PRODUCT REVIEWS
Rapid set-up for roll-forming
Right : XELLAR ‘ cockpit ’ for the system operator .
Profilmetall ’ s XELLAR roll-forming machine , with RFID reader / writer for rapid tool set-up , was presented in Hall 3 at the Blechexpo exhibition in Stuttgart last October .
“ The system features coded tools and operator guidance for quick production startup and reliable process setup . Above all , when roll-forming profiles with numerous variants , tool mix-up is avoided and the set-up process is greatly simplified ,” it told ISMR .
Tool systems coded with RFID chips make it possible to use the data stored for the respective roller set for operator guidance when setting up profiling systems . The control unit guides the operator through
an interactive dialogue and shows him / her how and where to position the right tools within the system . Immediately after confirming that the work step has been completed correctly , the next tool can be inserted .
The Profilmetall Group is a specialist in roll-formed metal profiles and profiling systems . The corporate group combines the business areas of engineering , tooling and roll-forming system construction , as well as series production , under the umbrella of a group of companies with 100 employees . n
Above top : Roll-forming tools with RFID code .
Centre : Modular XELLAR production cells for rollforming , punching , welding and cutting .
Tube and pipe processing
A broad line of I . D . and O . D . clamping welding end prep tools and pneumatic saws for cutting and bevelling tube and pipe without using cutting oils are available from Esco Tool ( Holliston , Massachusetts , USA ).
Esco pipe welding end prep tools feature the MILLHOG ® line of I . D . clamping tools for bevelling tube and pipe from 25.4 to 1219.2mm diameter and the COHOG ® O . D . clamping split frame tool for 50.8 to 914.4mm tube and pipe . They also feature the APS-438 Universal Air Powered Saw and specialised
track systems for cutting pipe from 50.8 to 1524mm diameter .
“ Designed to promote enhanced weld integrity , the pipe welding and end prep tools are simple to fit up and produce a thick chip without requiring cutting fluids . They are made to perform any degree of bevel on all types of alloys and cut extra heavy wall pipe to 914.4mm diameter ,” explained the U . S . tool specialist . n
Keeping control
Welding specialist , Schnelldorfer Maschinenbau GmbH , has spent more than three years developing the redesigned neXt machine controller . The controller enjoyed its world premiere at the Blechexpo / Schweisstec trade show in October 2021 .
“ This important development adds to our continuous further development in standardisation targeted at revolutionising welding automation , as well as expertise gained from more than 30 years of welding machine production and feedback from customers on more than 1000 successfully completed projects ,” it told ISMR .
The new generation of neXt controllers is an important building block in the manufacturer ’ s
neXt Controller .
portfolio of welding machines . The introduction of this controller for longitudinal seam welding rounds out development of the LINEARWELD-X series by the Bavarian machinery manufacturer . It replaced the existing ELENA series at the beginning of January 2022 . It aims to bring users “ a significant reduction in inter-process time whilst significantly improving product quality ”, according to Schnelldorfer .
“ In the age of Industry 4.0 , we now offer a machine controller that can be integrated into any network via OPC UA interface . All relevant machine data are logged and transmitted to the superordinate control system by up-to-date I / O link sensor technology .
“ The user interface features visual operator guidance , intelligent plausibility control functions , ‘ set-up slide shows ’ which support set-up procedures and an app gallery for further developments and upgrades in the future . OEE monitoring and other dashboards are also available ,” explained Schnelldorfer .
“ Only the latest Siemens technologies are used for hardware components . What began as a pilot project two years ago in cooperation with Siemens AG is now ready for series production – the Siemens Unified Comfort Panels generation is emerging as the new human-machine interface ,” concluded the company . Email
info @ schnelldorfer-maschinenbau . de n
. schnelldorfermaschinenbau . de
62 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR February 2022