal Forming Solution Package Brochure and visit Siemens at Fabtech, Booth S-4686!
Additional information can be found on the Siemens US metalforming website.
See below for customer reference videos:
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue readingMultiple machines and services from longtime leader in stamping presses to be displayed at FABTECH Booth 4363
The HEIM Group has been designing and manufacturing presses for over 65 years. The company’s HEIM and ROUSSELLE press brands are known worldwide for their quality construction and performance. Built in the Chicago factory, using American-made components, whenever possible, the presses have a reputation for dependable operation, competitive price and superior support from dealers and inside staff. 
Each Maxi Stamper (as shown in photos) straight side press is engineered with the latest CAD technology and built by experienced craftsmen. Every aspect of the machine is manufactured with high-performance, unmatched accuracy and years of reliable use in operation. This series of eccentric-geared tie rod straight side presses is available in the 300 to 1000-ton range. Users select the stroke, speed, shut height and bed area. Standard drive rating is .500” above bottom stroke, but other options are available to meet all applications and energy requirements. Likewise, customers may select a more rigid frame deflection from the standard .002”/ft. Please see our website for details. 
Smaller press requirements are served by our Maxi Stamper II series of C-frame, front-to-back shaft designed presses in the 90 to 300-ton range. Built with the same heavy-duty standard designs, these presses have similar features and performance to our straight side presses. Maxi Stamper II presses are also offered in a solid frame design for applications sensitive to frame deflection. In the Heim booth, a before/after remanufactured press and a battery of other services will be displayed. Heim maintains a considerable inventory of remanufactured presses, plus offers the capability to retrofit or rebuild any Heim, Rousselle or select other brand of presses in the market. Booth personnel will include company President Katie Heim and other executive team members, as well as technical and sales personnel.
Click to see the presses in action!
For more information, please stop by Booth S4363 at FABTECH or contact:
The Heim Group
6360 W. 73rd. St.
Chicago, IL 60638
Phone: 708.496.7400
Fax: 708.496.7428
Email: info@theheimgroup.com
Website: www.theheimgroup.com
Attention: Gina Petraitis
Visit Siemens at Fabtech 2013, Booth S-4686
UPDATE! See the video of Siemens at FabTech HERE.
Broad-based CNC competence: Siemens will be demonstrating how productivity, flexibility and safety can be increased in CNC production with an array of smart additions to its Sinumerik portfolio
Industrial corporations are facing deep-rooted changes in the world of manufacturing. These changes are taking place alongside increasing integration of product development and production processes with the benefit of innovative software systems and high-performance software – a decisive step on the road toward a new industrial age in manufacturing. “Siemens has invested a lot of work in the integration of automation technology along the entire value chain over a period of many years, and is playing a cutting-edge role in shaping the future of production,” stated Robert Neuhauser, CEO of the Motion Control Systems Business Unit of the Siemens Drive Technologies Division, at a press conference held in the run-up to the EMO 2013. “In the Sinumerik environment in particular, and consequently in the field of CNC production in general, Siemens has been heavily involved for many years already in the area of simulation and the virtual machine, as well as the integration into factory IT systems. Our aim is to drive this process of integration forward to ensure that the field of machine tool construction is also prepared to embrace the next step in the industrial revolution,” continued Neuhauser.
Siemens Sinumerik 808D
With its Sinumerik family, Siemens offers an integral portfolio of CNC for everything from simple machine tools through standardized machine concepts to modular premium solutions, complete with “smart machine” solutions for the economical manufacture of high-end workpieces. It is working towards the consistent expansion of this CNC technology expertise. “In the future, production models will demand ever greater productivity, flexibility and efficiency, while at the same time expecting simplified machine operation and production sequences. As it continues to develop the Sinumerik CNC portfolio, Siemens is working to satisfy all these expectations,” said Joachim Zoll, Head of Machine Tool Systems Business Segment within the Motion Control Systems Business Unit. The innovations presented by Siemens at the Fabtech 2013 will consequently focus on smart function improvements, which will make for greater CNC operating convenience, increase precision at the workpiece and allow greater machining safety across every category of machine, from the compact to the high-end solution. A new function to protect against unwanted component collisions will be showcased by Siemens, for example, alongside improvements to its cohesive Sinumerik Operate user interface, including upgraded simulation options.
