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Maximise Turning Productivity and Output

The upgraded CoroPlus® ToolPath for PrimeTurning™ software in use.

Upgraded CoroPlus® ToolPath for PrimeTurning™ software speeds up operations and planning processes

Manufacturers that use PrimeTurning™ technology from cutting tool and tooling system specialist Sandvik Coromant will welcome the upgraded CoroPlus® ToolPath for PrimeTurning software designed to help them speed up their operations and planning processes. Part of the Sandvik Coromant digitally connected CoroPlus® suite of solutions for machine shops, the software facilitates maximum turning productivity and output.

The all directional turning methodology, introduced by Sandvik Coromant through the unique PrimeTurning™ concept, enabled increased metal removal rates, offered significant time savings and boosted productivity while eliminating many of the misconceptions associated with small entering angles and chip control. The concept proved especially beneficial in mass production industries such as the automotive sector. It was also ideal for short batch production – for example in aerospace and oil and gas – of components in difficult-to-machine materials that require frequent set-up and tool changes.

To get the best out of the process – including more efficient and faster programming – the company launched its CoroPlus® ToolPath for PrimeTurning™ software which has now been enhanced with a host of new features, functions and an easy-to-use interface. Available in stand-alone and CAM-integrated versions, the software provides the correct grade, geometry selection and cutting data while ensuring optimal productivity and tool life as well as maximum output.

Among the main benefits of PrimeTurning™ tool path software are faster operations and planning processes as well as constant chip thickness and correct entry into a component, ensuring greater process security. Also, compatible with a wide range of CNC turning machines that use ISO codes, the software provides automatic storage for component profiles.

Packed with new features designed to enable users to gain all the benefits offered by PrimeTurning™ method and CoroTurn® Prime tools, CoroPlus® ToolPath for PrimeTurning™ now supports profiling and facing for external turning in addition to existing programmable support for longitudinal turning. The software also enables CAD models to be imported (in STEP and IGES formats, among others) and offers 3D simulation with collision detection.

A key new feature is an improved and intuitive interface for machinists who don’t have CAM software with PrimeTurning™ support or those doing shopfloor programming, with the option of operating on desktops or mobile devices. The user is able to generate NC code in few quick and easy steps. After the user specifies the operation, machine parameters, workpiece details and material information, the software automatically recommends the right tools to use along with the cutting data. The operator can simply use the suggested solution or alter parameters to get customized results.

Before creating the final NC code, the PrimeTurning™ tool path software enables the user to run a simulation to verify no collisions and change any parameters as required, then generate a new program within seconds and run another simulation until the user is satisfied enough to produce the correct code. The software enables the user to stop anywhere they like in the process, running a simulation block by block or going back into the code if preferred.

CoroPlus® ToolPath for PrimeTurning™ is a subscription-based software and a one-month free trial is available for users to get hands-on experience before committing to the annual subscription.

For more information, please contact Sandvik Coromant – Tel: 011 570-9615.

CHAMFMILL Front and Back Chamfer Milling Tools

ISCAR is introducing the CHAMFMILL family of indexable milling cutters carrying PNMT 06 pentagonal inserts with five cutting edges for front chamfering and five for back chamfering, providing an economical machining solution.

The new economical cutters carry star-shaped (pentagonal) double-sided inserts with 10 cutting edges and are produced from ISCAR’s advantageous IC830 SUMO TEC carbide grade.

The CHAMFMILL family ensures cost-effective milling of 45° chamfers and productive machining due to the high cutting speed. Main applications include machining main engineering materials: steel (ISO P), stainless steel (ISO M) and cast iron (ISO K). The tools are intended for front chamfering, back chamfering and removing burrs, which eliminates hand de-burring. The maximum width of a machined 45° chamfer is 1.5 mm.

Two shank configurations are available: cylindrical shank and replaceable milling heads with MULTIMASTER adaptation. The tools are available in 11.70, 16.70 and 18.70mm tool diameters and are suitable for back milling chamfers in 10mm minimum diameter holes. A polish coating ensures better chip flow and tool protection from corrosion and wear.

