Rhodes Wins International Machine Tool Award
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At a time of unrest in the financial markets, as our major banks fight the fallout from the “credit crunch” we are pleased to be able to report a major success for UK manufacturing in general and a Wakefield company in particular.
On Tuesday 22nd April, 2008 the NEC hosted the MWP International Machine Tool Awards 2008 as part of the MACH Machine Tool show. International machine tool companies from countries as far afield as Japan, Germany, Switzerland and China competed for awards in their respective categories. The Best Metalforming/Fabrication Equipment Award sponsored by Siemens was awarded to Joseph Rhodes for a 10,600 Tonne Flexible Die press.
It is thought that this press may be the largest of its type in the world and seen as an innovative and technically challenging solution offering substantial advantages over existing technology. The company was also nominated for the “Grand Prix”, the best products at the show. Although Rhodes did not win this overall category it was one of only four companies short-listed for this Award, a major achievement in itself.
Working in partnership with the customer, Joseph Rhodes has developed a new concept Flexible Die Press for manufacturing aircraft nacelles for the aerospace industry.
The 10,600 tonne capacity hydraulically operated Flexible Die Press, is believed to be the largest of it’s type in the world and has a working area of 2350mm x 1000mm. The overall weight of the press is an incredible 235 tonnes, measuring 8.4 meters high, 4 meters front to back and 4 metres wide. The process involves cold metal forming by pushing a male former, draped with a component sheet, into a flexible pad made from either a natural rubber or a radically new (material) type of polyurethane.
The Rhodes press is the first Flexible Die Press to offer a surface pressure of up to 1000 Bar; effectively form high strength titanium alloys; offer two production processes in one press; and incorporate a semi-auto pad change facility. It offers an effective alternative to the wide spread use of Fluid Forming, which is expensive and involves high maintenance.
Escalating material and labour cost dictated that if the customer was to continue to develop and produce aircraft nacelles in the UK, they would need to enhance their production techniques. Joseph Rhodes designed and developed a turnkey metalforming press for the cost-effective production of small batches, enabling the trial and development of new product ranges. The machine is the first of its type to develop 10,600 Tonne load from a single hydraulic piston. An innovative multiple frame construction was designed and used as an effective method of restraining such a high load in a small confined area. The structure of the press is based on frames made of one piece, hot rolled, thick steel plates, with no welded or mechanical connections. The result is a very compact and reliable design.
Over the last 30 years, titanium has displaced alternative, less efficient structural materials in a wide spectrum of aerospace applications, in particular aircraft engines and airframes, whereby titanium components now account for up to 30% of the aircraft. Applications include blades, discs or hubs, inlet guide vanes and cases, and the complete range of airframe structural members; from massive, highly stressed, forged wing structures and landing gear components, to small critical fasteners, springs, and hydraulic tubing.
The customer had previously required two production machines to undertake the process of the new Rhodes press, which will provide total flexibility to meet future demands of the aerospace industry both civil and military, and new opportunities for the customer to produce and supply an increasing product range.
An additional benefit is reduced operational cost and impact on the environment. The new Rhodes press utilises approximately 40% of the power of an equivalent Fluid forming press. Polymer and rubber die forming is the ‘green alternative’.
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For more information contact:
Amraiz Khan, Marketing Manager, Group Rhodes, Tel +44 (0) 1924 371161, E-mail amraiz.khan@grouprhodes.co.uk
Ref: CMR/MACH Award Win/PR265