Machine Tools in China

Demand in China to grow 14.2% yearly through 2014
Demand for machine tools in China is projected to grow 14.2 percent annually to ¥389 billion in 2014. This strong growth will bolster China‘s current position as the world’s leading consumer and producer of machine tools. Both supply and demand will benefit from a number of government policies set forth in the Twelfth Five-Year Plan. Economic goals in the Plan that are especially salient to the machine tool industry are the development of Strategic Emerging Industries (SEIs), which will receive beneficial government treatment and the push for “Indigenous Innovation.”
Advanced machine tools to be subsidized
High-end equipment manufacturing is designated as one of the SEIs and will be extensively promoted by the Chinese government. Advanced machine tool manufacturing is an important segment of high-end equipment manufacturing, and as such, the industry will benefit from subsidies offered by both the central and local governments for research and development. Sales of high-end machine tools will also benefit from favorable tariff policies that will promote the sales of domestic products. China plans to be an innovation-oriented society by 2020 and a variety of megaprojects have been introduced to achieve the goal, including the development of computerized numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools that will focus on serving key industries, such as aviation equipment, ship building, motor vehicles and generating equipment. Research and innovation in the advanced machine tool industry will be supported by government initiatives so that domestic producers can become more competitive in terms of technology, thus increasing their share of the domestic market. The major markets for machine tools in China are industrial machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, primary and fabricated metals, and electrical and electronic equipment. Industrial machinery is the largest market for machine tools due to the extensive use of various machine tools in numerous segments of the industry. Transportation equipment manufacturing, the second largest market, has been supported by the explosive development of the automobile industry in China over the past decade.
Machine tool accessories to be fastest growing segment
Metal cutting machine tools form the largest product segment, which is about three times larger than the metal forming segment. Demand for machine tool accessories is projected to increase at an annual rate of 16.1 percent to 2014, faster than both metal cutting and metal forming machine tools.

http://news.gnom.es/pr/machine-tools-in-china

Climax Portable Machine Tools Launches New Portable Milling Machine Capable of Both Linear and Gantry Milling

-Climax Portable Machine Tools today introduced the world’s first portable milling machine designed with a split rail system that enables the milling machine to be configured to perform both linear milling and gantry milling. A rigid, modular bed design allows shorter bed sections to be combined to fit the length of the work area as needed without losing rigidity, and to extend the bed by 2 or 3 times its original length. In-house and field service machinists who work in power generation, mining and heavy construction, and shipbuilding industries can now perform on-site machining of a wider variety of large surface areas without multiple setups.

“This tool came out of conversations with our customers who told us they wanted a portable milling machine that minimizes the number of changeovers to complete a job, is versatile, rigid and that maximizes the mill’s footprint for each workspace,” said Geoff Gilmore, president of Climax Portable Machine Tools. “Our engineering and design team realized that to meet customer demand, we needed to develop a milling machine that would completely re-define the concept of a portable milling machine.
“With the Linear/Gantry Mill combination, we’ve created a portable machine tool that sets a new standard in precision, functionality and features,” Gilmore said.
To convert from linear milling to large surface or gantry milling, a machinist simply removes the RAM, splits the bed and saddle into two separate rails for gantry milling, and then reattaches the RAM to the saddle and rails. Available in two models, the LM5200 and the LM6200, these ground-breaking machines greatly expand the number of machining projects machinists can do without having to purchase or transport additional mills. With these machines, precision milling, drilling and boring can be done more efficiently to meet tight tolerances in both linear and gantry milling configurations.
Product features and specifications:

• The Climax LM5200 model can be configured to bed lengths of 48-, 72- and 96-inches (1219.2mm, 1828.8mm and 2438.4mm) and RAM lengths of 26- or 44-inches (660.4mm or 1117.6mm).
• The Climax LM6200 model can be configured to bed lengths from 48- to 192-inches (1219.2mm to 4876.88mm) with RAM lengths of 36-, 48-, 82- and 116 inches (914.4mm, 1219.2mm, 2082.8mm and 2946.4mm).
• Reduced Friction Rail Technology enables continuous, and non-stick slip travel throughout the entire length of the piece being machined for a uniform finish with no shingling.
• Its milling head can be rotated 360-degrees, and electric feeds can be mounted on the X, Y or Z axis.
• A heavy duty spindle design and a choice of hydraulic power units provide fast, aggressive milling in horizontal, vertical or inverted applications.

Applications for these new portable milling machines include pump and motor mounts, compressor and heat equipment bases, exchanger faces, sole plates, sections of large surfaces, drilling and boring as well as other features on flat and rounded surfaces. The new Climax LM5200 and LM6200 portable milling and gantry machines are available for sale or rent worldwide, as are the company’s other portable flange facers, boring machines and valve repair machines.
To see a video of the new linear mill configurations in action or to review complete specifications for the new mills, visit http://www.cpmt.com/itshere
About Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc.
Based in the United States and Germany, Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc. is a strategic world-class provider of comprehensive, custom and standard on-site machining and portable welding systems. The company offers specialized engineering consulting services, customized training programs and a full line of portable machine tools, BoreWelders and BoreCladders for sale and rent. These machines enable customers to efficiently perform on-site machining and automated welding for applications in industries including power generation, shipbuilding, petrochemical, heavy construction and mining, as well as service and engineering sectors. Climax holds 28 issued patents with four pending, and serves domestic and international markets through its own international offices and licensed representatives in 32 countries. More information about the company is available at www.cpmt.com or by calling 1-800-333-8311 toll free in the US or +1-503-538-2185 worldwide.