Siemens Sinumerik 828D Basic Family
The Sinumerik CNC portfolio is additionally playing an increasingly important role in preparing the ground for the next step in the evolution of CNC production, also within the framework of the Siemens Integrated Drive System (IDS). With a view to optimizing the addition of value across the entire process chain through consistent integration, IDS is used to integrate all the components of the drive train consistently into the complete production process environment. This also applies to Sinumerik CNC system solutions.
For every Sinumerik application, ideally coordinated system components such as high-powered Sinamics drives and Simotics motors have always been used as the ideal complements. Alongside horizontal integration of the entire drive train, with Sinumerik Integrate for Production, Siemens is also allowing vertical integration within the control architecture of industrial manufacturing automation. As the example of a leading passenger car manufacturer illustrates, this type of vertical and horizontal integration within the production process can speed up the series start for a new vehicle by up to 50 percent.
Siemens is extending its preparations for the next step in manufacturing to offer the machine tool building industry an emerging series of integrated solutions. An integrated workpiece measurement system, with a measurement accuracy of 30 nanometers deployed in the world’s biggest precision optics machine, allows the production of telescopes capable of seeing up to 13 billion light years into space
The integration across the entire product life cycle can in turn be implemented using suitable Product Lifecyle Management (PLM) software solutions from Siemens. This concept is already being implemented by leading metals processing industries such as the automotive, aerospace and medical technology sectors. This entails the increasing execution of product development and production planning onscreen, before a single machine tool has even been installed. If a modular machine is developed on a virtual basis right from the outset so that it can be fully simulated, time savings up to 40 percent can be achieved. In running operation, productivity increases of 10 percent or more are also made possible by continued simulation and optimization. At this year’s Fabtech, Siemens will be showcasing the further development of its PLM software, which encompasses scalable solutions for component production and further improved IT integration from the workpiece model through to the machine tool. Siemens will also be revealing the next stage in productivity for NC programming with the further development of its already popular PLM software, NX CAM. Going forward, this software will include special industry-specific machining functions as well as access to a new Manufacturing Resource Library.
For more information on Siemens SINUMERIK CNC, visit www.usa.siemens.com/cnc.
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue reading
15.3 million automobiles will be sold in the USA in 2013 alone. Even higher sales figures are anticipated for 2014. Manufacturers primarily want to meet the increased demand, including for automobiles with alternative drive systems such as hybrid drives and electric motors, by increasing their productivity. With its successful machine-tool concepts, EMAG has frequently demonstrated that productivity can be boosted above all by using state-of-the-art machine tools and the company wants to continue to do this on the market in the USA, a market that has been important traditionally. The EMAG branch in Farmington Hills in Michigan that has been successful for many years now offers an absolute guarantee of EMAG reliability and presence in America. This EMAG plant supplies a wide variety of customers throughout North America and thus makes a small but important contribution to boosting productivity in the USA. Let us convince you of the quality of our machines and the possibility of boosting production at WESTEC which is to be held in Los Angeles between October 15 and 17. You will find EMAG in the Convention Center at Stand 2820.
VT 2-4 vertical turning machine – shaft production for maximum productivity
Shafts are central components in an automobile’s powertrain. Thus, boosting productivity for this manufacturing process also has a clear effect on overall productivity. The vertical, 4-axis pick-up-turning machine VT 2-4 allows machining of shafts with a length of up to 400 mm and a diameter of up to 100 mm. Our consistent demand for maximum productivity is demonstrated by integration of the automation solution whereby the machine loads itself with raw parts using workpiece grippers. It takes approximately 6 seconds to change the workpieces and this thus leads to short idle times and, consequently, lower component costs. The actual turning process for which two tool turrets, each with twelve tool positions, are available (fitted with turning tools or driven tools) is performed at a speed of 6,000 rpm in extremely short cycles. The integrated automation system, combined with the compact vertical machine structure, allows you to configure production lines with a very small footprint. The VT 2-4 vertical turning machine is consequently ideally suited to integrating shaft production in existing manufacturing systems.
VL 2 – pick-up turning machine for small chuck parts
Besides the shafts, it is mainly chuck shafts which are involved in the production of automobiles. The fact that small chuck components need to be machined to an increasing extent in order to implement more compact and, thus, more lightweight parts is primarily due to the further developments in the field of boosting energy efficiency.
