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Recent Features
Get up to speed with rapid manufacturing (and focus on the fine detail of micro machining)
20 Aug 2008
Registration is now open for TCT 2008, the only UK event focused on rapid product development and rapid manufacturing technologies. The event takes place on 21 and 22 October at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, and is joined by a new sister event – MM Live – that concentrates on the fast-moving and upcoming area of micro manufacturing.
Supertube sets off for London
13 Aug 2008
Deepdale Engineering Company Ltd has completed and despatched a 20m long, 2.2m diameter section of monopile tube for a Central London rail project. The 40mm thick carbon steel tube was cold rolled and automatic submerged arc welded at Deepdale’s engineering and fabrications unit in Dudley.
Taking the load off blue chip customers
30 Jul 2008
The past 12 months have seen the successful launch of a new contracts division at Barker Collins (exhibiting at Subcon on Stand F13). Three major contracts, with a combined value of £1.5m a year have been won as blue chip clients have taken advantage of the opportunity to set up a contract cell within Barker Collins to alleviate in-house overload problems.
Machining and worldwide sourcing
30 Jul 2008
Exhibiting at Subcon on Stand F4, Mini Gears Ltd has transformed itself from being a specialist gear manufacturer to a company that now offers a full range of machining capacity at its UK factory and plus an extended product range through its global sourcing division Components Worldwide Ltd that includes machined parts, gears, castings, forgings, stampings and fabrications.
Digital prototyping – is it for me?
18 Jun 2008
3D digital prototyping software can revolutionise a manufacturing operation – small business must wake up and smell the profits, says Mark Mills of Micro Concepts. You never forget the first time you see the magic of 3D digital prototyping in action, he says, you feel like a short-sighted person putting on glasses for the first time.
Why buy a dog and bark yourself?
05 Jun 2008
“I cannot see the point of investing in accurate and repeatable CNC machine tools and then checking the components they produce by hand,” says Nick Groom of Qualiturn. “You simply take the risk of human error out of the machining process only to reintroduce it in the quality control department.”
Auto quality standard for Profin
07 Apr 2008
Midlands-based metal finishing company Profin Protective Finishing has now achieved accreditation to the only globally recognized automotive quality standard ISO TS 16949. The approval covers Profin’s full range of services and complements recent investment in expanding the company’s powder coating capability to include larger components.
Moving up to the Premier league
03 Apr 2008
Premier Deep Hole Drilling has extended both its machine capacity and its capabilities with the investment in 4m and 3m bed length ejector drilling machines with the ability to drill up to 250mm diameter.
Electrolytic deburring does five jobs in one
15 Mar 2008
A new electrolytic process for deburring and polishing will make its debut at MACH 2008. Extrude Hone’s CoolPulse technology combines deburring, polishing, stress relieving, cleaning and passivation in one finishing process. Workpieces are not subjected to any mechanical or thermal stresses, and the technique is a highly efficient production process.
5-axis machining of A380 wing components
13 Mar 2008
A five-axis horizontal machining centre is helping Magellan Aerospace UK cut cycle times and eliminated fettling operations on false rear spar trailing edges for the Airbus A380. The twin-pallet, EcoSpeed F HT system from DS Technology (UK) allows faster cutting cycles and parts are completed in just two clampings rather than three or four separate operations on two different machines.
Merc takes on a bright future
13 Mar 2008
Lancashire subcontractor Merc Engineering has acquired Nelson-based Bright Spark Precision Engineering. Merc has seen 30% annual growth over the past three to four years and was keen to take up the opportunity when Bright Spark came on the market.
Robots speed up production at MSP
13 Mar 2008
Precision turned parts manufacturer MSP Ltd has increased its production by 15% on a single shift after taking delivery of a Denso 4-axis machine-tending robot from AA Robotics. The robot loads and unloads components from pallets and holds them while sensors, which measure height and diameter, check their quality.
JHE adds more mill-turning productivity
06 Mar 2008
Aerospace machining specialist John Huddleston Engineering (JHE) has installed a fourth Nakamura-Tome WT-300 twin-spindle, twin-turret turning centre at its Blackpool facility. As with JHE’s three existing WT-300s this will be used to produce complex mill-turned components such as locking pins and wheel nuts from hardened and tempered high strength steels.
Wealdpark feels the benefit as cam autos get the boot
06 Mar 2008
St Helens based turned parts subcontractor Wealdpark Ltd has installed a Miyano CNC lathe as part of a systematic replacement of 50 single-spindle cam automatics. Until now the company has focused on replacing the old machines up to 32mm with sliding head machines. Now as it moves to replace the larger machines it is moving to fixed head lathes.
