Engineering Capacity digital edition March 2023

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COMING UP IN OUR MAY 2023 ISSUE

Laser & Waterjet cutting, Medical, Moulding, Additive Manufacturing, Machined Components, Subcon Preview, Automechanika Preview

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Editor’s View

I have visited a fair number of small to medium sized German manufacturers, and it can sometimes come as a shock to the system the extent to which they have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, end-to-end digitalised manufacturing processes.

It is quite common to find family owned companies in the 50 to 150 employee band investing millions of Euros to bring together the automated importing of part files from customers, automated scheduling and integration with enterprise software, automated quoting, automatically generated bills of material and the automated offline creation of CAM programs. These are then produced on the latest hightechnology automated systems and digitally tracked at every step of their production journey.

It is heartening to see that UK manufacturers are getting on track with the digital transformation too. The Made Smarter initiative has done a lot of sterling work to bring smaller companies up to speed. It has now launched a new ‘fast-track’ leadership programme to help the bosses of our UK SMEs accelerate the process.

It says that in just three months, the ‘Leading Digital Transformation’ programme will turn participants into digitally informed, empowered leaders, armed with a bespoke digitalisation strategy. Leaders will walk away with a set of practical tools, a strategy for digital transformation and an offer to access further support from Made Smarter, including funding for new technology.

Places are limited and you can find out more on MadeSmarter.uk.

If you want some meaty insights to back up your own digital thinking, you can download a report from Siemens from its 2022 Transform event. This bought together 2,000 industry, government and economic ‘thought leaders’ to share their views on the state of progress towards digital transformation in industry, infrastructure and society. You can find it at siemens.co.uk/transform.

Andy Sandford, Editor

Member of the Engineering Industries Association

With over 20 years’ experience in machining aerospace precision turned components, APT Leicester was recently set the task of producing some guide roller shafts for a lift to support pigs weighing as much as half a tonne.

Two years ago a sounder (the collective noun for swine) of 100 pigs found safety at the not-forprofit Beneath The Wood animal sanctuary in Wales. Having been rescued from an illegal and horrific slaughterhouse, the pigs were in a dreadful physical state. Their hooves had grown, in some cases becoming curved and uneven, to the point where they were struggling to stand and walk. They were in desperate need of pedicures.

News of the pigs’ plight was initially shared by Leicesterbased product design company, Designeering, who had stepped in to engineer the special pig lift. Recognising that this was an excellent cause, APT Leicester was happy to offer its services.

Following the creation of the unique modular pig lift design, APT manufactured the guide roller shafts. These mill-turned parts were made from marine grade stainless steel, providing the level of strength and weather-resistance needed in the harsh outdoor environment of the sanctuary.

Sasha Bennett, Director at Beneath The Wood Sanctuary, said: “We’re delighted with the overall design The pig lift is fit for purpose, easy to operate and safe to use. This innovation is a

Aerospace experts help pigs to fly

massive improvement to pig care at the sanctuary and we are thankful for the parts APT Leicester provided.”

With APT’s time and service having been provided free of charge, they were delighted to see the pig lift finished and in action at the sanctuary last month. Improved foot care means healthier lives for these animals, which is excellent

news considering the immense trauma they experienced before being rescued.

Nick Baller, Managing Director at APT Leicester, said: “As a precision engineering company with over 60 years’ experience in CNC machining, we are proud to have manufactured components to help the Sanctuary continue looking after their pigs.”

8 aptleicester.co.uk

EPHJ, the world’s largest high precision trade show, will take place in 2023 from 6 – 9 June, at Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland

Each year, companies and specialized professionals gather in Geneva, Switzerland at the world's largest high-precision trade show.

For the past 20 years, EPHJ has represented a unique trade show that brings together professionals in the high-precision industry: microtechnology, watchmaking, jewellery, and medical technologies. It is an international hub for technological innovations and business in the high precision sectors.

Engineering Capacity is an official media partner and readers will receive a Complimentary exhibition ticket, access to conferences & roundtables (space can be reserved on request) and a welcome kit: fair catalogue, city guide, maps.

