PRODUCT REVIEWS Tube bending in focus
Unison EvBend 1000 .
Unison Ltd , a UK-based specialist in precision all-electric tube manipulation , will be presenting the capabilities of its range of all-electric and hybrid-electric tube bending machines at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics , along with technologies from the wider Unison family . The exhibition will be held from 4-6 February 2025 in Farnborough ( UK ). Unison offers all-electric benders for tube diameters from 4-275mm .
“ Available in single-stack , multi-stack , left / right , pinball and twin-head versions , these machines are designed to provide rapid , automatic set-up , fast tooling changes and right-first-time repeatability , all supported by exceptional power and rigid mechanical design . Our hybrid-electric , dual-stack machines include 50mm and 80mm maximum tubediameter hybrid models ,” explained the tube bending specialist .
Manually operated , CNC-controlled tube bending
On show and operational on Stand D215 at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics will be one of Unison ’ s EvBend 1000 manually operated , CNC-controlled tube bending machines . Designed for low volume , precision production and prototyping , Unison EvBend
models are used across aerospace and MRO , Formula 1 and the oil & gas industry for three-axis mandrel , multiplane bending .
“ In addition to the EvBend 1000 , which is designed for bending tube of up to 16mm in diameter ( 22mm in copper ), a larger machine , the EvBend 2000 , will also be displayed . Built to bend tube of up to 50mm in diameter , its bending function is servo-assisted . Both EvBend machines feature a 15-inch , PC-based touchscreen controlled by a CNC that can process up to 100 bends per component , storing infinite parts and connecting to both CAD and most tubemeasuring systems ,” outlined Unison Ltd .
Laser cutting and wire manipulation
Visitors to Stand D215 will also be able to discover more about the machine tools available from Unison ’ s sister companies , Nukon Lasers UK and wire-bending machinerymaker , Pneuform Machines Ltd .
Nukon Lasers UKrecently launched a new high-performance machine range designed to make its laser cutting accessible to more UK subcontractors and in-house manufacturers ( see more details below ).
Unison Ltd acquired Pneuform , a manufacturer of wire forming and small-bore tube bending machines , in autumn 2023 . As standard , all Pneuform machines are equipped with Yaskawa drives and Unison ’ s software for easy programming and operation .
“ We believe that our EvBend range of manually operated , CNC-controlled tube bending machines will be of particular interest to visitors from the aerospace sector ,” said Unison Ltd ’ s joint managing director , Alan Pickering . “ The latest advances to our Unibend CNC , tube bending simulation software , tube scanning solutions and tube bending application app will ensure that we have a great deal to talk about with existing and new customers .” n
www
. unisonltd . com
2D fibre laser cutting from Nukon Lasers
A new range of flat-bed fibre laser cutting machines from Nukon Lasers UK is making laser cutting accessible to subcontractors and manufacturers wishing to laser-cut in-house .
“ The new Nukon Cross Series machines have been designed with a strong focus on productivity . They provide powerful 2D flat sheetmetal cutting capability and are available with bed sizes of 3m x 1.5m , 4m x 2m and 6m x 2m . Depending upon the requirement , they can be specified with power options from as little as 2kW up to 30kW for challenging lasercutting applications ,” said the manufacturer .
“ Depending upon the model , buyers can choose from U . S . -made nLIGHT fibre lasers or Raycus fibre lasers . Advanced Lantek Expert CAD / CAM nesting software can also be specified , as can CutLine programmable beam-shaping technology ( for nLIGHT models ),” it added .
The Nukon Cross flat-bed fibre laser cutting machine .
Other options include automatic nozzle cleaning , cut detection , piercing sensing and automatic nozzle changing . Cross Series machines have been designed to integrate with the full range of Nukon automation systems for higher productivity benefits . UK ’ s sales director , Steve Haddrell , commented : “ In launching the new Cross Series , Nukon is providing a genuine , highquality alternative for organisations that may otherwise consider looking further afield for an affordable laser-cutting machine . Cross
Series machines may be more price-accessible than other models in the Nukon range , but they are built to the same exacting standards and will easily exceed the requirements of many subcontractors and in-house manufacturing centres . Depending upon workflow , in reduced outsourcing costs alone , a Nukon Cross Series machine should typically pay for itself over a couple of years , but will work reliably in a business for many , many more .”
The sister company of UK-based tube bending machinery specialists , Unison Ltd , Nukon Lasers UK is the UK and Ireland distributor for Nukon ’ s European-built 2D , 3D and tube fibre laser cutting machines , pressbrakes and loading / unloading solutions . n
www
. nukonlasers . co . uk
102 | ismr . net | ISMR November 2024