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Comment & Analysis
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Getting skilled is key to UK’s future in a global economy
20 Jul 2007
According to new research, 25% of small engineering firms can't afford to train their staff and 25% said they didn't have the time to look for suitable training options.
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There's no "one-size fits all" with corporate social responsibility
20 Jul 2007
There is no "one-size fits all" when it comes to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as activities and benefits are directly related to a company's core activity and the values of its people, says Arthur Richardson, Director, South West MAS.
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International emerging markets: Poland
15 Jul 2007
With a highly skilled, motivated and relatively low wage workforce. Poland is, in fact, a local-to-Europe competitor to China and other low wage economies.
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UK Skills gap continues to deteriorate warns IET
10 Jul 2007
The engineering and technology sector is facing a growing recruitment crisis and there is little confidence that the problem will improve in the short or medium term the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) warned today.
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Too many UK companies fail to see the point of history
09 Jul 2007
US companies take their corporate history far more seriously than most of their UK counterparts, according to a new study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
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MTA voices concern over bank’s latest interest rate hike
06 Jul 2007
The MTA has reacted with great concern over the fifth increase of interest rates in 11 months.
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Climate change fails to impact on holiday plans for executives in engineering sector
03 Jul 2007
Calls to cut the UK’s ‘carbon footprint’ are being ignored by managers in the engineering sector as they plan their annual summer getaway.
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Skills of 124,000 employees from 850 workplaces worth £20 billion to have one voice
03 Jul 2007
The UK Aerospace Skills Conference took place 4 July 2007, and had the aim of galvanising the UK aerospace industry to play a more active role in determining its future skills and training requirements.
Machined Components
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Unicut Combines 36 Tools on Single Cycle Operation Machining of Flow Control Valves
25 Jul 2007
Unicut Precision’s production engineering culture of implementing ‘one-hit’ single machining cycles on very complex components has won it a long-term contract to produce batches of 250 flow control bodies that caused concern even to the supplier of the machines on which the parts would be processed!
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Faulty parts reduced from 80% to 10%
19 Jul 2007
LitreMeter, based in Aylesbury, are renowned for manufacturing some of the best flow meters used across the world. However production reject rate due to burrs was a major headache, until they tried thermal deburring.
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Contract machinist relocates to £2.5 million facility
17 Jul 2007
PG Technology, has purchased a freehold premises close to its previous factory in Mitcham, Surrey, the move was completed on 1st July 2007.
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Mill-turn centre counters threat from eastern Europe
10 Jul 2007
The purchase by Surrey subcontractor, T&G Engineering, of an Okuma B-axis mill-turn centre in April 2007 was, according to director Peter Huntley, a direct result of downward pressure on prices mainly due to fierce competition from Romania and the Czech Republic.
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CNC machining at Ilford Engineering Company Limited.
06 Jul 2007
Ilford Engineering is having a new DMU CTX 310 ISM CNC Universal Lathe installed in summer 2007, with a maximum reach of 580 mm and a swing diameter of 330 mm above bed, which is ideally suited for smaller and medium size work-pieces.
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Large sheet metal parts inspected rapidly to high accuracy
04 Jul 2007
The UK’s leading independent aerospace contractor, Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace, is using the latest InspecVision Planar machine to be installed in the UK.
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Sliders are 40% more productive than fixed-head lathes
26 Jun 2007
Subcontractor, Stourbridge Turning and Grinding (STAG), currently utilises only half of its single- and multi-spindle auto capacity, as orders for large batches needed to justify their use are becoming increasingly scarce, and those that remain tend to go overseas.
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Castle automates tool tracking with Absolute Vision technology
26 Jun 2007
Castle Precision Engineering Ltd, based in Glasgow is one of the UK's largest Computer Numerical Control (CNC) independent machining sub contractors, and is investing in technology from Absolute Vision Ltd to improve the tracking and placement of tools throughout its factory as part of a larger company-wide automation exercise.
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Investment in the UK
25 Jun 2007
Indian based manufacturer Technical Products Corporation has just established a sales and distribution operation in the UK.
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High quality fabricated components sourced at lower costs
21 Jun 2007
Blue Diamond Technologies has now extended its scope to cover a wide range of fabricated metal items.
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Measuring Success
20 Jun 2007
A Taylor is one of 400 regional engineering or manufacturing companies provided with measuring solutions by Leeds College of Technology’s Metrology Centre.
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Acro Bolsters Precision Engineering Capability with Vertical Machining Technology
15 Jun 2007
For over 30 years, Catfield company Acro Precision Technology has made a name for itself as a leader in the field of precision turned parts. With its 24 hour unmanned machines, in recent years Acro has turned parts for the motor industry, the railway industry, the building sector and even the medical and technology sectors and has enjoyed considerable success whilst being focused purely on turned parts production.
Marine Engineering
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Diving into Productivity Improvements
01 Jul 2007
Apeks Marine Equipment Ltd, based in Blackburn has recently installed a Mikron machining centre and cutting tools from ITC.
