[ Industry Update ]
Prismatic machining increases productivity
WirtschaftsWoche , the accolade recognises technological leadership as well as concepts to combat staff shortages and ensure more climate action .
BASF breaks ground on expansion project
Citizen Machinery UK ’ s 10-axis ANX-42SYY lathe is fitted with the latest Fanuc 31i 15-inch touch-screen control incorporating a new HMI . It also features the company ’ s superimposed machining , whereby three tools can cut at the same time thanks to X-axis movement of the sub spindle . The sub-spindle offset has the additional advantage of allowing reverse end machining of long parts with extended tools , while simultaneous machining of the front end of the next component is in progress at the main spindle . Another feature is LFV ( low frequency vibration ) chipbreaking software in the control ’ s operating system . The function is independent of the programmed cutting cycle . LFV may similarly be switched off when it is not needed , avoiding a slight reduction in metal removal rate due to high-frequency oscillation of the tool tip away from the component surface . In practice , at Mildenhall LFV is on for 10 to 15 % of a typical cycle .
EWM ‘ Leading employer and Innovative SME ’
BASF has broken ground on the third and final phase of the methylene diphenyl diisocyanate ( MDI ) expansion project at its Verbund site in Geismar , Louisiana . The company will increase production capacity to approximately 600,000 metric tons per year by the middle of the decade to support the ongoing growth of its North American MDI customers . The investment for this final expansion phase , which takes place from 2022 to 2025 , amounts to USD 780M . Including the first and second phases , the investment volume totals around USD 1bn , making the MDI expansion project BASF ’ s largest wholly-owned investment in North America .
CRA acquires PipeSearch
Welding technology experts EWM AG has received two prestigious seals of quality : “ Leading Employer ” and “ Germany ’ s most innovative SMEs .” EWM was awarded the title of “ Leading Employer ” by the Institute of Research & Data Aggregation , making the “ top 1 per cent ” as part of the Institute ’ s independent study reviewing 160,000 German businesses . Field reports and reviews on job sites such as Kununu were used as the basis for the assessment . EWM was also named as one of Germany ’ s most innovative SMEs . Awarded by the German economics magazine
Corrosion Resistant Alloys , LLC ( CRA ) has fully acquired PipeSearch , a digital technology company powering global tubular solutions . CRA ’ s acquisition of PipeSearch will help drive the digital transformation of the Oil Country Tubular Goods ( OCTG ) field by providing quality inventory solutions supported by robust data collection and analytics . Headquartered in Austin , Texas , PipeSearch features the PipeSearch digital trading platform , a suite of services focused on connecting OCTG demand to supply needs across the globe . PipeSearch is also dedicated to developing workflows and efficiencies to further improve the customer purchase process .
52 Stainless Steel World March 2023 www . stainless-steel-world . net