The VL 2 is designed to machine chuck parts with a maximum diameter of up to 100 mm and a length up to 150 mm. At the same time, the VL 2 offers a whole range of clever design details and hi-tech components which allow high productivity. These include the pick-up spindle which loads itself with raw parts from the integrated conveyor and the tool turret equipped with 12 tool positions which allows diverse machining scenarios. To date, there has not been such a compact manufacturing solution for machining hard or soft chuck parts. The machine concept is supplemented by a machine base made of MINERALIT® polymer concrete that ensures high strength and excellent vibration damping.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: info@usa.emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
Attention: Peter Loetzner
Continue readingVisit us
TD Convention Center, Booth 701
Forecasted growth rates of 6.3% in sales of automobiles in the USA clearly demonstrate one thing: that the USA is and will remain one of the most important trading partners for Germany and German industry. The USA is traditionally an important market for EMAG, a leading machine tool builder in Germany. This is emphasized by the fact that EMAG has been present in Farmington Hills, Michigan, for many years now. Thanks to the deep roots that EMAG has in the USA, it is not only an important employer in the region near the “Motor City” of Detroit, but it is also a reliable business partner for numerous companies throughout North America. See the quality and reliability of our products for yourself at this year’s South-Tec show in Greenville, South Carolina. EMAG will showcase its machines in the TD Convention Center at Stand 701 at the trade fair to be held between October 29 and 31, 2013.
VL 2-P – productivity thanks to pendulum technology
When the aim is to shorten idle times, there are very few machines which can rival the EMAG VL 2-P. Workpieces up to 100 mm in diameter can be machined on the VL 2-P with unbeatably short cycle times. While there is a pause on other machines to allow the workpiece to be changed, the next workpiece is directly ready to machine on the VL 2-P. The key is that 2 spindles are used and these load themselves alternately while the tool turret swings between the machining positions. When machining is completed on one spindle, the tool slide moves to the second spindle to start a new machining process. Loading and unloading of the spindles which now occur in parallel with machining are virtually eliminated from the machining process and reduce idle times to an absolute minimum.
VT 2-4 – top-quality shaft machining
The vertical, 4-axis pick-up-turning machine VT 2-4 allows machining of shafts with a length of up to 400 mm and a diameter of up to 100 mm. Our consistent demand for maximum productivity is demonstrated by integration of the automation solution whereby the machine loads itself with raw parts using workpiece grippers. It takes approximately 6 seconds to change the workpieces and this thus leads to short idle times and, consequently, lower component costs. The actual turning process for which two tool turrets, each with eleven tool positions, are available (fitted with turning tools or driven tools) is performed at a speed of 6,000 rpm in extremely short cycles.
VL 2 – pick-up turning machine for small chuck parts
The VL 2 vertical pick-up turning machine is just the right choice for machining chuck parts with a maximum diameter of up to 100 mm and a length of up to 150 mm. At the same time, the VL 2 offers a whole range of clever design details and hi-tech components. These include the pick-up spindle which loads itself with raw parts from the integrated conveyor belt and the tool turret equipped with 12 tool positions which allows diverse machining scenarios. The machine body made of MINERALIT® polymer concrete ensures high strength and excellent vibration damping which is indispensable particularly when machining small chuck components.
VL 5i – flexible and efficient
Be it small or large series production, the EMAG VL 5i is the ideal manufacturing solution for turned parts up to 250 mm. The VL 5i is an interesting manufacturing solution above all for small- and medium-sized component producers, thanks to its excellent characteristics (e.g. short retooling times and fast programming). An automation system functioning on the basis of the drag-frame principle is integrated to round off the equipment features. This automation system, combined with the pick-up technology from EMAG, is the basis for the high productivity of the VL 5i. The workpieces are conveyed to the inside of the machine via the revolving automation system. The pick-up spindle loads itself there and it also deposits the finished workpiece back on the conveyor after machining. The advantages are obvious: the revolving automation system allows simple and very reliable loading and unloading of the parts, while the self-loading spindle ensures maximum machining reliability since clamping errors are virtually completely eliminated.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: info@usa.emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
Attention: Peter Loetzner
Remarkable U.S.-only engineered and equipped foundry praised by New Hampshire Governor and Franklin, NH Mayor for technological initiative and for creating local jobs
One of two Hunter XL2024 Molding Machines at Watts Water’s WEFCO 2 lead-free foundry
SCHAUMBURG, IL — Watts Water Technologies has begun operation of a new lead-free foundry in Franklin, NH that reflects the company’s commitment to proactively meet the requirements of the “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act,” which goes into effect in January 2014 and establishes new limits on the lead content in every pipe, fixture, and fitting used to convey water for human consumption. Watts’ new WEFCO 2 foundry produces lead-free products exclusively, including lead-free versions of products the company produces at its WEFCO 1 facility (which is also located in Franklin, NH), as well as other products. Opening ceremonies were highlighted by comments from New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan and Franklin, NH Mayor Kenneth Merrifield.
