The See-Flo 202 Air-Draulic meter system is a positive-displacement two-component meter-mix dispensing system designed to apply small precision beads and small metered shots.
The See-Flo 202 Air-Draulic meter system is a positive-displacement two-component meter-mix dispensing system designed to apply small precision beads and small metered shots of precisely mixed resins such as epoxies, acrylics, urethanes and silicones. AirDraulic (air-over-oil) drive motor design provides consistent and repeatable bead profiles and adjustable metered shot volumes. It improves production rates and product quality and reduces manufacturing costs in any dispensing application.

The See-Flo 202 AirDraulic drive control is designed to provide a preset material-dispensing profile with consistent dispense results.

The volume is easily and quickly changed to dispense precisely mixed materials for different part configurations.

It can be used in various two-component meter, mix and dispense applications such as bonding, gasketing or potting applications for manual, automated, indexing, x-y-z motion and robotic processes.

The control panel accepts commands directly from the operator or automation panel.

See-Flo 202 system includes a Snuf-Bak or No-Drip dispense valve with seals matched to each dispense fluid and designed for long life in high-cycle dispensing applications.

This rugged dispense valve may be remote mounted.

Its disposable No-Flush mixers mix and dispense virtually all two-component materials including epoxies, polyurethanes and silicones.

TAWERS fusion technology eliminates information delay by incorporating all data processing and programming for the power supply, wire feeder and robot controller on the same CPU board.
Panasonic TAWERS fusion technology eliminates information delay by incorporating all data processing and programming for the power supply, wire feeder and robot controller on the same CPU board. The system works at a greatly increased bus speed, with approximately 250% faster communication speed than traditional robot power source communication; this performance improvement eradicates the delay of information flow among the three primary components required in robot welding applications and provides a fully closed loop system between the welding machine, wire feeder and robot controller. Faster processing increases welding speeds and productivity, lessens downtime, providing consistently optimum arc characteristics to provide virtually zero spatter, enhancing weld quality and integrated weld monitor systems.

As the TAWERS system does not transfer information through conventional interface cables, it eliminates the potential for HF or noise introduction and damage to the interconnection communication cables related to the typically harsh manufacturing welding environment.

This technology provides significant advantages over its predecessors and one area which has been revolutionised is the field of weld monitoring.

Conventional analogue weld control interface, inverter and 'open loop' wire feed systems create a certain level of 'scatter' and weld fluctuation during a given procedure, existing weld monitoring systems can often detect even modest variations above and below the selected min/max set values for selected parameters, these systems when used with analogue interface controls and traditional robot welding equipment require the widening of the min/max control set points to tolerate the greater variation in dynamic parameters and output 'scatter', however this action could minimises the accuracy, reduce the sensitivity and effect the value of monitoring procedure.

With the Panasonic solution, dynamic weld parameters are held within very tight ranges because of the very rapid, self-correcting controls built into the robot/power supply/controller/wire feed system.

Therefore TAWERS permits a tighter range of permitted parameters and also the ability to monitor the process accurately while retaining the data for future analysis.

One level of the TAWERS weld monitor control will record standard welding parameters, such as program number, weld position, welding current, voltage, wire feed speed and travel speed etc It compares actual achieved levels during welding to the preselected high-low standards.

Should a deviation occur outside the preselected values, an alarm (visual and/or audible) can be activated, alerting the operator that something might be wrong.

The robot and welding process may also be shut down if production management requires.

The operator can easily select which required criteria is monitored for each individual weld within a given work piece, additional flexibility ensures that parameter control can be varied for each weld.

This selection is undertaken in the welding parameter software pages within the robot controller providing a truly seamless connection between the robot welding package and weld monitor function.

The robot controller stores the registered data in a log file which can be down loaded to a host PC with support/management software, this down load can be undertaken automatically with the use of a Ethernet connection.

The log file linking the welding process and programming points can be retained for later analysis for quality assurance or as historical evidence to actual production results.

A more advanced function within the monitor provides a high resolution sophisticated analysis of the welding wave form, documenting and recording the actual arc waveform within a 5us scan time, allowing the monitoring of the actual output characteristics related to a specific area in a weld procedure.