News
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West Midlands EMC testing facility becomes authorised CB Testing Laboratory
18 Feb 2008
TÜV Product Service’s EMC testing laboratory at Bearley, near Stratford-upon-Avon, has become an IECEE accredited CB Testing Laboratory after an intensive audit and peer assessment programme by members of the CB scheme.
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UK First for Titanium Industry at the AMP
18 Feb 2008
Representatives from world-leading companies including; Airbus, Rolls-Royce Aerospace and TIMET are to speak at a major Titanium Symposium to be held at the Advanced Manufacturing Park this autumn.
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Online Registration Goes Live For MACH 2008
25 Jul 2007
Registration for MACH 2008 is now open.
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CA Models migrates to the Mori Seiki NT integrated Mill/Turn centre
25 Jul 2007
CA Models has been making prototypes, models and components for nearly 25 years at its factory in Stirling. Its principal customers are in the Formula 1, luxury car, oil and gas, and domestic appliance industries. The
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Work Smarter Not Just Harder
25 Jul 2007
As a leading supplier of metalworking fluids and coolant management services to the UK aerospace industry, FUCHS LUBRICANTS (UK) PLC will be holding a dedicated Aerospace Machining Seminar on Thursday 6th December 2007 at their impressive UK headquarters and production facility in Stoke-on-Trent.
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Complex Marine Valve Solution Created by One-hit Mill/Turn Cycles
25 Jul 2007
An important turn-key project to produce special development marine valve blocks out of 316 stainless steel with a three micron final bore tolerance and a complex network of intersecting compound angle holes for oil feed has been completed by Rodmatic Hytek of Reading.
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Flame Retardant, Laser-Sintered Plastic Takes Flight
25 Jul 2007
Components that have been rapid-manufactured by laser-sintering plastic powder directly from CAD models are being used routinely by a luxury commercial aircraft manufacturer in the USA.
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Titanium etching offers benefits to medical and aerospace markets
24 Jul 2007
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), designers and engineers across Europe can now utilise the cost-effective and flexible photo-chemical machining (PCM) process for the production of even more metal components.
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Website Engineered To Help Midlands Engineers
24 Jul 2007
MEIRG, the Midlands Engineering Redeployment Group, has updated its website – www.meirg.org.uk – to make finding information on engineering in the region more accessible.
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The Manufacturer Live appeals to every manager
24 Jul 2007
The Manufacturer LIVE is being held at the Ricoh Centre in Coventry and on the 17 and 18 October 2007. This content rich and dynamic event is designed to appeal to every manager in the manufacturing community.
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Slower demand for British-made goods with weaker export orders - CBI
24 Jul 2007
The growth in demand for UK manufactured goods has slowed slightly but remains firm, according to the latest quarterly survey of Industrial Trends published by the CBI on July 24.
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The future of manufacturing in the UK
24 Jul 2007
Innovative and award-winning Kent business Jali Home Designs (Jali) held their first inspirational factory visit for the Manufacturing Insights programme.
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TUC welcomes long awaited corporate killing law
23 Jul 2007
Welcoming the news on July 23 that the UK is to get a law on corporate killing, thanks to a last-minute compromise between the two Houses of Parliament, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
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Underrated UK manufacturing has a strong future
20 Jul 2007
Businesses that manufacture have a strong future in the UK, but Government policy has not caught up with the changing dynamics of the sector, the new CBI Manufacturing Council chairman said on July 20.
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The IET raise awareness of engineering apprenticeships for women through national award
20 Jul 2007
The IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) is now inviting entries for The IET Young Woman Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award, a unique award for the UK that promotes the value of apprenticeships and the highly skilled individuals that they produce.
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Warwick-based engineering firm is continuing to expand its business
20 Jul 2007
FNAQ Ltd has been operating from its premises on the Trojan Business Park in Warwick since 2004.
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Cymarc fights off overseas competition with Radan CAD/CAM technology
20 Jul 2007
Cheap imports and cut throat competition continue to put many of the UK’s traditional metalworking companies under extreme pressure. So, when Cymarc Engineering faced the loss of several key orders through the Rover Group’s collapse two years ago, its outlook appeared particularly bleak.
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Grand-daughter of T.S. Harrison visits Heckmondwike plant
18 Jul 2007
The grand-daughter of Yorkshire lathe company founder Mr T. S. Harrison, marked her 90th birthday with a VIP visit to the world-famous machine tool manufacturer’s (Colchester-Harrison) Heckmondwike plant.
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New autosport and aerospace show takes off at Farnborough
18 Jul 2007
The organiser of the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show, ETES, has announced the launch of a brand new show, Auto Aero Farnborough 08.
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Forgemasters urge flood action as operations near full production
18 Jul 2007
Sheffield Forgemasters is nearing full production three weeks after a six-foot torrent of water swept through the vast 64 acre Brightside Lane site, shutting the entire operation down.
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Career in engineering – just ask Eric?
16 Jul 2007
MEIRG, the Midlands Engineering Industries Redeployment Group, attended two events recently to help encourage young people into engineering.
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South West MAS hits £35 million mark on fifth birthday
10 Jul 2007
The South West Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), an organisation that has become crucial to the success of hundreds of manufacturers in the region, is celebrating its fifth anniversary and the news that it has helped manufacturers create £35 million of increased value for their businesses.
