Engineering Capacity July 2020 Digital Edition

FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS

INDUSTRY NEWS | AEROSPACE | CASTING | TURNED PARTS

Bespoke equipment enclosures and structures: complete solutions from ICEE Managed Services See story on page 30

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July 2020

FOR BUYERS OF CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES Visit our online edition for breaking news, jobs, events, features and searchable directory. www.engineeringcapacity.com Editor: Andy Sandford editor@engineeringcapacity.com Sales Manager: Arfan Qureshi sales@engineeringcapacity.com Tel: 0207 241 4627 Graphic Design: Dave Blake blakey@djbdesign.co.uk Printer: Holbrooks Printers Limited Norway Road, Portsmouth PO3 5HX Engineering Capacity is published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November SUBSCRIPTIONS Engineering Capacity is available free of charge to UK buyers and suppliers of subcontract manufacturing services.

For non-qualifying readers, annual subscription rates are as follows for 6 issues posted to addresses in: UK £60.00; Europe £80; Rest of the World £100 You can request your copy and sign up to our free weekly email newsletter on our website or contact us via subscriptions@engineeringcapacity.com www.engineeringcapacity.com Tel: O1737 270 648 Published by: Engineering Capacity Ltd Abbey House, 25 Clarendon Road Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QZ United Kingdom Registered in England company no. 10567217 ISSN 0306-0179 COMING UP IN OUR SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE Machined Components, Waterjet & Laser Cutting, Automotive, Moulding Please send editorial for consideration to editor@engineeringcapacity.com There is no charge or cost involved with having your editorial included in the magazine or on our website Front cover: Picture courtesy of Brompton Bike Hire

Editor’s View In a sign that some degree of normality is returning, I’m delighted that this issue of Engineering Capacity is back in print rather than just being digital.

Although manufacturing has taken an unprecedented hit in the past few months, there are encouraging signs for those that look for them.

The latest Contract Manufacturing Index, which we report on in this issue, shows that there was a clear uptick in business in June.

There are a number of reasons for this, not least the release of pent-up demand as companies who shut down started opening up the shutters again.

A survey by SteelScout, which we also report on in this issue, showed that 62% of respondents reported having orders waiting to be fulfilled once lockdown rules were eased.

Alas, some shutters will not be re-opening and, sad though that is, it means that buyers are in the process of trying to rebuild their broken supply chains – looking for new preferred suppliers and focusing more and more on dual sourcing and reshoring.

To do that we need to make sure we have a skilled workforce that can take up the opportunities that reshoring brings. The example on page 18 of what the UK castings industry has done to take matters into its own hands is inspiring. But self-help needs a helping hand, so it is very gratifying to see the funding that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced to support high-quality traineeships and companies that take on apprentices.

Of course, another argument for reshoring is the carbon footprint of extended global supply chains. I hope you have noticed that we have made a small contribution to reducing Engineering Capacity’s carbon footprint by changing our wrappers from plastic to a compostable starch-based material. Please remember to take the magazine out and read it before you put the bag in the garden waste though!

Andy Sandford, Editor

Member of the Engineering Industries Association

JULY 2020

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Contents July 2020

18 CASTING & FORGING

News

Features

06 Positive signs for subcontracting 06 Latest figures point to

12 Aerospace & Defence 06 Fuselage parts for 500 aircraft

reshoring hopes

18 Casting & Forging 06 Rebuilding training for the casting sector

08 Subcon to run with MACH 06 Show now postponed to 2021 08 Showcase for innovators 06 Advanced Engineering on

22 TURNED PARTS

lookout for disruptor start-ups

19 Profile: The Engineering Quest 22 Turned Parts 06 Turning up medical work

09 Manufacturers optimistic 06 Companies have a backlog

28 Automation

of orders to fulfil

32 Forming & Fabrication 06 Linking the lochs

10 Show moves to avoid clash 06 Southern Manufacturing will be held in April 2021

36 Supply Chain

32 FORMING & FABRICATION 4

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38 Composites

JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS

Adventuring beneath the waves Stainless Metalcraft has provided key pressure hull components for a new leisure submersible that will bring thrilling panoramic underwater exploration within reach for tourists and marine enthusiasts alike.

Metalcraft supplied the forward and aft hemispheres, hull rings, forward and aft hatches, large battery pods and smaller trim tanks for the Triton DeepView 24 submersible, which successfully completed its safety tests in Barcelona last month.

Triton’s DeepView 24 is specifically designed for the commercial tourist market and is capable of carrying up to 24 passengers plus crew to depths of 100m (328-feet) below the surface of the sea, offering an unforgettable underwater adventure from the comfort of a quiet, air-conditioned interior.

Kelvin Boyce, technical manager at Metalcraft, said: “Working on the Triton DeepView 24 was a technically-challenging but inspiring project. Metalcraft has over 25 years of experience designing and making pressure hulls and related equipment for submersibles that are used for recreational, civil and submarine rescue globally, and we’ve developed a number of specialist manufacturing techniques in that time.

“The project took around 10 months to complete but, due to its design for human occupancy, it required heightened dimensional JULY 2020

accuracy, design calculation and control of shrinkage that occurs when projects require large volumes of welding.

“The interaction and communication between our engineering team, technicians and the team at Triton was crucial to ensuring success but we have developed strong working relationships over the years, so any issues were quickly dealt with.”

Patrick Lahey, President at Triton Submarines, added: “We’re delighted that the Triton DeepView 24 submersible has passed its safety tests and we look forward to it arriving in Asia and entering service later this year.”

“Safety is our number one priority. The pressure hull

components must be fabricated to the highest of standards, and meet the critical tolerances demanded by the classification society, DNVGL. The quality of the final product delivered by Metalcraft has once again met our expectations.”

“This new range of submersibles offers a fantastic opportunity for guests to engage with the ocean in a unique, safe and comfortable environment. As the most significant tourism submersible launch in the last two decades, we look forward to future collaborations with Metalcraft in creating important opportunities for hospitality companies in market differentiation and revenue generation worldwide.”

8 metalcraft.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity

Positive signs for subcontracting The effects of the Covid-19 shutdown saw the market for subcontracting fall by an unprecedented 56% in the second quarter of 2020, according to the latest Contract Manufacturing Index (CMI), but with June showing signs of recovery the outlook is more positive.

The CMI for Q2 2020 stood at 49, compared to 112 in Q1 2020. The baseline figure of 100 represents the average value of the subcontract manufacturing market between 2014 and 2018.

Both machining and fabrication took a heavy hit – down 68% and 60% respectively on the previous quarter. Other processes, which include plastic moulding and electronic assembly, saw a much more modest fall of just 3% and accounted for 26% of the total market.

The market that suffered the most was Oil/Chemical/Energy – down by 90%, with Automotive, Food & Beverage, Construction and Heavy Vehicles/Construction Equipment also dropping sharply.

From a low base, Agriculture

A new initiative designed to build UK industrial capability and increase reshoring has got off to a flying start after £625,000 of orders were placed in the first few weeks.

UK Manufacturing Unite (#UkMfgUnite) has been launched in response to the

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We anticipate a continuing improvement in the third quarter as buyers have told us that they are looking at new projects, carrying out complete reviews of their preferred suppliers, and reshoring manufacturing

‘‘

saw a big rise, while Furniture, Medical and Pump & Valve showed healthy growth.

Commenting on the figures, Qimtek owner Karl Wigart said: “While business was obviously

down during the months of April & May, when both machining and fabrication were hit hard, things started to pick up in June.

“We anticipate a continuing improvement in the third quarter as buyers have told us that they are looking at new projects, carrying out complete reviews of their preferred suppliers, and reshoring manufacturing.

“All in all, the outlook appears to be positive for those UK subcontractors that are in a position to take advantage of this.”

8 qimtek.co.uk

Manufacturers United national effort to produce more critical components and essential equipment at home and is the first step in the sector’s fightback against the damaging effects of Covid-19. Created and run by manufacturers for

manufacturers, the movement is urging more firms to come together to collaborate, share practice and find practical solutions for developing domestic supply chains.

8 ukmfgunite.co.uk

JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Subcontractor GB Precision has invested in a Stratasys F370 3D printer to tackle a range of tasks, from in-house ‘specials’ to fixturing for machining and measuring customer components.

The company, which specialises in low-volume, high value, high accuracy work for sectors such as aerospace and motor sport, has been considering such an investment for several years. As Director, Paul Turner, comments; “It was obvious some time ago that 3D printing could be applicable to various aspects of precision engineering, but we had felt the technology was not quite there. When we saw the Stratasys F370, we decided that moment had arrived for us to see for ourselves what we could do with the technology.”

Several features of the F370 recommended themselves to GB Precision, firstly the large build tray (355 x 254 x 355 mm) providing the ability to create relatively large components, the wide (and expanding) range of materials available, and the four material bays, ensuring uninterrupted long build runs.

As Paul explains further; “As with every new technology, we find that you really need to have it installed on your own shop floor to start to understand what it can do for your business.”

“As soon as the machine was up and running we found we had a list of items we wanted to create on it, the first of which was fixturing. Because a lot of our work is for short run components, JULY 2020

Machinist adds 3D print

our fixturing tends to be bespoke and specific to each job – the F370 has proved ideal for this.

Then there were some niggling issues with a couple of our machine tools that had been irritating us for a while, but for which there had been no simple cost-effective solution. One of these was the need for a collar connection between an extractor pipe and a machine, the other was for a simple but very particular waste grille, again the F370 enabled us to create a bespoke item that provided the ideal answer in each case.”

So far, the 3D printer has been used to support GB’s customer tasks mainly in the creation of fixturing, but the company believes that there could, in the future, be a role for the F370 in creating components as well – particularly in conjunction with more traditional machining methodologies. As Paul says, “The trick is to get the balance right – to use the optimum combination of methodologies for each task. We see 3D printing as providing a really useful addition to our machine shop.

It isn’t going to change everything we do, but it will enable us to do some existing tasks in a new and better way and do some things we cannot now do at all. Although, at the moment we are still very much on a learning curve, we are very excited with the opportunities we see opening up.”

8 gbprecision.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Subcon has now been postponed until January 26 -28, 2021 and will run alongside MACH 2021 at the NEC, Birmingham.

MA Exhibitions Limited, which owns and runs Subcon, The Engineer Expo and The Manufacturing Management Show, have taken the decision to reschedule the event from September 28 -30 to January 26 -28, 2021.

The shows will now run in Halls 7 & 8 at the NEC Birmingham, running alongside MACH 2021 as well as Air Tech, Fluid Power & Systems, Drives & Controls, Plant & Asset Management and Smart Industry Expo.

MA Exhibitions said: “As organisers, our absolute priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of all of our exhibitors, visitors and staff. It is our view

The Advanced Engineering show, which runs on 4 and 5 November at the NEC, Birmingham, is on the hunt for ground-breaking start-ups to showcase their latest products and inventions as part of its Enabling Innovation Zone.

The Zone is dedicated to the disruptive technology that could revolutionise sectors including mobility, propulsion, health, climate, or the speed and efficiency of advanced manufacturing.