Governor Hassan commended Watts for the types of products it produces at the new WEFCO 2 foundry, as “contributing to public health and safety, and for the company’s educational efforts around the Lead Free initiative.” She complimented the Franklin workforce, noting that, “The work effort here is extraordinary,” adding that the company is “emblematic of the ingenuity found across the Granite State.” Mayor Merrifield noted how rare it is to have a manufacturing facility that lasts 50 years, and how quickly the new foundry came into being. He referred to meeting this development challenge as a “remarkable accomplishment” and added “Congratulations, to an absolutely fabulous company.”
Discharge on Hunter XL2024 Molding Machine
The new WEFCO 2 foundry expands and diversifies the production capacity of Watts’ WEFCO 1 foundry, which opened in April 1977, has undergone 16 updates, and produces products for many Watts brands. Based on its decades-long history of working with the WEFCO 1 foundry Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation has kept pace with these expansions and updates.
“This is a great day for our company and its employees, our industry, and the Franklin community,” said Watts Water Technologies CEO and President David Coghlan at the June 21st ribbon-cutting ceremony of WEFCO 2 30,000-square foot state-of-the-art foundry. Coghlan stated the Watts WEFCO 2 foundry “will enable us to be the ‘safe choice’ for Lead Free products, since we can eliminate the possibility of cross contamination of materials. It will also enable us to provide efficient and timely availability of products.”
Former President and CEO, and Watts Water Director Emeritus, Tim Horne observed, “This significantly advanced foundry is the latest example of our commitment to the State of New Hampshire, and the city of Franklin.” Part of Watts’ strategy in this industry-leading facility are two XL2024 molding machines that feed onto a common HV-20 24 + 24 x 3 turntable mold handling systems, all produced by Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation in Schaumburg, IL.
HUNTER’S ROLE
Since its inception in 1977, the WEFCO 1 foundry used a full range of Hunter mold making and mold handling machinery. Originally, Hunter’s HMP-10 molding machines were installed on a Hunter HMH-210 mold handler alongside two Hunter HMP-20 machines that were installed on a Hunter HMH-220 mold handler. Hunter later addressed challenges in the older section of the foundry, including the need to increase pouring speeds, by replacing its older machines with Hunter’s C-series products. In 1999 these Hunter HMP-10C machines were replaced with Hunter’s HMP-10H mold making machines.
For the new WEFCO 2 foundry, Hunter integrated an Inductotherm Auto-Pour unit fed by two Hunter XL2024 molding machines into common Hunter HV-20 24 + 24 x 3 turntable mold handling systems through use of a proprietary mold-tracking program. Hunter’s direct interface controller communicates computer-based pattern data with the correct pouring profile to an Inductotherm Auto-Pour furnace.
Looking over Accumulating Conveyor at Hunter HV-20 Mold Handler mold elevator
In addition to this 35-year working history, according to New Hampshire Operations Engineering Manager Mike Geldermann there were several reasons why Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation was the molding machine and mold handling system provider of choice for the new foundry. “Hunter was the only single-source mold handling and mold making interface,” he states. “Their equipment was directly interchangeable with our current pattern plate setup and tooling, and provides us with improved cope-and-drag alignment to eliminate mold shift,” Geldermann says. Additionally, notes Geldermann, “Hunter’s systems were highly cost competitive when compared with other options,” he says, adding that Hunter’s familiarity with maintenance and upkeep of WEFCO 1 foundry machines was a key factor in their selection for the new WEFCO 2 production line.
For a video on this installation, please visit http://youtu.be/1d8475iM9Fo
For more information on the products in this story, please contact:
HUNTER AUTOMATED MACHINERY CORPORATION
2222 Hammond Drive Schaumburg, IL 60196
Phone: (847) 397-5110
Fax: (847) 397-8254
Email: info@hunterfoundry.com
Web: www.hunterfoundry.com
Connect with Hunter Foundry online: 
—
ABOUT WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Watts Water Technologies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a world leader in the manufacture of innovative products to control the efficiency, safety, and quality of water within residential, commercial, and institutional applications. Its expertise in a wide variety of water technologies enables it to be a comprehensive supplier to the water industry. For more information, visit www.wattswater.com.