2022 saw a strong recovery in the high-precision sectors, especially in the Swiss watch and jewellery industry, which has set new records for export sales – a development EPHJ are delighted to see. This trend had already become clear during the last EPHJ Show in June. A subsequent satisfaction survey of exhibitors revealed that 84% of them had done business at the show or had very promising prospects for the near term – further evidence of just how valuable and useful EPHJ is.

EPHJ is and will remain the only platform in the world where nearly 20,000 Swiss and

Come to the world of high precision

international visitors meet every year representing all the major watch and jewellery brands, as well as MedTech and microtechnology companies.

The organisers say there are no other opportunities for meeting all these players in the space of just a few days and that EPHJ’s success over the last 20 years is the finest demonstration of this.

As an EPHJ partner for the last five years in connection with the Watch MedTech Innovation Challenge, Fondation Inartis supports watch industry professionals in their efforts to develop MedTech projects.

The Watch MedTech Challenge – co- organised by EPHJ and Fondation Inartis since 2018 – is about supporting companies as they expand their range and activities. Five finalists will show how watchmaking skills are being applied to medical projects. The 2023 finalists are Tritec, 3D Precision, Abatec, Eposint and Polycrystal. Applications range from 3D printing for breast reconstruction after cancer surgery and transparent nonporous ceramics for orthodontal bands, to the use of fluorescent pigments for diagnostic purposes.

8 ephj.ch/en

Protolabs has launched Design for Manufacturability analysis for 3D printed parts, offering peace of mind to manufacturers across Europe.

It is a significant advancement to the 3D printing offering as it provides added assurance that a part is suitable for manufacturing before committing to production, all entirely online in a matter of seconds.

Protolabs has been supporting customers using the process for CNC and Injection Moulding offerings, and the development brings those benefits of speed and reassurance to the 3D Printing service.

Andrea Landoni, Protolabs EMEA's 3D Printing Product Manager, commented: "Additive manufacturing is a brilliant technology, allowing engineers to produce complex parts that were previously too difficult to achieve.

“Whilst the technology offers great flexibility, there are a few limitations that engineers must be aware of and the Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis provides that guidance in seconds. The system will instantly highlight all the issues to the user, whether they are critical, such as parts that are too large to be produced, or non-critical, like dimensions that are close to certain thresholds like wall thickness and may not form completely.

"We understand the importance of speed, but ensuring that parts are correct, high quality, and delivered rapidly is critical. Instant analysis means

Checking 3D part designs

from proceeding with their order only to discover there has been an issue hours later. Whilst the vast majority of problems are solved, there are circumstances where the user may still require further support.

Landoni continued: "Protolabs understand that specific projects require technical consultancy to solve complex issues. In these circumstances, our Application Engineers are still on hand to overcome these challenges and accelerate the process.

you can have all the advantages of additive manufacturing with even more certainty without sacrificing speed."

Design for Manufacturability processes eliminate lost time incidents for most common issues, preventing engineers

“The Design for Manufacturability analysis supports our Application Engineers by reducing the number of projects they need to get involved in, allowing them to interact with more customers who require their support even faster. “

8 protolabs.co.uk

LOOKING FOR PERFECT AEROSPACE COMPONENTS ?

Precision mill turned parts up to 65mm in diameter from bar and 300mm billet work

Leading plastic injection moulding company OGM (Owen Greenings and Mumford Ltd.) is investing £500,000 to expand the cleanroom at its factory in Oxford. The first stage of the project is due to be complete in May.

The investment will fund a 25% increase in the footprint of the existing cleanroom plus the acquisition of two new machines, a 100 tonne ARBURG and a 160 tonne KraussMaffei. This will enable OGM to run higher cavitation tooling to produce larger components and increase overall cleanroom capacity.

