So, what exactly is collaborative robotics and how does it differ from traditional robotics?

Peter McCullough, Product Manager (Doosan Cobots) at CNC Machinery Solutions Automation brings us up-to-speed with the latest developments and applications in the healthcare and medical devices’ sectors.

“Despite anxiety-led headlines about robots coming for our jobs, collaborative robots are designed to work with and alongside operators and technicians, rather than replace them — making it possible to build work processes that incorporate the strengths of both humans and robots.

“Unlike traditional robots, cobots don’t pose a threat to human safety. Marked improvements in vision and sensor technology have made it possible to program cobots to stop working if a person is too close. Also, cobots are much lighter and smaller — some the size of a desk lamp. They’re significantly less expensive, easily programmable and quick to set up too.

Cobots are transforming the Healthcare Industry

“With the clear potential for streamlined processes, repeatable safety measures and a more efficient workforce, many in the healthcare and medical device sectors have also been quick to accept the future of collaborative robotics.

“Particularly encouraging is the development in the following areas.

Laboratory Testing

“Copenhagen University hospital is using cobots to pick up, sort and load blood samples for analysis. These cobots utilise vision programming by first picking up the sample, placing it in a bar code scanner, and then sorting the sample based on cap colour.

“Once a tray of the same colour is full, a second cobot places them in a machine for analysis. The pair of cobots handle 7 – 8 tubes of blood per minute or about 3,000 samples a day, ensuring that 90% of sample results are ready within one hour.

“This quick turnaround has resulted in positive patient outcomes. Out-patients can now receive results during their initial consultation rather than making an extra return trip to the hospital. Also, in-patients have same day results available by morning rounds, so physicians are reviewing accurate and up-to-date information.

Patient Care

Terapio, a cobot developed by researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan, is designed to give critical time back to busy nurses by providing bedside monitoring for patients and automatically updating electronic medical charts.

“With the ability to follow medical staff to each patient’s room and automatically upload vital signs to charts, nurses are relieved of administrative tasks and able to focus on patient care.

“Another cobot greeting patients at their bedside is RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance) that has a friendly bear-like face. Developed by RIKEN-SRK Collaboration Centre for Human-Interactive Robot Research and Sumitomo Riko Company, RIBA is working to serve the growing elderly population in Japan by lifting patients out of beds and wheelchairs — relieving care workers who can often sustain injuries from lifting patients up to 40 times a day.

Surgery

“One of the more familiar cobots in the surgery world is the da Vinci System, built with robot arms and high-tech cameras to assist surgeons during operations. The da Vinci’s arms translate surgeon hand movements into smaller, more precise movements, allowing for less invasive procedures.

“Over 1 million patients worldwide had a da Vinci procedure in 2018 — a great example of early adoption of cobots in the medical field, spanning many different types of surgeries.

“There are also other types of robots currently being used in surgery. Accuracy’s Cybnerknife system delivers radiation therapy to cancerous tumours that utilise a pre-programmed treatment plan and can correct for movement in real time. Two multi-centre studies looking at Cyberknife treatment in prostate cancer patients showed a 97 – 100% success rate for low-risk patients and an 88 – 97% success rate for intermediate risk patients, both exceeding the success rates of conventional radiation therapy.

“Recently, we’ve also begun to see robotic applications in the complex field of brain and spinal surgery.

“Sebastian Koga, M.D., medical director of the Neuroscience Institute at Ochsner Health System is now assisted in surgery by Modus V, which was developed by Synaptive Medical Inc. The cobot provides a high-resolution view of the area being worked on by tracking surgical instruments in-use and then automatically moving its high-powered microscope to accommodate the surgeon.

“Stryker/Mako has also begun doing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) utilising a cobot system to reduce axis misalignment. Bone cuts are 5 times more precise with the system, which results in final component positions being 3.1 times more precise overall. The Mako Total Knee Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery has also demonstrated soft tissue protection by improving the surgeon’s vision during cutting in regards to ligament disruption, reducing the need for tibial subluxation or patella eversion (which results in quicker recovery and improved function).

