Industry Watch: Business

Investments to its infrastructure not only include building expansions, but also the purchase of CNC machine tools and material handling equipment in the machining facility to increase capability, capacity, product quality and repeatability. Investments in the steel foundry operations include process equipment, cleaning equipment, infrastructure support and advanced technology have also improved quality, efficiencies and capacity.

“We are committed to meeting our customers’ growing global needs by not only providing high-quality steel, gray and ductile iron, aluminum, brass and bronze castings, forgings and assemblies that meet the demanding requirements of the rail industry, but also by offering long-term supply and warehousing services that simplify and reduce the cost of doing business in China,” said Tom Jones, the vice president of sales at the company. “We strive to simplify sourcing, ensure quality and optimize resources for our customers, as we will continue to invest in our infrastructure to meet our customers’ needs and provide the high-level service we are known for in the industries we serve.”

NEP manufactures products for a wide range of rail applications, including infrastructure and track, signaling and communications, locomotives and cars, mobile car repair and green technology systems, such as hybrid locomotives. Its advanced casting and forging techniques ensure products that meet the demanding requirements of the rail industry. Its financial strength and stability provides the internal resources to fund customer projects from sample approval and production to warehousing and delivery domestically, further simplifying the supply chain. www.norcaeng.com

REIS GMBH & CO. KG MASCHINENFABRIK
(OBERNBURG, GERMANY) . . .
about 150 participants packed the great hall at Reis Robotics for an all-day event to present the possibilities of automated welding and cutting with laser. The info day on laser welding is a top-class informative event for competent experts having their say and describing general advantages and developments in laser technology. Five Reis partners reported on extraordinary solutions, noting some unrivaled advantages and how the enormously reduced costs argue for the “strong” light.

Dr. Eberhard Kroth, the general manager of the Reis Group, presented the development of the company and the range of solutions offered by more than 1,350 employees in a total of 20 companies of the Reis Group Holding. The family-owned company so far has commissioned more than 13,000 robots world-wide and, at the same time, more than 6,500 trim presses which were the origin of the company at the end of the 1950s. “Today the key word is system integration, because we do not only deliver robots, but completely integrated systems as general contractor,” said Kroth. “This thinking big makes stable business possible for us and innovative, industry-leading solutions crop up again and again.”

Herbert Braunwarth from IPG Photonics explained in his report how – especially in the automotive industry with its high cycle rates – classical resistance spot welding can be replaced. Reference was made to robot-guided laser spot welding tongs, replacing spots by very short zigzag welds of highest stability and even saving material and weight.

Norbert Höppe from Reis Robotics showed the advantages of laser welding with the example of a system installed in China where Reis was the general contractor. In a welding gantry suitable for 3D from medium voltage, switch housings of different sizes are welded gas-tight – this means most exact – to make them maintenance free. During laser welding a particular importance is applied to the exact guiding of the laser beam because the laser beam operates more precise than a classical weld torch.

Peter Gördes from Precitec explained how the quality of the weld joint can be guaranteed even in case of material tolerances. His company offers online monitoring for this and all decisive factors, using sensors in the running welding process of the robot and correcting them to defined nominal values. With laser powder build-up, welding wear at expensive tools can be compensated fast and in an efficient manner without having to replace tools. Cost efficiency and fastness are decisive factors for this technology presented by the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT).

Almost incredible is the use of a laser welding gantry at Friedrich Sailer GmbH from Neu-Ulm. Since 2010, this medium-sized company has been producing hygienic stainless steel furniture for food industry, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and also for clean-room technology with an automated laser welding gantry. Despite low volume or single piece production the investment pays off from the commercial point of view, too, Christoph Mützel, general manager, explained to the fascinated audience.

The Dortmunder OberflächenCentrum (DOC) of the Fraunhofer Institute IWS reported on the advantages of laser hybrid welding, which combines laser technology with filler wire and inert gas especially for high-strength fine-grained steels for steel construction.

In the further course of the day, Reis had prepared interesting demonstrations from practical use on all topics in its technical laboratory. The informative event left a lasting and positive impression with the participants. They agreed that laser technology with its multiple applications and meanwhile moderate costs is a decisive factor for success for the automated joining technique. www.reisrobotics.de

ROUNDO AB (HÄSSLEHOLM, SWEDEN) . . .
announced it has joined a group of family-owned metal fabricating companies in southern Sweden in an exciting change that will enable this bending roll manufacturer to grow exponentially with increased product research and development, provide quicker delivery times, and increase machine production.

Mats Nilstoft, the managing director of the family-owned group, said, “We are a very fine company with a portfolio of quality products. We are eager to have them join our team and continue their tremendous success with our immense resources.” Roundo will now have direct access to multiple Trumpf laser machines, Amada and Trumpf CNC press brakes, as well a high-speed plasma burning machine with 2.5 in plate cutting capacity. This new equipment will enhance their in-house production capabilities, allow for quicker machine frame production and share resources with a team of over 250 people.

“Everyone here is very excited to join this larger group of well respected manufacturing companies,” exclaimed Åsa Kajrup, “We are eager to further enhance our products, and it was important to find a group to continue the lifetime achievement of Göran Kajrup, the founder of our company.” Furthermore, Roundo parts and service will see an immediate benefit with the expansion of a dedicated team for after-sales support, including prompter response times for custom tooling and accessories, increased access to CNC machining centers and CAD computer design.

“We are very excited and confident in the continued development and growth of our brand,” said Peter Nilsson, the manager of technical services for Roundo. Allan Flamholz, the president of Trilogy Machinery, Inc. (Belcamp, MD), the exclusive North American agent for Roundo, adds, “We believe this new partnership will solidify this as the preeminent brand of bending rolls around the world.”

In the field of angle and section bending machines, Roundo has been the undisputed leader for more than 40 years, resulting in technology and know-how that has been gained by building larger and larger section and plate bending machines over many years, and based on their close working relationship with the leading bending companies around the world. www.roundo.com, www.trilogymachinery.com