PRODUCT REVIEWS
Blank-forming processes
At Aluminium 2022 , Amepa highlighted a tribology measuring system that combines its SRM and OFM technology to measure both the roughness and oil film thickness of aluminium and steel strips inline .
“ These two parameters have a decisive influence on the forming process of blanks in press lines but could not be recorded together until now . This unique combination of measuring systems improves the proportion of ‘ OK ’ parts ,” it told ISMR .
The new , combined system measures both the roughness and oil film thickness of coils inline – for example at the entry of laser blanking lines . The combined system makes
The system measures the strip ’ s tribological properties .
it possible to specifically react to varying properties of incoming strips and optimise the forming process accordingly . If the system detects irregularities , such as poor or missing oiling , the coil can be re-oiled in the respective sections . Likewise , the deep-drawing process can be specifically adjusted to the coil ’ s surface roughness .
“ Integrated into the coil and blank-tracking systems of press shops , the combined system can assign the two parameters (' roughness ' and ' oil film ') to the coil sections affected with an accuracy of a metre ,” said Amepa .
According to Martin Fieweger , managing director of Amepa , customers benefit from the combination of the two systems in multiple ways .
“ For the very first time , data from an inline measurement can be used to adjust the deep-drawing process for each individual
The OFM system measures the oil film on both sides of the strip .
blank accurately to the ( varying ) properties of the coil from which they are made . As a result , blanks that had to be downgraded in the past may become ‘ OK ’ thanks to the data provided by our new system . Moreover , based on the data available from inline coil measurements , operators can gain deeper insights into how the parameters ’ ‘ roughness ’ and ‘ oil film ’ influence the forming process and use this knowledge to optimise their processes ,” he explained .
The two systems are aligned to one another and adjusted by Amepa . They automatically recognize the surface condition and type of lubricant used – dry or fluid – during the measurement . n
Laser marking at IMTS
FOBA attended the International Manufacturing Technology Show IMTS in Chicago this September with three lasermarking systems on-site and two sample marking giveaways .
The FOBA M-series laser-marking workstation M1000 , equipped with a rotary unit , was available for laser-marking demonstrations at the IMTS trade show . Two M-series marking systems , FOBA M1000 and M2000 , and FOBA Titus , a laser-marking head for line integration particularly in restricted spaces , were also available for lasermarking live demonstrations . With various functionalities and integrated camera , each laser system can be selected according to the application requirements and the specific metal or plastic substrate characteristics .
The exhibited M2000 laser-marking workstation was equipped with FOBA Mosaic to demonstrate automated optical mark alignment on parts that are placed randomly in the marking field . Another M-series system at IMTS , a compact tabletop M1000 workstation , was used with a rotary unit for circumferential marking on metal drinking straws .
Anodized coloured aluminium plates were used as marking demonstrators for the
Titus™ marking system .
“ Titus™ is the smallest marking head in the market and enables high-speed inline processing in manufacturing lines that require much flexibility of integration . Apart from the minimum size of the marking head , it is the simplicity of mounting and a three- or ten-metre umbilical that contribute to
the flexibility of Titus™ ,” explained FOBA .
FOBA develops and manufactures marking lasers for integration as well as laser-marking workstations with vision-assisted marking workflows . With its worldwide sales and service branches and headquarters near Lübeck / Hamburg ( Germany ) ALLTEC / FOBA is part of the Danaher Corporation . n