For more information, please contact ISCAR South Africa – Tel: 011 997-2700.

Smart Solutions to join Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics and Metal

Hybrid metal and carbon fiber reinforced plastic e-scooter. © Fraunhofer IGCV

The engineering of lightweight vehicles requires manufacturers to combine functional metal components with lightweight, highly durable carbon fiber reinforced plastics. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a variety of solutions for joining such disparate materials – and will be showcasing their technology at this year’s Hannover Messe.

Whether it is buses, cars, scooters or bicycles, it seems certain that electromobility will power the future. One of the biggest hurdles at the moment, however, is how to increase vehicle range – a challenge that will depend on making vehicles as light as possible. The lighter the vehicle or transporter, the longer the energy storage lasts. In this domain, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics, or CFRP for short, are the material of choice – as strong as steel and yet some eight times lighter and even three times lighter than aluminium. The general practice is to manufacture individual components, the vehicle frame for instance, using CFRP, and then join them to the functionbearing metal components using screws or adhesives. In other words, components that connect long expanses and transfer loads can be manufactured using CFRP, while metal is reserved for the functional components and attachment points for the steering mechanism, for example.

Weight savings of up to 50 percent

Smart solutions to join carbon fiber reinforced
plastics and metal. © Fraunhofer IGCV

Now, researchers from the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV at the Technology Center in Augsburg have come up with a variety of innovative new techniques to join conventionally cast components with those made of CFRP. Looking beyond the thoroughly established foundry technology, there is a lot of potential in modern manufacturing techniques such as additive manufacturing and 3D printing. “We’ve combined the various new joining techniques in an electric scooter demonstrator. The goal is to cut down on the number of mechanical attachment points and simplify the joining process as much as possible,” explains Dr.- Ing. Daniel Günther, who heads the project at Fraunhofer IGCV. “There’s a lot of potential in combining metal and CFRP components, with a potential weight saving of up to 50 percent depending on the part.”

Clamping technique to join rear-wheel support

The rear-wheel support of an electric scooter contains a lot of parts integral to its functioning and, for that reason, it is made out of metal. To make it as lightweight as possible, the research team produced the part out of highly durable steel, optimizing the topology so the material is restricted solely to the places it is needed to support the functioning.

To produce the part, researchers drew on an additive manufacturing technique that uses a laser beam to form components out of a metal powder. The rear-wheel support is connected to the CFRP footboard using a screw system – making it easy to remove and disassemble for maintenance.

Adhesively bonded hybrid steering head

The steering head of the scooter is a hybrid component, with an aluminium base frame linking to the footboard behind and the handlebars at the front. This part of the scooter is full of parts integral to its functioning, with a significant expanse to bridge in-between. Using CFRP parts ensures the necessary rigidity. The two different materials are joined together using adhesive bonding. “In terms of a baseline load, we assumed a person weighing one hundred kilograms performing jumps with the scooter. To sup- port that sort of load using a pure aluminum cast part, you would need a huge amount of material to ensure sufficient rigidity,” says Günther. To manufacture the part, Günther and his team began by analyzing the available installation space. As a rule of thumb, the more room used, the larger the cross-section of the component – and the better its rigidity. The material has to be kept as thin as possible, however, to ensure that the component does not become overly heavy. The solution to this is to use CFRP in combination with cast metal. As a further step, the researchers calculated the load at various points of the component. The splices have been precisely positioned at the points with the least load. Rigidity is guaranteed thanks to the shaping of the CFRP component.