The show will attract exhibitors and visitors from all engineering sectors, allowing start-ups to showcase their innovations to a broad and

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Subcon to run with MACH

that the new January dates will enable us to deliver the best possible event experience for everyone involved.”

Subcon will once again be co-located with The Engineer

Expo and new for 2021, they will also be joined by the Manufacturing Management Show. All visitors will benefit from free access to all three events.

8 subconshow.co.uk

Showcase for innovators diverse range of decision makers.

In fact, Advanced Engineering hosts multiple shows all under one roof, dedicated to different but parallel sectors of manufacturing, including aerospace, automotive, composites, performance metals, and connected manufacturing.

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to display their tech in the Enabling Innovation Zone, free of charge. They will receive a branded plinth, along with full digital marketing and PR support before, during and after the show, including space in the show’s catalogue,

as well as on its website and social media. This will allow emerging companies to reach thousands of potential customers and network with leading industry players, top UK tech companies, and potential investment partners.

During the show, each start-up will present their innovation to a panel of leaders from the engineering sector.

The winner will be announced before the show’s closure and will be granted a full stand, free of charge, in the following year’s edition.

8 advancedengineeringuk.com

JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Manufacturing industry is optimistic for recovery from COVID-19 despite supply chain concerns, says a new SteelScout survey, but new working practices are here to stay.

One key driver behind the confidence in recovery is that 62% of respondents reported having orders waiting to be fulfilled once lockdown rules were eased. The orders on hold within SteelScout’s survey base of 100 people exceeded £17m in value.

Manufacturers optimistic The survey demonstrated that it has been a tough few months for the sector, with more than half of respondents reporting that they have been working at a reduced capacity or with some staff furloughed. More than 10% of respondents reported whole companies being mothballed and all staff furloughed.

Almost 80% of those surveyed

reported that they have adopted new working practices to deal with rules and guidelines around lockdown in the UK. The most common change was remote working, which was used by 49% of those surveyed. Video conferencing, flexible hours and instant messaging have also helped to navigate the impact of COVID-19.

8 steelscout.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity

Show move avoids clash Southern Manufacturing & Electronics has confirmed that it will be moving from its February slot to April to cut overcrowding in the show calendar at the beginning of the year.

The show will now take place at Farnborough International next year on 20, 21 and 22 April 2021.

The rescheduling allows it to avoid conflicting with other events postponed from 2020, nd to provide the greatest benefit to visitors and exhibitors as they bounce back from the effects of lockdown.

Show director, Phil Valentine said; “The first quarter of the exhibition calendar in 2021 is crowded with events postponed from their 2020 show dates and inevitably this means difficult decisions for exhibitors and visitors alike about how to maximise return on their time and

The Swiss high precision manufacturing trade show, EPHJ, is back on track and will now take place from 15 to 18 September this year. The organisers say that it is essential that we now begin to prepare for the future.

The show was originally due to take place in June but has been postponed due to Covid-19. It is the largest annual trade fair for the watchmaking, jewellery, and

10

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investment over the challenging months ahead.

“Consequently, and in conjunction with Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, we’ve taken the decision to move the event to April 2021. We believe this decision will allow the show to take place under much more favourable economic and social conditions while also enabling all concerned to plan more effectively towards

achieving a rewarding and successful event.”

The floorplan of Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2021 will remain unchanged.

Unprecedented re-bookings following the record-breaking 2020 exhibition mean the show is already close to capacity.

However, some space still remains for firms wishing to take part in one of the UK’s top engineering exhibitions.

8 industrysouth.co.uk

EPHJ back on track for 2020 micro and medical technologies sectors in Switzerland and is held at Palexpo in Geneva.

“We have held widespread discussions over the past few weeks with numerous exhibitors”, explains Alexandre Catton, Director of the EPHJ Trade Show.

“Some of them believe that the situation is difficult and that the market trend, the persistent

uncertainties and the potential fall in footfall mean that they should concentrate on other priorities. For others, the majority, the desire is a return to normality; for them, to be able to present their innovations and to meet clients and prospective customers at the Trade Show is a priority.”

8 ephj.ch/en

JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | PEOPLE

Trade Leads from the EIA The following FREE OF CHARGE trade leads for the UK engineering industry are currently appearing on the Trade Board pages of the Engineering Industries Association at www.eia.co.uk

Rob Holmes has Hardide Coatings as VP Aerospace. He joins from Nasmyth Group, where he spent ten years, and will be responsible for developing opportunities in the aerospace and defence sectors for Hardide’s nanostructured tungsten carbide and tungsten metal matrix composite coatings.

Glyn Jones is the new Chair of the Made Smarter North West adoption pilot. Glyn was born in Cheshire, educated in Liverpool and worked at BAE Systems in Lancashire for 30 years, working on programmes including the F-35 Lightning II and Eurofighter Typhoon.

JULY 2020

Andrew Bowyer has been appointed by Close Brothers Asset Finance to lead the vendor development programme for the Finance for Industry team. He has 20 years’ experience in asset finance, with the last six spent at a major French funder.

Nick Harrison is a new partner at management consultancy Vendigital. With over 20 years’ consulting experience, latterly at KPMG, he will focus on enabling clients in the industrial products sector to address disruption by utilising emerging technologies and using data to drive performance.

Smart fuel cap A Macedonian company has developed a smart fuel cap that records the fuel amount poured into the truck’s tank and provides fuel usage information and analytics. It is looking for partners for commercial agreement with technical assistance.

Reference: JV1415 Closing Date: 20/08/2020 Solar panel cleaning An institute from Latvia has developed a technology for automatic cleaning of solar panels.

Technology relates to electrical engineering, namely - to semiconductor devices formed as panels, that convert solar energy into electrical. Technology has been designed to increase the efficiency of work of solar cells. It is looking for commercial agreement with technical assistance.

Reference: JV1418 Closing Date: 05/09/2020 Wet and dry blasting A Northern Ireland company that designs and assembles abrasive blasting equipment for multiple industrial and commercial markets is looking for distributors throughout Europe.

Reference: JV1421 Closing Date: 16/09/2020 For more information please email head.office@eia.co.uk quoting reference number.

Please remember to use due diligence in responding to Trade Leads. Engineering Capacity provides you with the above information in good faith, but is unable to accept any responsibility or legal liability arising from any use of these leads.

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Engineering Capacity

Improved hardness accuracy NMB Minebea UK, which manufactures a variety of cold formed parts for aerospace and military, including bearings and landing gear, has installed a new hardness testing machine.

Supplied by Bowers Group, the Innovatest Falcon 507 Vickers, Knoop & Brinell Hardness Tester has enabled NMB Minebea UK Ltd to increase its Proficiency Testing Program (PTP) testing results from Class 3 to Class 1, deliver a faster turnaround of samples, and dramatically increase the accuracy of the tests carried out.

Staff had previously used an old, manual Vickers hardness tester. Despite having performed well for many years, operators found that readings were beginning to drift and were gradually moving towards being outside of the accepted range. In addition, the old hardness tester made testing a fairly slow process; it was awkward to use and difficult to train people on.

Jason Woodhouse, Laboratory Manager at NMB Minebea UK said: “Since investing in the Falcon, the accuracy of our hardness testing has improved by 60%. It’s not just accurate, it’s really simple and easy to use too.”

NMB Minebea UK carries out a variety of performance tests in its dedicated metallurgical lab.

Precise and accurate hardness measurement is of the upmost importance to performance critical parts made using the cold form process. Hardness needs to 12

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be accurately measured to prevent fracture during the cold form process, which can result in components having to be scrapped, and also damage to the dies and tooling on machines.

Jason Woodhouse continued: “We chose the Falcon 507 because it offered us all the features we needed at the right price. It was the perfect balance for us. Most people in the metallurgy lab use the hardness tester anything from once a day, to several times, depending on the demands of the current project.”

Testing for aerospace companies and their supply chains must be carried out in accordance with a Proficiency Testing Program (PTP), which refer to a series of tests established by a number of aerospace firms including Airbus, Safran, GE, MTU, GKN, Airbus Helicopters and Rolls Royce in order to qualify laboratories around the world on the basis of ISO 13528:2015 standard.

NMB Minebea UK Ltd can now test to ASTM and British Standards on the hardness tester, validate paperwork, and export all results to Microsoft Windows. To ensure the hardness tester is as accurate as it can be it is calibrated by an external company every 6 months. As part of NMB Minebea UK Ltd’s Nadcap accreditation certain specifications must be met, and daily tests are undertaken to ensure the machine is functioning accurately.

NMB Minebea UK Ltd also have some dimensional metrology equipment from Bowers Group including 3 point gauges used for bore measurements, stick micrometers and thread micrometers.

NMB Minebea UK Ltd is Nadcap Accredited and works to AS/EN 9100 Series (Aerospace), ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management).

8 nmb-minebea.co.uk JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Kaman UK has now delivered 80,000 rear fuselage packers to BAE Systems for its F-35 manufacturing programme. These parts along with 1,000 plenum ducts have been used in the manufacture of over 500 aircraft.

The supply started in 2003 and is part of a long-term partnership between the companies for the manufacture and supply for multiple aircraft platforms, such as Typhoon, Hawk, Tornado and Harrier AV-8B, of a wide range of metallics, composites and ground support equipment.

These include plenum ducts, chemical treatments, landing gear doors, rudders, over-wing panels, ailerons, blanking plugs,

Fuselage parts for 500 aircraft

canopy removal tools and various other complex assemblies for wing and fuselage.

Kaman UK first began working with BAE Systems in 1951 under its predecessor company, English Electric Company. This covers a wide range of ongoing and legacy programmes such as Javelin, Buccaneer, Harrier and Tornado

and today the Hawk and its variants, Typhoon and the F-35.

Kaman manufactures and provides spare parts on these programmes via BAE Systems for air forces around the world.

Gary Crank, BAE Systems Air, US Programmes Procurement Executive said: “BAE Systems is recognised around the world for its leading-edge manufacturing processes and the ability to innovate in defence and aerospace markets. To achieve this, we need suppliers that we can rely on in order to deliver against our commitments to our customers.”

8 kaman.com

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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Engineering Capacity

Targeted acquisition for AS.G Aero Services Global Group, a £43million critical supplier to the aerospace sector has made its latest acquisition, as it looks to target new opportunities in the defence and medical sectors.

Manchester-based Aero Services Global Group (AS.G), which manufactures and subassembles detail airframe structural equipment and aero engine components for more than 20 leading primes and tier 1s, has added AMF Precision Engineering to its portfolio of companies.

The Wirral-based subcontract technology specialist joins six other manufacturing businesses in the group and provides additional clean room and longbed machining capabilities, as well as direct access to customers in medical, defence and a host of research centres across Europe.

It comes just a few weeks after AS.G secured a £31m funding package from Magnetar Capital and Close Brothers Invoice Finance to support ambitious three-year growth plans.

“AMF Precision Engineering is a market leader in its field and fits perfectly with our commitment to offer our global customers world class expertise, niche capabilities and outstanding customer service,” explained Simon Weston, who joined as AS.G Group Managing Director in 2017.

