KENT, Washington, June 15 /PRNewswire/ --
To meet growing demand for aeronautical components and assemblies, Groupe
Lauak, Ayherre, France, is investing heavily in modern technology and
equipment. Recently, the company ordered a large Flexform sheet metal forming
press from Avure Technologies, the global leader in high pressure technology.
When installed in 2008, Lauak will own the largest, highest tonnage forming
press of any sub-supplier in Continental Europe.
Founded in 1975, Lauak maintains a 10,000 m2 facility in Ayherre and a
3,000 m2 operation in Portugal, providing ample space for production and
assembly of large airframe sections for customers including Airbus,
Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, and other aerospace OEMs. With 2006 revenues
of 29 million euros and more than 300 employees, the company has grown
steadily through constant expansion of its in-house capabilities. Today these
include metallurgical analysis, prototyping, tooling design, manufacturing,
surface treatment and painting, assembly, and testing.
Expansion plans for 2008 include a 7,000 m2 fabrication facility near the
Biarittz-Bayonne airport where the new Flexform press will be installed.
In the past, Lauak had produced many of its sheet metal parts using
low-pressure rubber pad presses. The purchase of the Flexform QFC
1.1x3-1000 fluid cell press will enable the precise forming of much larger
shapes, up to 3m in length, as well as more parts per 1.5-minute press cycle.
The flexible diaphragm exerts a forming pressure of up to 1,000 bar, five
times that of the rubber pad presses. This permits the accurate forming of
highly complex shapes, and the production of much deeper parts. Recent
advances in fluid cell tooling achieve a significantly higher percentage of
finished parts directly off the press, and an enhanced ability to meet
ever-more-critical assembly tolerances.
Jean-Marc Charritton, President of Groupe Lauak, believes the new
Flexform press will give his company a decisive competitive advantage. "This
system gives us great flexibility," he says. "We can form very large panels
and multiple small parts in all types of metals, including hard materials
such as titanium and Inconel(R). Our productivity will improve because of the
press's larger capacity, short cycles, more finished parts per cycle, and a
drastic reduction in hand work."
Groupe Lauak will be exhibiting at the Paris Air Show, June 18-24, in
Hall 2B, stand H12.
For more information, visit http://www.avure.com, or contact Glenn Hewson
in the U.S. at glenn.hewson@avure.com, or Sture Olsson in Europe at
sture.olsson@avure.se.
About Avure Technologies, Inc.: Avure Technologies specializes in the
design, manufacturing, installation, and global support of high pressure
presses for sheet metal forming, densification of advanced materials and
critical industrial parts, and high pressure pasteurization to keep food
fresh longer and pathogen-free. The company has its headquarters in Kent,
Washington (Seattle area), with significant operations in Vasteras, Sweden
and Columbus, Ohio.
Web site: http://www.avure.com
Avure Technologies, Inc.
Americas, Glenn Hewson, +1-253-981-6239, glenn.hewson@avure.com , or Europe|Asia, Sture Olsson, +46-21-327-241, sture.olsson@avure.se, both of Avure Technologies, Inc.
