|
June 2004
More progress for µMIM automation investigation
As micro system technologies become more common thoughts
are turning to full-scale automated manufacturing…
The automation project for microMIM begun in Germany last
year has taken major steps towards completion with the development
of a production line almost entirely overseen by machines.
The project was stimulated by the growing demand for components
for micro system technologies (MST), also known as micro-electrical-mechanical
systems (MEMS).
MSTs are becoming more and more common, perhaps most obviously
in the automotive industry where tiny motors are increasingly
used to power features of vehicles that are becoming standard
fittings.
However, tiny by definition, the parts do not stand up well
to being handled, especially in the green state. Full-scale
manufacturing deals in mass production running into millions
of parts, and without a high degree of mechanisation the rejection
rate would be extremely high. The system that is emerging
cuts human intervention to a minimum.
Injection mould machine builder Arburg recognised the need
to find a solution and formed links with the Institute of
Machine Tools and Production Science, specialist mould maker
Kugele and the University of Karlsruhe to first demonstrate
the feasibility of injection moulding MST parts before moving
on to develop other parts of a robust, automated production
system.
In the event they showed the potential of microMIM for reliably
making 10-tooth cogs with a sintered diameter of only 1.2mm
with a thickness of just 0.2mm. The machine used was an Arburg
Allrounder 320C using a very fine gas atomised and rust-free
17-4PH steel powder from Osprey, compounded by Arburg with
Licomont binder and additives.
The work done on the second phase was reported at PIM2004,
held in Florida in April. The micro-injection moulding machine
used was an Arburg Allrounder 270C 300 - 100 fitted with tooling
that allows the green part to be removed from the mould pneumatically
and transported to a furnace-proof tray into which a bar code
is engraved. Once the tray is full it is moved by belt for
optical inspection by a computer-controlled camera. Parts
are checked dimensions, completeness and moulding errors and
the tray bar code is recoded by a bar code scanner as it moves
down the line.
The full trays are stored in a multi-stacking system until
required for debinding and sintering. When needed, the automated
system feeds the trays back into the production line. Once
sintered, the finished parts are left to cool before shipping
to customers.
Arburg's Marko Maetzig told the seminar that while the system
had been shown to work, further refinement studies were still
being carried out to remove the glitches common to complex
systems and to thoroughly optimise the system.
REACHing out to the European Commission? You really
must be joking
The story of European chemicals policy rolls on while the
metals industry is ignored...
It's not often that serious business presentations start
with a joke, and a passably good one at that (see box). However,
that was the extent of the humour in the update presentation
on the drastic changes proposed by the European Commission
to chemicals legislation that are gathered together under
the REACH Regulation.
The new rules are aimed at organic chemicals, but in the
drive to control some undoubtedly damaging environmental effects,
they have the unfortunate effect of being an all-embracing,
one-size-fits-all piece of lawmaking that affects the innocent
as well as those who may well not be.
Last month's European Powder Metallurgy Association management
seminar heard that an agreement has been reached between the
Directors General of the EC's Environment and Enterprise Directorates
and UNICE, a Brussels-based industry organisation, for further
jointly funded business impact studies on:
• Business throughout the supply chain;
• Innovation; and
• Impact on new member states.
However, the European Commission had set its face firmly
against sectoral studies of the kind that may well have revealed
the logical dissonance that seems to affect so much of its
thinking. As it is, the metals industry does not appear to
figure in its considerations and the powder metal business
even less so. Changes to REACH suggested by the industry have
been ignored.
Reports from the German industry body the BDI have consistently
highlighted the gap between their on-the-ground impact estimates
and the thinking of the Brussels bureaucracy. Among their
points are the costs of the obligation to preregister which,
they say, dramatically exceed the benefits and the burden
of superfluous bureaucracy. The overall effect, says the BDI,
will be that the EU suffers an enormous economic disadvantage
compared to other regions.
In the European Parliament, meanwhile, the Environment, Legal
Affairs and Employment and Social Affairs Committees continue
with hearings on REACH. One opening statement from the rapporteur
for Legal Affairs said: "The current Commission proposal,
despite its many revisions, is too expensive and poses a threat
to the competitiveness of the European Chemical Industry."
And as the profile of the legislation rises, MEPs are starting
to ask searching questions of the Commission, prompted in
part by lobbying activities by organisations like the EPMA.
The timescale for implementation of REACH has slipped again,
and now looks set for 2006.
Strong start in Q1 2004 for Höganäs
Success continued for the Swedish powder metal giant as the
year turned...
The year began for Swedish powder manufacturer Höganäs
pretty much as 2003 ended - strongly. Turnover increased by
6 per cent to a shade over SEK 1 billion. Volumes grew by
a total of 10 per cent, but currency effects resulting from
a stronger Krona acted as a drag on the results with what
the company estimates to have been an 8 per cent negative
impact.
Demand in Asia was very robust and turnover there increased
by 18 per cent, with highest demand coming from China and
India. But volumes also grew in the North American market,
reflecting increased market share.
In the balance sheet these advances show as an SEK 22 million
increase to SEK 162 million in consolidated operating income,
while income before tax was also up SEK 22 million to SEK
153 million from last year's SEK 131 million.
The iron powder business area's net sales increased by 4
per cent in the first quarter to SEK 698 million. Although
net sales were influenced adversely by a stronger Krona, the
demand for press powder remained firm with volume growth of
some 13 per cent. However, demand for other powder was largely
unchanged.
The cost of materials continued to increase through the quarter
exerting a negative effect that was not fully offset by the
surcharges imposed. Volume progress was strongest towards
the end of the quarter, probably due to some customers bringing
forward deliveries to partly offset the effect of increased
price surcharges that became effective at the start of the
second quarter.
Net sales of high-alloy metal powder increased by 9 per cent
to SEK 352 million, up SEK 30 million on 2003. The company
said that the turnover gains are primarily explained by price
compensation for higher cost materials.
Glancing at the prospects for the rest of the year, President
Claes Lindqvist said that the company anticipates prevailing
market conditions sustaining for the rest of 2004, with healthy
demand in Asia and unchanged demand in Europe and America.
And although high, and potentially increasing, material costs
are exerting a negative profit impact, Höganäs expects
2004 profits to be as good, or better, than 2003.
|