“The long machining bed means we will be able to deliver specific work packages previously 14

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out of our reach in aerospace, not to mention giving us an immediate footprint in medical, life sciences and defence…three areas that could benefit from technology perfected in aerospace.”

He continued: “Whilst Covid-19 has created a number of unexpected challenges, we are still confident that our agility and single source expertise in tooling and manufacturing of critical components can deliver an increase in sales.

“The management team has been working hard over the last three years to strategically enhance our customer base and identify companies that will give us access to the best talent and technologies.

“Recent investment by Magnetar Capital and Close Brothers Invoice Finance gives us the funding boost we need to realise these plans.”

AS.G was founded in 2015 with the aim of developing a highly specialist group, which could help a global customer base to

consolidate their supply chains through innovation, efficiencies and excellent value for money.

It started operations with the acquisition of Phoenix Ltd in December that year and now boasts seven subsidiary companies, including Queen’s Award-winning Arrowsmith Engineering, B&H Precision Tooling, Datum, Ludolph, TGM and AMF Precision Engineering.

The group, which employs nearly 380 people, is split into two core divisions focusing on aerospace and tooling, providing a wide range of products from simple brushes, complex mill turned components and small, medium and large 5-axis milled parts to tooling, transportation media and fixtures for existing and next generation aircraft fuselages and wings.

These parts are delivered all over the world to customers, including Aeronova, Airbus, GKN, ITP, Meggitt, Rolls-Royce and Spirit Aero Systems.

8 aeroservicesglobal.com JULY 2020

Machine tending cells _exible and compact: the ideal solution for small and medium machine shops Machine tending cells are compact and, easy to install. They can be moved from one machine to another and are easily reconďŹ gured. Their ability to run autonomously for many hours means that they provide a very quick return on investment.

A robotic machine-tending process can be repeated continually, as raw parts are continually delivered to the robot, minimizing cycle times and optimising operational processes by removing parts from the machine’s working area.

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Image courtsey of: DesignPro Automation

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Engineering Capacity Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) is hoping to achieve Gold Supplier status after being selected to take part in a supplier development programme by Collins Aerospace.

It is working with Collins, a world leader in aerospace and defence technologies, on a host of continuous improvement and training activities to help it strengthen its ability to supply group factories across the globe.

ACE is now setting its sights on securing ‘Gold Supplier’ status, which could be achieved over the next six months if it continues to meet 100% delivery on-time-infull and stronger collaboration on root cause analysis.

It marks what has been a rapid period of growth for ACE in the aerospace sector, with sales into this industry now accounting for 25% of annual sales.

Ian Whateley, Managing Director, commented: “This is a very demanding supplier development programme and very difficult to get on to, so this in itself is testament to the relationship we currently have with Collins Aerospace.

“We have taken a top-down approach to our involvement,

ACE aims for Gold

making sure every member of our 65-strong workforce is on board, understand what is required and how they can play a role in helping us achieve the performance requirements in terms of cost, quality and delivery.”

He continued: “The support we have received to help us on this journey has been world class and it has been a real team approach from both companies to identify areas to work on and new opportunities to pursue.

“When we achieve Gold Supplier, we will then appear on

Aerospace Oil & Gas Nuclear Defence

PRECISION ENGINEERING www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk Tel: 01484 548903

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Automotive Electronics Hi Fi

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Collins Aerospace’s worldwide portal as its preferred etching company. This will be massive for ACE, as it means we could be used by any international division across the group, not to mention the profile it will give us amongst the rest of industry.”

Richard Jones, Supplier Development Manager at Collins Aerospace, has been working hand-in-hand with Advanced Chemical Etching.

“It all starts with The Quality Clinic, which provides an insight into investigation, detection, root cause analysis and the implementation of preventative actions to ensure we are delivering the highest standards to our internal and external customers.

“Ian and his team are fully engaged with the training I’ve helped provide and this has ensured the right culture is in place, where a ‘Quality First’ mentality is embraced and driven by every single member of staff.”

8 ace-uk.net JULY 2020

SPONSORED FEATURE

The Coronavirus crisis has fundamentally changed the way that we work and will continue to have a huge impact for the foreseeable future.

One of the key learnings has been the positive impact that digital tools and platforms have had on supply chain operations during this crisis.

According to Industry Week, Digitalisation has become a major source of competitive advantage as supply chains decouple and manufacturers look for ways to quickly ensure continuity and introduce flexibility.

In an environment of remote or split team working, digital platforms have kept scattered workforces connected and productive by enabling them to access and share information from any device or location.

From online communication tools like Zoom and Slack to quoting platforms like SteelScout, digital platforms have enabled teams to run efficiently with little downtime.

Safeguarding Your Metal Supplies For businesses where sourcing metal is an essential part of the production process, ensuring continuity of supply is vital in times of rapid change.

SteelScout’s digital service can help to safeguard metal supplies and make procurement more efficient and cost effective for companies as they transition their teams back to the workplace.

As businesses begin to reopen, there will be broad variations in the timescales for returning to productivity while JULY 2020

How digital suppliers can help manufacturers navigate the ‘new normal’

some suppliers will remain closed. This will lead to regional variations in supply leading to further uncertainty for manufacturers.

SteelScout’s UK-wide supplier network can help buyers ensure continuity of supply by being able to rapidly switch suppliers and ensure that they can still access the materials they need at the best value. And by working with one online metal supplier, buyers can save their procurement teams the hassle of setting up multiple accounts with new suppliers and benefit from one credit account with access to over 90 suppliers across the UK. As a digital platform, SteelScout enables your procurement process to be up and running immediately and from any location and device.

Your team will be able to source quotes, agree and manage their orders 24/7 without the need of any additional IT or software, meaning your team can manage

their metal supplies from the office, workshop or on the go.

And being an online service means that buyers can store all of their order and test documentation in one secure account reducing the need for multiple document storage.

Manufacturing’s New Normal After COVID-19 There’s no doubt that digitalisation has already played a significant part in maintaining productivity, and in the ‘new normal’, companies will need to assess how to continue to harness digital technologies to remain agile and drive output.

There are a number of digital platforms to support manufacturers during this time and for those businesses that require metal for their production process, SteelScout can help safeguard metal supplies and deliver efficiency and value in the process.

8 www.SteelScout.com www.engineeringcapacity.com

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CASTING & FORGING | Engineering Capacity Pam Murrell FICME, CEO of the Cast Metals Federation, CMF, describes the challenges that smaller, niche industry sectors face when trying to develop the specialist training programmes that they need. The casting industry tackled the problem through the industry bodies taking a lead role.

The skills challenge faced by many industry sectors is well known and the castings industry is no different. Colleges and training providers offer a range of engineering/manufacturing programmes, including apprenticeships, but these are often, and necessarily, more generic, to appeal to a wide range of sectors in order to achieve a critical mass of learner numbers.

They aim to provide broad underpinning engineering and manufacturing skills. These programmes are not able to offer employers from the more niche and specialist sectors the specific skills required.

For the casting & foundry industry, some of these specific skills areas include moulding & coremaking (to understand binder chemistry and how to create

Rebuilding training for the casting sector

complex core assemblies), toolmaking and die design, methoding (to design the way in which the metal will enter the mould cavity), metallurgy (melt preparation & alloying) and foundry patternmaking. These need specialist equipment and specific expertise to teach them.

Yet the need for such training programmes exists as Adam Vicary, CEO of Castings plc explains. “Why should the industry not have access to relevant funded programmes using the levy, rather than making do with programmes

8 Apprentices carry out one of the first pours at the National Foundry Training Foundry

that do not actually meet our skills needs? Companies such as mine need to be able to offer a proper apprenticeship to attract new recruits, and we need the skills in-house to meet the needs of the market” So how to achieve this for the smaller niche sectors? The Department for Education, through the Skills Funding Agency and the Institute for Apprenticeships, are rightly keen for apprenticeships to be ‘employer-led’ but for a sector dominated by SMEs, how realistic is this?

The casting and foundry industry set about writing its own trailblazer standard at level 3 as soon as this was a possibility, to ensure that there was a relevant standard for our employers to 8 The main foundry area with sand plant and furnaces

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JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | CASTING & FORGING access. The professional body (the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers, ICME) facilitated this, alongside the CMF, providing the secretariat, identifying a lead employer to chair the employer group and submit the application, organised meetings of the steering group and also funding an ‘industry person’ as a per diem contractor to do much of the legwork to draft the standard.

This was not easy, as none of us were ‘educationalists’ and there was some ‘going round in circles’ with the SFA for a good while in the early days. One of our staff stepped in to facilitate the writing of the End Point Assessment plan as industry people, whilst having the occupational understanding, were not able to sufficiently interpret the SFA guidelines. But the upshot was that industry now has a funded apprentice standard that covers a good part of the industry’s skills needs. But there was a significant in-kind cost to the industry bodies and some of our employers, as well as the very real cost of bought-in expertise.

A new independent training company has since been established (Foundry Training Services Ltd) to deliver the training, with part time tutors recruited from industry and training for them to become instructors, all funded by a loan.

There has also been no nationally funded help available for the development of the teaching and learning materials, which has been funded from charity reserves!

Separately the industry (actually the lead bodies in the main) have JULY 2020

actively supported the establishment of the National Foundry Training Centre, funded through a local LEP. An employer was willing (and in a position to be able) to make some land available to ‘host’ the new facility, and there were industry suppliers who were keen to support and ‘sponsor’ some of the kit, which was a huge help.

There have been many challenges and difficulties to overcome, not least with getting employers engaged after years of no apprentices and no provision, and there have been significant setbacks along the way. This is a re-build after two decades since the last foundry college closed.

But both the professional body and the trade association have promoted and supported this in numerous ways over recent years.

David Bisset of FSE Foundry Ltd says “Without the input from the lead bodies, a company like mine would not be able to access the specific training we need.

Foundry and patternmaking courses are not courses that most colleges will be able to offer.

Numbers of learners are small, the specialist knowledge does not exist within their teaching staff

8 Learning to use the woodworking tools in the pattern shop

and learners may be geographically spread. So this creates real challenges. Without the drive and input from the Trade Association and the real financial input from the industry’s Professional Body, the provision would not be where it is today.”

Former student and now Quality Manager at Charter Castings, Sam Edwards, agrees, saying “I have certainly benefited from being able to follow a programme specific to the industry I work in – casting is a complex process with many variables, so having some more formal underpinning knowledge to complement the on the job experiences is in valuable when looking to problem solve”.

Whilst this is not perhaps the pure ideal of ‘employer-led’, the industry bodies have been instrumental in minimising the barriers for their employers - this is a strong argument for the role that industry bodies can play in supporting their industries, but also evidence of some of the challenges that we all face in the more ‘niche’ sectors of the manufacturing sector.

8 castmetalsfederation.com www.engineeringcapacity.com

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PROFILE | Engineering Capacity Based on two sites in Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire, The Engineering Quest sets itself apart from the mainstream volume subcontracting sector.

From components for space telescopes to miniature ophthalmic instruments, it specialises in the development and manufacture of components that are hard to find, hard to design and hard to make.