Medical Device Manufacturing

“India-based Aurolab, which manufactures cataract surgery kits and intra-ocular lenses use cobots to optimise their manufacturing processes.

“The cobots perform tasks such as material handling and careful picking and moving of the components — pivotal for the delicate process of manufacturing the lenses. After introducing eight cobots, Aurolab has seen a 15% increase in product output.

Applications Outside Healthcare

“With a smaller price tag and little expertise required for installation, even small and mid-size businesses are quickly finding ways to automate work processes with the help of cobots. And adaptation is happening across a multitude of industries.

Automotive

“As an industry with a lot of potentially dangerous tasks, automotive manufacturers are among the earlier early adopters of industrial robotics. They’ve also been some of the fastest to integrate cobots into their operations. For example, with improved vision technology, cobots are performing visual inspections to detect defects in machine parts — proving more accurate than the human eye.

Fulfilment centres

“Amazon fulfilment centres and several online grocery stores are using cobots to fill orders, saving workers the trouble of walking from shelf to shelf in the warehouses. Similarly, leveraging cobot technology, Chinese e-commerce company JD.com recently constructed a warehouse, which fills 200,000 orders a day with only four workers on site.  

Food service

“Axium Food Inc., a mid-size food manufacturer, is using cobots to perform repetitive tasks that

in the past have caused human injury such as carpal tunnel. In the restaurant industry, where staff turnover is notoriously high, restaurants have begun adding cobots to the grill line to meet high demand — most famously, Flippy the burger-flipping cobot, began work at Caliburger (USA) in March 2018.

Industry predictions

“As cobots continue to meet the needs of the medical device and healthcare industries — providing high success rates and positive patient outcomes — we expect to see accelerated adoption rates.

The post Collaborative robots: The present and future for medical device and healthcare applications. appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

CNC Machinery Solutions, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has announced that its recently held ‘Young Artist of the Year’ competition was a resounding success with over 40 young people submitting artwork prior to the 15th May deadline.

Created in response to the coronavirus outbreak and the Government’s ‘Stay at Home’ and social distancing instructions, the competition was organised into three separate age-related categories: (seven years of age and under, eight to 13 years, and 14 to 18 years).

The subject matter selected for the competition was specific to the machine tool and manufacturing sectors, and CNC Machinery Solutions’s pivotal position in both. The five subjects selected selected were of new machine tools and automation solutions that were due to be showcased by Mills on its stand at MACH 2020.

Says Tony Dale, CNC Machinery Solutions’s Technical Director:

“Following the closure of schools and colleges and the imposition of the lockdown many young people clearly found were at a loose end and found themselves with more time on their hands than they ever thought possible.

“In response to these new sanctions, we created our ‘Art Competition’.

“When you run a competition like this you are never sure how many entrants or submissions you’re going to get. But, from day one, it was clear that the competition had gained traction and by the end we had received over 50 submissions from 42 young people.”

The competition ended on 15th May and there then followed an intense judging period involving CNC Machinery Solutions’s Board of Directors.

Comments Tony Dale:

“It was hard and we had to make some tough calls. All of the submissions were fantastic and the imagination, energy and creativity of the young people who entered really bowled us over.”

So much so in fact that the company, in addition to awarding £200.00 each to the three age-related category winners, also made the other 39 entrants ‘de facto runners-up’ – with each one receiving an eGift Voucher.

Says Tony Dale:

“It was the least we could do.”

The winning artwork as well as all runners-up drawings and paintings can be seen here.

The post And the winners are…. appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

The machine, a Lynx 2100LSYB, is a sophisticated and compact 8” chuck turning centre equipped with a powerful high-torque spindle, a sub-spindle and a Y-axis. It was installed at the company’s High Peak facility in late February 2020 where, ever since its arrival, it has been used to machine complex plastic ventilator parts.