ABOUT HUNTER
Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation was established in 1964 as Hunter Automated Machinery Corporation with the invention of the world’s first gravity-filled automated matchplate molding machine. This began the company’s history of innovation and launched the foundry industry into a new industrial revolution. Pioneered by William “Al” Hunter in his home garage, the original HMP-10 machine streamlined the laborious metal casting process by offering foundries unimagined new capabilities by producing as many molds in one hour as most had previously been produced in an entire day. As industry demands grew, Hunter responded with advanced solutions such as automated mold handling equipment and coresetters.
Now in its 50th year, Hunter Foundry Machinery Corporation’s inventions have earned nearly 150 U.S. and international patents. Hunter has produced more than 1,800 molding machines and mold handling systems for customers around the world. The company’s global reach extends from offices in the U.S., Brazil, China, India and Italy through North American, South American and Asia-Pacific manufacturing sites. Hunter’s sales and technical support is underscored by its $12 million parts inventory, established to maintain each machine’s original production capability across the worldwide foundry market.
Continue readingIntegrated operation, programming, and diagnostics of KUKA robots via the Sinumerik Operate user interface from Siemens
Automation of machine tools will immediately become more flexible: with Sinumerik Integrate Run MyRobot, Siemens Drive Technologies Division and KUKA Roboter GmbH presented a solution for integrated operation, programming, and diagnostics of a KUKA robot in Sinumerik at EMO 2013. For example, in conjunction with the new “Run myRobot” technology, the CNC control Sinumerik 840D sl package can optimally enable KUKA robots to perform handling tasks on machine tools, in particular, loading and unloading of machining cells. Interaction, such as operation, tool retraction, teach-in, and diagnostics of robots, can be performed through just one operator panel with the Sinumerik 840D sl, thus increasing the efficiency and flexibility of the machine tools. Customer can order this technology package with immediate effect from Siemens.
As part of the dynamic automation solution, functions for handling are one hundred percent available at the Sinumerik Operate user interface. The execution of the machine tool and robot program can be tracked and controlled on screen on parallel channels. This gives the operator a quick overview of the current status of the machine tool and robot. The Sinumerik hand-held terminal HT8 and the user interface can be used to “teach” not only machine tool-related setup actions but, as part of the same operating philosophy, also the path points and functions of the robot.
Execution of the robot movements, provision of robot safety functions, and other robot-specific functions are still performed by the KUKA robot control KR C4. The Sinumerik 840D sl is connected to the KUKA control via a command interface.
With the mxAutomation function block library from KUKA, the motion sequence of the robot can be programmed completely in the Sinumerik control 840D sl. In this way, the robot program can be created completely without any knowledge of Step 7, the Siemens tool for PLC programming.
This press release and further press material are available at http://www.siemens.com/press/emo2013
For more information on this story, contact:
Siemens AG, Media Relations
Franz-Ferdinand Friese, phone: +49 911 895 7946
E-mail: franz.friese@siemens.com
KUKA Roboter GmbH, Corporate Communications
Wolfgang Meisen, phone.: +49 821 4533 1981
E-Mail: WolfgangMeisen@kuka-roboter.de
—
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division (Nuremberg, Germany) is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components (Integrated Drive Systems). Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the Division fulfills the key requirements of its customers for productivity, energy efficiency, and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.siemens.com/drivetechnologies
The KUKA Roboter GmbH, with its headquarters in Augsburg, is a member of the KUKA Aktiengesellschaft and ranks among the world’s leading suppliers of industrial robots. Core competencies are development, production and sale of industrial robots, controllers and software. The company is the market leader in Germany and Europe and the number three in the world. KUKA Roboter GmbH employs about 3180 people worldwide. In 2012, sales totaled 742,6 million Euro. 25 subsidiaries provide a presence in the major markets of Europe, America and Asia.
