Industry machine tool might!

MACH 2022 is the UK’s largest manufacturing and engineering exhibition. Aerospace Manufacturing takes a look at what visitors can expect to see at this year’s show and features some of the exhibitors of interest to the aerospace manufacturing sector.

 

Sodick’s 5-axis K4HL small hole drilling machine
Sodick’s 5-axis K4HL small hole drilling machine

Scheduled to run from April 4-8th at the NEC Birmingham, MACH 2022 is the biennial event that brings together the latest developments and innovations in manufacturing. Attracting 25,000 visitors and more than 600 exhibitors, MACH is the platform to connect UK manufacturing engineers, decision makers, buyers and specifiers with suppliers of new technology, equipment, services and processes. As a major showcase, MACH 2022 will offer a great deal of interest to those involved in the aerospace sector.

We begin our exhibitor roundup with surface finishing specialists, Fintek (hall 19, stand 26). The company will showcase OTEC Präzisionsfinish’s new SF-HP which brings fully automated high-energy stream finishing to workpieces of 650mm in diameter and 650mm long and weighing up to 200kg.

In addition, the AS9100-accredited company will show improvements made by OTEC across the full range of CF – disc finishing, DF – drag finishing and SF – stream finishing machines for deburring, edge honing, smoothing and mirror-like polishing metal parts, from the extremely small and thin right up to aircraft landing gear.

Fintek will also exhibit RENA Technologies’ Hirtisation process which is said to finally resolve one of additive manufacturing's major hinderances - the cost effective and efficient removal of support structures, residues and the smoothing of hard-to-reach internal surfaces and deep cavities.

The OTEC SF-HP for surface finishing larger parts
The OTEC SF-HP for surface finishing larger parts

MACH 2022 will mark the UK launch of the D200Z 5-axis, vertical-spindle machining centre from Japanese machine tool builder, Makino, which is represented exclusively in the UK and Ireland by NCMT (hall 19, stands 120 and 130). Also being demonstrated will be Makino’s iSetup, an on-the-fly probing solution.

Makino's new HSK-A63 horizontal-spindle machining centre (HMC), the 4-axis machine  a40 SE will also be launched at MACH. A high rate of change of axis acceleration or jerk, delivers industry-leading speed in the HSK-A63 machine sector. Additionally, the inertia of the 22kW/91Nm spindle is two-thirds that of the spindle in the similarly sized model in Makino’s standard HMC range.

Makino will also showcase a wire-cut EDM centre, the U6 H.E.A.T. EXTREME, which in addition to using standard wire from 0.1 to 0.3mm is optionally able to run the largest diameter wire - 0.4mm - of any machine on the market.

Elsewhere, MecWash (hall 18, stand 114) will introduce a brand-new aqueous cleaning system at MACH 2022. Designed for low volume specialist applications, the new MWX300 system is the compact version of the MWX400.

Machining area of the Makino D200Z machining centre
Machining area of the Makino D200Z machining centre

This latest introduction to the MecWash MWX range of industrial parts washers, features enhanced functionality and improved accessibility for easy maintenance. It also utilises technology used in many smart machine tools, to provide one of the most advanced, connected parts cleaning systems in the world.

Small holes, big demands

Shown for the first time in Europe, Sodick’s (hall 20, stand 310) new 5-axis K4HL small hole drilling machine has been developed specifically to meet the needs of the aerospace and energy industries, for the high-speed drilling of the thousands of small, high-precision holes in exotic materials for aero-engines and other turbines. Visitors will be given an overview of the capabilities of the machine through a series of working demonstrations on the stand, where the machine set up will incorporate a 2-axis worktable.

Facilities that make the K4HL particularly suited to the aerospace sector include: full 3-axis standard contouring or orbiting capability for the machining of small, high-precision diffuser holes in jet engine blades and vanes, a breakthrough detection function which eliminates back-striking in small chambers - reducing the potential for part scrapping when drilling unattended, and the SPK power supply which has been developed specifically for high quality small-hole drilling in difficult-to-burn materials.

Moving on, machine tool simulation software specialists, CGTech (hall 19, stand 218) will offer on-stand demonstrations of the latest features in version 9.2 of VERICUT, plus an exclusive preview of what’s to come in 9.3. CGTech will also demonstrate VERICUT’s Force optimisation module. VERICUT + Force provides an integrated simulation-optimisation solution that can significantly reduce machining times, improving cutting tool and machine life. New and legacy NC programs can be optimised with Force to run as efficiently and safely as possible. Force is available for milling, turning, and mill-turn machines.

Machines in transition

CGTech VERICUT + Force: integrated simulation-optimisation solutions
CGTech VERICUT + Force: integrated simulation-optimisation solutions

XYZ Machine Tools’ main stand (hall 18, stand 130) will have several machines making their UK exhibition debuts, including the brand new XYZ SS 65 sub-spindle lathe. Introduced due to demand from customers looking for increased productivity and reduced spindle downtime, the XYZ SS 65 features a 16.5kW, 4,000rpm main spindle with 65mm bar capacity and 200mm diameter chuck as standard.

Also making its MACH debut is the XYZ Proturn RLX 780 lathe. Weighing in at 8,600kg the machine features a swing over the bed of 780mm (1,090mm in the gap) and a distance between centres of 3,000mm.

Other machines include the entry level ProtoTRAK mill, the KMX 2000, a selection of RMX ProtoTRAK bed mills and RLX ProTURN lathes. Linear rail and heavy-duty and high-speed vertical machining centres will be well represented, including an XYZ 1060 HS machine equipped with a Detron 5-axis system.

MecWash: world class parts washing technology
MecWash: world class parts washing technology

Turning centres on show will comprise the XYZ CT52 LR with linear rail technology, the XYZ SS 65 sub-spindle lathe and completing the machine range, the XYZ UMC-5X simultaneous 5-axis machining centre.

Finally, visitors to Starrag’s stand (hall 20, stand 563) will learn how its Ecospeed machining centre is the latest in a line of machines now featured in Starrag’s new Aerospace Competence Centre in Switzerland.

With traverse rates of 50m/min, the Ecospeed is renowned for its high aluminium removal rates of up to 12 litres/min and provides a highly productive way to produce complex aluminium structural parts.

Starrag says its Aerospace Competence Centre has been enhanced to showcase a selection of machines and their capabilities, as well as the accompanying technologies required for the machining of aerospace components.

Starrag’s Ecospeed is renowned for its high aluminium removal rates
Starrag’s Ecospeed is renowned for its high aluminium removal rates

Meanwhile, Starrag’s new Heckert H65 compact horizontal machining centre will add a new dimension to heavy-duty 4-axis machining. Occupying just 24m2, the H65 offers machining speeds up to 30% faster than comparable models and can increase output levels by 80%. This latest addition to Heckert’s compact H range of machining centres provides traverse rates up to 80m/min and a standard spindle speed of up to 10,000rpm from its 60kW/450Nm HSK-A100 spindle.

www.machexhibition.com

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