Author: a.manzo

“If anything good has come out of this difficult time, it is the stimulation of creativity,” stated Dr Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the VDW, (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) at the METAV 2020 reloaded Preview on 10 December 2020. And it is true. Cecimo proves it, because represents the common position of European Machine Tool Industries and related Manufacturing Technologies, and promotes co-operation with other organisations worldwide, contributes to a business environment (legislation, innovation, environment, skilled workforce, financing, supply chain and infrastructure) that markets the most competitive manufacturing solutions worldwide, encourages research and innovation driven by the present and future needs of the market and works on global standards to promote a single European market open to global competition, engaging in the European and International standardisation bodies.

The additive manufacturing sector, for example, will be of great support in the implementation of the EU industry strategy helping supply chains to become more resilient and efficient. During the Additive Manufacturing European Conference (AMEC), that took place on 2 December 2020 online, both policy and industry representatives discussed the state of the art and emerging trends in AM in Europe.

In occasion of the sixth edition of AMEC, CECIMO, the voice of the European additive manufacturing sector, invited Members of the European Parliament as well as industry representatives to discuss the strategic importance of additive technologies for the European industrial competitiveness. The event was a great opportunity to discuss how the recent COVID-19 supply chain disruption in the healthcare sector could represent a wake-up call for other industries such as energy, medical and automotive industries. It was generally agreed during the discussions that Europe should channel investment in application of AM that could support the digital and green transition. The event was moderated by Fabian Zuleeg, European Policy Centre (EPC) and was divided into two sessions: policy and industry.

Stewart Lane, Chairman of the CECIMO Additive Manufacturing Committee and General Manager at Renishaw opened the industry session, calling on policymakers to embrace a forward-looking vision for the industry in Europe. He emphasised that ‘’It’s important to use legislation to enable the best use of the technologies such as AM, for example bringing manufacturing back to Europe, and keep an innovation-friendly regulatory framework’’. 

Finally, Cecimo proposes a last passage on the theme of the pandemic and new business models during its general assembly, speaking of resilience in difficult times. On the policy side, the General Assembly has put the spotlight on the EU automobile industry at this critical juncture. The discussion focused on the challenges the wider automotive supply chain (including suppliers) faced during the coronavirus public health crisis. The auto industry has recorded its deepest crisis in history, highlighted by the strongest drop in car demand ever.

According to Eurostat, the European Union’s (EU27) Industrial Production Index (IPI) has decreased significantly in Q2 2020, recording an average drop of -19,1% against the same quarter of the previous year (down to an average score of 85,5 in Q2 2020 from 104,8 points in Q2 2019). New figures for Q3 2020 signal a weak manufacturing performance in the Union despite its relative improvement: IPI bounced back partially, reaching 99,3 points, but nevertheless decreased by more than -5% compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Concerning the capacity utilization rate of European investment goods sector, data provided by Eurostat show a similar trend. The operating rate of European manufacturing companies plummeted to 64,6% in Q2 2020, after recording a score of 83% in the previous quarter. The indicator has, much like the IPI, recovered partially over the second half of 2020, sitting at 78% as of Q4 2020, but far from pre-crisis levels.

In terms of machine tool order intake, CECIMO foreign orders dropped by -51% in Q2 2020 against Q2 2019, while domestic orders fell by -45% on the same basis. CECIMO total orders have dropped by -49% over the same period. The latest machine tool trade trends outline a similar scenario. According to UN/ITC figures, CECIMO world exports have decreased by -41% in Q2 2020 against the same quarter of the previous year, while CECIMO machine tool world imports contracted by -43% on the same basis. It is the sixth consecutive quarter with yearly negative growth and the largest rollback in global machine tool trade since the second half of 2009.

Considering figures provided by Oxford Economics, the European machine tool consumption is expected to decrease by -33,1% in 2020 due to the global effects of the pandemics, as overall volumes fall to 13 billion euros. By 2021, apparent consumption is estimated to increase by 23,5%, a strong push that, however, does not make up for the losses of the previous year. European machine tool consumption is forecasted to continue growing between 2022 and 2024, yet the growth pattern should flatten as the time progresses.

“The European machine tool industry -Marcus Burton, Chairman of CECIMO’s Economic Committee states- is a clear example of resilience; even though it has suffered the impact of the pandemic as well as the fallout of its client sectors’ woes, European machine tool builders are committed to technological innovation, digital change and environmental sustainability. This sends positive signals to investors and clients alike and shows that our industry offers new, potentially profitable business opportunities, even in trying times”.

The ninth edition of Made in Steel, the most important event in southern Europe dedicated to the entire steel supply chain, has been postponed to 26, 27 and 28 May 2021, still in the traditional setting of fieramilano Rho. EuroBLECH, the international exhibition of sheet metal working technology, initially scheduled for March 9-12, 2021 at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds in Germany, has also been postponed to October 2022.

Two of the steel industry’s leading international trade shows, given the lingering wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, have decided to move their appointments with exhibitors and industry professionals. The year 2020 has been a suspended year, marked by strong economic, political and social uncertainty, which is severely limiting the possibilities to move, travel and meet. Even the main international events in the steel sector have been forced to cancel their respective editions this year, in the hope that the arrival and spread of vaccines will allow a return to “normality” by next summer.