Continue readingThe art of organ building at the highest level with modern CNC techniques…
Laukhuff relies on five-axis milling center from Spinner with Sinumerik 840D sl for small-series production
Walter Rhein, Manager of Cutting Applications at Laukhuff
At Laukhuff in Weikersheim, Germany, tradition and modernity merge together in a way that can not merely be seen, but also heard. The family-run company, with almost 200 years of history, is the international leader in organ building – as a supplier to the best-known organ builders and a provider of its own complete instrument developments. The company operates on a global level with 150 employees, considering itself an artistic crafting enterprise rather than an industrial company. Company CEO Hans-Erich Laukhuff emphasizes, “In our carpenter’s workshop and when manufacturing organ pipes, we are hardly able to use any machines because 90 percent of the work must be done by hand. When it comes to cutting, however, this is a different matter. Here, we can use modern milling and turning machines with innovative CNC equipment, so that we can keep productivity levels as high as possible.”
Walter Rhein is very satisfied with the five-axis Spinner U5-620 with Sinumerik 840D sl
If required, these masters of organ building will supply everything from a single source. Laukhff further explains, “If requested, we will take on all the tasks involved in the design, the manufacture of individual parts and the installation onsite. We even make the bench seat and the key lights ourselves, as there are no usable, satisfying solutions in the market today.”
The high level of perfection shown by this organ builder is reflected in the optics, in the haptics (touch and feel) and naturally in the sound of the instruments. It also has a positive effect on their reliability. After all – quite unusual in these fast-moving times – it is typically not necessary to plan the replacement of a Laukhuff organ for more than 100 years. However, a few spare parts will still be required.
Despite the fact their high quality is globally recognized, this family-run company is still facing constant cost pressure. To achieve a high throughput in cutting applications, the company uses five CNC turning machines and three CNC milling machines – together with their latest acquisition, a five-axis CNC center (3+2) from Spinner’s U-series, with a state-of-the-industry Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl CNC onboard.
Impressive price-performance ratio
With the Sinumerik-controlled Spinner U5-620, Laukhuff uses new options for the more productive manufacturing of organ components, such as chimes
Company owner and CEO Hans-Erich Laukhuff and Production Manager Walter Rhein already had positive experiences with the CNC. However, since mid-2009, they have been relying on the Spinner machine tool factory in Sauerlach, Germany for the first time and using the U5. According to the production manager, this decision was based on the price-performance ratio and the small space required by the machine in contrast to comparable machines from other manufacturers. The U5-620 only needs 2000 x 2400 millimeters of surface area, but achieves travel distances of 620/520/460 millimeters in the X/Y/Z-axis direction.
The new Spinner machining center has high-quality individual components, including 32 tools as standard, a double arm for rapid tool changes and linear axes on roller bearing guides. Michael Schulz, Spinner sales representative at Hollenbach GmbH, confirmed, “This enables us to achieve rapid feed speeds of 48 meters per minute in all directions. Even in terms of accuracy and surface quality, our U-series sets a very high standard.”
In terms of the productivity and quality increases that can be achieved, as well, the organ builder expects the acquisition of the Spinner machine to be amortized within a relatively short period of time. Ultimately, an organ builder will often manage without time-consuming retooling, as Rhein noted, “In the cutting applications for our organ pipe tuners, we previously had to retool three times and needed around 13 minutes just for clamping – which doesn’t even take into account the downtime while retooling. The five axes mean that production is now possible in a single clamping, within about eight minutes per piece. All in all, we are at least twice as fast as a result.”
Graphically-animated user interface
Like many medium-sized contract manufacturers, this organ builder’s employees also program directly at the machine. CNC specialist Kurt Stüdlein is totally convinced about the Sinumerik 840D sl because, “…it is powerful, safe to operate, user-friendly and reliable. But the CNC user interface, tailored to shopfloor programming, also scores highly, being graphically-animated and logically-structured. ShopMill, the resident software suite, is great, particularly for beginners. Production Manager Rhein further explains, “Even a fitter who has only just finished his training, without any extensive programming experience, can work with it, after some brief instructions.”
CNC professional Stüdlein adds, “Even on complex components using the 3+2 axis machining, I can create lots of programming steps with ShopMill. If I reach the limits when entering certain contours, or if I am quicker with DIN, then I can switch from the graphic to the text-oriented DIN interface at the touch of a button.” For additional employee safety, the Safety Integrated software solution is also built into the control. This means that it is possible for the user to safely track his program’s production process in setup mode with the machine doors open.
Laukhuff is certain, based on the experience gained, that he has made the right decision with the Spinner-Siemens CNC combination. The technology and the continuously fast service from both companies have convinced him, “If there is a problem, we are helped very quickly – which is not always a given with other manufacturers in this particular industry.”
For more information on Siemens SINUMERIK CNC, visit www.usa.siemens.com/cnc.
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability.
Continue reading