The Christchurch-based deburring and surface treatment specialist Ellesco Ltd (www.ellesco.co.uk), will be well represented at EMO via its partners Timesavers, Autopulit and PEM Tec, which will be highlighting their grinding, deburring, polishing and electro-chemical processing systems.

Timesavers (Hall 11, Stand A70) will showcase its 81 Series precision-grinding system, which can process titanium, stainless steel, aluminium and other metals and composites up to 7,500mm long x 2,100mm wide.

Sheets are clamped to the sliding table by a vacuum system, and both faces can be ground to a thickness tolerance of 25μm.

The position of the grinding belt is precisely controlled to suit the sheet being processed and compensate for abrasive wear. Additional accuracy is delivered by the tightly controlled temperature of the cooling fluid (water), which is maintained at 20°C. The fluid is recirculated through a filtration system to remove grinding waste.

Also on show will be the 42 RB Series WWRBW rotary-brush machine for deburring, finishing and removing laser-oxide skin and/or edge rounding in one pass.

At the other end of the scale, Timesavers’ manual machine range will be represented at EMO by the 10 Series manual grinder, which is said to provide a cost-effective mechanical alternative to conventional grinding, deburring, finishing and polishing processes.

On the Autopulit stand (Hall 11, Stand D16), visitors will be able to see a range of robotic, automatic and semi-automatic machines for the polishing, belt grinding, deburring and micro-finishing of metal workpieces.

The use of automation by Autopulit ensures consistent surface quality, while removing the human element and any associated risk that this entails in what is usually a dusty, dirty and noisy environment.

PEM Tec (Hall 13, Stand B96) will be showcasing its latest electrochemical metal-processing systems at EMO.

Since it was formed in 1995, PEM Tec has specialised in the development of PECM technology (precise electro-chemical metal processing) — a form of metal removal using the workpiece submerged in an electrically conductive electrolyte (salt water) as a positively polarised anode, with the electrode negatively charged and pulsing to generate complex forms.

The process offers many advantages. It is contactless; offers zero electrode wear; can simultaneously process macro and microstructures; can deburr in the macro and micro range; can rough, finish and polish in a single operation; and can provide high surface quality (Ra 0.05μm and better).

The fact that there is no heat generated or mechanical load ensures that the workpiece suffers no structural change during the PECM process.