Feature

Scope

A Day in the Life of...

A personal account of an average working day in the life of a manager in a manufacturing company. Insightful about the pressures and challenges front line managers face.

Aerospace & Defence

back to calendar

Accredited to the highest levels of quality assurance, subcontractors within this demanding advanced engineering sector are committed to continually improving their performance. How are subcontractors maximising their chances of winning profitable contracts within this industry?

Automotive & Motorsport

back to calendar

This feature includes news from contract manufacturers serving the automotive and motorsport industries. In particular:

Casting & Forging

back to calendar

Increasingly, customers want their forged and cast parts supplied finish-machined these days. Engineering Capacity reports on investment in value added component production that is driven by capacity changes, component modification through development, or retooling for next-generation parts.
The manufacture of hot and cold forgings, furnace work (drop, upset, closed and open die), and castings (pressure diecasting, lost wax, investment, sand and continuous casting), are of interest in this feature. Powder metallurgy is also included.

CNC Machining

back to calendar

Computer numerical control is ubiquitous in the world of subcontract engineering. This feature is an opportunity to include news from wide range of general machining and light engineering companies. Processes include drilling, tapping, wire erosion, EDM, spark erosion, punching, high speed milling, turning, grinding.

Corrosion & Wear Resistance

back to calendar

For extreme operating environments the properties of the outer surface of components can be changed using a myriad of techniques ranging from: coatings (ceramic, thin, dry or wet film), and other treatments (thermal, chemical and mechanical). Engineering Capacity would like to hear from the skilled contractors who provide such finishing processe, including: annealing, carburising, galvanising, nitriding, peening, and weld cladding.

Cutting & Profiling

back to calendar

The options available for cutting two-dimensional shapes from sheet metal depends on requirements for cost, accuracy, speed, and type and thickness of material. Engineering Capacity reports on companies that have recently improved their production capabilities by investing in new technology and facilities. Techniques include flame, plasma and laser, ultrasonic, water jet and abrasive flow.

Electro-Mechanical Engineering

back to calendar

This feature is devoted to news from companies skilled in traditional mechanical engineering processes. For example in the design and construction of power transmission apparatus, and electro-mechanical devices. Covering: Thread cutting, milling, whirling; Gear manufacturing (rack & pinion); Screw cutting; Thread rolling; Grinding and honing; Spindles & shafts.

Fabrication

back to calendar

Looking at a wide range of fabrication and joining processes ranging from small scale manufactured products, through complex integrated assemblies, to gigantic architectural and structural metalwork. The feature covers: sheet metal work; pressure vessels; tube bending; new developments in adhesive jointing; welding (flame, arc & resistance); brazing & soldering services.

Factory Support Services

back to calendar

This feature is dedicated to companies offering specialist services that support manufacturing business activities. Examples include: Technical Consultancy, Facility Management, Finance & Legal, Fulfilment, Logistics, Management Systems, Materials & Equipment Supplies, Outsourcing Services, and Training.

Forming & Presswork

back to calendar

This feature looks at a wide range of services covering deformation and formation of wire, tubes and sheetmetal. Engineering Capacity will cover news from contractors skilled in processes such as: extrusion, bending, pressing, stamping & blanking, wire drawing, spinning, spring making, straightening, and thread rolling.

Heat Treatments

back to calendar

Engineers and metallurgists are continually finding new ways of modifying the properties of materials by applying heat during production processes. e.g. flame hardening, austempering. This feature uses news stories to profile the specialised services on offer to manufacturers.

Heavy Engineering

back to calendar

Few specialist suppliers have the large scale /heavy engineering capability to meet the needs of outsized contract manufacturing in a particular industry. Engineering Capacity features news and application stories from companies offering casting, forming, machining, welding, or fabrication services for unusually large/heavy products in metals and composites. Typical industry applications include: aerospace, rail, power generation, gas and wind turbines, oil & gas transmission, and marine engineering.

Honing, Drilling & Boring

back to calendar

Covering a wide range of specialist honing, boring and drilling techniques, including: deep hole work; gun drilling; cylinder, hollow bar and tube processing.

Interplas

back to calendar

A preview of subcontractors exhibiting at the Interplas the plastics and rubber exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham

Machined Components

back to calendar

News from companies that have invested in machining processes (i.e. chipping, planing and shaping metal). The wide scope of processes in this feature includes: Turning & boring; Drilling, tapping and hole making; Milling, broaching, sawing, filing; Abrasive machining processes (grinding, honing, lapping); Gear Manufacturing and gear cutting; Chemical (etching, photochemical machining); Electrochemical (de-plating, hole drilling); EDM and wire erosion.

MACH

back to calendar

A preview of MACH, NEC, Birmingham, the UK's largest exhibition for manufacturing technologies, featuring MACHplus exhibits from related industries.

Manufacturing Technology Ireland

back to calendar

A preview of Manufacturing Technology Ireland, Dublin.

Marine Engineering

back to calendar

The scope of this feature covers: Manufacture of components for oil and gas extraction; Ship/boat projects; Metallurgical testing; Corrosion protection; Design and construction of wind and tide turbines; Fabrications in metals and composite materials. Engineering Capacity also covers subcontractors exhibiting at Seawork, the largest commercial marine exhibition to be held in an European working port.

Medical Engineering

back to calendar

The manufacture of medical devices is one of the fastest growing high-tech industries. Subcontractors to this market have upgraded their service capability because product quality and reliability are literally a matter of life or death. News in this feature will describe the demanding standards of engineering capability required to supply surgical implants and instruments, items for medical research, laboratory equipment and general healthcare.