NPL aims for pole position
06 Mar 2008
Nuneaton-based NPL Technologies has invested in a new Edel CYPORT CP 5030 5-Axis Gantry Mill with a 8000mm by 3000mm table that it hopes will put it in pole position to win more F1, automotive and aerospace work. It has also invested in a fourth secure, on-site studio, equipped with a larger work table and larger measuring facilities to offer greater flexibility.
Murray keeps the gears turning for Westland
21 Feb 2008
Based in Hayes, Middlesex, Murray Productions is direct supplier to leading aerospace companies that include GE Aviation and AgustaWestland. The majority of the work that Murray Productions is currently doing for Westland is parts such as liners, bushes, plugs and inserts for the repair and maintenance of helicopter gearboxes.
MFG.com saves Servocell time and money
14 Feb 2008
A Harlow company has solved a sourcing headache by turning to MFG.com, the global manufacturing marketplace. Servocell applies piezo-based actuator technology to produce a range of innovative electromechanical locks and gas valves, and using MFG.com, it sourced two battery to PCB contact terminals from Hong-Kong based Oasis Manufacturing. The components are simple phosphor bronze progression pressings.
Protool invests in winning Objet lessons
01 Feb 2008
Tool maker Protool Manufacturing is investing further in its rapid prototyping services by adopting more technology from the award-winning company, Objet Geometries Ltd.
CNES upgrades rolling mill
20 Jan 2008
Corus Northern Engineering Services (CNES) has completed a rolling mill replacement project at Spartan UK’s steel mill in Gateshead that includes new roller tables, base and side guide frames. Previously the ingoing and outgoing roller tables were becoming loose and breaking, causing unplanned downtime.
At the convenience of T5 travellers
17 Jan 2008
Two Scottish companies working in partnership have contributed to meeting the essential needs of travellers who will be using Terminal 5 at Heathrow. Visitors to the toilets at Terminal 5, when it opens, will be able to admire the high quality interiors that were produced by Edinburgh based Grant Westfield supported by Glenrothes-based sheet metal manufacturer Phoenix Precision
DavyMarkham wins conservation award
12 Jan 2008
Sheffield heavy engineering company, DavyMarkham, has been recognised in the Institution Of Civil Engineers’ distinguished Historic Bridges & Infrastructures Awards 2007, for its restoration of Hull’s historic Wellington Street swing bridge.
Arrow aims to cut down on DVT
10 Jan 2008
Arrow Medical Ltd has provided product development, production engineering services, assembly and distribution support to Medical Devices Technology International (MTDI) for the new Physio-Master, a self-inflating precision foot cushion that can reduce the risks of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).
Forgemasters cast biggest ever ingot in UK
10 Jan 2008
Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL) has cast its first ever 300 tonne ingot using a unique new ingot mould. The giant ingot is the biggest forging Ingot Forgemasters has ever produced, and will be forged into a large steel rolls for use in the huge steel-plate producing mills of India and East Asia.
Evenwood invests again in laser cutting
03 Jan 2008
Evenwood Industries Ltd has continued its recent investment programme with the purchase of another Trumpf TruLaser 3530 2D laser cutting system. The investment was made in response to growing demand from its customer base and will allow the company to meet future demand and provide capacity to take advantage of new business opportunities.
Stevens Rowsell looks to lean
07 Dec 2007
Following the installation of its new 4kW lase cell, Stevens Rowsell & Co is installing new production space and implementing lean training for its employees.
Crucible and Midas put Oxford’s vision on the benchtop
04 Dec 2007
When Oxford Instruments embarked on the development of its new MQC benchtop NMR analyser, the company knew exactly what it wanted to achieve. So it turned to designer Crucible Industrial Design and precision toolmaker Midas Pattern Company to help make it a reality.
Davromatic develops real-time in-process QC for mill-turned sliding head components
04 Dec 2007
Turned parts subcontractor, Davromatic Precision, has achieved what it believes to be a world first by developing a measuring system for real-time, in-process quality control of components as they are mill-turned on its multi-axis CNC sliding-headstock lathes.
Parker signs Carville for pen parts
03 Dec 2007
Some of the acrylic barrels and caps for Parker Pen Company’s world famous writing instruments are being machined by Dorking-based contract supplier, Carville.
Hutchinson boosts laser power
03 Dec 2007
To help cope increasing demand, Coleraine-based Hutchinson Engineering has installed an 4kW Amada CNC laser cutting machine with automated loading and unloading – and it will soon take delivery of another.
Bandsaw investment helps Timet’s JIT delivery
01 Dec 2007
Growth in the aerospace and medical sectors is fuelling demand for titanium, prompting major suppliers to invest in more efficient saws to cut and trim plate destined for customers.