Paul Wightman, group managing director of Owen Greenings & Mumford (Holdings) said: “We are investing in our cleanroom facilities to accommodate new contracts and growth from our existing customers, specifically in the production of plastic injection moulded parts for orthopaedic

Plastic cleanroom expansion

Thetford-based Warren Services is celebrating 33 years in precision engineering with the launch of its new brand identity and website.

Managing Director Will Bridgman said: “After 33 years growing the business, we wanted our corporate identity to convey Warren’s evolution into a modern, full-service. advanced manufacturing partner with a focus on engineered innovation. Warren’s purpose is to help our

medical devices and automated surgical equipment. Our expansion plans not only increase our injection moulding capability but also provide extra space for added value processes such as automated assembly within the cleanroom environment.”

As a result of this investment, OGM, which celebrated its 60th anniversary at the end of last year, will be expanding its team of cleanroom machine operators with

up to six new roles, in addition to new staff for assembly and packing.

Paul concluded: “This is part of a larger investment programme for OGM Ltd. Elsewhere in the factory we have built a mezzanine floor to house ultrasonic cleaning machines that will form part of an automated production cell. Total investment in our Oxford facility is likely to exceed £2million by the end of this year.”

8 ogm.uk.com

New brand marks 33-year evolution

clients succeed by bringing their projects, such as high-value architectural engineering and electro-mechanical machines, to market, with speed and precision.”

The new brand recognises that clients now simply call the firm ‘Warren’ – although the legal entity remains Warren Services Limited.

Will said: “Our old brand identity served us well but no longer conveyed the strength of

our brand reputation, technical promise and progressive personality. We wanted a new brand identity that our employees could take pride in and that our clients would recognise as distinctively Warren. We are delighted to have worked with creative agencies from Norfolk and Suffolk on this branding project.”

8 warrenservices.co.uk

Swiftool Precision Engineering based in Sutton and Ashfield in Nottinghamshire has struck gold at the Make UK National Manufacturing Awards held in London.

The company which supplies precision machined components for safety critical parts to the nuclear, petrochemical and aerospace markets picked up three national awards, having won three awards at the Make UK Midlands Regional ceremony back in November.

The company won the Developing Future Talent Award, before being named SME of the Year and then overall Make UK Manufacturer of the Year, beating companies from across the UK

The awards, organised by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, the body that represents over twenty thousand manufacturing companies across the UK, were held at Canary Wharf in London to recognise the achievements of companies and apprentices from across the UK.

The company invests substantially in the development of its future workforce through its ‘Tomorrow’s workforce today’ programme which has involved significant investment in apprentice training and a focus on building a close relationship with local colleges and schools to promote opportunities available within engineering. Given the complexity of the components that the company makes there is also a continual focus on innovation, in particular to ensure the company remains a

Manufacturer of the Year

key supplier to the Ministry of Defence next generation nuclear deterrent programme.

The judges’ citation said: “This company has a truly inspirational story. They have a focus on key areas of the business to make them operationally successful but also work tirelessly to inspire the next generation in manufacturing and to promote job opportunities to the local community. They are investing in the latest technology to improve their processes and ensuring engineering is about interacting with innovative technology and providing superb

customer support. They are a fantastic example of best in class and a well-deserved winner of Manufacturer of the Year.”

Stephen Phipson, Chief Executive of Make UK, said: “These awards are a testament to the dynamic companies and individuals working within engineering and manufacturing. The sector remains at the heart of creating wealth across the UK and there will be a bright future for companies and individuals that make the most of their talent.”

8 makeuk.org

UK Vehicle production is going through unprecedented change, the makeup of the UK supply chain and the technical requirements for vehicles has never looked more different. Compounded by political, legislative and logistical challenges. The Automotive Supply Chain Forum offers a unique opportunity to get ahead of the curve and connect back with the UK manufacturing supply chain.

Find out more about new suppliers, the latest development and innovations are and how they can support you with competitive, local supply. The event will also be an effective opportunity to showcase your support for the UK industry and its supply chain in what will be a key networking point in the calendar, perfect for those looking to engage directly with suppliers, develop new partnerships and build your own networks.

Tata Technologies, a global product engineering and digital services company, is to scale up its West Midlands operations and create of around 350 jobs in the region.

The company says that this marks its commitment to develop and leverage the next generation of digital capability and talent in the West Midlands through strategic collaboration with the University of Wolverhampton and the University of Warwick to establish Centres of Excellence for Cybersecurity, FUSA (Functional Safety for Automotive) and AUTOSAR (Automotive Open System Architecture).

Located in Leamington Spa (Tachbrook Park), Tata Technologies’ European Innovation and Development Centre (EIDC) serves as the organisation’s European Headquarters delivering engineering and digital solutions across the automotive, aerospace and industrial machinery sectors in European, US and Asia-Pacific markets. It houses engineering support services, two advanced engineering labs and an R&D centre.

The plans were announced to coincide with a visit by West Midlands mayor Andy Street to the site, where discussions centred on Tata Technologies’ pledge to develop a diverse and inclusive workforce in the region, supported by its initiativeRainbow, driven across the organization. The visit featured a display of the latest technologies

Tata Technologies scales up

in electric and autonomous vehicles being engineered in the West Midlands, which are expected to shape the future of the automotive industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Warren Harris, MD and CEO of Tata Technologies, said: Tata Technologies’ European Innovation and Development Centre is a key delivery centre for Tata Technologies Europe and is

the biggest centre out of India with approximately 650 employees in the UK. Teams at EIDC are part of some of the biggest innovations that we are delivering for our international customers, and we want to leverage the talent in the West Midlands to engineer the next generation of Electric Vehicles and Aircrafts.”

8 tatatechnologies.com

Precision Engineering

High quality cost effective CNC subcontracting. Produced on state of the art machines

EN 9100:2018

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Telephone: 01905 779783

Email:

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High Quality Subcontract Machining

World leading profile machining

A giant machining centre will help make a UK steel plant a world leader in value-added machined special profiles, rolled to precise customer requirements, for applications such as fork-lift truck masts.

Forming part of a £26 million investment by British Steel's owner Jingye Group in the Skinningrove steelworks near Redcar, the travelling-column machining centre with a working envelope of 14,000 mm x 4,100 mm x 1,600 mm is currently being built in Germany by SHW Werkzeugmaschinen.

It will be delivered to Skinningrove towards the end of 2023, where it will be set up as a turnkey installation by Kingsbury, the machine manufacturer's sole agent in the UK, Ireland and GCC.

Despite being of such large capacity, the Uniforce 4000 fiveaxis machine will nevertheless be able to hold extremely tight tolerance on special rolled steel profiles produced in the mill. The combination of size and accuracy will set the company's machining capability apart from that of all other global players.

Included in the current spending round are expansion of the Skinningrove site, plus the purchase of four new CNC lathes for turning mill rolls, three band sawing cells for cutting stock to length, a laser measurement system for process control of every bar rolled, and a warehousing system for storing

and retrieving raw and processed material. Previous significant investments involved the installation of an advanced surface descaling system and robotic identification tracking of each profile manufactured.

The rationale for the latest project is a legacy situation within British Steel that for the last 20 years has seen special profiles produced in Skinningrove transferred by truck 35 miles west to the machine shop in the group's Darlington facility for processing. The resulting bottleneck limited throughput of the company's special steel profiles and delayed their just-intime delivery to world markets. The vast majority of product is used in Europe, North and South America, India and Asia.

The bottleneck will soon be history, as all processing will be done on the Skinningrove site and the Darlington facility will be closed. The optimisation of operations will save not only time but also the cost and vehicle emissions associated with the

constant transport of material by road. It is predicted that the new processing facility will add a further 30,000 tonnes of output within the next two years. It will thereafter see a further substantial increase when material handling in the new plant becomes fully automated.

David Waine, Commercial Director for Special Profiles at British Steel Skinningrove, said: "We are delighted that this biggest single investment in British Steel Special Profiles for more than 30 years will further strengthen our global presence and service offering.

"The new service centre here will incorporate one of the finest large-capacity machine shops in the world, turning us into the number one manufacturer globally of value-added machined special profiles, rolled to precise customer requirements.

"The first target market will be masts for forklift trucks, especially high-reach models. However, the milling machine will have the capability to enhance

our offering across all sectors."

Simon Burrow, Business Development Director for LPM (large prismatic machines) at Kingsbury explained: "The 14metre X-axis of the Uniforce 4000 in build for British Steel will have a three-metre table at one end for processing smaller parts transferred from the Darlington mill, enabling offline setup and pendulum machining.

"Five-axis prismatic milling and drilling capability is provided

throughout the machine volume by a 2-axis universal head that allows the horizontal-spindle machine to execute vertical-spindle operations at the smaller table.

"Another aspect of the installation is the phased investment, which will enable loading of extrusions to be automated to increase capacity in the future as market share and production volumes increase."

David Waine concluded: “With the growth in our market and the

anticipated uplift in demand, this investment is coming at the perfect time and will put us significantly ahead of others in our business.

"The market is becoming increasingly competitive, but we are able to keep in front by constantly innovating, developing our processing capabilities in line with user requirements. In the last two years, we have developed nine patents at Special Profiles.” 8 britishsteel.co.uk

Wealdpark Limited

Machine tool supplier, WaldrichSiegen GmbH & Co. has entered into a long-term partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters for lifetime support of a proposed new machining facility.

WaldrichSiegen will deliver a ten-year, through-life and production-support contract, plus the design, supply, manufacture, installation and commissioning of 17 new machining centres to create highly accurate, complex shapes required for ultra-large, steel castings and forgings.

The full suite of machines is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2028 and includes: seven Heavy Duty VTL’s with 5-8m tables, three Gantry Mills with 616m turning capability, three RAM Hydrostatic Boring Mills, three Heavy Duty Horizontal Lathes with 24-27m beds, and one Gantry Bandsaw.

The machining line will be housed in a proposed new building at the Brightside Lane site, and includes a series of large-scale, five-axis Vertical Turning Lathes (VTL), which form part of a recapitalisation investment of up to £400 million over ten years to underpin the Sheffield Forgemasters’ defencecritical assets.

Gareth Barker, Chief Operating Officer at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “We have entered into a partnership agreement for a tenyear, through-life and productionsupport contract with WaldrichSiegen, who will take a permanent base at our site.

Ultra-large castings and forgings

“The supply and support agreement creates a fundamental mechanism for driving increased performance from this investment, by working in a long-term business partnership with the machine tools supplier.”

Work has already commenced on the detailed design phase of the project and the first machining centres are planned to go into manufacture before the end of the year, with the first machine scheduled for delivery to Brightside Lane in January 2025.

Gareth added: “We currently operate the UK’s largest five-axis VTL and each new VTL is larger and more technologically advanced, with all machining digitally analysed through a toollife management system.

“The partnership will create a highly efficient machining line, enabling us to dramatically reduce processing times for complex components and delivering new levels of capability and production management.”

WaldrichSiegen is supported

by UK Agents, McDowell Machine Tools Limited, who are key to the design, installation and commissioning sections of the programme and will also be embedded in the through-life and production-support contract, with a permanent presence on the Sheffield Forgemasters site.

Thorsten Mehlhorn, WaldrichSiegen President & CSO, said: “We are delighted to be partnering Sheffield Forgemasters as the company expands its capabilities in the manufacture of highly complex forgings and castings. This partnership is built on the principles of lifetime support and will deliver the most advanced facility of its kind within the UK.”

As part of the service contract, WaldrichSiegen will maintain a Sheffield Forgemasters base for management of a full spares package, and significant supporting facilities which will contribute to the lifetime maintenance of the machines and full suite of 116 machining heads. 8 sheffieldforgemasters.com

Bureau Technical Services, which provides technical services to the global energy sector, has launched a new arm of its business to offer Statutory Engineering Inspections to the City of Hull and Humber region.

