According to analysis by the international trade experts at Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI), U.S. and Canadian industry will focus on hightech machine tools in the coming years with flexible, largely automated and energy efficient manufacturing systems. "EMAG's solution to these challenges is a patented pick-up technology machining concept, developed and tailor-made for the North American market. An innovative automation model, the work spindle picks-up and transports workpieces to the machining area," said a company spokesperson. EMAG began developing pick-up machines in the early 1990s and, over the years, has expanded its range of new applications. The work spindle is used to transfer the workpieces into the machining area, representing the integrated automation. This is followed by different high-speed machining operations, carried out in a single setup and with short travel distances. With the pick-up system, the workpiece is transported between machines on conveyor belts or shuttle systems located behind the machining area. Simple automation modules also pick up the workpieces from the conveyor belt and insert them into the carrier prisms of the individual machines. The rest of the work is done by the work spindle. Thus, the amount of automation can be reduced 15 to 30 percent compared to other solutions, while the tailor-made machine design ensures a safe production process. "Machine availability is very high," said Peter Loetzner, CEO EMAG USA. "Efficiency is achieved through short travel distances between the compact pick-up machines. This ensures component throughput times are minimized and high output rates are achieved." EMAG's pick-up automation applies not only to multi-layer production lines, but also with stand-alone machines, on which highly flexible production processes can be implemented. In these cases, the operator inserts chucked components manually into the carrier prisms that transport them to the pick-up station. The operator also removes the finish-machined components from their carrier prisms. Production companies may think it simpler to carry out this process on a manually loaded horizontal lathe than a partially automated vertical turning machine. "If you look closer, you will find that the opposite is true," said Loetzner, "Especially when considering the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) factor of component quality, loading the machine manually involves risks that can lead to clamping errors. In the automotive sector, particularly, one ]m often determines component quality. In the case of the horizontal machine, too much depends on the operator's capability. Thus, the pick-up concept provides the best solution to clamp and machine workpieces with great accuracy. Measuring systems can also be incorporated and used to monitor quality, reducing the possibility of errors to an absolute minimum." "We are in a position to offer a pick-up solution that is tailor-made to the customer's requirements for every turned part," said Loetzner. For more information contact: Peter Loetzner, CEO EMAG LLC 38800 Grand River Avenue Farmington Hills, MI 48335 248-477-7440 info@usa.emag.com www.emag.com IN, OH Kirk Stewart EMAG LLC 248-996-4703 kstewart@emag.com MI Geoff Fuller EMAG LLC 248-632-2021 gfuller@emag.com ND, MN, WI, SD, NE, KS, IA, MO, IL Bill Konetski EMAG LLC 612-804-0857 bkonetski@emag.com KY Ken Pope EMAG LLC 256-642-6842 kpope@emag.com www.emag.com