Midlands Manufacturing

back to calendar

A preview of subcontractors exhibiting at Midlands Manufacturing, Ricoh Arena, Coventry

North West Manufacturing

back to calendar

A preview of exhibitors at North West Manufacturing, Reebok Stadium, Bolton

Northern Manufacturing

back to calendar

A preview of Northern Manufacturing, Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield

Offshore Europe

back to calendar

A preview of subcontractors exhibiting in Aberdeen at Offshore Europe, the Eastern hemisphere’s largest oil industry event. The global oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) landscape is changing dramatically, with increased demand, rising recovery rates, ever more complex workflows, increased health and safety focus, and the challenge of recruitment and retention. We highlight the capabilities of contract manufacturers who are helping the industry leaders maximise recovery, extend field life, improve operations and best practise levels in a safe and sustainable manner.

Plastics Design & Moulding

back to calendar

A preview of subcontractors exhibiting at the PDM event for designers and producers of plastic products, at the International Centre, Telford

Plastic Parts, Moulds & Moulding

back to calendar

Engineering Capacity covers news from contract manufacturers and toolmakers in the plastics industry spanning pre-production layout/design through rapid prototyping, to mass production.Subcontract moulding capabilites are becoming highly specialised; From miniature parts to high-precision, multi-component, multi-material products that are injection-moulded in one operation. Typical processes include: Blow /Dip / Drape Moulding, EPS Expanded Polystyrene, Extrusion, Injection & Insert Injection Moulding, Line Bending, Pultrusion, Thermoforming, Vacuum Forming.

Precision Engineering

back to calendar

How do precision engineers develop the capability to produce a quality of work that is more accurate and repeatable? Engineering Capacity reports on the application of highly accurate, fine tolerance, engineering capability serves a wide range of manufacturing industries including motor sport, power generation and medical sectors.

Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing

back to calendar

Rapid manufacturing RM is about removing cost drivers and reducing time to market. This feature looks at companies using an amalgamation of the most recent technologies: CAD, reverse engineering, and additive layer manufacturing techniques to produce very complex geometries, without tooling, in a very short time. This feature also includes news from companies offering: Rapid prototyping services; Rapid tooling services; or Rapid casting.

Sheet Metal Working

back to calendar

Presswork, forming, fabrication and finishing technologies for sheet metal. Sheet/plate working (including punch presses, bending & forming). The production of metal parts including: swaging, extrusion, bending, pressing, stamping & blanking, spinning, thread rolling. This feature also includes the makers of the precision press tools and dies that serve this diverse, and growing, contract market.

Small & Micro Parts

back to calendar

This feature looks at the subcontract production of small-scale complex forms, including ultra-high precision machined and assembled parts.
Engineering Capacity is looking for news from contractors of small/miniature manufacturing techniques, ranging from traditional techniques (e.g. fineblanking, moulding, machining) to more advanced processes (e.g. ceramic & metal insert injection moulding, laser welding, electro- & photo-chemical machining, micro-moulding.
Medical/Biotechnology applications feature stongly with products including: implants, blades and pins.

Southern Manufacturing

back to calendar

News about the largest annual event dedicated to manufacturing in London and the South: Southern Manufacturing, Thorpe Park, Surrey.

Subcon

back to calendar

A preview of subcontractors exhibiting at the Subcon show, NEC Birmingham

Surface Treatments & Finishing

back to calendar

Usually a finishing process, but often an integral one, surface treatments add value and benefits such as: marking, protection; increased strength; removal of defects and decoration. This feature will present the latest news from contractors skilled in: cleaning, washing, degreasing; honing, nano-grinding and polishing; de-burring; shot blasting; anodising, coating, painting and plating; engraving, etching, pad/panel printing; annealing, chemical vapour deposition, hardening and tempering; thin film coating (dry/wet); as well as optical and textured finishes for tool steels.

Test, Measurement and Calibration Services

back to calendar

Calibration, Chemical Analysis / Metal Identification; Corrosion Resistance & Salt Spray; Dimension Inspection & Measurement
Electro Magnetic Compatibility EMC; Electronic Reliability; Failure Analysis / Expert Witness
Film & Coating Thickness; Flaw Detection / Non Destructive NDT; Hardness Testing; Pressure Testing; Proof Load & Drop Testing; Surface Texture; Wear & Abrasion Resistance; Weld Testing. Who is providing these

Tooling & Machinery

back to calendar

This feature showcases the work of the makers of tooling and machines, many of whom not only design and manufacture precision equipment, but offer trials and production services too. This feature covers essential production support services including: Mould and press tool making, die making; Fixtures and work holding devices; Tooling for volume production; Special purpose and customised tooling; Machine rebuilding, retrofitting, reconditioning, re-engineering and repair.

Time Compression Technologies

back to calendar

Engineering Capacity is interested in how subcontractors are using time compression technologies to increase the accuracy and flexibility of the manufacturing process; and also how companies are integrating the product development and manufacturing engineering functions. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) and Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies are being 'joined up' to form factory-wide integrated systems. Incremental innivations in CNC machining, robotics, automated material handling, and additive layer manufacturing techniques, are bringing about a new era of Inductrial evolution.
This feature will include a preview the TCT Conference and Exhibition.

Turning & Milling

back to calendar

Dramatic changes in technology over recent years have blurred the boundaries between machining centres and multi-axis, sub-spindle, CNC (sliding head and fixed head) machines. What are the latest developments within the traditionally strong and respected subcontracting sector of precision turned parts and machined components?