The company states that “thousands of plastic components for ventilators have been machined to date” on the Lynx 2100LSYB. The components – plastic manifolds – have challenging geometries and need to be produced to the highest levels of cleanliness and accuracy.

Says Gary Willshire, Röchling High Peak’s Operational Manager:

“We have invested in a number of Doosan Lynx and Puma multi-axis turning centres from CNC Machinery Solutions in recent years. They are reliable, accurate and deliver excellent cutting performance.”

The post Doosan Lynx lathe used to machine high-precision ventilator parts. appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

CNC Machinery Solutions, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has organised a ‘Young Artist of the Year’ competition aimed at young people and teenagers (under 18 years of age).

The competition, organised into three separate age-related categories, starts Monday 20th April and ends Friday 15th May. A panel, comprising CNC Machinery Solutions’s Board of Directors, will judge the all artwork entries during the remainder of the month and, following their deliberations, will announce the three winners by the middle of June 2020.

Each winner will receive a cheque for £200.00, and their original artwork will be displayed at CNC Machinery Solutions’s Campus Technology facility in Leamington for the remainder of the year. The artwork will also be used to spearhead a range of Mills’ communication and promotional initiatives taking place during the remainder of 2020.

Says Tony Dale, CNC Machinery Solutions’s Technical Director:

“Following the indefinite closure of schools and colleges and the government’s instructions on social distancing, non-essential journeys and avoidance of large gatherings, many young people, with more time on their hands than they, or their parents/guardians, could ever have imagined, are at a loose end.

“In response, we have created the ‘Art Competition’ as part of our CSR and commitment to education and training.

”The competition was initially aimed at children of our staff, customers, partners and suppliers – but we have decided to open it up to all young people. Full details of the competition including rules, regulations and terns and conditions can be found on our website.”

The subject matter selected for the art competition is very much related to the machine tool and manufacturing sectors, and CNC Machinery Solutions’s pivotal position in both.

There five subjects Mills has selected for the competition comprise:

– a new Doosan DEM 4000 vertical machining centre

– a group shot of two new Doosan DVF 5-axis machining centres – the DVF 6500 and DVF 8000

– a new SYNERGi 25 automated manufacturing cell

– a new Doosan collaborative robot (cobot)

– a new Doosan cobot with end effectors (grippers)

Explains Tony Dale:

“At the MACH 2020 event we were set to showcase a range of new technologies (new Doosan machines and new automation systems) to visitors.

“The postponement of the event to January 2021, whilst totally understandable, was naturally disappointing. However, we remain undaunted and have decided to promote these new technologies in a different and innovative way.”

Imagination is the name of the game with the competition.

Young people can paint or draw one of the five subject matters. Entries can be ‘real life’ depictions of the technology or can be abstract in nature.

Concluded Tony Dale:

“You don’t have to be a Picasso or a Rembrandt to enter our Young Artist of the Year competition.

“As long as you have paints and brushes, crayons, pastels or pencils…have paper, card or canvass…and are under 18 years of age…you’re good to go.

For more information click here.

The post State of the art! appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

CNC Machinery Solutions, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has refreshed and relaunched its popular ‘SMART Options’ machine tool rental scheme in light of the coronavirus outbreak and a renewed demand for the scheme amongst UK and Irish manufacturers.

The rental scheme, available on all new Doosan machines supplied from stock by Mills, is administered and managed by CNC Machinery Solutions Finance, the company’s independently operated machine tool finance arm – and has, over recent years, helped a significant number of component manufacturers acquire a new Doosan machine tool.

The spread of the pandemic, and the uncertainty it has created (and continues to create), has sparked new interest in the scheme.

Says Kevin Gilbert, CNC Machinery Solutions’s Managing Director:

“Our SMART Options rental scheme has always been available to manufacturers – but interest and demand over the last few weeks, understandably, has increased exponentially.

“Despite the continuing lockdown and government instructions on social distancing, many component manufacturers are operational.

