Expanded metal company saught versatile uncoiler

An exhibition was the starting point in the process of the UK's largest manufacturer of expanded metal products looking for more flexibility from an uncoiler and a straightener.

An exhibition was the starting point in the process of the UK's largest manufacturer of expanded metal products looking for more flexibility from an uncoiler and a straightener.

The Expanded Metal Company is the UKs largest manufacturer of Expanded Metal, with over 100 years of experience.

They have developed a leading position through offering the most comprehensive range of expanded metal mesh available anywhere in the world.

They also specialize in mesh pressings and finished mesh products for the filtration and architecture markets and along with Expamet Security Products, produce security fences and other products, catering for many industrial sectors, from tailor made systems for the rail and utility industries to super security systems for maximum protection.

An exhibition was the starting point in the process of investing in a Dimeco Alipresse heavy duty 2395 L MFA Uncoiler and a powered 1961 powered Straightener from Shear-Form Machine Tools, the Coventry based sheet metal and plate working machinery supplier and Dimecos sole representative in the UK.

Bill Owens from The Expanded Metal Company in Hartlepool, Cleveland was visiting MACH 2002.

He was looking to purchase a single expanded metal press line and was impressed with the press feeding equipment from Dimeco, who had a working line on the Shear-Form stand.

The strategic decision was made to purchase and the Dimeco equipment was chosen along with a ‘state of the art expanded metal press.

The specifications of the Dimeco Uncoiler and Straightener more than met Expanded Metals requirements and the fact that it combined with the leading edge technology of the press supplier.

The flexibility of the equipment and that the specifications were greater than other available products and helped in the decision making".

An order was placed with Shear-Form and the equipment was installed in June 2004 and made ready for full production.

Owens said: "On top of the very good product specifications, we have received excellent technical assistance from Shear-Form.

The Dimeco equipment gives us a great deal of flexibility.

The make up of some of our products do require heavy duty equipment to produce it.

We have to keep downtimes to a minimum and the Dimeco equipment has proven to perform extremely well in this respect.

Clive Meir, Director at Shear-Form provided details of the Dimeco equipment purchased by the Expanded Metal Company: "Dimecos range of Flexiline heavy duty coil feeding equipment is very robust, but at the same time very versatile.

The 2395 MFA Uncoiler has a 3 jaw mandrel and a traversing base mounted on ground cylindrical shafts.

The safety pneumatic disc brake allows full line automation as far as pitch length and press rate is concerned.

It can handle coils up to 15,000kg in steel widths from 1300mm-1500mm wide.

The 1691 powered straightener is one of a series having 7 x 100mm diameter adjustable straightening rolls and 4 x 100mm pinch rolls, with all the rolls being backed up to minimise roll deflection for the best straightening quality.

Designed to handle coil up to 2m wide and up to 7mm thick, the 1691 has loop control with a dancer arm, automatic speed regulation by potentiometer and electric switches for the stop mode and strip tension safety.

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