Aluminum tool robot

SMT Tricept Partners with ABB in
Marketing Machine Tool Robot

An agreement with SMT t gives ABB  the right to integrate and sell the company’s patented machine tool robot, the Tricept, in conjunction with ABB’s S4Cplus control system.

The robot will be marketed by ABB under the product name IRB 940 Tricept, and is intended primarily for the machining of aluminum castings for the automotive industry. The IRB 940 Tricept was launched at the September IMTS in Chicago.

ABB has a strong position in the production and processing of aluminum components, but it had been lacking a product with the sturdiness needed to meet the demands of highly accurate machining. The IRB 940 Tricept is a good example of ABB’s initiative in intensifying research and development collaboration with integrators and other collaborating partners.

ABB’s robotic offering spans most of the production process for the manufacture and process aluminum components. For heavier machining, supplementary equipment was needed, and it is here that the Tricept has found a niche

Alcoa Broadens UK Distribution of
High-Strength Aluminum Materials

Thyssen Krupp Materials is now a distributor of Alcoa Europe Flat Rolled Products’ Alumec™ high-strength aluminum materials. This material is used primarily for plastic mold and blow molds. The Alumec product range covers aluminum mold plate manufactured in Birmingham, UK, and aluminum extruded bar manufactured in Hanover, Germany.

Baco Metal Centres, a subsidiary of Alcoa Manufacturing (GB), will also continue to distribute Alumec mold materials to the British tool making industry.

UK sales of Alcoa Alumec products will be handled centrally by the Thyssen Krupp Materials Special Products facility in Smethwick, West Midlands, in coordination with its field sales force network and in-house customer services and technical teams.