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Business and Enterprise Secretary visits Forgemasters
10 Jul 2007
John Hutton, business and enterprise secretary for Gordon Brown’s new government has visited Sheffield Forgemasters on a post-flood fact-finding mission.
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EMO Hannover 2007 will top previous event
10 Jul 2007
EMO Hannover will top the previous event in terms of size, diversity, and international flair. More than 2,000 exhibitors from 41 countries have registered for EMO Hannover 2007 from 17-22 September.
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New venue means growth for Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2008
09 Jul 2007
The Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show has announced a change of venue for 2008.
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TCT 2007 Rapid Manufacturing Conference
06 Jul 2007
The TCT 2007 Conference on Rapid Manufacturing (RM) has now been finalised and boasts an impressive range of presentations covering all aspects of Rapid Manufacturing across a broad spectrum of industry sectors.
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Top accolade for university of Leicester engineer
06 Jul 2007
A professor from the University of Leicester who has developed metal alloys you can spread like butter has been honoured with the highest accolade in her discipline.
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Output boost for Corus tubes energy business
03 Jul 2007
Corus Tubes Energy Business, a business unit of Corus Group, is experiencing record levels of productivity at its world leading pipe mills in Hartlepool following the introduction of its Continuous Improvement Programme (CIP).
People
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Tim Moore is the new face at the TUC in the North West
18 Feb 2008
TUC policy in the North West has a new face. Tim Moore has taken up the post of regional policy officer for North West TUC.
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New President for EEF for Wales/South West of England
01 Jul 2007
Gareth Jenkins, MD of Llantrisant-based, FSG Tool & Die Ltd, has been appointed President of the Wales and South West of England section of the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF).
Plastic Parts, Mould and Moulding
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Midas Process Used to Form Ergonomic Slitting Machine Control Panels
19 Jul 2007
Polyurethane mouldings designed by Product Partners using Midas Pattern Company’s specifically developed, low cost, Metallised Resin Injection Moulding process have provided end user, Bobst Atlas, with two ergonomic, aesthetically pleasing, cost reduced control panels for slitting machines used in the packaging industry.
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Sodick EDM Helps Die Manufacturer Diversify into New Sectors
15 Jul 2007
The Potteries Die Co Ltd, a manufacturer of moulds and press tool equipment with a strong reputation in specialists dies for advanced ceramics, has purchased additional Sodick EDM machines from Sodi-Tech EDM.
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Barkston takes competitive edge with £1/4m new technology investment
11 Jul 2007
Barkston Plastics Engineering Ltd, has established a niche for itself in the international market place by investing £1/4m in laser welding facilities.
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Wire EDMs with Linear Drives Cut Cycle Times by 25%
01 Jul 2007
A rapidly expanding plastic injection mould tool manufacturer, Ryetools Ltd is using two high specification Sodick wire EDM machines featuring linear drives to cut cycle times by 25 per cent and compete not just with other UK competitors but also with overseas rivals.
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Sandvik Coromant to demonstrate costs savings examples introduced in the manufacturing and processes of several aerospace companies
01 Jul 2007
Like all manufacturers, aircraft component manufacturers want increased throughput and greater profitability delivered through shorter cycle times and quicker tool changes.
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Quadrant CMS Launches Patented Thin Film Fluoropolymer Technology (TFFT) in Europe
01 Jul 2007
Quadrant Creative Moulding & Systems (Quadrant CMS) has developed and patented a new technology to bond a thin strip of PTFE with a thermoplastic carrier in a single step overmoulding process.
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UK Thermoformers updated on R&D software project
01 Jul 2007
On 3 July thermoforming manufacturers and others in the supply chain met at PERA’s Melton Mowbray HQ for a demonstration and the chance to comment on the latest development of new mould design and manufacturing software being created as part of the T-ForM project.
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Polymer Cluster puts Spring into local business
01 Jul 2007
The UK’s leading change agent for local plastics and rubber industry development, the Polymer Cluster for the West Midlands has published its Spring newsletter - featuring details of new resources, local success stories and outward bound assistance for local businesses to go to the world's leading plastics exhibition, K 2007, held in Dusseldorf this autumn.
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Sodick Helps Sports Mouthguard Creator Cross the Finish Line First
01 Jul 2007
OPRO has developed a ‘boil and bite’ mouthguard that embodies many of the qualities of its Custom-Fit version, but that can be fitted by the user themselves at home. OPRO approached plastics moulding specialists, Euromoulds, based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, to manufacture the new product.
Small and Micro Parts
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Toolmaker Boosts Productivity with Machined Bolsters from DMS-Diemould
01 Jul 2007
A Sussex toolmaker is using specially machined bolsters from DMS-Diemould for high profile injection mould tools – including a recently supplied pre-toughened stainless steel bolster for a highly complicated jar cap mould for a household name brand of coffee.
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Nanotube formation captured on video
02 Mar 2007
A Cambridge-led international collaboration has successfully produced real-time video footage that sheds new light on how carbon nanotubes, 10,000 times smaller in dimater than a human hair, nucleate.