Fork system – the joining technology of the future

Connecting piece prior to lamination, showing the novel pin structure that helps create a positive bond with the CFRP prepreg. © Fraunhofer IGCV

The load-bearing capacity and durability of CFRP comes from the fibers contained within it. Here, the main challenge lies in transferring the force acting on a component so it is absorbed by these same fibers. On top of this, engineers need to ensure that any metal parts are as securely attached to the CFRP components as possible, without any gaps or cavities. In response, the researchers have developed a completely new joining technique – best explained by taking a look at the components involved. In the example of the electronic scooter, you have a cylindrical piece connecting to the handlebars, a steel component made using an additive manufacturing technique. The bottom of the component has a plate that works as a base with small pins sticking out from its surface. Researchers then overlay this base plate with the prepregs for the CFRP component, made out of fibers coated with synthetic resin. Afterwards, they apply vacuum and increase the temperature. The resin encloses the carbon fibers, flows downwards and closes the gap with the metal plate, hardening to form an adhesive bond. Here, not only does the resin stick to the plate, the protruding pins are also enveloped and held in place by the fibers. This interlocks the components and supplies a solid bond – without the need for screws or additional adhesives. “The technique is fast, industry-ready and can easily be scaled up for mass production,” says Günther.

Lots of Interest from Africa in Automechnanika Johannesburg

There is unprecedented interest in Automechanika Johannesburg from other African countries this year. This follows the attendance at the first four roadshow meetings in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya to promote the event, which takes place at Expo Centre, Nasrec, from 18-21 September 2019. More than 75% of the floorspace has been booked already.

MIAZ, the Motor Industry Association of Zimbabwe, is planning on bringing a delegation of buyers to the show, as well as at least 30 buyers from Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya. Another three of these events are scheduled for, Rwanda, Botswana and Namibia which will ensure more visitors from Africa than ever before to the show.

While exhibitors will be taking the opportunity to announce new products and services, organizations and companies are also using Automechanika as the venue for meetings, conferences and workshops. Among those who have already booked events of this kind are Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), Engine Remanufacturing Association (ERA), Collision Repairers’ Association (CRA), Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA), Fuel Retailers’ Association (FRA) and Safer Connected Mobility.

Joshua Low, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt South Africa, says he is very pleased at the positive response from both exhibitors and the rate at which visitors are registering.

High Level Confidence Will Boost Denel’s Turnaround

Danie du Toit, the Group Chief Executive of Denel says the company is busy with a comprehensive programme to restore good corporate governance, reduce costs and find new opportunities for growth, especially in export markets.

“The support given to us by the President in Parliament will help us to position Denel as a reliable designer and manufacturer of world-class defence and technology systems,” says Du Toit. “Our reputation took a severe battering with the revelations about state capture and widespread irregularities in the company, but we are taking determined steps to get it back on track.

“The positive sentiments expressed by both President Ramaphosa and Public Enterprise Minister, Pravin Gordhan, will help to restore confidence in Denel among existing and prospective clients, suppliers and employees,” says Du Toit.

In his remarks Gordhan described Denel as a crucial and strategic state entity that was substantially harmed by state capture. He also noted that Denel is improving the way that it contracts and is renegotiating existing contracts to improve the margins it earns on such business.

Du Toit says Denel supports President Ramaphosa’s vision of a new landscape in which state-owned companies have the expertise, leadership and appropriate financial models to fulfil their mandates. They have a critical role to play, together with the private sector, in driving economic growth and transformation.

Ford SA Introduces Third Shift for Silverton Assembly Plant

Ford SA introduces third shift for Silverton Plant.

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is introducing a third shift to its vehicle assembly operations at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria to meet the growing international and local demand for the New Ranger, Ranger Raptor and Everest.

The additional shift, which commences in August this year, will create 1 200 new jobs at the Silverton plant, taking Ford’s total employment in South Africa to approximately 5 500 employees. At the same time, it will significantly bolster supplier companies by adding around 10 000 jobs in this sector. In total, Ford’s local vehicle assembly operations will now support some 60 000 jobs within the total value chain.

“The R3-billion investment in our South African plants, announced in 2017, is now coming to fruition with the addition of a third shift to increase our production output,” says Ockert Berry, Vice President Operations, Ford Middle East and Africa.

