TPT September 2013

36 / 140

Industry News
34 September 2013
Automotive component supplier
chooses AddisonMckee
TUBE bending and end-forming
technology specialist AddisonMckee
has installed an automated cell into
a facility in the north of England, for
one of the largest international groups
dedicated to the design, development
and manufacture of metal components
and structural systems for the
automotive industry.
Two components were presented
to AddisonMckee to process. One
required only bending and drilling, but
to be produced by a fully automated
solution; the other component only
needed forming, and production
was to be manually controlled (to be
automated at a later date).
The bending cell incorporates a
bunker system fed by pallets of cut
34mm diameter tubes, which are
unloaded magnetically and processed
within a buffer system, to a pick-up
point were the tube is seam detected
and presented ready for an ABB robot
to collect. The robot, with a double
gripper, holds the new tube until the
eB80 bending machine has completed
two symmetrical 1xD bend on bend
applications. It then removes the bent
tube and inserts the new tube, and the
bending process recommences.
The bent tube is transferred by the
robot to a combined inspection gauge
and drilling fixture. If the component is
deemed to be incorrect it is transferred
to a reject chute; otherwise, two holes
are drilled and the component is
transferred to a finished part stillage,
which is mounted on a turntable system.
When the stillage is full the turntable
presents an empty stillage ready for the
process to work continuously.
Within any automated system, safety
and process fault diagnosis are of
paramount importance. AddisonMckee
worked with and were assisted by
Premier Automation to engineer a fully
integrated robotic system that met all
the customer’s logistics and health and
safety requirements.
The component to be formed
was a straight 50mm diameter tube
that required three AddisonMckee
machines to form both ends and trim
to length. One end required a flat to be
produced by a two hit 70RF machine
and the other end required a 70SRF
(selectable ram form).
The SRF machine used three hits to
produce an offset reduction to a size
that allowed the 34mm bent tube to be
inserted on the final welded assembly.
After forming, the resultant end
deformation was trimmed to the correct
length with an FM70TTPN (tube trim
with pre-notch).
AddisonMckee, Europe – UK
Website:
MAC to exhibit latest
NDT systems for
testing tube and pipe
MAGNETIC Analysis Corporation
(MAC) will be at this year’s Tube
Southeast Asia show at Stand P35.
MAC, now celebrating 85 years of
manufacturing NDT systems for the
metals industry, will be co-exhibiting
with its Thai representative, Siam
Charn Co Ltd.
Featured equipment will include the
MultiMac® eddy current test system,
widely used to inspect non-magnetic
and magnetic tube for ID, OD and
surface defects, and the Echomac ®
FD-5 ultrasonic test system, designed
to meet more demanding specifications.
Important applications for the
MultiMac include detecting surface
cracks, pinholes and seam type defects
in copper water tubing, and weld zone
defects in seamless and alloy tube.
The Echomac® FD-5 system detects
longitudinal, transverse and oblique
defects in heat exchanger tube,
heavy wall OCTG and other critical
applications. MAC’s ultrasonic rotaries
allow testing at high throughput speeds.
Both instruments include MAC’s
high resolution, real time graphic
presentations of test signals, thresholds
and settings. Information will also be
available on MAC’s auxiliary mechanics
that provide proper positioning and
handling of the test product, and on
networking software for test result
follow-up and quality assurance.
MAC test systems are installed in
major tube manufacturers world-wide
and sales and service are provided in
most areas by MAC’s field engineers
and experienced representatives.
Magnetic Analysis Corporation – USA
Email:
Website: