Making the cut

CiMFeb20Features - tappin1
CiMFeb20Features - tappin1

Devon-based specialist engineers and systems developers, Sharp & Tappin showcases its Compcut range of composite plate saws and describes how they are helping customers meet the ceramic matrix composites challenge.

Devon-based specialist engineers and systems developers, Sharp & Tappin showcases its Compcut range of composite plate saws and describes how they are helping customers meet the ceramic matrix composites challenge.

 

The challenges faced in accurately cutting and shaping test samples from advanced composites, such as ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) evolve as rapidly as the materials themselves, with test centres and R&D departments constantly striving to employ the best technologies to be able to machine precise and repeatable samples.

Sharp & Tappin, the innovative Devon-based specialist engineers and systems developers have long anticipated this growing demand for precision machining applications that can specifically cope with advanced composites.

Its pioneering work over the last nine years gave birth to the successful Compcut range of composite plate saws with their focus on ease of operation, high accuracy and consistent repeatability - features that have found favour in the testing sector, who have appreciated the artful marriage of computer technologies, advanced engineering and precision cutting ability coupled with high quality volume capability inherent across the range. In addition, the Compcut models feature fully-enclosed housings that ensure operator safety and minimise environmental contamination.

The Compcut PCR 600 is the result of Sharp & Tappin’s cooperation with the NCC

Sharp & Tappin has continued to build a reputation for its distinctive blend of ‘engineering alchemy’ that combines its innovative engineering and problem-solving abilities with a deliberate policy of working closely with both its customers and recognised bodies within the composites testing arena to develop products and processes that meet real-life demands.

This far-sighted approach paid dividends in 2017 with the launch of the ‘entry level’ Compcut 200 advanced composite plate saw which assimilated the proven technologies of the established Compcut 500 and 1000 models into a far more compact unit that offered smaller test and R&D centres the opportunity to acquire an affordable, easy to use, safe, in-house composite ‘cutting solution’ that could provide repeatable, volume sample cutting to a very high degree of precision and accuracy.

Performance trials

Over recent months, Sharp & Tappin has been working closely with the Materials Testing Team at the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol to mount a series of extensive cutting trials on samples of CMC materials. The NCC had been exploring the viability of creating test samples in advanced composites, such as CMCs to meet its top-level clients’ specific and exacting requirements.

Tests at the NCC had already been undertaken using the Compcut 200 advanced composite plate saws, which had confirmed Compcuts ability to easily and effectively produce rectangular specimens from the CMC test materials. However, a further challenge presented itself when the NCC Team had a requirement to cut complex geometry samples from CMCs.

The relationship with the NCC was instrumental in the development of Sharp & Tappin’s Precision Composite Router (PCR) range that has now entered the market as the company was tasked by the NCC to explore the feasibility of using a prototype PCR unit to tackle the challenges faced in accurately cutting ‘dog bone’ samples in CMCs.

Sharp & Tappin was delighted to work closely with the NCC and explore machining processes and tooling options capable of tackling these notoriously tricky materials, based on its pre-production COMPCUT PCR 500 unit. The results of this collaboration proved very positive with the router generating the equivalent levels of proficiency to the Compcut plate saw, but with a true 3-axis capability providing the NCC with the capability to machine complex geometries across a wide range of challenging materials.

These carefully managed test and trial results at the NCC underpinned the creation of what is essentially a ‘hybrid’ machining solution – incorporating elements from CNC routers such as a high-speed spindle, large working bed and easy flat laminate compatibility together with the precision, flood coolant and fully enclosed structure common to a vertical machining centre.

A positive reaction

The first production model to emerge from this cooperative process is the Compcut PCR 600. However, following the initial UK launch at the Advanced Engineering 2019 show - and encouraged by the buoyant reaction to the PCR concept, Sharp & Tappin is already in the throes of extending the range to include the PCR 300, which offers an ‘entry level’ unit aimed at a comparable user base to that of the Compcut 200 composite plate saw and also shortly be closely followed by large format PCR 1200 model.

Continually exploring the UK market to identify the challenges involved in composite machining, Sharp & Tappin has been able to shape its product development programme to meet identifiable challenges whilst anticipating future needs – the company ethos being to continually seek to add value to their customer’s business through innovation and first-class engineering.

This in itself, represents a committed and intuitive strategy that is now being logically extended to include European and worldwide markets where Sharp & Tappin see great potential for developing a comparable Compcut user base for both the CPS and PCR ranges.

www.sharpandtappin.com

Company

Sharp & Tappin

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