“The investment enabled extensive reworks at the Silverton Assembly Plant to expand our production capacity from 124 000 vehicles per year to 168 000 units, which is 58 000 vehicles more than our original capacity when the current Ranger programme commenced in 2011,” Berry states. “The third shift will allow us to ramp up our production from the current 506 vehicles assembled per day to a peak of 720 units to satisfy the strong demand from customers in South Africa, as well as for our crucial exports to 148 markets around the world,” Berry states.

Kicking off at the beginning of August, the Silverton Assembly Plant will run around the clock using a three-shift pattern from Monday to Thursday, with the additional Friday third shift available to address any potential shortfalls in the production schedule.

Purchasing Managers’ Index Still Volatile Despite Rebound

Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Economist Marique Kruger.

While the increase in overall business activity in the broader manufacturing sector – as reflected in the latest ABSA Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data – is encouraging, nevertheless the trend remains volatile, highlighting the underlying constraints faced by business, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Economist Marique Kruger said recently.

Based on a survey of purchasing executives, the composite PMI data for June 2019 shows that industrial activity improved to 46.2 points, up from the 45.4 points recorded in May 2019. A reading above the benchmark level of 50 indicates an expansion when compared with the previous months, while the reverse is true for a reading below 50.

Speaking after the release of the data, Kruger said it is encouraging to note that the majority of the five seasonally-adjusted sub-components correspondingly registered increases in June 2019 when compared to May 2019. Of the five sub-components, the new sales orders and the inventories subindices increased the most, surging from 44.4 points in May 2019 to 46.2 points and from 41.6 points to 43.4 points respectively in June 2019, while the worst-performing sub-index was the employment sub-index (41.9 points).

Despite the improvement, Kruger said the PMI trend is still very volatile, highlighting the underlying constraints faced by business.

“Against the backdrop of low domestic demand, companies still have to deal with fluctuating input costs, increasing fuel and energy costs, carbon tax and volatility in the exchange rate. These are very challenging,” concluded Kruger.

Q1 Metals and Engineering Sector Performance Disappointing but Recovery is Imminent

Although the performance of the metals and engineering (M&E) sector during the first quarter of 2019 was disappointing, recovery underpinned by stronger regional and international demand appears to be on the horizon, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) said recently.

SEIFSA Chief Economist Michael Ade said that the sector’s recovery will be driven by stronger regional demand from the SADC region and the rest of Africa, underpinned by the newly-launched African Continental Free Trade Area and globally from Europe, Asia and the Americas’. In addition, the slowlyimproving international commodity prices will also provide a strong basis for the M&E cluster to improve on output,” he added.

Ade attributed the sector’s contraction during the first quarter to continued softening of global economic activity, with trade and manufacturing showing signs of marked weakness against the backdrop of heightened trade battles driven by geopolitical dynamics.

Locally, the sector’s growth was choked by a weak domestic environment and load shedding, which also negatively impacted on the growth rate of the mining, transport, electricity, trade and construction sectors.

Despite the challenging start to 2019, Ade said there is hope that the sector will ultimately recover, albeit at a slower pace and a lower rate than usually forecast.

“Internationally there has been heightened policy uncertainty, including a recent reescalation of trade tensions between major economies, accompanied by a deceleration in global investments and a decline in confidence, which in turn weighed on the local currency, dragging down emerging markets as capital flows from investors move to the safety of the US dollar in expectation of better returns. Undoubtedly, the downside to the production growth in the M&E sector will be tempered by a generally difficult operating environment, but the expectation is for the comparatively weaker exchange rate to provide leverage over time and perk up export volumes through relatively lower prices, also impacting on production,” he said.

Commenting on the domestic operating environment, Ade said despite the prognosis being less robust, primarily as a result of slowlyimproving but volatile supply-side dynamics underpinned by regressing business and consumer confidence, SEIFSA remains positive about the sector’s long-term outlook against the backdrop of the decision by Moody’s to keep South Africa’s investment rating above sub-investment grade.

