Roberts, whose role will include focusing on customers in Starrag’s target areas of industrial, transport, energy and medical devices, brings to Starrag UK more than 20 years’ experience in production engineering and machine-tool sales, especially in developing solutions for complex turning and multi-axis milling applications.
This skill set aligns with Starrag’s maxim of ‘engineering precisely what you value’, which is built on partnerships with clients using machine and technologies from Berthiez, Bumotec, Dörries, Droop+Rein, Ecospeed, Heckert, Scharmann, SIP and Starrag.
The new-look Heckert machines are prime examples of how Starrag develops solutions to meet specific needs. These models have been designed on a modular basis and are able to be specified exactly to meet user demands in terms of, for example, spindle speeds and pallet sizes. Boasting traverse rates up to 80 m/min, the machines not only have a footprint up to 30% less than traditional horizontal machines, which results in an estimated 15% increase in productivity per unit area, but boast acceleration rates of 1.2 g, tool change (chip-to-chip) times down to 2.2 seconds and pallet change times down to 8.5 seconds.
Another machine on the stand, a Bumotec s191 mill-turn centre, will be machining medical industry components throughout the exhibition, showcasing its ability to also undertake drilling, thread forming, grinding, gear cutting and broaching, for example, in a single set-up. The machine will highlight how it can achieve highly accurate (±2.5 micron) machining solutions within its X, Y and Z-axis range of 410, 200 and 400 mm, respectively, courtesy of linear drives and high-level thermal stability. Its main spindle is complemented by a sub-spindle that can turn in both horizontal and vertical planes, for multi-process/tasking routines, while tool magazine options extend to up to 90 pockets on a machine that has rapid traverse rates of 50 m/min and 30,000 (or 40,000) rpm spindle speed.
Visitors to the stand will also be able to learn about Starrag UK’s rental scheme for the Bumotec s181 and s191 machines, providing potential users with a cost-effective way to enjoy the benefits of multi-tasking, single set-up machining. The scheme allows customers to avoid relatively high upfront capital expenditure, yet immediately benefit from the ability to reduce lead times by completing a range of different tasks in a single set-up.