As Managing Director Steve Matheron explains: “When you look at our portfolio you can see that we make lots of incredibly complex parts. Our core competencies encompass producing tightly toleranced items – working at micron and sub-micron machining levels – in some of the most difficult materials there are – including polycrystalline diamond, tungsten carbide and superalloys.

We can do miniature and micro-machining, and we can do complexity – some of the parts we make have over 1,000 dimensions.

“We say that If you show us a job that nobody can make for you, we will make it.”

The Engineering Quest was born when two companies in the same group came together – Tracel, a high-end aerospace subcontractor, and Preform Tools, which made carbide compaction tooling for the indexable insert industry.

The first area where they applied their combined capabilities was in the development of highpressure block pumping technology for common rail fuel injection systems operating at up to 3,500 bar.

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The specialist SME with a corporate heart – and we are still making them now,” says Steve.

“We needed a name to pull the businesses together and wanted something that was going to set us apart. We looked at what we mainly do for people, finding answers and solving problems, and so that is where our name came from: Engineering and the Quest to find solutions.”

8 This optical telescope casing was engineered for Surrey Satellite

“We started getting into these very tightly tied up components made out of very difficult materials. The parts were going into extremely harsh environments under massive pressures. We solved a lot of problems for them, which meant that they could get the block pump working. It was the highest pressure diesel pump at the time.

And the higher the pressures, the harder the materials and the tighter the tolerances. We ended up making things in tungsten carbide to sub-micron tolerances

Diverse manufacturing capability The Engineering Quest is well equipped with a wide range of manufacturing equipment, including 52 CNC machine tools and an extensive metrology capability.

Steve says: “We have a very diverse set of machinery that we have built up over the years. This allows us to move from market to market and problem to problem.

We have invested in a lot of highend equipment, including Swiss grinding and EDM equipment. We always thought that cylindrical grinding was an area that was underserved in the UK and so we have invested over £1m in new Kellenberger machines.”

But the actual manufacturing side of the business is only part of the story. The Engineering Quest also offers customers a complete service to take a new product from design to production – either in-house or at a third party manufacturer.

JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | PROFILE “We have developed a unique package for customers called the Quest Design Optimisation System (Q-DOS), which is a suite of tools and software that enables customers to evolve their products and save money. With our Q-DOS approach a customer can remove production costs at the design stage, potentially saving them millions of pounds over the life of the part,” says Steve.

“We go into companies and work with them right at the initial concept phase.”

The full process includes manufacturability assessments, design for manufacture analysis, prototyping, and putting the blueprinted part into production.

It also features value stream mapping, global product mobility and process flow analysis to optimise the manufacturing process.

At that stage, the customer has a choice. If it is a high-value process that comes within The Engineering Quest’s core competencies, then the components can be made in-house.

Alternatively, the customer can be given a ready-to-go production process that they can take to a third party to manufacture.

Embedding best practice The Engineering Quest has worked with organisations such as Cranfield University and the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge University, to ensure that best practice is embedded throughout the company.

At the heart of this is something rarely, if ever, seen in an JULY 2020

8 Engineering Quest Managing Director Steve Matheron

engineering business of this type; a central bank of tools to support people at a thinking and behavioural level. Called the Quest Cultural Engagement Library (Q-CEL) it defines the culture and what is expected of staff in order to deliver the highest quality of products and service.

Items in the library include; The 20 essential engineering precepts, the 10 essentials of leadership and the 7S’s of well-being.

Steve Matheron explains: “This is our own internal culture and it gives everyone a clear direction of how to approach things. We take big company thinking and boil it down to SME scale. We’re also extremely proud of how we promote well-being for everyone at The Quest Engineering. The library keeps welfare and key working practices in focus, so that

we have a consistent culture across the whole business.”

“We have a long-standing culture of learning and development in the business, so we invited the Institute of Manufacturing to audit our strengths and weaknesses. We also work with some of the world’s largest engineering organisations and constantly review our systems so that we remain aligned to their best practice approaches. We scrutinise ourselves in the same way we take time to analyse a new part. That’s led to the creation of Q-DOS and Q-CEL and our own intranet, called Being Brilliant, that staff access on a daily basis.”

“We are not just a normal subcontractor; we currently have a part on the Mars Lunar Rover and you can’t be at that level without being willing to keep learning and having the creativity to develop new ways of working.

“As we say to people; if you can’t make it, we can!”

Looking ahead, he is very positive, and the company has taken on more work for major customers as other suppliers have closed during the Covid pandemic.

“The outlook for the future is good for us. Our current quotation level is through the roof. We have probably quoted more jobs in the past three months than we did in the whole of last year. The Engineering Quest continues to develop and we look forward to solving more engineering challenges for our global customers.”

8 join-the-quest.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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TURNED PARTS | Engineering Capacity

Turning up medical work A new Y-axis, sub-spindle, turning centre will help meet increased medical orders, and boost turn-milling productivity across the board at CPTE. Established more than 30 years ago, Mildenhall subcontractor CTPE uses 3- to 5-axis machining centres as well as fixed- and sliding-head CNC lathes to manufacture complex, high precision components mainly for the scientific, medical, electronics and defence sectors. The latest addition to the plant list is a Biglia B 620 YS fixed-head turn-mill centre with Y-axis and sub-spindle (both optional) supplied by Whitehouse Machine Tools.

It is the first lathe from the Italian manufacturer on the subcontractor's shop floor and only the second of this new model to be installed in the UK, following its launch at the EMO 2019 machine tool show in Hannover. It has a 70mm bar capacity and billet up to 360 mm diameter can be manually loaded for turn-milling.

The B 620 YS is meeting a fivefold increase in demand for a tighttolerance aluminium connector that forms part of medical equipment needed in the fight against Covid-19. CTPE has been making the component for the past 15 years on a Y-axis lathe with a single spindle, which meant that the part had to be re-fixtured by hand on the same machine for a second operation, following which manual deburring was necessary.

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The reason for buying the lathe was a significant uplift in orders from the medical industry in general, not only for the connector part

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The component is now produced in larger volumes much faster as well as more accurately and consistently in a single hit on the Biglia, deburring being included in the machining cycle, allowing 600 to be shipped every week. This elevated supply rate started at the beginning of April and is likely to continue through to September 2020.

Alex Taylor, CTPE's operations director said, "The reason for buying the lathe was a significant uplift in orders from the medical industry in general, not only for the connector part.

"However, we were also on the lookout for a machine capable of raising turn-milling productivity across the board, including of larger components from billet.

"The Biglia provides a good balance for both types of turning of components up to 620 mm long and with its sub-spindle is ideal for one-hit machining.

The machine installed in CTPE’s Mildenhall shop has 15 turret stations, all of which are powered by a 13 kW, 6,000 rpm motor. Up to 30 cutters can be in the machining area at any one time.

The B 620 YS has a full C-axis on the 15 kW, 5,000 rpm, direct-drive sub-spindle as well as on the main spindle, making it easier to plan cycles so that machining is better balanced at either end of a component, minimising cycle times.

8 ctpe.co.uk JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | TURNED PARTS Precision turned parts manufacturer AES Precision has invested in a Trimos V5 height gauge from Bowers Group to ensure quality of components used in the medical, defence, aerospace, automotive and electronics industries.

Mark Wilson, Director at AES Precision Engineering, said: “We have strict quality control procedures, and must meet tight tolerances, so accuracy is incredibly important to us.

The Trimos height gauge is a great solution for our general inspection requirements.”

AES Precision typically uses a CMM for the measurement of complex components. For basic parts requiring quick and accurate measurements, however, a simple solution was needed that would be fast and easy to use. The business previously used a basic digital height gauge, but decided it was time to upgrade to a more sophisticated model with a few more features.

The Trimos V5 height can either be manually operated or motor driven, and has a clear display and user-friendly functions. It offers exceptional ease of use; so easy in fact that all shop floor operatives and inspectors at AES Precision use the height gauge on a daily basis. Mark continues; “We find the height gauge very accurate, and it has a great range of functions to suit our needs. Training was very straightforward and everyone here was confidently using the height gauge very quickly!”

As AES Precision serves industries where precision is JULY 2020

Height of accuracy

critical, quality is extremely important. The business also offers First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR), including tailored reporting and data collection to suit the individual requirements of clients. This, along with a fully traceable QMS system, means that AES Precision’s quality system meets or exceeds the requirements of most clients’ manufacturing needs.

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Precision Engineering offers a variety of services including CNC milling and turning, and new product development services including full mechanical design.

AES Precision has recently expanded its facility, including a full refurbishment, as well as investing in new machinery and processes to improve its services and strive for continual improvement in all areas of the business. Services include traditional 3 axis CNC milling and high speed 5 axis simultaneous milling, allowing AES Precision to produce complex, high precision components.

8 aes-engineering.co.uk

We find the height gauge very accurate, and it has a great range of functions to suit our needs.

Training was very straightforward and everyone here was confidently using the height gauge very quickly!

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Manufacturers of High Quality Mill-Turned Parts

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TURNED PARTS | Engineering Capacity

Turn-milling meets demand Turn-milling investments at Martin Aerospace have helped it to meet a sharp increase in customer demand by dramatically reducing cycle times on tough aerospace materials The Lanark-based supplier to the global aerospace sector installed a German-built Traub TNL32-9P sliding-head lathe two years ago and followed this with a Traub TNX65 fixed head lathe last year.

Supplied by Kingsbury, sole agent for the UK, Ireland and Middle East, the first machine started producing aerospace components from tough alloys 24/5 from the beginning of 2018.

It has been so successful at fulfilling an ongoing contract for producing aero engine components from titanium, Inconel and stainless steel that the business had no hesitation in returning to the same source for a fixed-head lathe. Installed in July 2019, the Traub TNX65 produces parts from Inconel and Nimonic for the same customer.

Both lathes have reduced multiple operations to one-hit production, making it much easier to hold the required tolerances, which are generally to within Âą 0.01 mm although one pin diameter has to be turned on the sliding-head lathe to Âą 4 microns.

At the same time, process cycles have been shortened dramatically, by over 90% in one case on the TNL32-9P and typically by 70% on the TNX65, 24

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added to which handling time and work-in-progress have been eliminated. Such significant savings are partly a result of the ability on both machines to have three tools in cut simultaneously, each having a different feed rate for optimum metal removal.

Neil Lawson, operations director at Martin Aerospace explained, "In 2017 a customer increased its annual requirement for five different parts, with quantities rising from a few hundred to 6,500 per part number.

We were making them on a variety of twin-spindle turn-mill centres of sliding- and fixed-head design.

"Such a sharp increase meant investing in a new turning centre to meet the demand and a sliding-head lathe was appropriate in view of the

shaft-type proportions."

Cutting strategies proposed by Kingsbury, balancing the cycle times on the main and counter spindles, allowed major cycle time reductions.

One two-operation cycle time of 6.5 minutes was reduced to a 1.2-minute single operation.

In another case, a 55-minute three-operation process was cut to one 15-minute cycle.