“Some of these companies are actively involved in manufacturing ventilators, ventilator components or other emergency medical equipment in response to the coronavirus and need immediate and additional short-term machining capacity and capabilities to help fulfil these orders.”

Other component manufacturers, with one eye on the future and the inevitable relaxation of the lockdown, are preparing, admittedly with cautious optimism, for the future.

Explains Kevin Gilbert:

“Some companies need additional machining capacity but are reticent about saddling themselves with what they consider to be long-term financial commitments caused by investing in a new machine tool via a bank loan or via traditional Hire Purchase or Operating Lease arrangements.

“For these companies SMART Options is more than a viable alternative.”

The SMART Options Rental Scheme is flexible and is designed to bridge the gap between manufacturers needing access to high-performance machining capability and capacity but who do not want to ‘break the bank’ acquiring it.

The SMART Options Rental Scheme has a number of elements.

The first of these is that the rental period for a new Doosan machine must be for 12 months, in the first instance.

Towards the end of the 12 month period manufacturers have a number of options open to them:

• Return the Doosan machine to CNC Machinery Solutions;
• Extend the rental period for a further 12 months;
• Buy the machine and get 100% of the rental payments (already) made refunded against the original price of the machine.

SMART Options’ rental payments are also highly-competitive and are, as a consequence, attractive offering low rates to manufacturers.

Such low payments combined with the scheme’s ‘No deposit required’ condition and the fact that machine tool delivery, installation and training are all included in the price – add to its appeal.

Concludes Kevin Gilbert:

“SMART Options is yet another example of CNC Machinery Solutions having its finger on the pulse…of understanding market dynamics and needs…and of doing everything it can to make customers’ lives easier in these difficult times.”

All Doosan machines held in-stock by CNC Machinery Solutions at its Leamington facility, including the company’s best-selling Lynx and Puma lathes and DNM vertical machining centres, can be acquired through the SMART Options scheme.

The post Rental stimulation! appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

Mr Wilson, a seasoned machine tool sales professional, will join Mills in early April 2020 and is replacing the previous incumbent, Nick Gunning, who has now retired after nine years in post.

Mr Wilson is well qualified to pick up the mantle having worked in the engineering and machine tool sectors for over 15 years.

In addition to his impressive senior sales management credentials he has also considerable production engineering experience, gained at a leading UK aerospace manufacturer, and is apprenticeship trained.

Says Richard Wilson:

“ CNC Machinery Solutions is a dynamic and successful company.

“The depth and breadth of its Doosan machine tool range is second to none, and its business approach based on technical excellence and providing unrivalled customer service and support is well known and, in my experience, is the best in the business.

“The Central and Southern area is a strategically important region for Mills and boasts a large and loyal installed customer base. I am looking forward to the challenge of growing sales and of increasing Mills’ market share in this region still further.“

The introduction of a number of new Doosan machines and new automation solutions introduced by CNC Machinery Solutions over recent weeks and months will no doubt help both objectives to be achieved.

Continues Richard Wilson:

“Just in the area of multi-tasking machines Mills is raising the bar…once again.

“The introduction of two new Doosan 5-axis machines (the DVF 6500 and the DVF 8000), and the launch, a few weeks ago, of two new twin-turret/twin-spindle turning centres with dual Y-axis capability on the machines’ upper and lower turrets, will appeal to a wide range of component manufacturers…not just in my region…but right across the UK and Ireland too.”

Providing best-in-class automation solutions is another significant growth area for Mills. (The coronavirus outbreak and subsequent guidelines enforcing remote working and social distancing have put automation and its potential in the spotlight and at the forefront of many manufacturers’ minds).

As a consequence it is not surprising that Mills has reported that interest in its SYNERGi 25 automated manufacturing cells and in its collaborative robot solutions has increased dramatically over the last few weeks.

The post CNC Machinery Solutions appoints new Business Manager for Central and Southern region appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

CNC Machinery Solutions, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has reported that its ‘Another Giant Leap’ Open House held at the company’s Technology Campus in Leamington (October 9th & 10th), was a huge success.