This powerful diagnostic tool allows unprecedented analysis capabilities and allows the engineer to understand the true arc situation, making adjustments as needed to maximise performance.

This new advancement allows welding and quality engineers to develop and optimise the welding process prior to its implementation and to monitor a specific process or point in a work piece during continuous production.

This system does not require any additional hardware as it has been designed into the operating control systems of the robot controller, wire feeder and welding torch, thus providing the flexibility to monitor any TAWERS Panasonic robot system without moving complex instrumentation to the monitoring location.

The real time weld monitor function is only one of many new productivity and quality enhancement functions within the Panasonic TAWERS arc welding solution.

Consumables are crucial to welding productivity and quality, and Esab has introduced three new products designed to ensure higher productivity with lower welding costs.
For those who use semi-automatic, mechanised or robotic welding and want to boost the deposition rate, reduce post-welding cleaning and minimise maintenance due to contact tip and liner changes, there is a new family of copper-free MAG wires, OK AristoRod. As well as delivering a very stable arc at high welding currents, the OK AristoRod wires create almost no spatter and have excellent start properties, and this makes them particularly beneficial when start-stop cycle frequencies are high.

The advanced surface characteristics protect the wire from corrosion, ensure that contact tip wear is as low as when using the best copper-coated wires, and prevent guns and liners from clogging.

Another significant advantage of the copper-free wires is that they produce lower levels of fumes, leading to a healthier working environment.

OK AristoRod wires are available on adapter-free spools or in 250 or 475kg MarathonPac bulk drums.

For the ultimate in process efficiency, Endless MarathonPacs enable the wire to be delivered nonstop to the welding head.

Esab's new generation of solid stainless steel MIG welding wires feature a matt surface finish, tighter tolerances and higher stiffness, which together result in improved feedability and a very stable welding arc.

Users benefit from dependable MIG welding performance, consistently high quality and a finish that needs only minimal post-weld cleaning.

The enhanced characteristics are due to a new manufacturing process that also delivers strict control of the cast and helix, both of which are important for spooled wires.

Esab matt stainless steel MIG wires are available in a range of diameters for most commonly used grades of stainless steel.

15kg basket spools are available for semi-automatic welding, and 100, 250 or 475kg MarathonPac bulk drums are offered for manual, mechanised and robotic welding applications where the annual consumption of wire per welding station is greater than the weight of the MarathonPac.

OK 14.11 Tubrod is a highly innovative metal-cored welding wire for robotic and mechanised applications.

Productivity is enhanced through dependable feeding at high duty cycles, excellent start and stop characteristics, elimination of porosity and spatter, and a flat weld with rounded penetration and a smooth tie-in that needs virtually no post-weld cleaning.

OK 14.11 Tubrod can be used as a replacement for both copper-coated solid wires and conventional metal-cored wires.

Even with long cable assemblies and robot arms that perform sharp turns, feedability remains consistently good.

The excellent arc stability also enables the wire to be used on relatively thin material (1.0mm sheet or tube) with high welding currents and traverse speeds, while the same 1.4mm diameter wire can equally well be used on plates measuring 30mm or more.

Because of the improved feedability, faster welding cycle times and improved weld quality, users typically see a 15% reduction in fabrication costs.

OK 14.11 Tubrod is available on optimally wound reels or in MarathonPac bulk drums.

One new machine which has a longer than usual X axis, but conforms to the overall space saving nature of such models, is the Mini Mill 610 from Matchmaker M/C.
It just had to happen - mini mills are getting bigger! One new machine which has a longer than usual X axis, but conforms to the overall space saving nature of such models, is the Mini Mill 610 from Matchmaker M/C. For as its designation suggests, this compact vertical machining centre has an X axis travel of 610 mm, yet its Y and Z axis traverses are just 305 mm and 460 mm, respectively, so offering a small footprint. And with a price tag of only GBP23,950, the Matchmaker Mini Mill represents good value for money, too.

The broad concept of the mini mill relates to compact, vertical machining centres designed for producing smaller type components.

