EuroWire Sept 2015

30 / 108

News
Corporate
September 2015 28
Whitelegg Machines’ CFM wire bending
technology is playing a vital role in
improved productivity for Multimesh, one
of the UK‘s leading fabricators of stainless
steel, welded wire mesh products.
Established in 1982, Multimesh (UK), a
division of Harpscreen Manufacturing, has
made its reputation through a creative
and flexible response to its customers’
needs with the capability to produce
either short-run, tailor-made specials or
lengthy production runs.
With its motto of ‘Making Wire Work for
You’, the company’s 30,000ft2 St Helens
facility with over 50 employees serves
growing home and overseas markets.
Output includes medical decon-
tamination baskets and containers
where the qualities of stainless steel
enable them to stand up to repeated
autoclaving. For the catering industry,
products include trolleys, frying baskets,
racks and cooling trays – items that have
to withstand high temperatures and
intensive hygienic cleaning.
The aerospace industry market is served
by Multimesh’s wide range of ultrasonic
decontamination baskets, used where
vital components in ‘clean room’
conditions are treated prior to assembly.
Agricultural, veterinary and equestrian are
other important markets; the company
makes threshing screen replacements
for harvesters for home and export, pet
transport cages and a variety of special
tailor-made racks and grilles typically for
equine transporters.
A considerable part of Multimesh’s
formed component output is from its
new Whitelegg CFM 850 2D wire bender
with automatic butt-welding. Whitelegg
has specialised in the development
and manufacture of forming machines
for over 50 years with sales worldwide.
The latest CFM 50 series incorporates
advanced software, new bend head
operation and intuitive operator control.
This machine has specific additional
features for processing stainless steel.
In-line chamfering combined with an
argon gas application system produces
a very strong butt weld with no flash,
thus negating secondary operations. An
additional bend head is supplied for very
intricate or tight forming operations.
Prior to the installation of the machine,
general manager Steve Watson had
known of the CFM as he had been
outsourcing pre-formed components
from several suppliers who had their own
machines.
Determined to have an in-house CFM,
he contacted Whitelegg Machines who
suggested a visit to an existing client to
view an operational machine. This proved
the clincher, and a CFM with automatic
butt-welding was supplied.
The CFM brought immediate benefits to
Multimesh’s output, not least being the
simplicity of operation, allowing staff to
set the machine through easy-to-follow
on-screen graphics.
The stainless coil feed wire passes
through a three-roller feed to straighten
the wire in both horizontal and vertical
planes. This ensures consistent forming
by the bend head and accurate
butt-welding.
The CFM currently handles 304 and 316
grade stainless wire in 4mm and 6mm
diameters. Typical output of a rectangular
formed and welded component is 700 per
hour.
The introduction of automation processes
often results in manpower reduction, but
not only has the CFM brought Multimesh
substantially greater production but sales
have also increased, as well as extra staff
employed.
Whitelegg Machines Ltd – UK
Website:
Technology plays a vital role at Whitelegg
▲ ▲ Typical finished products
Springing into action
Leeco Spring International is a full
service spring manufacturer that stocks a
wide range of both compression springs
and extension springs, but also has the
capability to custom-make springs for
almost any industry or application. The
company has an experienced design
and engineering staff that can assist
with any custom application, and can
also offer secondary services and load
testing capabilities.
General products include compression
springs, clock springs, conical springs,
extension springs, flat springs, garter
springs, instrument springs, leaf springs,
motor springs, precision springs,
torsion springs, variable rate springs,
Belleville washers, cantilever beams,
rings, stampings and wire forms. The
company has more than 8,000 different
designs of compression springs on the
shelf, ready to ship.
Leeco Spring International – USA
Website:
▲ ▲ A wide range of springs from Leeco Spring International