All five parts are produced from bar to a process capability of Cpk 1.67, underpinned by 100% inspection, before they go for grinding and thread rolling.

Another component produced

by Martin Aerospace that is required in increasing quantities is a nozzle for a borescope.

Machined from an Inconel billet 63.5 mm in diameter, 70 mm long and weighing 2.7 kg, it needed 147 minutes for the completion of seven operations on horizontal and vertical machining centres and lathes, during which the weight was reduced to 0.7 kg. The JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | TURNED PARTS cycle time was cut to 65 minutes in a single operation on a twinspindle turn-mill centre already on the shop floor in Lanark, on which it was possible to have two tools in cut simultaneously, deployed by the two tool carriers.

To cope with higher volumes the TNX65 fixed head lathe was purchased and this triple turret machine with live tooling was able to make the part in one hit in just 25 minutes.

8 martinaerospace.com

Wealdpark Limited Stand number 5126

Subcontract Capacity #.# MILL TURN FACILITIES USING SLIDING AND FIXED HEAD LATHES WITH BAR CAPACITY UP TO MM DIAMETER -IYANO FIXED HEAD LATHES WITH BAR CAPACITY UP TO MM DIAMETER (URCO VERTICAL MACHING CENTRE 03, $ATATRACK MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

BS EN ISO 9001:2008. Approved by BSI since 1991.

Company Contact Details Phil Smith, Director, Wealdpark Limited Sutton Road, St. Helens, Merseyside, WA9 3DJ Tel. 01744 22567 / 732083 Fax. 01744 451339 E: sales@wealdpark.co.uk www.wealdpark.co.uk

JULY 2020

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TURNED PARTS | Engineering Capacity The lockdown was no barrier to Cheltenham subcontractor Ferrositi investing in a new multi-tasking mill-turning lathe.

The Doosan SMX 2600S, with 13” chuck, 240 degree B-axis milling spindle, twin opposed spindles, Yaxis capability and 40-station turret was installed in May 2020, at a time when many companies were battening down the hatches.

The machine was supplied by Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland.

Says Nick Furno, Ferrositi’s managing director: “Ever since the company was created (in 2012) we have invested in multi-axis machine tools as a route to improving our productivity, operational efficiencies and competitiveness.

“We serve and operate in a number of global and highlycompetitive sectors and industries – aerospace, oil and gas, automated and special purpose machinery, high-profile architectural projects.

“Central to our success in these, and other sectors, has been our ability to machine high-quality

Visit our website or contact us for a quote or advice

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Lockdown investment

components and deliver them to customers on time, every time and within budget.

“The multi-axis machines we have at our disposal make us more efficient and enable us to make complex high-precision parts quicker, fewer machining operations and, often, in one set up.

“We are always on the lookout to add to, and strengthen, our front line machining resources.”

Despite the lockdown such an opportunity arose in April 2020 and resulted in Ferrositi making

its first investment in Doosan machine tool technology, and coincidentally its first mill-turn machine acquisition.

Nick Furno adds: “The Doosan SMX 2600S complements our existing machine tool portfolio.

“Both Doosan and Mills CNC have good reputations in the market and, when I was informed that a mill-turn machine was available immediately from stock at a good, competitive price, I was interested.

“We have had the machine for about four weeks and, during this quieter-than-normal period, are spending time familiarising ourselves with its operations, functionality and its latest Fanuc control.

“Already we can see, and appreciate, that the machine is powerful, fast, flexible and accurate. We are particularly impressed with its rigidity, ergonomic design and thermal stability.

“Using a single set-up, the SMX is capable of performing multi machining processes. As a consequence, this means we can reduce production bottlenecks and limit stop-start operations.

“The SMX will help us consolidate and grow our position in existing supply chains and sectors, as well as helping us to spearhead our move into new sectors and industries - i.e. machining components for the food processing and medical sectors.”

8 ferrositi.com JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | TURNED PARTS Plastic machining specialist Stratos Precision Engineering has increased its turning capabilities with its first sliding head lathe.

The Citizen Cincom L32-VIIILFV twin-spindle, 35mm capacity, bar-fed turn-milling centre joined a plant list of five fixed-head, single-spindle chucking lathes for turning parts up to 650mm in diameter.

Purchase of the 7-axis CNC Swiss-type lathe was part of an investment of more than ÂŁ1 million since the fourth quarter of 2018, which has also seen the arrival at the Gloucester-based company of a new big bore lathe and a 3m by 2m automatic tool change CNC router as well as refurbishment of the 8,000 sq ft premises.

Stratos' managing director Jonathan Caple said, "For some years we had been looking at buying a bar-fed lathe to increase our competitiveness, win new business and enter new industries by machining larger quantities of parts with tighter tolerances. We favoured the sliding-head type over fixed-head lathes, as the short axis movements lead to higher productivity.

"The twin-spindle configuration and extensive driven tooling on the machine means one-hit production often supersedes two or three operations on different machines.

"However, to reap the full benefits of the investment, we need to be able to leave the machine to run 24/7 either unattended or with reduced labour overnight to maximise production output.

JULY 2020

Plastic turning capability added

"That was previously impossible for us due to the stringy swarf that is produced when machining plastic, which regularly needs to be manually cleared by an operator."

Now Citizen’s LFV (low frequency vibration) software breaks up the long strands of swarf normally generated when turning plastics into short lengths of just a few millimetres, preventing it from birds-nesting in the machining area and melting back onto the workpiece, which normally means scrapping the part.

A recent trend in the subcontractor's business has been a shift to machining more metals, notably aluminium for a

large packaging machinery contract but also ferrous metals including stainless steel. This material also results in stringy swarf forming around the tool and workpiece and therefore benefits greatly from using Citizen's chipbreaking software.

The importance of improving turn-milling efficiency to increase competitiveness was reinforced when Stratos was required to produce 2,000 parts over a short period and the existing machinery would only achieve 400 per day.

However, with the new slidinghead machine and LFV technology, Stratos is now able to produce the 2,000 parts in 48 hours.

8 stratosengineering.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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AUTOMATION | Engineering Capacity

High-mix, low-volume automation A compact modular machine tending system can automate the loading and unloading of parts, or material, to a wide range of machines. Easy to set up and with an intuitive interface, machine tending solutions can be easily integrated into new and existing production processes.

Automated tending is the operation of machine tools within a manufacturing environment, incorporating robot automation systems. Historically machinetending applications were undertaken by operators (humans) and featured within machine shops whose primary processes included lathes and milling machines, as examples. Raw materials would be placed into the machine by the operator and removed once the machine had completed its cycle. The skills gap however has meant that qualified operators are becoming difficult to find and as a result, businesses are adopting robotic processes within their supply chains to ensure operational continuity.

A robotic machine-tending process can be repeated continually, as raw parts are constantly delivered to the robot, minimizing cycle times and optimising operational processes by removing parts from the machine’s working area. Compact and easy to install, machine tending cells can be moved from one machine to another and, are easily reconfigured. Their ability to run autonomously for many hours 28

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means that they provide a very quick return on investment.

The flexibility of a machine tending system means they can be easily adapted to satisfy an array of production demands and, key processes can be supported that will deliver increases in productivity and reduced operational costs. Not only can the loading and unloading of machines be supplemented, but the robot can also perform additional tasks, such as inspection. The mobile nature of the system means that several different tasks and applications can be supported across the operational footprint and, much like the mobile cobot solution that is available, the machine tending solution is a viable choice for SME’s as an all-encompassing tool with interchangeable applications across several tasks.

There are several health and safety considerations that also

8 The MultiTend (MT-4) modular system has been designed and developed by DesignPro Automation, KUKA Ireland Platinum System Partner

support the adoption of automated machine tending. It can be dangerous work and a robotic solution can provide a level of consistency consummate with both throughput and, quality output demands. Robots replace the manual (human) element and assume the management of product movement. By design, robots have a higher level of accuracy and repeatability throughout the loading and unloading cycle. They do not tire nor suffer lapses in concentration.

Repetitive and mind-numbing tasks will be attended by a dedicated robot.

One additional benefit in the adoption of machine tending robots is their suitability of use in a ‘lights-out’ operation, or ‘dark factory manufacturing’ JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | AUTOMATION environments. Fully autonomous and, with no human presence required, robots can continue in production, delivering additional cost savings as no heat, light or air conditioning is required, also known as ‘total automation’.

In many production facilities, space is already at a premium.

Automated robotic machine tending systems tend to have a small footprint meaning they can be incorporated within an established operation.

Standardised hardware also means that installation is both fast and efficient. Flexible machine tending solutions are also less expensive and easier to integrate than you might imagine and, will provide considerable benefits even on small production runs.

Automated machine tending cells can also add value where the monotonous, dirty and dangerous nature of tending machines manually, makes finding and retaining trained personnel difficult. Once they have been created, machine-tending programs can be alternated to coincide with the receipt of new orders. And if we consider the monotonous nature of machine tending, from a manual perspective, the adoption of automated robot cells enables a business owner to upskill his staff.

Operators become robot programmers, which in turn presents the opportunity for upscaling automated processes.

With the necessary skilled personnel in employ, businesses can position themselves strategically against their JULY 2020

competitors, by future-proofing operations. Recent events have highlighted just how delicate the manual element of our operations can be when external factors impact health and wellbeing.

Automated robotic processes however can continue to operate, delivering minimal impact within a manufacturing supply chain, in the event of another global event that presents productivity challenges.

Robotics have proven to be ideal for companies who strive to keep their machines running at full capacity whilst mitigating cost and remaining competitive and, as a result many SME’s are turning to automated machine tending, embracing the speed and flexibility that these cells can deliver that are critical to operational success.

8 designproautomation Kuka.com

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SPONSORED FEATURE

A bespoke sheet metal enclosure or structure offers a welcome solution when nothing standard or ‘off-theshelf’ can be found. It promises freedom and flexibility to overcome problems and get exactly what you want without compromise. Chris Arnold of manufacturing contractor ICEE Managed Services offers some tips on achieving best value for money from this option Typically there are four situations where a bespoke solution becomes essential: first, where a standard enclosure cannot adequately accommodate special and important features of the equipment specification and compromises are undesirable; second, where a customer wants changes to a standard equipment enclosure to gain competitive edge in the market; third, where equipment to be enclosed or a service to be delivered is completely new or novel and no standard enclosure or structure exists to meet its special demands; fourth, where an unmistakable branding or unique form is essential to make the structure enclosing equipment or delivering a service stand out in the marketplace.

Chris Arnold, ICEE Managed Services Ltd.

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No compromises with bespoke enclosures

CAD 3D solid modelling speeds design for manufacture and rapid prototyping at ICEE

Bespoke is a real option Compared to compromising with a standard enclosure, a bespoke approach will generally deliver important benefits far outweighing any time and cost required for its design and development. Modern technologies plus lean methods have transformed the economics of bespoke design and manufacture, making it a viable and affordable option. This includes rapid prototyping methods such as sophisticated CAD 3D solid modelling; the latest CNC fibre laser, waterjet cutting and brake press bending machines; web-enabled collaboration and smarter supply chains. At ICEE we find it no more expensive to manufacture and assemble bespoke enclosures than standard ones.