Although the decision by Moody’s augers well for existing and new investments, Ade cautions that the positive outlook depends on continuous policy reforms and initiatives aimed at promoting real gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) from the general government, public corporations and private business enterprises.

Ade said this was important, given the dismal performance of GFCF in Q1 2019, decreasing by 4.5 percent, its fifth consecutive decline from Q1 2018.

Ade said notwithstanding the decline in real GDP in quarter 1 of 2019, there was a corresponding net growth in production in the broader manufacturing sector, with preliminary data showing the sector cumulatively growing by 2.5 percent, despite the dismal performance of its M&E sub-sectors comprising roughly 45 percent.

“Although the expectation is for the M&E sector to rebound and improve during the course of the year, we are cognisant of the difficult operating environment, hence the moderate forecast of 1.6 percent growth for 2019,” Ade concluded.

SEIFSA Welcomes Reserve Bank’s Repo Rate Cut

SEIFSA Chief Economist Michael Ade.

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) welcomes the South African Reserve Bank’s decision to reduce both the repo and prime lending rates by 25 basis points and said the decision has the potential of stimulating local consumer demand and boosting production towards reviving the stuttering economy.

Speaking after the Governor’s announcement, SEIFSA Chief Economist Michael Ade said the decision provides some relief for businesses, which continue to operate in a tough economic environment characterized by low domestic growth, subdued demand, high unemployment, volatile output, high unit labour costs and poor business activity levels.

Moreover, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth has consistently deteriorated since quarter three of last year, despite the rebound from a technical recession, reflecting a continuing period of strain for businesses in 2019, with first-quarter growth results having shown a 3.2% annualized contraction.

“The performance of high-frequency data since the beginning of the year is also worrisome. The manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, a proxy for business activity, has been trending in the contractionary zone from January 2019, reflecting generally poor inventory levels amid challenging supply chain management,” Ade said.

He added that manufacturing firms, including those in the diverse metals and engineering (M&E) cluster of industries, are wary, as indices of business confidence and business expectations are gradually constricting, with the undesired potential of negatively impacting on competitiveness, investment, production and employment.

Ade said the Reserve Bank’s decision to ease monetary policy is welcome, given the need to stimulate consumer demand further and improve on an ever-gloomy domestic outlook in the medium term.

“The timing, against the backdrop of moderate official inflation numbers, is apt, given the need also to stimulate spending by over-indebted consumers with restrained purchasing power. Correspondingly, the dovish stance of the US Federal Reserve Bank, which has signalled possible rate cuts of as much as half a percentage point later this year, must have partly influenced the outcome by the Monetary Policy Committee members,” he said.

In conclusion, Ade said the lowered interest rates will reduce borrowing costs of direct investors and domestic companies within the M&E cluster, thus benefitting key industries which are drivers of its domestic demand and supply patterns and boosting overall demand for its intermediate products, towards better production levels. Moreover, it will help struggling companies to mitigate production costs, offset rising petrol prices and losses arising from pricey intermediate imports and provide a basis for an improved differential for businesses faced with ever-fluctuating selling price inflation.

Europe Produces 35% of All Machine Tools in the World

Dr Roland Feichtl, CECIMO President

During its General Assembly in Rüschlikon, CECIMO announced a turnover for 2018 of €27.5 billion, which is 9% higher compared to 2017. This secures a 35% market share in the global machine tool production. But slowing global trade and weakening business sentiment are heavy downside risks for the European machine tool manufacturers.

Economic outlook and trends

Industrial growth has slowed down in 2018 driven by global trade stagnation, geopolitical uncertainties and weaker business sentiment. We expect the industrial activity to slow down in 2019 and recover some momentum in 2020. This year, the European machine tool market is likely to expand slower than the US and Asia.

CECIMO’s latest estimates for 2018 suggest yet another record machine tool production amounting to €27.5 billion, which is 9% higher than in the previous year. The global output grew at a flat rate of 1% and reached a volume of €79.7 billion in 2018. The production growth was dragged down by China, Brazil, Turkey and Canada posting two-digit negative growth rates.