MADE IN STEEL

This is why Made in Steel 2021, hosted in pavilions 22 and 24 of fieramilano Rho during the three days of Wednesday 26, Thursday 27 and Friday 28 May, will be an even more important event. In fact, it will be the first occasion in which steel companies – not only Italian but European – will be able to meet again and resume relations that had been interrupted. Moreover, Made in Steel 2021 will take place in conjunction with Lamiera, the international event dedicated to the industry of machine tools for sheet metal deformation and innovative technologies related to the sector, promoted by UCIMU-Sistemi per produrre.

“Let’s not waste this great global crisis because it can turn into a rebirth opportunity for the entire supply chain. Men are social animals, they need contact, to see each other and meet. Made in Steel will be an important meeting window for operators in the supply chain, a moment to exchange ideas, an opportunity to review business models. The beginning of the rebirth of steel” commented Emanuele Morandi, President and CEO of Made in Steel.

EUROBLECH

There is an even longer wait for EuroBLECH, which will be held again by the organizers of Mack Brooks Exhibitions from October 25 to 28, 2022. The 26th edition of the show was originally scheduled for October 2020, but then moved preemptively to March 9-12, 2021. Now the new announcement that moves the event directly to 2022, restoring the usual biennial cadence of the largest international trade show for sheet metal working technology. Thanks to its huge machinery exhibition, EuroBLECH is the industry’s benchmark, bringing together the most innovative technological solutions, equipment and materials suitable for multinationals as well as small and medium-sized companies.

Nicola Hamann, Managing Director of Mack-Brooks Exhibitions, said: “Following extensive conversations with all participants, we have come to the decision to postpone the event and return it to its biennial cycle. Based on current international developments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought additional lockdowns and travel restrictions, we feel that postponing is a sign of responsibility. Hopefully, this announcement, which came well in advance of the event taking place, will allow time for the world situation to stabilize. When it is safe to do so, the event can continue to play a key role in bringing the global sheet metalworking industry together again. By making this decision now, we allow for planning security. EuroBLECH will return to its initial event schedule and thus come back stronger in 2022.”

EUROBLECH DIGITAL INNOVATION SUMMIT

Meanwhile, Mack Brooks Exhibitions has announced a series of digital events that are part of the new EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit format.

“With the recent launch of the EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit,” continues Nicola Hamann, “we have laid the groundwork for a hybrid approach that will allow us to run a series of digital events for the sheet metal working industry in 2021. As a result, but as the industry recovers over the next year, we will offer opportunities to meet, network and conduct business in a secure and professional online environment.”

Already, 5,500 professionals from 91 countries have attended the first EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit, with webinars on recent industry trends, exhibitor presentations and hundreds of featured products. For updates and more information, the website of choice is www.euroblech.com.

Laser profile welding is well-established as offering higher throughput speed, reduced scrap and improved weld metallurgical characteristics over established methods. Now, advanced laser-based systems are available offering functionality that makes the process itself more stable and highly automated. This article reviews one particular laser-based sub-system, the Coherent Profile Welding System (PWS), which offers a unique mix of capabilities and features that enable cost-effective, high throughput processing in demanding production environments.

The Coherent Profile Welding System

The Coherent Profile Welding System (PWS) leverages the inherent advantages of laser welding, together with several advanced features, to deliver high quality, rapid throughput, tube and profile welds on a variety of metals. The system combines a CO2 or fiber laser source, beam delivery system, process sensors, precision motion, and powerful software to offer an unmatched combination of weld quality, ease-of-use and operational flexibility.  

The Coherent PWS is available with an industry proven Coherent DC 0xx CO2 laser, which is well-established as delivering a stable, high quality process on most materials. Alternately, another option is the Coherent HighLight-FL fiber laser with its special Adjustable Ring Mode (ARM) technology. The unique beam output characteristics of this source enable more precise control over the manner in which power is delivered at the workpiece than can be achieved with traditional fiber lasers. The Coherent PWS, configured with the FL-ARM, has already proven to be particularly advantageous with aluminum and various types of steel, especially, stainless steel.

The dimensions of the focused laser beam are typically small compared to the variations that are normally encountered in gap position during profile welding. Since the focused laser beam position must be precisely maintained with respect to work piece gap, “seam tracking” is essential in a profile welding system. Because of this, the Coherent PWS contains an integrated process sensor for welding gap detection and tracking. This sensor provides feedback that is used by the system’s precise, fast response linear actuators to always maintain accurate (within a few ten microns) laser beam positioning with respect to the gap. All this is accomplished automatically, and can be achieved at weld speeds as high as 60m/min. 

Another important productivity feature of the Coherent PWS is an automatic system height focus capability. This enables the system to automatically adjust after a changeover to a new tube diameter or to compensate for part-to-part tolerance variations in actual tube diameter. This reduces setup time, speeds changeovers, and makes welding results more independent of material tolerances and less operator dependent. 

The Coherent PWS also implements a new “reverse welding” feature. This eliminates any gap in the weld seam when the system is stopped and then subsequently restarted. Again, this improves operational flexibility and can reduce scrap rates. And, because the system is Industry 4.0 ready, it can be easily integrated within modern manufacturing plants structures.

A final system feature worth mentioning is the ability to generate a specific, predefined interior weld bead, as required by the application. This further extends system flexibility and improves results, while also reducing manufacturing costs.