We also use advanced software to support best practice

design for manufacture. When quoting, for the customer’s sake and ours, we ensure a sheet metal panel can be made in least time, at least cost, without any production issues. A customer’s bespoke design may include a hundred or more different types of sheet metal component. We ask for STEP files and run each design through our software. Any issues found are discussed with the customer and solutions offered. This not only makes evaluation and quoting fast and efficient, it also means subsequent production is fully optimised and hitch-free.

Tips to get a specification right Above all, with bespoke, ensure the requirements specification is right. An obvious point (especially with long projects), first doublecheck if the end-product will be completely fit for purpose and meet all commercial demands.

Think about possible changes during its working lifetime and with today’s trend towards a circular economy, consider decommissioning and recycling.

This means you don’t reach the prototype stage – virtual or physical - and find the design doesn’t meet functional or market requirements and requires a drastic rethink (and find nothing left in the R&D budget). Get the fundamental requirements specification fully worked out and planned first, before moving to the design and JULY 2020

prototyping stage. It can save a lot of time and money.

Standard equipment enclosures come with a number of approval and type-testing compliances in place. With a bespoke solution those requirements have to be built into the design. First check certification and compliance. For example, what mandatory regulations and industry standards must the bespoke design meet? Risk assessment has to be considered. This can range from electrical safety to electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC). Check ingress protection (IP) rating on water penetration and sealing requirements. If applicable, look at standards and regulations applying in all countries the enclosure or structure will be used in. CE marking is a case in point.

In short, make compliance checking a top priority. If an obscure regulation is overlooked and emerges after completing design and prototyping stages, correcting the oversight can have damaging effects on marketing and roll-out programmes (and project budgets). A new regulation may appear during a long project, so it pays to be vigilant.

Rapid prototyping - virtual vs actual Today, screen-based, 3D solid modelling speeds up the prototyping process and saves a lot of money. Virtual iterations cost far less to do on-screen.

Across a network, collaboration and consultation is easier and faster. Several more variations than would normally be possible JULY 2020

Picture courtesy of Brompton Bike Hire

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may be explored, before selecting one that best meets the brief or specification.

Above all, do as much as you can virtually on-screen, before moving to a physical prototype.

With today’s CAD software, many simulations, tests and prove-outs may be performed to ensure everything works in practice, including all-important design for manufacture. Taking this circumspect approach means less risk of discovering an anomaly or flaw when a physical prototype is built, or worse, production is about to start.

Summing up Compared to a standard enclosure or structure, a bespoke solution means you can get exactly what you want without compromise. It provides freedom and flexibility to overcome problems. Time and cost

necessary for design, development and manufacture may be more than offset by greater benefits gained. Thanks to lean methodology plus advanced design and production technologies time and cost may now be brought down substantially, so the difference between a standard or bespoke choice is often very little.

ICEE specialises in delivering bespoke solutions. We can simply make parts, but that’s not our main business. Working closely with the customer, we have considerable experience in prototyping and manufacturing completely bespoke products, from the enclosure or structure itself, to assembly and internal fitout, cabling and testing of equipment and systems, all done in our factory, ready for deployment. We offer to install across the UK, commission and then maintain an equipment enclosure throughout its working life, including upgrading internals if and when required.

We can make bespoke one-offs, or produce batches and variants.

In short, we deliver a total, managed service.

8 For more information please contact: ICEE Managed Services Ltd. 20 Arnside Road, Waterlooville Hampshire PO7 7UP Tel: 02392 230 604.

Email: sales@icee.co.uk Web: www.icee.co.uk

www.engineeringcapacity.com

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FORMING & FABRICATION | Engineering Capacity

Lock gates link the lochs ECS Engineering Services has completed the installation of 2 sets of lock gates at Kytra Lock, on the Caledonian Canal in Scotland.

The operation, part of a refurbishment investment by Scottish Canals, was vital to maintain the navigation of the historic waterway.

The Caledonian Canal opened in 1822 and runs for 60 miles across the Scottish Highlands. The watercourse offers a unique scenic setting, as it passes through famous lochs, such as Loch Ness, and runs next to Urquhart Castle and the mountain scenery at Fort William. The canal's fascinating environment and heritage attracts over 1,400 boats every year.

Therefore, ensuring their safe and secure navigation whilst preserving the natural and historical features of the waterway is of the utmost importance.

In its ongoing commitment to improve reliability and safety of the waterway, Scottish Canals regularly inspects the conditions of the many lock complexes along the canal, including examining the upstream and downstream lock gates at Kytra, a particularly popular location between Fort Augustus and Loch Oich.

The investigation revealed the need to replace all the upstream and downstream steel lock gates.

The new systems would have to retain the traditional design and materials of the original gates. In 32

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this way, they would seamlessly integrate with their surroundings, keep their technical and historical significance, and maintain the individual character of the Caledonian Canal.

To complete this complex and specialised project, Scottish Canals appointed ECS to survey, design, manufacture and install the new lock gates.

After conducting an exhaustive survey, ECS developed an upgraded design of lock gates, suitable for the structure, in its Sutton-in-Ashfield factory in Nottinghamshire. The structure would not only match the historical design, but also feature an extended service life. The two pairs of lock gates combining steel and traditional Douglas fir timber elements, are 6.5 metres wide. The downstream gates are

8.27m high and weigh 18.65 tonnes, whereas the two upstream lock gates have a height of 5.89m and weigh 13.3 tonnes.

The anatomy of a lock gate replacement The installation of such large structures, restricted to the winter months to reduce any disruption to boaters and tourists walking the towpath close by, was conducted in different stages.

First, the new lock gates were transported to Fort Augustus.

There, different components, such as seals and sluice gates, were built onto the gates prior to installing them in the canal. In this way, ECS could considerably shorten the time required to mount the systems onsite.

Subsequently, a section of the canal covering Kytra Lock JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION upstream and downstream gates was drained to support the removal of the old lock gate systems and installation of the new ones.

Water control on a project of this size is difficult so, after careful consideration, it was agreed to build a temporary dam that would help to regulate the ingress of water in the drained canal section. The 2000-tonne stone structure would provide safe access to conduct the replacement work for the duration of the project.

Brian Rhodes, Project Manager at ECS, explains: "While the design of Kytra Lock historical gates is similar to modern solutions, there are some differences that should be carefully considered during installation. Our extensive knowledge and experience in replacing navigational locks was crucial to complete the project in a timely manner and deliver a reliable and fully functioning lock system."

In addition, the onsite activities were made even more challenging by winter weather conditions.

These created a particularly harsh environment for ECS staff, especially when manoeuvring the gates into their lock chambers.

Despite these issues, ECS was able to complete the installation efficiently and check its correct alignment as well as the absence of leaks on time.

Unlocking future collaborations Following the replacement of the lock gates, ECS installed JULY 2020

replacement walkways and other ancillary equipment back onsite, the temporary dam was dismantled and access to the waterway and the towpath was reopened to the public.

Immediately after the successful refurbishment of Kytra Lock structures, ECS replaced a pair of nearby lock gates, located in Fort Augustus.

Tom Burgin, Project Engineer at ECS, comments: "This project faced many different challenges, nonetheless ECS managed to handle them successfully. In particular, while onsite operations had to be delayed due to poor weather conditions, ECS was able to work collaboratively with the main contractor in order to minimise the impact of these extraordinary circumstances."

Brian Rhodes concludes: "By completing the refurbishment of Kytra Lock gates, ECS is offering further proof of its comprehensive capabilities to complete challenging water control projects in environmentally sensitive locations as well as in historical and heritage sites. We are delighted to know that Scottish Canals was extremely satisfied with our work and we look forward to supporting the organisation in the future."

8 ecsengineeringservices.com

From design, sampling and technical support to manufacture, Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd provide the complete service.

Tel: 0118 978 6573 Email: sales@simpsonsprings.co.uk

www.engineeringcapacity.com

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FORMING & FABRICATION | Engineering Capacity The Laser Cutting Co (TLCC) has taken delivery of a new Trumpf TruLaser Tube 7000 at its Sheffield facility.

TLCC is already producing flat sheet-metal ventilator parts as part of the fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic and the new TruLaser Tube is helping the company bid competitively for tube-based parts needed for the same purpose Established in 1976, TLCC supplies cut round and square tube, structural open sections, beams, and flat/bent metal components to customers throughout the UK. Under the same roof, the company can also provide bending, welding and subassembly services, backed by a large partner network of subcontractors offering further.

The 35-employee, family-run business believes its success is underpinned by continuous investment in the latest technology. So, with one of the company’s laser tube cutters approaching the end of its serviceable life, the search began for a suitable replacement.

“We are heavily focused on processing innovative tube design, so this investment in the Trumpf TruLaser Tube 7000 will further enhance our capability and capacity in this area,” says Director Charlie Day. “Although we’re a subcontractor, our customer slogan is ‘your partner in production’, where we can add considerable value at the design stage. The Trumpf machine will support our efforts in this area, particularly with 34

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Tube laser fuels growth

6-axis 3D cutting and the flow drill and tapping attachment.”

Although laser tube cutting can replace conventional machining processes such as drilling, sawing and milling, it is also now possible to perform threading operations in-cycle, replacing weak and time-consuming fixings such as nuts or rivets.

In the first machining step, the flow drill produces an extrusion that is followed by the cutting of a heavy-duty thread.

Advantages such as the flow drill will provide a competitive edge in many regards, not least when trying to win work required by the healthcare sector as it looks to boost capacity due to coronavirus.

“Ultimately, having the Trumpf TruLaser Tube in place is helping us bid competitively for work that will benefit the COVID-19 effort,”

says Mr Day. “Among the tubebased work we are hoping to capture includes medical apparatus and racking systems.

Such items are essential if the system is to avoid becoming overwhelmed. A lot of this work appears to be in preparation for a potential second peak.”

“Investment in the Trumpf TruLaser Tube is helping us have a seat at the table for these new healthcare components,” he says.

“As well as providing cost savings, the introduction of the Trumpf machine brings a higher level of flexibility in an ever-changing environment. It will also see lead times reduce dramatically. The market is very competitive and lead times are vital, as is quality.

Our parts need to be on time and correct, every time.”

8 lasercutting.co.uk JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION Salamander Fabrications has installed an automated laser with integrated handling system that will allow it to cut and process sheet metal twice as quickly as on existing machinery.

The 6Kw Bystronic laser and automated warehouse – which should enable the team to switch between profiling one material to the next in under four minutes – had been put on hold following the Coronavirus outbreak.

However, the Slaithwaite firm has now been able to resume activity – with hopes of having the finishing touches applied by the end of July 2020.

The whole system is 25m x 15m x 4.5m in height and can cut a variety of aluminium, steels and yellow metals. It is expected to increase the company’s production capacity by up to 70% and has 24/7 ‘lights out’ running capability.

Up to three people at Salamander will be trained on how to fully operate the integrated system and mentor others. The purchase was part funded by a

Salamander fires up new laser

Barnshaws Polska has supplied over 2100 tonnes of rolled steel plates for a crude oil storage tank in Nelahozeves, Czech Republic.

