30 April 2007
AddisonMckee's tube bending capability enables production of world's largest hydroformed automotive components

In a culmination of expertise from its USA, Canadian and UK operations, world-leading tube manipulation technology specialists, AddisonMckee, have developed a highly innovative complete workcell solution for one of North America's leading car makers.

The AddisonMckee workcell will be used in the production of the largest hydroformed aluminum and steel automotive components in the world - side rails for one of America's favorite sports cars. Each side rail measures 6" in diameter, is almost 16 feet in length and
weighs almost 90lbs (when produced from steel).

Tube feed system

The workcell created by AddisonMckee is based around a tube feeding system that separates tubes to be bent from incoming bundles and presents individual, seam-oriented tubes ready for loading.

The tubes are then loaded into a 6" CNC tube bender by a 7-axis robot. The newly developed Siemens 840D-based bender control system provides the car manufacturer with full, open access to customize bend sequences and to optimize motions.

After bending, the finished parts are unloaded via a second 7-axis robot and moved to one of two tube fixtures where downstream automation feeds them through the hydroforming process.

52-second cycle time

As part of the pre-production run off for the customer, AddisonMckee produced 35 sets of rails with the full cell running in automatic mode in approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Cycle time for the bender alone was 52 seconds, falling well within the customer requirement of 64 seconds. Part-to-part cycle time for the whole cell was 66 seconds, compared to an absolute requirement of 76 seconds.

Total repeatability

From the pre-production run, 25 pairs of tubes were gauged to confirm the accuracy, repeatability and controllability that AddisonMckee tube forming technologies are globally renowned for.

In this instance, the requirement was for the bent tubes to fall within a 4mm total part envelope, a figure that was more stringent than an 8mm envelope requirement used on similar cells at the automotive plant. The parts produced by AddisonMckee provided even greater levels of precision, falling within a 2.75 mm total envelope.

Efficient Cell Start-up

The workcell was designed to be very modular, with quick disconnect wiring between the various components. This allowed the installation and start up in the customer's facility to be completed faster, with less labor and with less on-site troubleshooting than was normally expected for a cell of this complexity.

Because of its smooth operation and lack of dead time in the machine cycle, many observers commented on how deceptively slow the AddisonMckee solution looked when compared to their other 6" machines, despite the fact that it has a significantly faster cycle time. Needless to say, this smoothness in operation, brought about by AddisonMckee's mechanical and control technologies, will lead to enhanced mechanical reliability and significant reductions in downtime.

About AddisonMckee

Globally renowned for the design, manufacture and supply of some of the world's finest tube bending and end forming technologies - for increasingly complex automotive, aviation, truck and shipbuilding requirements - AddisonMckee also offers highly innovative tube measuring solutions, tube perforation, piercing and louvring technologies, hydraulic press machinery, muffler assembly solutions, plant automation and complete workcell integration.

In addition to these capabilities, a whole range of tooling and accessory options are also provided, as are comprehensive maintenance and service contracts, training and education programs and financial services. Where applicable, AddisonMckee is also able to offer customers the opportunity of machine rebuilds, refurbishment, upgrades and trade-ins.

From its state-of-the-art manufacturing centers in the USA, United Kingdom, Canada and China, AddisonMckee is committed to providing rapid solutions to market and also regularly assists clients in product prototyping, parts development, small production runs and pre-production sample development.

AddisonMckee is principally owned by WHI Capital Partners (WHICP), a Chicago-based private equity group that invests in middle market, industry-leading companies with solid financial fundamentals and proven management teams. WHICP is an affiliate of William Harris Investors, Inc., a family-based asset management firm founded by Irving B. Harris in 1987.

For further information please contact:
Rachel Thomas – BHL Marketing
E-mail: rachel@bhlmarketing.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1244 851850
Fax: +44 (0) 1244 851888

Christian Rogiers – AddisonMckee
E-mail: crogiers@addisonmckee.com
Tel: +1 513 228 7076
Fax: +1 513 228 7226