A variety of solutions are on show, with proposals that are unique on the market in terms of versatility, quality and ease of use, automation and reduced consumption. From Powder Metal to technical ceramics, Refractories, Tableware and electric mobility, a wide range of sectors in which SACMI’s network of companies offers consolidated technological leadership. Opportunities include a visit to the nearby SAMA Maschinenbau site with its pilot plant and Research Centre 

SACMI will be a key player at Ceramitec 2022 (Munich Trade Fair, 21-24 June) with its benchmark technologies in the Powder Metal, Hard Metal, Refractories, technical ceramics, Tableware and industrial kilns sectors. Recognised technological leadership in a number of areas is the hallmark of SACMI’s product range, which in 2022 will be enriched with a number of new innovations that reflect the latest market trends.

We ARE Tableware

The SACMI network of companies – SAMA, RIEDHAMMER, GAIOTTO, SACMI IMOLA – is developing an all-round proposal for tableware production that focuses on automation, sustainability and efficiency. In the foreground at Ceramitec is the SAMA proposal, which has consolidated the PHO 700 Green isostatic pressing solution on the market.

Preferred by the main players in the sector, the solution offers maximum versatility in the management of different production mixes, including “special” formats (up to 480 mm in diameter and 150 mm in height) which are increasingly in demand and appreciated by the market, such as oven-proof dishes, large mugs, etc.

With PHO 700, demoulding of the heaviest, widest and deepest items can be facilitated with the optional demoulding device. The distinctive features of the solution and its uniqueness in the market make it possible to integrate downstream, even for the widest items, solutions for automatic and robotic finishing, developed in partnership with GAIOTTO. Alongside this are the devices for reducing consumption by up to 30% that characterise SAMA’s “Green Series”.

The proposal also includes DHD-D 908, a new concept digital decorating machine that extends SACMI’s extensive know-how and experience in ceramic decoration to the tableware sector.

Among the opportunities for Ceramitec visitors is a visit to the nearby SAMA headquarters to see first-hand the pilot plant and Research Centre, state-of-the-art facilities where customers can carry out all product development tests prior to industrialisation.

Among the most recent initiatives is the decision in 2021 to publish the first complete book on tableware technology, a unique initiative in the panorama of industry publications that SACMI has offered free of charge to its customers to accompany the development of know-how and innovation, focusing on people training and the principle of partnership for the development of new ideas and projects.

Industrial kiln for lithium, tableware and so on…

SACMI-RIEDHAMMER has been manufacturing industrial kilns for almost 100 years. Well known all over the world is the proposal for tableware, it offers complete solutions for managing the firing of any product: biscuit ware, glazed or single firing, reduction kilns for porcelain, but also stoneware, terracotta, vitreous china, as well as for items requiring a special atmosphere, e.g. bone china.

RIEDHAMMER now uses a modular approach to kiln design, which is configured and personalised in accordance with each customer’s requirements. For example, by developing fixed or modulated air combustion regulating systems, patented burners, sensors for measuring the oxygen content and the atmosphere inside the kiln. All new-generation kilns are equipped with advanced emission reduction and energy recovery-saving packages through both direct and indirect solutions. Research into new alternative fuels such as hydrogen from renewable sources is particularly advanced, with a range of kilns already equipped to accompany the evolution of the infrastructure.

From tableware to automotive, RIEDHAMMER is a technology leader in the heat treatment of the materials used in lithium-ion batteries. Central to e-mobility, this sector has grown enormously in recent years, consolidating RIEDHAMMER’s references worldwide and with the forthcoming launch of projects in Europe and the USA, alongside the technological leadership acquired in Asian markets.

Also worth mentioning in terms of sustainability is RIEDHAMMER’s ability to develop a comprehensive proposal for the return-recycling of spent batteries, from which valuable raw materials can be recovered and put to use. This is a decisive step in the direction of the circular economy, which will be essential in view of the exponential growth in demand for this type of battery at global level.

New “Helical gear” press concept

In the foreground are the solutions of SACMI’s Advanced Technologies Business Unit, an area that brings together sectors with high potential for development and growth and, in particular, the skills acquired over the last 15 years in the metal sector. One of the most recent and important developments was the development of a revolutionary solution for the pressing of helical gears, complex components that are particularly in demand in the electric mobility sector, among others.

In this respect, visitors to Ceramitec will have the opportunity to get a closer look at the proven 200 tons MPH solution, in this case equipped with the new device for the production of helical gears with inclined teeth. Thanks to two rotating devices, the solution allows the moulding of the component in one step and through simple set-up operations based on the specific type of component to be manufactured.

This is the revolution compared to the state of the art which, in the case of article changes (even apparently minor differences such as the different inclination of the gear teeth required), requires lengthy and complex mechanical adjustments. With the SACMI solution, on the other hand, all parameters can be managed directly by software, replacing only the die parts, a solution that is currently unique on the market. In other words, with SACMI the Helical gear becomes an object that can be managed, in technological and production terms, with the same simplicity as a cylindrical gear.

The new press concept also significantly improves both energy performance and opportunities for proactive maintenance management, with the new advanced sensor kit for real-time collection of operating status data (oil status, vibrations, pressure, etc.).

From refractories to e-MP

An absolute leader in solutions for the production of refractories, with continuous growth in sales and positioning among the world’s top players, LAEIS has diversified its offering to the electric pressing of technical ceramics and hard metal components, typically small cutting inserts of very high hardness and precision to be mounted on machine tools. On show at the Ceramitec fair is the new 20 tons e-MP electric press, a joint development between LAEIS and SACMI that aims to develop a distinctive proposal as regards versatility, precision and efficiency in this sector too.

Available in a range of up to 80 tons, the e-MP presses are distinguished by the integration of press and pick & place system, with a single interface through which the entire cell can be easily managed. This is ensured by using an innovative proprietary software developed by SACMI and LAEIS, which synchronises pressing operations with those of piece picking, brushing, weighing and storage.

Totally integrated, the system also allows the pressing of special parts thanks to the possibility of installing an innovative device which also compacts the powder laterally (multi-axial pressing), that enables the manufacturing of complex geometries (undercuts, through holes, etc.). Again, a unique solution on the market in terms of both, integration and the new multi-axial pressing device, that works with 6 electrical modules allowing even greater versatility in the production of special parts.

Visit us at Ceramitec 2022 (stand 101/302, hall C1)!