The new tank is part of a large central crude oil tank farm, which holds emergency reserves of oil and provides interim storage before the refining process.

With growing demand for energy, the site has been continually expanded since its opening in 1994. Metrostav a.s.,

2100 tonnes of rolled steel

JULY 2020

£240,000 grant from Leeds City Region Partnership (LEP).

“It’s a big day for everyone at Salamander Fabrications as we welcome such a stunning piece of kit that will further enhance the speed in which we can react to customer requirements,” said managing director, Michael Haskell.

“This kind of automation not only optimises our material flow, it improves our machine

the largest Czech construction and steel fabrication company, was approached in 2018 regarding the addition of a new storage tank.

Maciej Walkowicz, Director at Barnshaws Polska said: “We were required to roll 531 steel plates ranging in thickness from 10 mm up to 39 mm, in widths from 2 m to 3 m and 10 m in length. There was a range of toe-in and toe-out bends across the plates. All in all, this

use, provides us with a greater level of reliability and upskills our workforce to operate first-class machinery.”

Salamander Fabrications has already integrated collaborative robotic welding into its operations to cater for a number of substantial contracts – including one to supply components for a large rail refurbishment assignment.

8 salamanderfabs.com

amounted to 2,100 tonnes of precision curved steel.”

The completed tank would measure over 84 metres in diameter. Despite its large size, the tolerance on this tank diameter was 10-15mm.

Constructed from hundreds of plates of varying thickness, ensuring precision during the bending process was vital.

8 barnshaws.com

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35

SUPPLY CHAIN | Engineering Capacity

Linking the supply chain The strain on the supply chain today is very prominent; the demand for goods for Tier 1 suppliers to large OEM’s is constantly put under pressure due to cost and availability, the latter exacerbated by the pandemic. Christian Matenaers from Zoro UK discusses the importance of having a strong supply chain.

In order for subcontractors in manufacturing and engineering to be successful, they need a strong supply chain. This allows for work to be completed on time to a high standard. Without materials and services from suppliers, subcontractors are unable to provide for their customers and build growing businesses.

A 2016 study found that 89% of companies expected to be competing with others primarily based on customer experience.

When one part of the chain breaks, it can put a whole manufacturing process on hold leading to a poor service provided to your customer. By having suppliers that can provide constant and a reliable service, you are able to maintain the manufacturing process and continue to supply to your clients.

With the modern manufacturer using cost saving techniques such as just- in- time management as well as lean manufacturing processes, the need to be nimble is more important than ever. By using these practices, many 36

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companies have reduced their inventory, meaning they need supplies in a timely manner or risk halting the supply chain.

Diversity of supply vs price vs local/global Due to demand and globalisation, buying locally is not always possible. With cheaper parts and machinery coming from the east, many companies opt for the large quantity at smaller cost. This may not always mean quality. Being able to buy British is something that many manufacturers want. Due to demand and the size of orders, this may not always be possible. With the recent global pandemic, the weaknesses of the global supply chain have been exposed across all industry sectors. Demand throughout many supply chains has slowed, particular in automotive and aerospace advanced engineering industries.

It is even more important than ever to have trusted suppliers. In 2018, the value of imports from China was £44.7 billion compared to exports to China at £22.6 billion a deficit of -£22.1 billion. Are we too reliant on international imports? This globalisation by trading across the world has shown a downside to our supply chains, especially during the current global pandemic. In China, domestic and international trade transactions suffered a week-onweek drop of 56% beginning midFebruary. The United States, United Kingdom, and Europe followed suit, with a combined initial drop of 26% in the beginning of April, and a continuing decline of 17% in late April.

But how important is the UK supply chain? Reports show that increasing competitiveness across our manufacturing supply chain could boost the UK’s economy by JULY 2020

Engineering Capacity | SUPPLY CHAIN around £30 billion by 2025. This all starts by having suppliers and people you can rely on and trust.

With the rising tensions between USA and China, the potential threat of a change in supply chain looms.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) predicts that by 2024, China's economy will be 56% larger than the U.S. economy on a PPP basis. A reliance on cheap products from developing countries could prove costly as these economies modernise and their wages increase.

The differing needs of SMEs and OEMs SMEs are under more and more pressure to compete for the resources they need to contribute to the onward supply chain. The need for affordable but highquality parts to remain competitive to their OEM customers is vital to maintain and build relationships. When it comes to SMEs, having a trusted supply chain is really important.

Many SMEs rely on an international supply chain to source competitively priced components for manufacturing. With SMEs being able to manufacture components at competitive prices, many large OEMs favour outsourcing their manufacturing needs to get better value for money and quick turnaround times. This enables SMEs to contribute to the supply chain.

Another problem that SMEs face is the risk of sourcing poor quality items to meet quotas set by large OEMs. If supplies are not sourced correctly, and quality JULY 2020

checks not undertaken, it can result in recalls on products produced and returns by the customer. This will lead to a crippling reputation. This underpins the importance of supplies coming from a reputable source; it paves the way for your company as a whole and the work that is to follow.

Impact on high value items vs commodity And this applies across high value items, as well as low value. For example, at Zoro we can supply high value items such as tool presetting machines at over £10k, through to metal cutters at £6k down to screws for a penny a packet. These can be bought on a company credit card.

By having a range of suppliers from around the world, we are able to keep the supply chain running. And by delivering the next day to the smallest of SME’s to the largest of OEMs, we understand the importance of a

8 Christian Matenaers Marketing Director Zoro

constant and dependable, intact chain. We can set up automatic replenishment system for our business customers on over 300,000 products.

Exclusively for readers of Engineering Capacity, if you create or already have a business account, we will credit you with £75 towards your next purchase.

Simply enter ENGCAP20 into the promotional box at 8 zoro.co.uk

8 Zoro supplies items ranging from a £10k tool pre-setting machines down to screws at a penny a packet

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37

COMPOSITES | Engineering Capacity EconCore, a specialist in lightweight thermoplastic honeycomb core technology, and DPA Moldados, a Tier 1 automotive supplier, have developed technology that has cut the weight of the Hyundai Creta’s boot floor by 20%.

The innovative thermoplastic composite combines a sandwich panel of PP honeycomb and GMT composite skin.

The thermoplastic honeycomb is produced continuously while direct lamination of the sandwich skin layers is most often in-line integrated in the highly automated process.

José Carlos Ricciardi, managing director of Brazilian Tier 1 supplier DPA Moldados, said: “OEMs are calling for weight reduction but unless we are talking about motorsport, they are not quite willing to accept it if the costs are higher than conventional solutions.

“We had been seeking a way to address this for a while working

Weight loss for Hyundai

with thermoplastic composites, and on that journey we combined forces with EconCore and its German daughter company ThermHex Waben.”

EconCore’s solution is so effective because sandwich panels are the most suitable structure when it comes to delivering rigidity at low weight, indeed, boot floor assemblies of many cars are made of a combination of paper honeycomb and polyurethane/ glass fibre composites.

Given the high performance of the honeycomb structure, the use of material is very limited.

A low-density honeycomb, when combined with skin layers, delivers a performing sandwich panel. Within Econcore’s technology, the application of skin layers takes place directly as the honeycomb core is made, all within an integrated production process delivering maximum of cost-efficiency.

8 econcore.com

Composites rail collaboration TRB Lightweight Structures is working in collaboration with Hitachi Rail on composite components for major projects in the UK. Hitachi was looking for a partner that could offer a sustainable source of supply in the UK and turned to TRB to design and manufacture a variety of components for both projects. The scope included the production of cab interior door systems, and toilet cubicle, bike and bulk, saloon and

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vestibule panels, as well as antenna covers.

TRB was chosen because of its expertise in lightweight manufacturing in the rail industry – a sector that requires high levels of compliance for structural performance, fire, smoke and toxicity to ensure public safety. Each element was based around aluminium honeycomb panels, which are very light and structurally robust.

8 trbls.com

JULY 2020

BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

ACSL Precision Engineering sales@acsleng.co.uk www.acsleng.co.uk

Davromatic Precision Limited sales@davromatic.co.uk www.davromatic.co.uk

Haydon Precision Turned Parts Ltd haydontool.co@btconnect.com www.haydon-precision.co.uk

Atkinson Engineering sales@atkinson-engineering.com www.atkinson-engineering.com

Dawson Precision Components Ltd. sales@dpc.co.uk www.dpc.co.uk

Herve Engineering Ltd sales@herve-engineering.com herve-engineering.com

Batchflow Engineering info@batchflow.co.uk www.batchflow.co.uk

Dawson Shanahan (Wales) Ltd info@dawson-shanahan.co.uk www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk

Cambion Electronics Ltd sales@cambion.com www.cambion.com

DKW Engineering Ltd karl@dkwengineering.co.uk www.dkwengineering.co.uk

JCF Engineering Limited john.felton@jcfengineering.co.uk jcfengineering.co.uk

Cambridge Precision Ltd sales@cambridgeprecision.com www.cambridgeprecision.com

Falcon Engineering Productions Ltd sales@falconengineering.co.uk

M&M Turned Parts Ltd sales@mmturnedparts.co.uk www.mmturnedparts.co.uk

CK Precision Engineering Ltd Info@ckprecisionengineeringltd.com www.ckprecisionengineeringltd.com

GS Brown (Precision Engineers) Ltd malcolm@gsbrown.com www.gsbrown.com

Machined Component Systems sales@machinedcomponent.com www.machinedcomponent.com

CTN Group Ltd charlie@ctn-group.co.uk www.CTN-GROUP.co.uk

G W Martin and Co Ltd sales@gwmartin.co.uk www.gwmartin.co.cuk

Manton Engineering (Bedford) Ltd sales@mantonengineering.co.uk www.mantonengineering.co.uk

Currie & Warner Ltd tonyfox@curriewarner.com www.curriewarner.com

H P C Services Ltd sales@slidinghead.com www.slidinghead.com

MaS Precision Engineering Ltd sales@masprecision.co.uk www.masprecision.co.uk

JULY 2020

btma.org

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DIRECTORY | BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS

Muller England Limited sales@muller-england.co.uk www.muller-england.co.uk

Quantamatic info@quantamatic.co.uk www.quantamatic.co.uk

Thomas Brown Engineering Ltd info@thomasbrownengineering.co.uk www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk

NC Precision Ltd sales@ncprecision.com www.ncprecision.com

Rodmatic Ltd enquiry@rodmatic.com www.rodmatic.com

TKM Engineering Ltd Sales@tkmengineering.co.uk www.tkmengineering.co.uk

Neida Products Engineering Ltd sales@neida.co.uk www.neida.co.uk

Rowan Precision Limited sales@rowanprecision.co.uk www.rowanprecision.co.uk

Trust Precision Engineering Ltd info@trustprecisionengineering.co.uk www.trustprecisionengineering.co.uk

Normec (Manchester) Ltd sales@normec.co.uk www.normec.co.uk

Salcey Precision Engineering Ltd info@salceyprecision.co.uk www.salceyprecision.co.uk

