I Went to visit Wenk this afternoon and I discovered a very impressive way to produce high precision parts with a highly interesting return on investment. The Mazak Quick Turn 6G is a compact high speed high accuracy turning center and Wenk proposes it on hard turning configuration. This can’t replace grinding in all cases, nevertheless in many it’s simply an unbeatable way to produce parts! . On this picture we can see three tools. On the left the ID tool, in the middle the OD tool and (…)

I’ve met Béatrice Bula, responsible of the Bula brand today at EPHJ/EPMT and she made me discover the new multi-station polishing machine just launched by Bula Technologie. This machine is the first with a new very intuitive programming system based on a Fanuc control. Every specialist of polishing can now use it without any knowledge of the ISO programming system. . With 3 stations dedicated to polishing and one for loading /unloading, the machine is very productive. Every station (…)

Faced with a somewhat unusual growth in interest at this period of the year, the EPHJ/EPMT exhibition will open its doors tomorrow with an increased number of exhibitors: around 550 players from the professional fields devoted to watchmaking, jewellery and the microtech sector, with 20% coming from abroad. Four intense, enjoyable days dedicated entirely to innovation and technology transfer. Amongst the 550 exhibitors, we can discover how Springmann SA provides tailored solutions for (…)

Who has never dreamed of finding the perfect solution for replacing cam-type machines? Regularly, machine manufacturers release turning machines that more or less meet this aspiration. We met up with the Swiss bar-turning company Laubscher in Täuffelen. Manfred Laubscher, the technical director, has found the machine that is destined to replace whole collections of cam-type machines. The project was only slowed by the global credit crisis. Founded in 1846, Laubscher Précision SA is a (…)

Requirements in the mechanical machining of components for the gas industry and other industrial sectors in very large production batches are evolving very quickly. Initially it was enough just to produce economically. A few years later, with the arrival of « just-in-time » and the annualization of stocks, the main customer requirement of manufacturers was flexibility. Manufacturers had to produce smaller batch sizes at the same price. Subsequently, with the opening of Asian markets, we saw (…)

When machining middles or other prismatic parts, centering is a delicate and time-consuming operation. Whether the operation is carried out on a lathe or on a machining center, the problem remains the same: clamping the part with equal pressure on all its sides in order to ensure perfect centering. With a traditional collet the centering operation can become difficult if the X and Y dimensions of the part are not perfectly equal. In order to provide a solution to this recurrent problem (…)

In spring 2010, Matsuura, the leading Japanese manufacturer of quality machining centres is set to showcase its new 5-axis vertical machining centre, the MX-520. This 5-axis entry-level model was premiered at a company exhibition in Japan just a few days ago, on the occasion of the Matsuura’s 75th anniversary. Now, it is to make its Switzerland debut too. Top quality for small batches The MX-520 from Matsuura is specially designed for the cost-effective production of one-off jobs and (…)

The main activity of Meyrat SA is in the field of spindles for machine tools. The company offers a complete range of motorised milling spindles with a flanging diameter of 50mm (MMO-50). These spindles use the HSK cutting-tool clamping system and can reach very high levels of precision in terms of radial deviation measured on the tool tip. This technology also means the tool length can be measured outside the machine, thus providing gains in productivity as machine idle time is greatly (…)

The automotive industry is constantly raising the bar, creating a high workload for subcontractors in this field which means they really need to attack the material at speed. In some cases, this speed means the bar tends to actually move back, which obviously has a detrimental effect on machining. To solve this problem, there are numerous grooved or hatched grippers, however these can damage the material. So... Is there no solution? We met Alain Marchand, director of Swisscollet SA, who (…)

Italy’s ML Incision Laser, leading in laser engraving, explains the advantages of laser ablation. Extreme precision and intelligent machining strategies are qualities long associated with GF AgieCharmilles, and the Group’s new Laser products go even further, according to the experts at renowned Italian photo laser company ML Incision Laser. ML Incision Laser (www.incisionilaser.it), based in Onore, Italy, about 80 kilometers northeast of Milan, is known for its results, especially its (…)