At the same time, Turntec held its fifth edition

EuroMold 2006 continues its progression and showed in its last edition of 2006, from November 29 to December 2, a greater number of international exhibitors. The fair for the construction of moulds, which has actually resulted in something different, something that goes further, covers each edition in the fairground of Frankfurt and this time had to resort, for the first time, at Hall 5.1, as well as the usual 9.0, 8.0, 6.0, 6.1, and 5.0.

Mazak, another of the great at the fair.

Despite the little euphoria of a sector, the moulds, suffered from various problems today, Euromold contradicted the sensations of the market and welcomed many visitors and exhibitors, over the four days of the fair.

They were 1,674 exhibitors from 41 different countries and 60.376 visitors from 72 countries those who returned to agree with the organizers, the Demat company, referred to as far as the concept of the fair. That figure means an increase of 0.8 per cent compared with 2005, to what should be added also the number of countries where visitors come from has increased slightly. Most, of course, comes from Germany, from where comes the 72 per cent of professionals. Stresses especially the fact that the number of non-German visitors increased 27 per cent, thus increasing the internationality of this contest. These are data that also feel through the corridors, where certainly heard many different languages.

As from this magazine, Edition after Edition has been repeating, Euromold is not only a fair for the manufacture of moulds, although the truth is that the word molding, in its broadest sense, is in the background of everything. Euromold one finds everything you need from that he has an idea until that originally is just an idea, it becomes a final piece. Which means that there is much software, software of various types, many design firm, great provider of rapid prototyping services in addition to, and this is one of the most interesting specialties of this fair, the latest in techniques for the "rapid manufacturing" pieces without passing through conventional methods, for the realization of functional prototypes or production molds. It is possibly the European forum where there is a greater concentration of this kind of techniques. If someone searches for how to make prototypes best, inserts for functional molds that can be used for small series or even socks or end pieces using additive techniques, Euromold is every month of December the best opportunity in Europe to be informed of the latest in the market.

Mori Seiki is a regular Exhibitor at Euromold.

Also are increasingly more machine tools. There is no shortage for example some of the greats, such as Mori Seiki (LM Machinery and Juan Martín, Spain), Mazak (in Spain, Intermaher), Haas, DMG or Hermle (represented by Delteco in Spain). Hermle, for example, exhibited the model C 40 U at the stand of the company Emuge Franken and a U 20 C and a C U 30 on its own stand.

Turntec, in its fifth edition

As usual for five years, Turntec, turning fair, is held as well as Euromold, in contiguous pavilions of the fair. Among 170 exhibitors from 13 different countries were manufacturers of turned and milled parts of mechanical engineering, metrology, refining of metal, waste disposal, refrigerants and lubricants, cleaning systems for turned parts, raw materials, software, bar feederstools and system monitoring tools.

At the request of exhibitors and visitors, the interrelationship of Turntec with Euromold this time was higher, with greater proximity of occupied pavilions and an easier way of each other.

Turntec also seeks a concept showing the complete cycle. In his pavilions are from raw materials to the tornos, finished parts and other equipment. Without a doubt, the heart of the pageant consists of turned parts, with 43 percent of the exhibitors.

If the results of last year were already considered as very good as far as the number of exhibitors is concerned, this time we managed to improve the figure until the 1674, involving 54 more than in the 2005 Edition. Of these, 1,045 were Germans (24 fewer than in 2005) and 629 foreigners (78 more than in 2005), that is, 38.8 per cent of the exhibitors was foreign. Those responsible for Demat made special emphasis on the increase of the internationality of Euromold.

Exhibition area amounted to 80,050 square meters, a total of 2.919 square metres over Euromold 2005.

For the first time the country with more exhibitors, with the exception of Germany, was China, with 21.3 per cent of the foreign exhibitors, followed by Italy (13 per cent of foreigners), Turkey (5.3 per cent), Switzerland (4.5 per cent), United Kingdom and USA (4.2 per cent each) and Korea of the North (4 percent). Next was Spain, with 3.8 per cent of foreign exhibitors (see table with list of Spanish exhibitors in this same report).

With its special concept of fair, Euromold is home to a very broad kind of companies to showcase their products. Although the feeling is that the manufacturers of molds are becoming less, the truth is that data continue placing this type of company in the first place of the exhibitors, with 27.9 per cent of the totalfollowed by models and prototypes (9.1 per cent), engineering (8.4 per cent), design (7.8 per cent), prototyping and rapid mould (7.6 percent) and tools (7.5 per cent). The exhibitors from the scope of the software and hardware accounted for 7.3 per cent of the total number of exhibitors and machine tools 6.1 per cent. Materials, the quality assurance and automation, processing, finishing, coatings and accessories are other groups of regular exhibitors at this show.

EOS at the fair presents the new generation

of laser sintering

On this occasion EOS hosted a reception for clients and the public who headlined the first day of trade fair booth. It was to discover a machine presented for the first time, covered by a cloth and of which it was not known nor the name. A few words about the new machine gave way to the official act of presentation of its new generation of systems of laser sintering. The Formiga P 100, and is called the new system, it is a machine for the production of plastic parts. Intelligent, quickly and efficiently offers an entry economic and very flexible to the world of the sintered by laser and e-manufacturing, i.e. the direct production of parts from CAD data, without passing through conventional methods of construction of mold and injection.