The total number of visitors attending the event, where 15 Doosan machine tools were being exhibited including four machines making their UK debuts and where the company showcased its advanced industrial and collaborative robot solutions, exceeded 350 over the two days.

Says Kevin Gilbert, CNC Machinery Solutions’s Managing Director:

“What a fantastic event.

“Not only did we sell a number of machine tools and collaborative robots during the event – we were also, quite literally, inundated with enquiries for our technology solutions.

“The mood throughout the two days amongst visitors was incredibly positive. Despite some reported uncertainty in the market – confidence at the event was high and a commitment to invest in high-productivity machining and automation solutions was apparent for all to see.”

Machine tool highlights

Mills showcased 15 Doosan machine tools at the Open House. All models were under power performing a range of innovative and challenging demonstrations and included four new machines making their UK debuts at the event.

Says Tony Dale, CNC Machinery Solutions’s Technical Director:

“Interest in the new machines was high.

“Our new Doosan TT1300SYY and TT2100SYY (twin turret/twin spindle machines with dual Y-axis capability on their upper and lower turrets) drew in the crowds as did our new large Doosan 6700XL vertical machining centre with its 2.1 metre X-axis, directly-coupled spindle and sophisticated thermal compensation system.”

A constant theme running throughout the event was automation and the way it can help component manufacturers improve their productivity and competitiveness.

As well as showcasing a range of Doosan machines with in-built and integrated automation like the high-performance SMX 2600S mill-turn machine and the highly-productive and flexible DVF 5000 (5-axis machine) integrated with an automatic workpiece pallet changer, Mills used the event to promote its industrial and collaborative robot solutions.

Industrial robot highlights

A Doosan DNM 4500 vertical machining centre integrated with a CNC Machinery Solutions industrial robot was showcased at the event.

This compact, flexible and self-contained manufacturing cell featuring an advanced robot, a high-efficiency workpiece/part storage system and CNC Machinery Solutions’s proprietary software, was set up to perform continuous workpiece loading/unloading operations.

Collaborative robot (cobot) highlights

The Open House provided the ideal opportunity for Mills to showcase its range of Doosan cobots to visitors.

One of the cobots, the M0609, was demonstrated (integrated) with a Lynx 2100LSYB lathe and all four cobots in the Doosan range were presented to visitors in a series of live seminars delivered by Peter McCullough, Product Manager – Doosan Robotics, during the event.

Other highlights

CNC Machinery Solutions Finance, CNC Machinery Solutions Servicing and CNC Machinery Solutions’s Training Academy were all out in force at the Open House with the latter promoting the power and sophistication of BobCAD-CAM software to visitors.

Concludes Kevin Gilbert:

“We knew from the number of pre-registrations that the event could be popular. But the sheer number of visitors that attended the Open House on both days took us a little by surprise.

“In addition to the sales, leads and enquiries generated over the two days I have been particularly pleased with the number of positive comments we have received from visitors and suppliers alike about the structure and content of the event.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in helping to make ‘Another Giant Leap’ so successful.”

The post Packed to the rafters! appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

Earlier this year when Kettering-based hydrant flow meter manufacturing specialist, Langham Industrial Controls Ltd., was looking to recruit a new member of staff to operate its recently acquired Fanuc controlled Doosan Lynx 220 LSYC lathe – the company approached CNC Machinery Solutions who supplied the machine, as well as members of staff at the CNC Training Academy, to see if they knew, or had trained, someone who might be interested in taking advantage of such an opportunity.

It just so happened that, only a few weeks earlier, the Academy had trained Mr Krzysztof Zasadzki – a man who, for many different reasons, had made a positive (and favourable) impression on Academy staff.

After an exchange of emails and telephone calls between all parties (which ultimately culminated in a face-to-face job interview), Krzysztof was offered the position and started work at Langham Industrial Controls in May 2019.