Plastic turned Parts Ltd sales@plasticturnedparts.co.uk www.plasticturnedparts.co.uk

Swissmatic Ltd info@swissmatic.co.uk www.swissmatic.co.uk

Wealdpark Limited sales@wealdpark.co.uk www.wealdpark.co.uk

Precision Component Services Ltd shane@precision-components.co.uk www.precision-components.co.uk

Techfore Turned Parts Ltd info@techfore.co.uk www.techfore.co.uk

Wharf Engineering Ltd sales@wharf-engineering.co.uk

Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd ian@precisionproducts.co.uk www.precisionproducts.co.uk

Tenable Screw Co Ltd nigel@tenable.co.uk www.tenable.co.uk

Wilco Manufacturing Ltd sales@wilcomanufacturing.co.uk www.wilcomanufacturing.co.uk

Qualiturn Products Ltd sales@qualiturn.co.uk www.qualiturn.co.uk

Tercet Precision Ltd Alex.Burns@tercet.co.uk www.buyturnedparts.com

Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd info@ypel.co.uk www.ypel.co.uk

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JULY 2020

BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

Arno (UK) Limited sales@arno.de www.arno-tools.co.uk

Filtermist Systems Limited sales@filtermist.com www.filtermist.co.uk

The Amodil Group tkd@amodil.co.uk www.amodil.co.uk

Floyd Automatic Tooling Ltd sales@floydautomatic.co.uk www.floydautomatic.co.uk

Badger Anodising (Birmingham) Ltd sales@badgeranodising.co.uk www.badgeranodsing.co.uk

Bowers Group sales@bowersgroup.co.uk www.bowersgroup.co.uk

PSL Datatrack engcap@psldatatrack.com www.psldatatrack.com

Smiths Metal Centres info@smithmetal.com www.smithmetal.com

Kumi Solutions simon@kumi-solutions.com www.kumi-solutions.com

Star Micronics GB Ltd sales@stargb.com www.stargb.com

LNS Turbo sales.uk@lns-europe.com www.lns-europe.com

Ceratizit UK & Ireland Ltd info.uk@ceratizit.com www.ceratizit.com

Matsuura Machinery Ltd imichie@matsuura.co.uk www.matsuura.co.uk

Citizen Machinery UK sales@citizenmachinery.co.uk www.citizenmachinery.co.uk

Engineering Technology Group sales@engtechgroup.com www.engtechgroup.com

JULY 2020

Stelstocks Ltd info@stelstocks.co.uk www.stelstocks.co.uk

Tornos Technologies UK Ltd sales_uk@tornos.com www.tornos.comk

Optimum Oils cliff.thrussell@optimumoils.com www.optimumoils.com

Wieland-Nemco Ltd. sales@wieland-nemco.com www.wieland-nemco.com

btma.org

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Qualiturn are a very modern subcontract machining service. We offer CNC precision Turned and Milled components to your specifications and quantities. We work with all sizes of customers, offering the same service to all. Supplying various market sectors across the world.

18 Merchant Drive Mead Lane Industrial Estate Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 7AY Tel. +44 (0) 1992 584499 www.qualiturn.co.uk

LATHES.CO.UK Lathes.co.uk store.lathes.co.uk - where Manuals, Catalogues Drive Belts Books Accessories & Spares are listed The world’s largest machine tool reference archive. Manuals, Catalogues, Books, Pictures Specifications, Technical Guides Wardlow, Tideswell, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8RP Tel. 01298-871633 (from overseas: +44-1298-871633) from 09:00 to 23:00 UK time www.lathes.co.uk

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PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

Qualiturn Products Limited

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

Top Gear House, Bletchley Road Heaton Mersey Industrial Estate Stockport SK4 3ED Tel: 0161 432 0222 www.minigears.co.uk

DAWSON PRECISION COMPONENTS Manufacturing precision machined components since 1965 Services include: CNC milling, CNC turning, turn/mill machining, sub contracted services, finishing and project management.

Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311

5 High quality precision machined components 5 Trusted technical support service 5 Complete and bespoke service from conception to completion 5 AS9100D & ISO 9001:2015 approved Oldfield Street, Crosland Moor Huddersfield HD4 5AJ T: 01484 548903 www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk

Wealdpark Ltd CNC mill-turn facility using Star sliding head lathes with bar capacity up to 32mm diameter.

Miyano and Doosan fixed head lathes with bar capacity up to 65mm.

Hurco vertical machining centre.

Sutton Road, St. Helens Merseyside WA9 3DJ Tel: 01744 22567 www.wealdpark.co.uk

dpc.co.uk PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

MACHINE TOOL MANUALS 8

CNC PRECISION COMPONENTS 8

Unit 2, Deethe Farm Industrial Est, Cranfield Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK17 8UR Tel: 01908 585103 www.jflbroaches.co.uk

Mini Gears is a subcontract manufacturer of machined components, gears and racks.

Winner of 17 Industry Awards, it has a global customer base, 35,000 sq. ft. facility and over 100 machines.

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

JFL are broach and broaching specialists with amost 40 years personal experience. We offer a comprehensive broaching service covering keyways, squares, hexagons and special forms.

Mini Gears (Stockport) Ltd

REPETITION TURNED PARTS 8

JFL Broaches and Broaching

MACHINING (5 AXIS) 8

BROACHING 8

DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity

Kirkham Engineering Co Ltd 13 - CNC Sliding Heads up to 1”; 14 CNC Twin Turret Fixed Heads up to 65mm; 5 - Twin Turret Twin Spindle; 5 - Twin Turret with Sub-Spindle and 4 - Twin Turret; 4 - CNC Single Turret Fixed Heads up to 6” Billet.

Centreless Grinding & T/rolling. All materials - Stainless Steel; Nickel Alloys and other exotics a speciality.

Prestwood Place, East Pimbo, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9QE Tel: 01695 727401 www.kirkhamengineering.co.uk

JULY 2020

TURNING (CNC) 8 Subcontract mill turned parts up to 65mm in diameter from bar and 300mm billet work.

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year half of this In the first has committed to ing Roscomatic investment, includ More than Engineering of 1000 latest Capacity | £750,000 medium-size small to INDUSTRY ation of the axis NEWS the install (SMEs) have d manufacturers 1MSY multibeen given Miyano BNE-5 . business a centre boost turn-mill ing-based months thanks over the last ten company The Worth to a new £9.7m business machinist suppor million parts subcontract The Manufa t initiative. some 1.5 eted ches dispat Programme cturing Growth g from compl lies (MGP), funded ssemb a year – rangin European and sub-a Regional Develo by the assemblies ned castings and Fund (ERDF) pment to large machiparts – and is Economic and delivered by Growth Solutio small turned ing a record has helped achiev companies ns (EGS), 98%. currently the UK to across 13 mins to just ry rate of grow, Martello from on-time delive products and develop been cut new r complex director Joe is driven overcomemins. A furthe nent which ny Managing Keet says: the compa r Seanproduc tion ity 2.5 issues steel compo taking flexibil explains that of constant Cell Leade that ional sly previou weress stainle g ions phy of operat d us them holding by a philoso of lean manufacturin three operat reduced to a “The levels o BNE has hadback.

Thisenable has ning now developmentsupported by machialready led tominutes is in the Miyan reduce jobs, with new inute cycle. ent an additio 11 400, four-m cantly ing £1 techniques, signifi tant, nal to vestm exceed positio 359 ’ often most impornstivity.” expected to single return-on-in setters to investment and an ‘open-liaison times and be Further once -up l produc ongoinne year has s createdfrom freeing g project keeps the million a from the improve overalcomple machi are which comes y new tasks and ted.machi By thenes people strategto date on the He says the£1.6m end July, m other time for each up of grant ium of perfor existing 3-axis arising. ion of lost reducing the workforce replaced beenofmade, utions 10 alumincontrib reduct have and any issuesin tion, four family withedmoney errors We’ve company requir so that a to suppor first-off inspec reloca gottion “We invest ass. te in place andstill previouslyt anothe lot of grants He says: deliver a separa r 2200 firms parts that betwee to and we want risk of setting and the latest n and leadership nownow work in progre g operations beMarch 1MSY and which manuf automation cutting and manag logy turnin and Lorrain ion can techno of the BNE-5 s to come ge of ement, R&D, lean ityacturer le e Holmes, cycle.2019. operat and see production manufacturin it is capabforward The flexibil Chiefe me the shorta er, milling Execut how turn-milling s asthey productivity g, can take ed in oneive Officer its succes toadvant helps to overco require. Howev ofaverag that EGS, produc and capacit key is with three age explain is of would cuttingthe ed: “We are has systems and ve bonus at y, quality assista cycle pped we still need offer. nce skills we A massi part way above of single It’s never on targets tant that sly overla the we per times beenateasier, development.supply chain have set for the as the procesaneou it is so imporown engineers total cycle s isworkp proving that ourselves,tools simult quickiece and the Martin Coats, there is a rt and by to grow our ends oftacan bar up toscope of real appetit both suppor from SMEs nt suppo Operations be tailored our Director at and using e exact for time, to the through consta to maximise EGS, continu needs ofter. support that targeted business same in order the busine firms come so ed: “When diame can bar and training, help The main ss.” to them grow. 51 mm Manufa “The differen 15 kW vestment what eadcturing strategic reviewus they receive a Progra return-on-in we support and kW The fixed-h mme programme ce with our is 7.5Growth from one of was set MGMs that two-ax is that it is upwith our the void e and improve how customers.” to fill determ spindl by deliver both left manufacturin e, Manufa ines what by the o r to ed barriers are spindl Advicedary g experts we delive n to the new Miyan d in the way secon Service (MAS) understand s of 5,000 cturing support is and what the challen who y ordere In additio by tage of um speed advan providi needed to maximng companies ges access to ny has alread help them reach their are facing. special in, have the assista the compa CNC sliding head isted potenti impos revs/m nce They understand to d / super “Since Octobe al. manufacturer the langua nes. The to synch ronisehelp two Citizen grow and ge improv12-station, s centre machi L20-VIII MDs are talking highest barrier r 2016, the l for both e. Ideal for turn-mill and can guide This contro is being with 15% . nes, a Citizenfrequency them on making was ‘Contin achieve ven turrets an 18-stro d through two machi low uous Improv of clients all-dring adecisions, before the right featuring network of followed by ement’, logy) and experie LFV (LFV bringin ‘Enviro techno 2017 specialists nced manuf BER ‘Marke nment cutting on specific g in acturin SEPTEM ting and Market al’ and growth manag vibration ange M16-V will bring g issues are facing 14. ers (MGM) Knowledge’ ations to they’re or opportunities they to industr top-of-the-r (12% each). y specialists , access Citizen install looking initial stage Once the and the opportunity the total has She continu to explore.” to we then bring been completed, ed: “1000 m average grant apply for an acity.co benefic ringcap of £1400, rising iaries is just works with in an expert who maximum the manag the start. www.enginee to a to £3,500 14 ement team address these Support can . be used for 8 manufacturin issues.”

SEPTEM BER 2017 programme.c ggrowth o.uk

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