Contacts

Organization Contact:
Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc.
VP of Marketing
Andy Becker, 1-503-538-2185
abecker@cpmt.com
or
Media Contact:
Grady Britton
Marion Margiotta, 1-503-228-4118
marionm@gradybritton.com

 http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20111101006740/en/portable-milling-machine/linear-milling/gantry-milling

MHI to manufacture precision automotive machine tools in India : report

Bangalore: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd, Japan plans to start manufacturing precision automotive machine tools in India. Reports in Japanese media suggest that the company is trying to secure profits by minimizing fallout from a stronger yen through greater overseas output.

In 2005 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries had acquired S.R.P. Tools Ltd., a manufacturer of gear cutting tools and broaches in India, and formed MHI-IPT. This unit functions as a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd-Japan.
The company now plans to manufacture precision machine tools, which are used in making gears and other automotive components, at the subsidiary's facilities. It has factories in Chennai and Ranipet.

MHI Japan is the only manufacturer of gear cutting tools, who also manufactures machines to produce these gear cutting tools, as well as the gear cutting machines on which they are consumed, to produce gears for the automotive industry.

After acquiring SRP Tools Limited, MHI-IPT expanded its plant capacity in 2007-08 by adding many CNC machines and conventional machines, to make more than double its production capacity to cater to the needs of its customers.

MHI-IPT is now India's largest manufacturer of Gear Cutting Tools and Broaches, featuring the most advanced precision technologies and commanding the largest market share. Its product range includes Hobs, Gear Shaping Cutters, Gear Shaving Cutters, Master Gears, Rotary Cutters, Spline Broach and various other types of Broaches, used in manufacturing of various automotive and engineering components.

Exports account for half of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan) total sales, therefore the company's balance sheets are vulnerable to the yen's appreciation.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has a joint venture with L&T in India for producing boilers, turbines and generators. MHI also has plans to form a joint venture  with an Indian company to locally produce cranes which are used at ports.

History

S.R.P Tools Limited was started in the year of 1965. It started first factory at Chennai, India for manufacturing conventional cutting tools. It signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd-Japan for the technical collaboration to manufacture gear cutting tools and broaches in the year of 1972.

S.R.P Tools Limited's second factory was started at Ranipet in the year of 1974 for the production of Hobs, Shaper cutters and Broaches. Later, it started manufacturing of Gear Shaving Cutters, Rotary cutters for straight bevel gears and Master Gears.
http://machinist.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3469&Itemid=2

Wire EDM machine tools for precision toolmakers

Agiecharmilles has launched its next-generation range of wire EDM machine tools, which are suited for precision toolmakers and manufacturers of precision parts.

There are three models in the new range - the Cut 200, Cut 300 and Cut 400.
These new Swiss-designed and built machines replace Agiecharmilles' range of Cleancut wire EDM machines, first introduced in 2002/3.
All machines have a top cutting speed up to 500mm2/min and are equipped with Agiecharmilles' Econotec technology, which allows manufacturers to reduce part cycle times by using large (and cheaper) 0.3mm-diameter wires for rough cutting.
Using larger-diameter wires not only results in faster cutting and a reduction in the number of passes required to produce a part, it also helps reduce consumable costs that have a direct impact on reducing the cost-per-part.
The three machines are equipped with ICP (Integrated Collision Protection) on their X-, Y-, U- and V-axes, which allows users to achieve and maintain the machines' fast rapid rates of 3m/min knowing that should a collision or crash occur (due to programming or manual positioning error) - ICP will absorb the energy of the collision, eliminating potential damage to the machine and/or workpiece.
Econowatt is an energy-saving technology that means that the machines can be switched automatically to 'sleep mode' once machining operations have been completed.
Power consumption as a consequence can be reduced from 8kW when running to 1kW when the machine is idle, for example.
This is of particular interest to manufacturers who operate their EDM machines overnight or over the weekends.
Operational speed and efficiency are optimised on the new machines by their automatic wire thread/re-thread capability.
This has resulted in threading cycle times being reduced significantly (now 15sec from spark-to-spark instead of 40 seconds plus on competitor machines), which is suitable for manufacturers machining parts with multi-cavities.
Productivity and efficiency are also achieved via fast measuring cycles (three-point set-up); ultra-fast filling and/or emptying of the work tank (30sec) and the detection of 'missing' guide holes and automatic movement to the next guide hole which, prior to the availability of this smart function, would have caused the machine to stop.
Other new features on the machines include two additions to their technology 'software' databases.
Taking their place alongside Agiecharmilles' Expert Systems (Taper-Expert; CT-Expert and Profil-Expert), are Power-Expert and Surface-Expert.
Power-Expert optimises the power required for roughing operations, taking into account complex part features such as internal radii and steps.
Surface-Expert ensures that homogenous surface finishes are produced during finishing operations, irrespective of a part's shape or features.
The new machines have retained many of the technology features of the previous Cleancut models, including the Cut 200/300 and 400's digital CC generator, which delivers cutting speeds up to 500mm2/min and is suitable for machining a range of materials to exacting accuracy standards and surface finishes (Ra 0.1um).

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/agi/agi224.html