Some of these machines are aimed specifically at the first time CNC user or even the education sector, but most have been introduced for small to medium batch production work which does not require too many different tools.

Affordability combined with a good level of performance and compact design are the main attractions of these machines.

As well as meeting all these requirements, the Matchmaker Mini Mill 610 can also handle larger (longer) components too, due to its stretched X axis, so making it even more versatile.

While its cast construction and hardened and ground slideways make it a highly rigid and accurate machine.

Brief specification of this new machining centre includes a: 700 by 308mm work table (capable of accommodating workpieces weighing up to 300 kg), 5.5/7.5 kW motor (providing spindle speeds up to 8000 rev/min), rapid traverses up to 20 m/min, 10-station ATC (which can handle tools weighing up to 8 kg), BT 40 spindle taper, swarf auger, high pressure coolant and a Fanuc OiMate CNC system.

Build quality is of a high standard, as it is with all other machines in the Matchmaker stable - the VMC 810, VMC 1100 and the HSM 1000 Performance range machines.

The Mini Mill 610 is the first new machine introduced by Matchmaker since the Leatherhead-based company changed its name.

Other new products are already in the pipeline and these will be progressively launched over the coming months.

Murex Consumables Play Critical Role in Boat Building Business
Parkol Marine Engineering Limited is a family run business offering a full range of marine engineering, repairs and new build capabilities from its boat yard in Whitby. Largely as a result of the quality of its work, the yard has doubled its turnover in a period of just five years. Parkol has two work sheds (40m x 20m and 20m x 7m) as well as a berth for building new boats up to 25m long x 8m beam, plus a dry dock with a capacity of up to 5m draught x 42m long x 10.5m beam.

Steel, aluminium and timber boats are constructed, and the yard also produces stainless steel fabrications when required.

Most new builds are constructed mainly from steel plate 6-8mm thick, for which Murex Corofil R56XL is the only welding wire used.

This all-positional rutile flux-cored wire gives spray transfer characteristics in the vertical and overhead positions, as well as being suitable for horizontal/vertical fillet welds and downhand butt work.

Hundreds of reels of this wire are consumed each year by Parkol, such is the volume of work undertaken.

Where stick welding is called for, Murex Vodex electrodes are employed.

These high-quality rutile electrodes are specially designed for horizontal, vertical and overhead welding.

In most applications Parkol uses 3.2mm electrodes, though 4mm electrodes are used on heavier plates and 2.5mm electrodes are used for pipework.

For welding stainless steel, electrodes are purchased from Murex's sister company ESAB.

OK 63.30 is an extra-low-carbon, LMA electrode that produces excellent results on 316 grade stainless steel.

In addition to working almost exclusively with Murex and ESAB consumables, Parkol also makes extensive use of ESAB arc welding machines.

Jim Morrison, Managing Director of Parkol Marine Engineering, comments: 'We have been using Murex and ESAB welding wire and electrodes for around ten years and have never had a problem with them'.

'Our welders reckon these are the best for the work we do, and I have no reason to disagree'.

'The people are also first-class, right from the representative we see here in the yard, to the sales office staff and the technical experts.' He concludes: 'Welding is absolutely core to our business, so it is very important that we have a supplier in which we have complete trust'.

'Murex has proved itself to be 100 per cent reliable year after year.'

Esab Automation has introduced the new Falcon low cost, compact portal cutting machine.
It will appeal to small and medium sized companies looking for a competitively priced cutting solution that optimises quality, productivity and efficiency of production. The standard Falcon is an oxy-fuel cutting machine package with two torches.

It is also possible to up-grade to plasma or indeed a combination of plasma and oxy-fuel.

Each cutting torch has automatic height adjustment to ensure that the cutting torch head is always at the correct distance from the workpiece.

The Falcon can be used to cut on all steels, aluminium and alloyed steels.

Depending on the torch used, metals up to a maximum thickness of 150mm can be cut.

The cutting width is 2.70m, the maximum cutting length 15m.

The low machine height allows easy loading with sheet metal in sizes up to 2000mm x 6000mm.