Don’t wait to automate says 1MTA

Don’t wait to automate says 1MTA

The theme at this year’s Southern Manufacturing show for 1st Machine Tool Accessories is ‘Don’t wait to automate’. The workholding and automation equipment specialist will show a sample of products for raising output and maximising return on investment from machine tools.

The company believes that UK manufacturing needs to adopt a higher level of automation to achieve economical production but says a big investment in expensive robotics is not a prerequisite for success and often cannot be justified in smaller factories.

Automation can take many forms, for example, hydraulic, rather than manual, clamping, adding axes to three- and four-axis machining centres, choosing a full length magazine bar feeder and installing a full robotic machine tending system.

Products showcased will include the Kitagawa QJR with quick-change chuck to reduce set-up times and the Kitagawa BR for improved repeatability with T-Nut Plus (the new chucking standard). Visitors can also see V-Tech’s zero-point plates for quick-change pallet systems, Chick Workholding’s multiple component clamping for long machine running times, the Swift-Klamp for automated loading / unloading on machining centres, four- and five-axis Kitagawa rotary tables, short, long and multi-spindle IEMCA bar feeds and for automating loading / unloading or both turning and machining centres, the Halter robots.

A consultancy service can identify the optimum production solution, either off-the-shelf or bespoke to address particularly difficult applications. The company also offers a variety of clamping and automation products.

Visit 1st Machine Tool Accessories – Stand G205

www.1mta.com