Waterjet/routing manufacturer ABB I-R changes name to ABB KMT

Citation

(2004), "Waterjet/routing manufacturer ABB I-R changes name to ABB KMT", Industrial Robot, Vol. 31 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2004.04931eab.003

Waterjet/routing manufacturer ABB I-R changes name to ABB KMT

Waterjet/routing manufacturer ABB I-R changes name to ABB KMT

Keywords: Robots, Waterjet, ABB

ABB I-R, a leading manufacturer and designer of robotic waterjet cutting systems and a leading manufacturer of robotic routing systems, has changed its name to ABB KMT Waterjet Systems AB. ABB KMT is a joint venture of ABB and Karolin Machine Tool AB (KMT) based in Stockholm, Sweden. The change of name to ABB KMT follows the completion of KMT's acquisition of the assets of Ingersoll-Rand's 49 per cent holding in ABB I-R Waterjet Systems AB (Plate 1).

Plate 1 ABB I-R has changed its name to ABB KMT Waterjet Systems AB. ABB KMT is a joint venture of ABB and Karolin Machine Tool AB (KMT) based in Stockholm, Sweden

Robotic waterjet cutting and routing products from ABB KMT currently complement the technologies available from the rest of the KMT Group, a leading manufacturer of sheet metalworking machines, precision grinding and polishing machines, pipe forming machines and related tools. Trademarks include LMT (Lidköping), UVA, Pullmax and Ursviken. The company has operations in Sweden, Denmark, England, France, Austria, Germany and the USA.

With over 400 systems installed worldwide, waterjet cutting technology from ABB KMT is used for trim applications on interior components of vehicles made from soft materials such as polyurethane foam, moulded fibres, sandwich materials or composites. ABB KMT has currently extended the company's product range with the launch of the Cutting Box Routing S offering customers a new solution for routing work on interior and exterior trim parts made from plastics, composites and other fibreglass reinforced materials.

Routing is a dry cut process that utilises an electrically powered routing head with a spindle- mounted bit, which is spun at very high speeds upto 50,000rpm to trim edges and form holes and slots in a wide range of polymeric materials. Routing can also be used to cut these materials to a pre-defined depth. The method gives a very accurate material separation and produces a high quality cut edge, with only a light burr that can be easily removed if necessary.

Routing is often preferred for work on instrument panels, door panels, bumpers, SMC parts, plastic body parts and plastic components in sun roofs and modular roof systems. One of the most important applications requiring holes to be cut to a pre-defined depth is to weaken the carrier material around an airbag pocket in a car. Routing can also be used in the manufacture of other plastic and/or fibreglass products such as seats for buses and trains, bathtubs and shower basins.

For more information, please contact: Mike Isherwood. Tel: 020 8723 0161