PRODUCT REVIEWS
Compact bending with ByBend Star 120
Where applications are too large for a “ small ” machine and too small for a “ large ” machine , a special solution is needed . Bystronic offers this with its new and compact ByBend Star 120 , the latest member of its family of press brakes . With a minimal space requirement , it offers users metal bending technology for exacting demands on process speed , flexibility and accuracy .
“ Bending small to medium-sized parts in a variety of sheet thicknesses and materials in higher- tensile strength classes are possible . ByBend Star 120 bends everything — from small to medium-sized parts in a variety of sheet thicknesses , up to a length of 2.05m . Its dimensions are modest ; a length of just over 2.6m , a width of approximately 1.9m and a height of 2.85m , it is guaranteed to fit into any production hall . In contrast , the bending power is an impressive 120 tons ,” Bystronic told ISMR .
“ The ByBend Star 120 works very quickly and , due to very short cycle times , minimises the costs of bending ( particularly for small and medium-sized parts ). Operators can spare themselves elaborate bending angle measurements as the ‘ LAMS ’ function ( Laser Angle Measuring System ) takes care of these precisely and automatically . The perfect bending result can therefore be achieved from the first part ,” it added .
The ‘ FastBend Plus ’ function offers personal protection with productivity and also reduces set-up time . Users can get started with bending right away . The new ByBend Star 120 is also sustainably efficient , featuring energy-efficient servo hydraulics so that up to a reported 30 per cent of energy can be saved ( with 20 per cent more speed in return ) according to the Swiss sheet metal specialist .
The entire bending process is controlled with a few swipes of the finger on a 21.5-inch touch screen . The user interface , BySoft Cell Control Bend , relieves operators of much of the work . Taking account of the material thickness and bending angle , BySoft Cell Control Bend determines the ideal bending process and suggests suitable tools .
In a separate recent development , Bystronic ’ s ByCut Smart laser cutting system is now available in 4020 size ( for sheets measuring 4 x 2m ). It can be equipped with laser powers ranging from 3-15kW and is “ ready for automation .” n
www
. bystronic . com
CO₂-reduced greentec steel for sustainability
With its greentec steel , Voestalpine has a clear plan for decarbonising steel production .
“ More and more of our customers also want to reduce their carbon footprint by using high-quality CO₂-reduced premium steel . Our steel and technology group is already providing 35 companies from various industries with superior steel products in the greentec steel edition . Designer furniture , wind turbines and cranes are just a few examples of products that can be manufactured more sustainably through an optimised production process . We recently used the green steel to build a new belt conveyor , which will also supply our planned electric arc furnace ( EAF ) in Linz with
raw materials in the future ,” the materials manufacturer told ISMR .
Since the first CO₂-reduced steel was delivered about two years ago , the list of customers purchasing more environmentally friendly coils from the company ’ s Steel Division in Linz has been growing steadily . In the beginning , the highest demand came from the consumer goods and manufacturing industries . But since the steel and technology group can offer all flat steel products in the usual quality with a CO₂-reduced footprint , orders are now coming from all customer segments including areas such as wind energy and building technology .
Since the beginning of this year , greentec steel edition products have also been scoring an even lower CO₂ footprint .
“ By consistently optimising the manufacturing process , we can already save around 10 % of direct emissions in the CO₂reduced version of our steel ,” commented Hubert Zajicek , Member of the Management Board of voestalpine AG and Head of the Steel Division
This is partially achieved through an innovative mix of raw materials in which , for example , coke is partially replaced by reducing agents that contain hydrogen . The proportion of green electricity in the energy supply is also increasing . Over 70 % of the electricity required for steel production in Linz is generated by voestalpine itself by using production gases . The rest of the energy portfolio is gradually being developed towards renewable sources .
“ With greentec steel , we have a clear plan for decarbonising the production of steel . An important first step is the gradual switch from the blast furnace to an electric steel route that will begin in 2027 . With the commissioning of one EAF in Linz and one in Donawitz at the beginning of 2027 , CO₂ emissions can be significantly reduced by up to 30 %. This will be almost 5 % of Austria ’ s annual CO₂ emissions . In the long term , we are focusing on carbonneutral steel production based on green hydrogen and are already conducting intensive research on highly promising break-through technologies ,” concluded the company . n
www . voestalpine . com / group / en /
64 | ismr . net | ISMR May 2024