With global wind turbine demand set to quadruple by the end of the decade, manufacturers are seeking new technologies to ramp up production of gears that can operate in any environment, around the clock, for years to come.
2023 is shaping up to be our planet’s hottest year on record, and the wind energy industry is feeling the heat. The GWEC (Global Wind Energy Council) says that the rate of wind turbine installations will need to quadruple globally by the end of the decade if we’re to achieve the IRENA’s (International Renewable Energy Agency) goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050—and keep the average annual temperature worldwide from increasing more than the predicted 1.5° C. Fortunately, “net zero” commitments are gathering global momentum. Before year’s end, total global windpower is expected to reach a historic milestone of 1 TW of installed capacity, eliminating 1.2 billion tons of CO2 annually, roughly the equivalent of all the carbon emissions of South America.
From amusement park rollercoasters to cranes, mining equipment, conveyors, automotive assembly lines, and many other applications, SEW-Eurodrive manufactures the gearmotors, electronics, and software that keep things moving. Based in Bruchsal, Germany, the company maintains a network of 16 production plants and 79 Drive Technology Centers in 50 countries around the world. The plant in Lyman, South Carolina, one of the four facilities in the U.S., is staffed by the 300 employees and incorporates more than 100 robots in its automated production processes.
Big Daishowa has introduced the C3 program, an expansion of the Big Capto tool holder line, designed to increase efficiency and precision for small lathes.
Speedgrip Chuck Company, a portfolio company of Stratford-Cambridge Group, appointed Matthew Mayer as the President of the company in September 2022. Mayer has three decades of professional experience in the manufacturing industry including executive leadership roles. Strategically selected for his knowledge of OEM workholding operations, sales, machining and assembly of machine tool products, Mayer is leveraging his expertise to expand Speedgrip’s position in the market.
Dillon self-centering Jaw Forming Rings, or Jaw Boring Rings, attach to the front of jaws without tools so installation is fast and simple, and set-up times are slashed. Use of this device will provide a jaw surface true to the machine centerline, reduce set-up times, and increase up-times for running machined parts.
CNC machining centers continually run at full capacity to produce high-quality parts that adhere to demanding specifications. Expensive dedicated machines’ workholding devices experience wear over time due to the forces of machining. Direct debilitating variables include performing in hostile environments, working with complex part geometries, or using demanding exotic material types (inconel, titanium, etc.)−all of which can promote the wear on a machine.
Jergens new Quick-Loc 2 Pallet system boasts an improved design that engages pull studs inside the receiver, plus a hardened coating for long life and durability. The range is compatible with all existing top tooling, ensuring repeatability of 0.0003″ and providing clamping forces of nearly 14,000 lbs.
Dillon Manufacturing’s Claw Jaws feature an optimized contour which, along with the jaw's weight, center of gravity, and cutting forces, combine to securely grip workpieces by minimizing jaw clamping force losses.
Gleason LeCount Adjustable Expanding Mandrels offer a fast, flexible and amazingly simple solution for metrology applications where speed, accuracy and repeatability are paramount
Keep it simple. More often than not it turns out to be the best course of action in life and on factory floors. Take, for example, Gleason LeCount Expanding Mandrels. You’ll find them in quality labs around the world, delivering reliable, repeatable workholding performance for the inspection of gears and other bore-type workpieces. Quality labs today are at the epicenter of the drive to produce increasingly complex, high-precision parts, while at the same time racing to take time and cost out of the inspection process. Counter-intuitively, perhaps, the best workholding solution to meet these ambitious new inspection requirements turns out not to be something new and more complex—but the simplest solution of all: Gleason LeCount Expanding Mandrels.
Jergens new 5-in. Heavy Duty Machine Vise ensures secure part holding for general applications across the range of CNC machining, including high production. Designed to a relatively small size and weight, the vise is also more easily moved and relocated, speeding up the time in between changeovers and reducing operator fatigue.