Langham Industrial Controls

Langham Industrial Controls is the sole UK manufacturer of Hydrant Flow Meters that incorporates ABB AquaMaster electromagnetic flow meter technology.

Established in 1996 the company which is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accredited, has a reputation in the market for the quality and reliability of its products, and for its proactive and value added after-sales service.

The company manufactures, fabricates and assembles its flow meters in-house. To improve its machine shop facilities and make its machining processes more reliable and secure the company, in 2016, invested in a new, high-performance Doosan Lynx 220 LSYC lathe from CNC Machinery Solutions.

Says Nigel Langham, Director at Langham Industrial Controls:

“As part of our ongoing and company-wide continuous improvement programme we make regular and strategic investments in our plant, technology, processes – and our people.

“To improve our manufacturing capabilities and capacity we made the decision (back in 2016) to invest in a compact, multi-tasking lathe and, as part of this process, undertook an in-depth search to identify the most appropriate machine (and machine tool supplier) that would meet our present and future requirements.”

Part of the search involved the company visiting the 2016 MACH Show where it was able to see a Lynx 220 lathe in action on CNC Machinery Solutions’s stand.

Remembers Nigel Langham:

“We liked what we saw and we were also impressed with the range of after-sales services that CNC Machinery Solutions could provide. So much so in fact that we ended up placing an order for the Lynx lathe.”

The 8” chuck Lynx 220 lathe is fast, accurate and flexible. It is equipped with a sub-spindle and driven tools and has Y-axis capability.

Since being installed back in 2016 the lathe is being used to machine high accuracy components in small volumes from a range of different materials, from solid and casting, that include aluminium, steel, plastics etc.

Part and parcel of CNC Machinery Solutions’s after-sales service provision is the high-quality CNC operator and programmer training it offers to customers via the CNC Training Academy (a division of CNC Machinery Solutions).

To get to grips with the new machine and its control, and to start getting a return on investment as soon as possible, Langham Industrial Controls sent a member of staff onto the requisite CNC training course at the Training Academy.

Everything was progressing as planned until this member of staff left the company. (To be continued…)

Meanwhile…

In January 2019, Mr Krzysztof Zasadzki began a two day full-time Fanuc milling operator course at the CNC Training Academy.

After completing the course he followed it up, in subsequent weeks, by attending and completing:

• a two day Fanuc turning operator course;
• a three day basic Fanuc milling programmer course;
• a three day basic Fanuc turning programmer course.

Krzysztof paid for all four courses by himself – from his savings.

Says Darren Clarke, Trainer at the CNC Training Academy:

“The CNC Training Academy provides a comprehensive range of operator, programmer, maintenance and advanced CNC training courses to CNC Machinery Solutions customers and to adults who want to brush-up on their CNC skills.

“We also offer these courses (starting with basic and introductory courses) to adults who are looking to start a career in engineering and machining.

“Krzysztof fitted into this category and he really did stand out from the crowd.”

There were a number of issues that made Krzysztof memorable to Academy staff.

– he was self-funding his training

– he attended and completed four courses in just eight weeks

– he was a trained chef

– he was committed and was eager to learn

Concludes Darren Clarke:

“Krzysztof was clearly determined to change careers and his heart was set on a job in engineering.”

Coincidence?

At the time (April 2019) when Langham Industrial Controls was looking for a setter/operator for their Lynx 220LSYC – Mr Krzysztof Zasadzki completed his (four) Academy courses and was looking for a job as a machine operator.

Says Nigel Langham:

“I had contacted the CNC Training Academy to see if they knew anyone who could be suitable for the setter/operator position in our company.

“Krzysztof was mentioned in glowing terms and, after a few phone calls and emails between us, we arranged for him to visit us at our facility.”

In May 2019 Krzysztof began work at Langham Industrial Controls as a setter/operator.

Post script

Since May 2019 Krzysztof has attended further courses (Fanuc Manual Guide i) at the CNC Training Academy.

In only a few months he is now setting up, operating and programming the Lynx 220 lathe.

