INDUSTRY NEWS TUBE BENDING
machine being the machine of choice. “The change of work and customers that we were seeing also brought with it regular schedules and good visibility of work. This when planning work and the multi- stack bending head of the BLM Dawe. “We were also aware of the standards set by these prestigious new customers that we are working on and the environmental impact of the old hydraulic machines was also something that had to be addressed. The BLM ELECT 80 is much more environmentally friendly and what customers like these expect to see, with no oil leaks and reduced energy consumption.
Of course, the BLM ELECT 80 with Janspeed able to simulate jobs on the touch-screen control while the machine is bending other parts. This simulation provides an accurate cycle time for quotation purposes, allows Janspeed to optimise programs before they go into production, with any possible collision points being highlighted and the most practical avoidance routes being created, the result being reduced cycle times and more
bends. The skill set required to operate an all-electric machine is hydraulic machines and is more suited to a younger generation of setter/operators whose familiarity with IT has a greater bearing than manual skills in order to create consistent quality from the machine.
BLM ELECT 80
The BLM ELECT 80 is capable of bending tube up to 80 mm diameter, at Janspeed, this is being achieved with 441 stainless steel tube, that its hydraulic benders could not achieve. The all-electric machine is also capable of generating multiple radii, utilising its nine axes of movement and up to 8 tools, while the multi-stack tool system allows multi- and variable- radius bending on the same tube in the same cycle. The machine and its control system also has the advantage of facilitating bends with very little straight between them, and even compound bends. Unlike hydraulic systems all of the machine’s critical setting parameters are set and managed using the Siemens touchscreen CNC, with accuracy controlled through use of absolute encoders that eliminate all conventional sensors, further advantages of this system are increased reliability,
performance and reduced maintenance costs.
The addition of the BLM ELECT 80 at Janspeed was part of a major investment program undertaken by the company over the past few years, with over £1 million being spent in the past 18 months. “The investment in the BLM machine is part of a major investment programme that we are making and is one that indicates our commitment to improving on our high quality targets. The investment also of Janspeed as we start to work more closely with major OEMs in the automotive sector. It will be a great advantage to us with the scale of development and production projects that we are being asked to get involved,” says Mark Vaughan.
The timing of any investment on this scale is always crucial and delivery of the BLM ELECT 80 coincided with a critical order from a customer: “BLM stepped into the breach and rather than deliver the machine at a time that would have been stressful they arranged for us to undergo training in Italy, on our initial production out there at the same time. They went beyond the norm to make sure that the parts
The investment also feel is expected of Janspeed as we start to work more closely with major OEMs in the automotive sector. It will be a great advantage to us with the scale of development and production projects that we are being asked to get involved
were produced, working late into the night and the weekend to make sure that we were happy and the customer received his parts when he expected them. The overall support we received from BLM in Italy and the UK was superb,” concludes Dave Dawe.
More information: BLM Group UK Ltd 4 Ampthill Business Park, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, MK45 2QW Tel: 01525 402 555
Jon@blmgroup.uk.com www.blmgroup.com
A close up of the three stack head capable of bending tube up to 80 mm diameter
www.internationalmetaltube.com
Exhaust system
IMT June/July 2014 25
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