With a work platform in diagonal of 200 mm x 250 mm x 330 mm is one of the systems of sintered by laser's largest plastics available on the market, but also very compact. Productivity has improved greatly in the new team. It is designed especially for the economic production of small series and products identified with complex geometries, a type of requirements itself, for example, in the sector of medicine or of high value goods. Depending on the geometry of the workpiece, the system is between 25 and 35 per cent more productive than the 700 P. In EOS, they think that this system will be used increasingly for the manufacture of final products.

Technically characterized by various innovations. Especially in the manufacture of vertical walls, it offers the highest surface quality. It allows walls of 0.4 mm, which makes it ideal for small and difficult, components such as connectors for example. A revolutionary food and coating system leads to a better quality of product and lower consumption of dust. Also, it is a very easy to use machine and only needs minimal accessories. With its dimensions compact and a height of 195 cms goes through any standard door, which facilitates its installation anywhere. Its preparation and control through its own panel helps a decentralized production.

This model data Formiga P 100 is more than significant. 23 of his pieces have been carried out by means of laser sintering, from the hopper of food for the dust of plastic until the top of the connectors, to name a few.

EOS also presented some new titanium alloys, which open the spectrum of possibilities to aerospace parts or to medicine, particularly with regard to implants. Such is the case of EOS MaragingSteel MS1, particularly suited to insert moulds undergoing much stress. There were also the EOS CobaltChrome MP1 and EOS StainlessSteel 17-4, already released during 2006. Its special adaptation to the "e-manufacturing" has contributed much to the success in the technology market of direct metal laser sintering.

DMG could not miss the appointment.

Hermle exhibited at its stand a U 20 C and a C 30 U.

The event also benefited from seminars in other relevant areas of industry such as materials, simulation or a section devoted to the growing market of medical technology

The event also had workshops in other relevant areas of industry such as materials, simulation or a section devoted to the growing market of medical technology.

It is usual in this event to organize special exhibitions or seminars on the hottest topics in each issue.

The materials are the source of innovations in various areas of application: automotive, aerospace and medical engineering sector industry, as well as many other segments. Along with the Werkstoffzentrum Rheinbach (Center for materials of Rheinbach, Germany) discussed about implementation and potential solutions of exhibitors and visitors.

In a forum different presentations were made on "Materials in the manufacture" of molds, "Prospects and risks of nanotechnology", "Materials for prototyping and manufacture fast", but it was also discussed on new sectors, such as "Renewable primary products", "materials and design" or "simulation and databases".

In addition, for the first time organized a special forum "Simulation for all", based on the engineering of simulation, where designers and engineers had the opportunity to demonstrate innovative solutions in the use and practice of simulation techniques.

For the second time, there was a space dedicated to medical technology "competence chain of Medical technology". On this occasion it was represented by modules and stands in a specific area.

The modern manufacture of moulds, future applications using additive techniques, hot channels, design or virtual technology were other issues that were a role distinguished from the rest of the exhibition

For the Stereolithography

Faithful to its commitment to develop innovative materials for Stereolithography (SL), DSM Somos exhibited their four new resins in the last edition of the fair EuroMold.

• ProtoGen O-XT 18120: a resin in translucent color, high precision and high temperature, similar to the ABS;

• ProtoGen O-XT 18420: a resin in white color, high-precision and high temperature, similar to the ABS;

• ProtoCast AF 19120: a resin free of antimony (no heavy metals), designed specifically for the industry of the "investment casting" (lost-wax casting). It is more respectful with the environment than the standard resins for SL and produces very little ash when burned

• NanoTool: Resin composite that presents an excellent surface quality and high-speed processing. It is used for tests on tunnel wind models aerospace and formula, in inserts made by 'rapid tooling' techniques and metallic coatings.

The resin NanoTool, extremely versatile and the newest in the line of material composite for SL are, generated much excitement in industries requiring very rigid parts with a high surface quality. For those involved in tests of wind tunnel, such as aerospace and formula one, "the surface quality of NanoTool results in minor times of completion work, a great advantage if one takes into account the size of the pieces that this industry generates", said Montgomery. For rapid tooling industry, a mold of NanoTool exhibited along with the injected piece of high quality, impressed visitors by the level of aesthetic quality is likely to get.

Spanish exhibitors at Euromold

ABM moulds, S.L.

AGMMA - Galician of moulds and dies Manufacturers Association

Bermaq, S.A.

Standard Bolexp, S.L.

Chamber of Commerce of Vigo

Madrid Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce of Zaragoza

Coproin, counts processes industrial S.L.

CUMSA

Elan moulds S. L.

Esperia, S.A. Hidrostock

FEAMM

Hejar, S.A.

Hispamoldes, S.A.

INEO prototypes S.L.

Irumold, S.L.

Moldakor, S.L.

Nub3d S.L. Optical Measuring Systems

Quantech ATZ, s.a..

Workshops, S.L.

Tromosa - dies and molds of Galicia, s.a.