Says Krzysztof Zasadzki:

“It’s amazing how everything just came together at the same time.

“I was looking for a job and Langham Industrial Controls was looking for a setter/operator.

“ CNC Machinery Solutions and the CNC Training Academy were the conduit that brought us together.”

The post Synchronicity! appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

CNC Machinery Solutions, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, and home of the CNC Training Academy, has announced that it will hold an Open House at the company’s Technology Campus facility in Leamington on the 9th and 10th of October 2019.

Branded ‘Another Giant Leap’, the Open House makes more than a passing nod to the Apollo 11 mission and the moon landing which occurred in 1969.

Says Tony Dale, CNC Machinery Solutions’s Technical Director:

“Fifty years ago Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the surface of the moon. It represented the pinnacle of human and technological achievement, and was immortalised by Armstrong’s “one small step for (a) man – one giant leap for mankind” live commentary.

“At our Open House in October we are showcasing a total of 15 Doosan machines – a number of which are making their UK debuts at the event. We are also exhibiting our latest industrial and collaborative robot solutions to visitors for the very first time.

“The technological innovations on show are, to put it bluntly, nothing short of impressive and out-of-this world. They represent another giant leap (technology-wise) for mankind.”

The Doosan machines – highlights

A significant number of the machines on view at the Open House include new Doosan models that recently made their international debuts at the DIMF Show (Doosan International Machine Tool Fair), that took place in May 2019. These machines will take their place at the event alongside more established, popular and best-selling lathes, mill-turn machines and machining centres from Doosan’s extensive machine tool portfolio.

The Open House also provides the ideal platform for CNC Machinery Solutions Automation (a recently created division at Mills) to showcase an AutoMill industrial robot system integrated with a Doosan DNM 4500 vertical machining centre and a number of Doosan Robotics’ collaborative robots performing a range of machine tool tending operations.

The emphasis throughout is to demonstrate the significant productivity gains that can be achieved via automation.

No Mills Open House would be complete without the company showcasing its customer-focused range of ‘best-in-class’ pre- and after-sales support services…and at the event in October Mills representatives from the CNC Training Academy, CNC Machinery Solutions Finance, the CNC Machinery Solutions Turnkey and Development Centre and CNC Machinery Solutions Servicing will be out in force – explaining and demonstrating their strengths and the enduring market appeal of the services on offer.

Says CNC Machinery Solutions’s Managing Director, Kevin Gilbert:

“Market-leading Doosan machines…Innovative automation systems and solutions…Industry-recognised service and support – our ‘Another Giant Leap’ Open House has it all and is a great opportunity for component manufacturers to find out what’s so special about Mills and why we are, as our corporate strap-line states, Like No-one Else!”

New machine highlights

Pride of place at the Open House goes to a number of new Doosan machines making their UK debuts.

These include the new range of Twin-Turret, Twin-Spindle multi-tasking turning centres with Y-axis capabilities on their upper and lower turrets.

The TT1300SYY (42/51mm bar diameter capacity) and TT2100SYY (65/81mm bar diameter capacity) machines are versatile and ultra-productive, and can be employed in a number of ways -:

• The twin turrets allow simultaneous OD and ID cutting on a part in the main spindle.
• Simultaneous milling and turning of components in the machine’s main and sub-spindle enables multiple finished parts to be completed in one cycle.
• Operations can be combined by machining one side of a part in the main spindle and finishing it in the sub-spindle.

Also on view is the latest addition to the Doosan DNM range of vertical machining centres – the large-capacity DNM 6700XL equipped with a 2.1 metre X-axis. As with other DNM models – the DNM 6700XL has a direct-coupled spindle (18.5kW/15,000rpm) that reduces noise and vibration, a fast servo-driven ATC, a sophisticated thermal compensation system that ensures high precision and process reliability, and roller LM guideways for rigidity and increased accuracy.

