Page 13 - MetalForming May 2019

press featuring automated die change to Spirit AeroSystems.
“No one else in the industry has a comparable high-tech and cost-saving solution for this application,” says Kevin Matthies, Spirit's senior vice president- global fabrication.
The application: Joule Form, a propri- etary method developed by Spirit for shap-
ing metal parts at elevated temperatures in the fabrication of aerospace compo- nents. Using Beckwood’s automated press system, Spirit efficiently can form light- weight titanium parts by directing energy only where it is needed, ultimately decreas- ing machined-part costs, according to Spirit and Beckwood officials.
“This is an emerging manufacturing
Tech Update
encountering obstacles or a curved path, and avoids the inflexible fixed anvil employed in traditional roller-hemming processes. As a result, it performs curved- path hemming and manages complex angles as part of a single, continuous process, and maintains a constant hem- ming thickness even when encountering multiple layers of dissimilar materials
The Industry 4.0-compliant hemming head, jointly developed by Comau and an automotive manufacturer, reportedly offers high reliability, inherent flexibility and complete process control while ensuring geometric uniformity of assembled parts.
“Comau’s newest hemming solution features a revolutionary design that renders it extremely fast and efficient for lightweight and e-vehicle manufacturing, while elim- inating the costly attributes of the product as well as the associated production process,” explains Giovanni Di Stefano, Comau head of process technologies. “The Industry 4.0-compliant solution lets automakers innovatively join components with full in-process monitoring of the joint.”
Field-tested and validated by major European automakers, Smart Hemmer, a standardized product, can be applied to all vehicle architectures and comple- ments the array of similar cold-joining technologies developed by Comau. Comau: www.comau.com
Custom Hydraulic
Press Features
Automated Die Change
Beckwood Press Co., with machinery distributor Kansas Oklahoma Machine Tools, recently delivered a custom hydraulic
OMAX abrasive waterjets can cut a wide range of mat and do more thanks to advanced technology and acce
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Get the whole story at omax.com/versatility
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