Editorial

 On Sunday 22nd April 2012, four specialized fairs at the Zagreb Fair closed the door for visitors: 36th Fair of building and furnishing - Construction, 21th Fair of machines and tools - Biam, 24th Fair of welding and corrosion protection - Welding and 54th Crafts fair. During the four-day fair, on the 12 500 square meters of exhibition space, 317 exhibitors from 25 countries presented its products and services.
At the Zagreb Fair, deputy minister of business and trade, Dražen Pros opened on 17th April 36th International Fair of building and furnishing - Construction, 21th International Fair of machine tools - Biam, 24th International fair of welding and corrosion protection - Welding and 54th International Crafts Fair - Crafts. 

 From 14th to 18th May in Belgrade took place 56th international fair of technique and technical achievements. The focus of the fair was on "modern technical solutions in the industrial processes of the future economic and technological development."
Fair of technique and technical achievements in Belgrade attracts every year the attention of professional and general public as the oldest event of the Belgrade Fair, since it was established in 1938. This year's event was the 65th exhibition if counting the time of the Second World War and several years after the war, and one of the oldest in the world on the topic of technology in a broader sense. In Serbia, the exhibition was considered the most important business and technology event, the driver of the industrial development of the country and one of the most prestigious fair events in Southeast Europe. Esad Jakupović 

 The factory, which is based in a hall damaged by shells 15 years ago, today is an important worldwide player in the production of motorspindles and other components of special machine tools, such as built-in, custom made electric motors, linear and torque motors, robotic systems and the design of entire production systems. They look forward to joining the EU because it will significantly raise the competitiveness and facilitate business. According to the rule that the successful Croatian metal companies are self-abnegating, the building of Zadar HSTEC's is hard to find, because it is hidden behind a row of gleaming glass buildings of auto shops and insurance companies, in a neighbourhood dominated by shopping centres. 

 Plastic interior of expensive cars is functional, although it may remind of plastic, affordable, consumer items. Such an impression can dissuade potential buyers who prefer the quality and a refined sense of sophistication. For example, customers of brands such as Audi, Mercedes or BMW often choose interior with wooden pattern. This is nothing new, but it is interesting that the interior is made in the Czech subsidiary of German company NOVEM in Touskov near Pilsen. The wooden parts are made with FANUC robot. The basic material for the interior wood is veneer. This raw material is transported to the factory in plates of different sizes. On such a substrate using templates from Plexiglas the desired shapes are drawn. 

 Robust LED work lights from Turck ensure a reliable, energy-saving illumination of workplaces and control cabinets. With energy-saving LED work lights of protection categories up to IP67/IP69K, Turck expanded its offer in the field of lighting systems. Robust performance and service life of 100 000 hours allow the end user various possibilities of use for all applications requiring reliable, strong and uniform lighting in difficult working conditions. The colour of light corresponds to daylight between 5000 and 10 000 Kelvin. 

 In-Mould Labelling with three three-dimensionally moulded films and two plastic components for a part measuring 380 x 250 x 50 mm: A project involving the radio/CD control panel of Ford’s C-Max placed high demands on mouldmakers and film technology. The result can now be seen in automobile showrooms.
What to do if you get an order of the project, which is for the existing machinery rather too much? When the company Foliotec GmbH in April 2008 received an order for the prodution of user interface for the new Ford C-Max, it quickly became clear that the size of a part is 380 x 250 x 50 mm, which is rather different than the sizes to which their team was used to. Their subsidiary company Kunststoff Helmbrechts AG (KH) had previously built its name on the illuminated rotary switches, wireless phones and interior lighting keys inside the car.   

 The international plastics world met for the ARBURG Technology Days in Lossburg from 14 - 17 March 2012. More than 5,200 visitors from 49 countries were offered a top-class exhibition. A major focus was placed on the topic of production efficiency, which ARBURG covered comprehensively and holistically.
Once again Arburg Technology Days strengthened their position as the event that should not be overlooked by international plastics scene in their calendar of obligatory activities. »A fantastic response from the plastics industry professionals from around the world and their great interest in the news in our product line and focus on manufacturing efficiency, demonstrated at Technology Days.« 

 Earth is full of valuable raw materials trapped in the rocks, hidden beneath the deserts, or covered with oceans for millions of years, that are often very difficult to reach, while the reserves of some of them due to excessive exploitation are dangerously reduced.
The roots of our progress are largely hidden in the bosom of our planet, and often several thousand feet deep. Raw materials, "the life force of our civilization," are trapped in the rocks, hidden beneath the desert, or covered with oceans for millions of years - oil, potable water, precious metals, rare earth minerals. The population of the Earth is increasing by approximately 80 million people each year. Reserves of raw materials are reduced every year because of the incessant and increasing usage, while the needs are increasing as well due to population growth. Scientists are trying to develop efficient and environmentally appropriate technologies that could maintain reasonable prices of raw materials. Esad Jakupović 

 For many years, the use of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) is generally adopted. Manufacturing companies rely on Nikon Metrology CMMs of different types and sizes in order to control and validate component parts from suppliers and their own manufacturing.
These control systems provide high accuracy and fast automatic control, that support various contact solutions, including the contact trigger in digital, analogue and laser versions. Based on the 50-year heritage, models LK CMMs are designed and manufactured in order to perform dimensional, positional and surface measurements, using only the finest materials and technology. Nikon Metrology, subsidiary company, is a manufacturer of comprehensive solutions covering CMM installations, including CMM, laser scanner, CMM driver computer program. 

 Knowledge of marine navigation technology has developed into a specialty in precision mechanical engineering.
Alongside the traditional business areas (compass systems for luxury yachts, navigation and control systems for aerospatial appplications), the portfolio covered by the 80 employees includes high-quality components and assemblies for measurement, testing and medical technology, as well as manufacturing machinery. Lars Reeder, the company’s managing partner: »For us, the 'quality' is the unit o measurement that we use in our precision engineering production, for many of our products will have to withstand extreme environmental conditions and be vey hard-wearing. Not without a reason do our magnetic compasses carry the EN ISO 9001 certificate, but also that of German Lloyd.« 

 In this year, Kolektor group has realized its second investment abroad, successfully. After the festive opening of the new production hall in South Korea in march, Kolektor officially declared open for business the new production space of 700 square meters of the group`s company Kolektor Bosna in Laktaši near Banja Luka, today, representing an expansion of the existing production programs as well as additional workplaces. Kolektor group started its commutator production in Laktaši almost a decade ago. Transfer of this part of production was deemed natural consequence of the group`s strategy for internationalization and globalization. At first, Kolektor Bosna housed production of wound components which was soon enough complemented by production of components.