Another new and innovative addition, designed to demonstrate the productivity potential from embracing automation systems, can be seen with a new Doosan DVF5000 (5-axis machine) integrated with an Automatic Workpiece Changer (AWC)

The AWC’s capacity can be configured to suit an individual customer’s requirements in terms of the number of pallets available (i.e. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24), and the size of each pallet (i.e. 150mm x 150mm to 500mm x 500mm).

The AWC is supplied with SCHUNK clamping systems (NSE) and gripping systems (NSR).

In addition to the new models customers can also get up close and personal to a number of Lynx and Puma lathes, a SMX multi-tasking mill-turn machine performing power skiving machining demonstration, and a number of Doosan 5-axis, horizontal and vertical machining centres. All machines being showcased at the Open House are under power and will be put through their paces undertaking challenging demonstrations.

Explains Kevin Gilbert:

“The Doosan range of high-performance machine tools is constantly evolving. The Open House in October provides an ideal opportunity for manufacturers to keep up-to-speed with the latest developments.”

After-sales and service highlights

 Mills’ Open House isn’t just about machine tools – important as they are.

A main strength and key differentiator of CNC Machinery Solutions is its range of customer-focused pre- and after-sales services. At the Open House, representatives from the company’s CNC Training Academy, Turnkey Development Centre, Finance and Servicing divisions etc., will all be available to explain the services on offer and how they can help manufacturers improve their productivity, performance and profitability.

Worthy of special mention here is the CNC Training Academy’s recent agreement with US-based BobCAD-CAM to become an authorised reseller of, and recognised trainer for, its advanced CAD/CAM software systems in the UK and Ireland. The power, flexibility and sophistication of BobCAD-CAM software will be demonstrated at the Open House.

Manufacturers wishing to attend Mills’ ‘Another Giant Leap’ Open House should call 01163 930246. you can find out more and register your attendance here.

The post Another Giant Leap. appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.

According to Markets and Markets’ recent research report “Collaborative Robots Market by Payload Capacity, Industry, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast to 2023,” the cobot market is expected to be worth $4.28 billion by 2023, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 56.94% between 2017 and 2023.

This growth, in part, is attributed to the demonstrable high return on investment rates (ROI) and the relatively low price of cobot technology that is driving demand amongst small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The market for cobots with a payload of 10kg and over is expected to grow the fastest between 2018 and 2023, attributed mainly to the expected demand for relatively high payload capacity cobots in the automotive, electronic, machining sectors.

The market for cobots with such a high payload capacity is evolving and is occupied by a few manufacturers. A relatively new entrant to the market is Doosan Robotics, part of the Doosan Group, who have recently appointed Leamington-based, CNC Machinery Solutions, as its UK and Irish distributor.

Says Peter McCullough, Product Manager – Doosan Robotics at CNC Machinery Solutions:

“Cobot technology is developing at a rapid pace. Improvements in the human:machine interfaces (HMI’s) on the latest cobots make them easier to use and the use of sophisticated sensor technology means that they are inherently safe.”

Assembly and pick and place applications accounted for the largest and second largest markets for cobots in 2016. This is expected to continue in the future owing to the inherent flexibility of cobots and their ability to perform a range of different operations and tasks via easy re-programming and the quick change of end effectors.

The automotive industry held the largest share of the global cobot market in 2016, and were mainly used to perform assembly operations as well as production line ‘pick and place’, quality inspection, packaging, palletisation, machine tending and other material handling tasks.

Europe accounted for the largest share of the market in 2016 followed by APAC and North America. European market growth was driven by strong government support promoting automation and Industry 4.0 solutions in manufacturing.

Concludes Peter McCullough:

“We are ideally positioned to capitalise on the demand for higher payload capacity cobots. The Doosan Robotics’ range currently has two cobot systems – the M1013 and M1509 – with a payload capacity of 10kg and over.

“These cobot systems with their good reach capabilities (1.3 metre and 0.9 metre respectively) and torque sensors deliver high productivity and inherent safety – all at a cost-competitive price.”

The post Demand for cobots set to rocket! appeared first on CNC Machinery Solutions.