Posted to News on 9th Nov 2017, 11:41
Renishaw vacuum casting technology accelerates innovation
Renishaw has collaborated with designer and manufacturer of automatic juicers, Zumex, to facilitate a faster development cycle and cut third party costs. Renishaw supplied a 5/01 PLC vacuum casting machine, as well as tailored machine training, so that Zumex could produce prototypes for its innovative juicer designs faster than ever before.
Automatic juicer manufacturer, Zumex Group, is headquartered in Spain, but has a global presence in over 100 countries. The company is dedicated to research and development (R&D) and its avant-garde design has driven it to the forefront of the food and beverage industry. Zumex frequently adapts its products in response to market changes, consumer and client needs. As part of its design process, the company uses vacuum casting to test prototype parts.
Originally, the company used computer aided design (CAD) software to create prototype juicing system models and sent these to a third-party vacuum casting company for manufacture, waiting several weeks for the prototype to arrive. When the company decided to bring this capability in-house, Zumex contacted global engineering company, Renishaw, which supplied a 5/01 PLC vacuum casting machine and specialist machine training.
Jos© Codina, Prototype Technician at Zumex explains: "Since we purchased our vacuum casting machine, Zumex has significantly reduced production times for our prototype parts. In-house vacuum casting capabilities allow us to continue to be an innovator in our field, increasing our capacity to design and manufacture new products, without having to rely on external suppliers. In this way, it has also allowed us to reduce costs.
"The level of service and support we received from Renishaw was outstanding. The locality of Renishaw Ib©rica means Zumex gets native speakers and short lead times. But by far the most impressive aspect to me was the training. When you work with Renishaw, you benefit from a global knowledge bank, as demonstrated by our two training sessions in the UK."
I±igo Bereterbide, Additive Manufacturing Product Manager at Renishaw Ib©rica explains: "The Renishaw 5/01 PLC vacuum casting machine has a smaller footprint than other Renishaw units, so it was perfect for Zumex because the company needed it to produce low volumes of parts. When vacuum casting a small number of parts, it is important that the final product is perfect the first time. The PLC controls and automation features of the Renishaw 5/01 machine ensure consistent casting every time."
Renishaw's vacuum casting technology is used to produce high-quality parts in a range of polyurethrane resins and cast nylon. The technology can be applied to a diverse range of industries from automotive to healthcare. Follow the link for a full case study on the project.