Our clients in Europe registered a 1.8% production growth rate in 2018 and expect a flat growth this year. The global production of the machine tool purchasing industries around the globe posted a growth of approximately 5% in 2018 and is expected to slow down to 2.3% in 2019.

Both European and world machine tool trade has slowed down a gear. Although the main US import tax measures are aimed at China, the European automotive sector is under risk. Industrial activity of other consumer sectors is slowing down as well. Last year, CECIMO manufacturers exported a volume of €21.7 billion worth of machine tools. We registered an export growth of 8.4% – slower than the one in 2017 (9.5%). Our main export destinations outside CECIMO membership were China (25.7%), USA (18.3%), Poland (8.1%), Mexico (4.7%) and Russia (4.6%). In 2018, the world machine tool trade accounted for 44.1 billion and posted a slower growth rate of 6.9%, after a 9.5% rate in 2017.

Based on internal figures, CECIMO’s machine tool consumption in 2018 is estimated at 18 €billion, 11.8% higher than in 2017. This year, our colleagues from Oxford Economics suggest a flat growth rate of 1% and a 4.2% recovery in 2020. The world machine tool consumption grew by 4% in 2018. This year, we expect a 2.3% growth and an acceleration of 3.5% in 2020.

A deceleration of the global trade, geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions are weighting heavily on the European machine tool manufacturers. “A strong global trade is absolutely necessary to support the industrial activity in Europe and the entire world. That is why, we need to make our best efforts to build a robust trade relationship with the US. A bilateral trade deal on industrial goods would be a great place to start” says Mr Marcus Burton, the Chairman of CECIMO’s Economic Committee.

Artificial Intelligence and skills

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report (2018), 54% of employees will require significant reskilling and upskilling by 2022. These findings are also reflected in a recent LinkedIn Learning survey which suggests that artificial intelligence is on the top 5 hard skills that companies need most in 2019. CECIMO at the General Assembly looked at how to meet the demands of the machine tool industry in artificial intelligence skills.

In his opening speech, Francisco Betti, Head of Advanced Manufacturing Industry, World Economic Forum, highlighted the unique role that machine tool companies play today to transform factories and business models. He also stressed the criticality of talent and skills for the future of advanced manufacturing and to keep pace with the changes brought by artificial intelligence and other technologies and the need for strengthened multi stakeholder collaboration.

Skills for industry strategy 2030 are on top of the EU political Agenda but there is need for concrete commitments by political leaders in education and training, starting from a reassessment of the education systems.

Filip Geerts, CECIMO Director General, called for a massive skills upgrade of the European workforce to catch up with the rapid transformation of industry. Developing and introducing Artificial intelligence in manufacturing requires special core skills, which need to be carefully fostered to secure EU’s leadership in this field”. Companies need to invest in the professional development of their workforce overtime.

In this context, the main challenge for the machine tool companies is to train mechanical, electronic and electric engineers in AI, Python for data science, essential mathematics for AI, data science research methods and so on. Employees need to be motivated to continuously learn and grow. Marc Ziegler, Partner at Porsche Consulting, presented the strategic partnership on AI and skills with appliedAI, an initiative of UnternehmerTUM, one of Europe’s largest Center for Innovation & Business Creation. He explained that transforming corporates into AI-driven companies requires a set of new dedicated roles that entail various new competencies – from data science to machine learning engineers.

Finding the right talent is critical for the machine tool industry to capitalise on the opportunities that Artificial Intelligence offers.

For example, according to a study by McKinsey, artificial intelligence could create an estimated potential value of $500B to $0.7T in predictive maintenance across the supply chain management and manufacturing sectors globally. Dr Roland Feichtl, CECIMO President, stated that machine tool companies who consider the option of building their own AI solutions will need to consider whether they have the capacity to attract and retain Artificial Intelligence talent to be able to integrate these technologies in their manufacturing processes.

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