TPT July 2007

Technology Update

New bearingless floating flange roll design

Tube bending machines for Boeing helicopter manufacture Unison, UK, has shipped an all-electric tube-bending machine to the rotorcraft manufacturing facility of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Philadelphia, USA. It is the first all-electric tube bending machine to be installed at this Boeing facility. The new Breeze 20 machine is capable of making precision bends on high performance alloy and aluminium tubes with diameters of up to 1" (25mm). It will be used to fabricate hydraulic and fuel line components required during the manufacture and service of Chinook and V-22 Osprey helicopters. The machine features a ‘long nose’, which allows tubular shapes with complex bends, and very short distances between bends, to be automatically fabricated. Instead of hydraulic force, the Breeze 20 uses servo- motors to control the bending process. All-electric actuation provides significant advantages related to manufacturing precision, repeatability and energy consumption. Each of the tools employed is software controlled, to enable smooth bends and optimal flow performance. After setup, operating parameters can also be stored, allowing machines to be quickly reconfigured for another part or batch, without creating any scrap. Furthermore, as the actuation elements of the machine only need energy when a bend is being made, total power consumption is greatly reduced. Unison – UK Fax : +44 1723 582379 Email : enquiries@unisonltd.com Website : www.unisonltd.com Horn Machine Tools – USA Fax : +1 559 431 4431 Email : hmt@sierratel.com Website : www.hornmachinetools.com › The new Breeze 20 machine will be used to fabricate hydraulic and fuel line components for Boeing helicopters

Roll-Kraft, USA, has developed a new product design that will remedy the problem of surface markings that show up during the production process. Markings can be caused for many reasons, but are usually the result of poor roll design on a mill that is out of alignment. The company has designed a method to eliminate marking caused by speed differences between the throat diameter and overall roll diameters. The new bearingless floating flange roll design, developed by engineers

› Floating assembly – exploded lower right (floater only)

at Roll-Kraft, is claimed to significantly improve the appearance of tube, pipe and rollformed products. This will lead to better product performance and success. This design advancement works very well in a variety of applications: large diameter tube sizes, heavy gauges, specialty materials, and, of course, cold-roll materials.

fi Floating assembly – exploded lower right outside

Roll-Kraft – USA Fax : +1 440 205 3110 Website : www.roll-kraft.com Strip accumulator added to advanced tube mill line

Myung Jin Machinery, Korea, is the manufacturer of an advanced tube mill (ERW 1-24") and a host of related equipment. The company has launched the latest strip accumulator, which has been developed with a range of features. The accumulator incorporates an innovative mechanism to pull the skelp (strip) from its inside, ensuring that the skelp is not crumpled as the accumulator winds. Operator safety is also ensured as there is a safety device to stop the operation if skelp (strip) inside the accumulator runs out before the welding process is complete.

The accumulator is easy to use as it retains the stored amount until the strip on the uncoiler is finished. Stopping the process is simple because once loaded, the accumulator processes strip at the same speed as tube mills.

› The strip accumulator from Myung Lin

With virtually no noise and dust, changing strip size is also straightforward as the width of the side guide can be adjusted.

Myung Jin Machinery – Korea Fax : +82 31 499 4538 Email : mjm@mjmmill.co.kr • Website : www.mjmmill.com

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J uly /A ugust 2007