The Swiss LNS Group, world market leader in automating machine-tools, introduces sophisticated bar feeder innovations, reinforcing its global expansion strategy. The new Express 332 S2, the Alpha ST320 S2 and the Alpha SL65 S have key attributes in common: user friendliness, reliability, energy efficiency, and maximum productivity. Besides the new bar feeders, LNS also presents chip conveyor and coolant management (CCM) innovations.

Orvin (Switzerland), 16 August 2011 – The Swiss LNS Group is reinforcing its expansion and innovation strategies to strengthen its position as the one-stop-shop for the machine tool industry. “We are optimizing worldwide distribution channels for the complete product line to leverage a global expansion and to underline our position as the world market leader in automating machine-tools. The recent acquisition of the Italian air filtration specialist Fox IFS was an important step – both into green technologies and on the way to a faster expansion”, states Thomas Boehmer, CEO of the LNS Group. The global expansion is fueled by the research and development teams of LNS. Boehmer: “We put highest efforts into R&D, both in bar feeding and the chip conveyor and coolant management (CCM) sectors.” At the machine tool world exhibition EMO in Hannover, the LNS Group presents three new bar feeders and several CCM innovations.

Optimizing the productivity, keeping the philosophy

The successful bar feeder series Express 332, designed to handle long bar stocks, was launched in 2001. “It was now time not only to refresh the product, but to redesign it from scratch”, says Carlos Muniz, LNS Global Product Manager Bar Feed. The successor, Express 332 S2, combines the best elements of the Sprint and Express series and convinces with improved rigidity, flexibility and user friendliness. LNS implemented experiences with the Sprint family and used the concept of the mechanical beam to increase stability, optimize the dynamic behavior and provide for a perfect guiding. A fast diameter changeover makes the bar feeder very flexible. “We redesigned and optimized the bar feeder, but we also kept its philosophy and all the features that made it so successful”, says Muniz. The Express 332 S2 is equipped with a color touch screen, making it easy to control the shape, diameter, feed length and to trouble-shoot. All elements are compatible with the Express 332. The 32mm segment especially targets the medical, electro-mechanical, hydraulic, aviation and automotive industries. Like all other LNS bar feeders, the new Express 332 is fully CE compliant. Muniz: “We cooperated with external consultants to perform risk analyses for all machines and optimizing them.”

Proven in thousands of applications: the reliable Alpha ST320

New on the international bar feeder markets is the follow-up to the successful Alpha ST320. “The S2 is highly reliable and economical. It can easily handle long production runs without any problems or downtimes”, says Muniz. The LNS research & development teams kept the concept and underlying technology of the entry-level bar feeder, but increased the rigidity. “We changed the core of the machine, installed a more rigid front rest, simplified the bar selection, improved the guiding zone with aluminum profiles, and added a much stronger remnant extraction. All of that makes the machine more rigid. The Alpha ST320 S2 is designed for maximum reliability and long production runs, whereas the Express 332 S2 is more flexible.”

A third groundbreaking innovation is the new Alpha SL65 S. It is simple, reliable and economical and especially designed for short bar stocks. “Operating with long bar stocks can cause problems, when those bar stocks are not completely straight when cheaply manufactured or transported without care. An un-straight bar stock creates vibrations, causing problems with surface finish and tool life. The solutions are either to reduce the rotating speed, which would minimize productivity, or to cut the stock in shorter parts and produce in full speed”, explains Muniz. The short bar stocks are exactly what the Alpha SL65 S was developed for. The bar feeder is easy to handle, from the loading rack and the remote control all the way to the diameter changeover.

CCM: green innovations

The LNS Group does not only present bar feeder innovations, but also chip disposal and coolant management (CCM) novelties. “The new CCM products convince with optimized efficiency and reduced energy consumption”, explains Jamie Towers, Global Product Manager CCM. The patent pending Turbo MH250 is unique on the market. It operates with only one motor and belt, filtering all chip types and shapes as well as all kind of materials. The energy consumption has been cut down by 50%, making it one of the most environment friendly filtering conveyors on the market. Due to its versatility, ease of maintenance, energy efficiency and the reduction of down times, the Turbo MH250 is a very cost-effective and smart solution. Another LNS innovation launched on the market is the PowerStream VP high pressure coolant system (HPC). “With the PowerStream VP, we complete our HPC product range”, comments Towers. The innovative plug-and-play unit allows programmable variable pressure outputs, making the product highly flexible and energy efficient. Towers: “The system does not create excess flow which wastes energy and creates excess heat. In tests, customers were able to reduce drastically energy consumption.”