Until today, organisations in the Hull area had to secure the Statutory Inspection of their equipment from outside of the area, often meaning longer wait times for support and an inconsistent service based on centralised planning, which has an impact on productivity when equipment is out of service.

All organisations using engineering equipment such as lifting or pressure-based systems must undergo the statutory inspection of their assets at regular intervals as set out by law.

This is a requirement for all businesses with multiple assets, including farms and automotive garages, to retail and manufacturing. Statutory Inspection ensures all equipment is safe and adequate documentation is held for auditing and insurance purposes.

Following their extensive experience and success in supporting clients in the global energy sector with inspection and technical services, Bureau Technical Services has invested heavily in a new division to bring these services to the local area.

David Blanchard, Managing Director of Bureau Technical Services, said: “We aim to offer a fresh approach to Statutory Inspection in this area. Following our high standards of service and

Statutory Inspection service

existing quality accreditations, building a team of experienced engineers, and offering the ability for local organisations to manage their compliance has been met with open arms”.

The organisation has invested in a team of engineers led by Richard Wood, who brings 15 years of experience in the sector as business unit Director. Richard said, “I am delighted to

have joined Bureau Technical Services and bring a new approach to compliance in the area. We pride ourselves on delivering that personal touch back to the sector. We’ve worked hard to implement the right systems, recruit the best engineers available and work with the clients who are already knocking at the door for support.”

8 bureautechnicalservices.co.uk

Factory move trebles capacity

NTG Precision Engineering has marked its move to a new purpose-built facility with a series of production investments to further increase its capabilities and capacity.

Having run a dual production schedule while it transferred its machinery and team from its previous premises to ensure minimal disruption to customer projects, the new 45,000 sq ft facility in North East England is now fully operational.

The first machine into the new facility was a Mazak Variaxis i800 NEO simultaneous 5-axis machining centre.

Mike Hutchinson, Group Managing Director at NTG Holdings, said: “Our 5-axis capability has become a bottleneck due to demand from customers for this type of complex work. The new machine will enable us to offer shorter lead times by reducing the restrictions around our 5-axis work.”

Other new machines include a Matsuura H.Plus-405 multi-pallet horizontal machining centre and larger turning capacity with the addition of a Doosan 700LM II turning centre.

Mr Hutchinson said the new facility offers further growth opportunities for NTG. “We’ve increasingly diversified the business from its roots as predominantly a tooling and oil and gas focused supplier. We now operate across defence, food production, energy, subsea,

electric vehicles and renewables. The new facility will give us the footprint to be able to continue to grow and service all our sectors, whilst also giving us the footprint to introduce more capacity and new technologies in the future.”

This equipment will be used in the manufacture of metal components for a range of industries including automotive, food production, automation and energy generation.

Three times the size of its former base, the new facility, in 8th Avenue, Team Valley, Gateshead, will enable NTG to increase its presence in key markets.

The building also reflects NTG’s commitment to sustainability and is part-powered by Solar PV and includes electric vehicle charging points and air source heating.

Significantly, it gives NTG more space to grow over the next five to ten years, allowing the business to be more agile and respond to commercial opportunities.

Mike Hutchinson said: “We

have grown year on year for the past decade and this new facility will provide the space we need to meet demand and strengthen our position as a manufacturer of choice across our key customer industries.

“We have established ourselves in sectors including defence, electric vehicles, energy generation and food production, particularly from customers that have moved towards reshoring as they become more inclined to source services and products from within the UK.

“This has enabled us to deliver an investment strategy that not only includes the move to our new premises, but also new equipment as well as our people. The addition of new technology, such as the 5-axis machining centre, enables us to support OEMs with broader precision engineering capabilities as well as building additional capacity with a larger manufacturing footprint.

8 ntg-ltd.co.uk

South Shields-based Ford Aerospace has been acquired by US manufacturing group SPIROL.

Ford Aerospace was founded at Tyne Dock in 1910 by Robert Ford, and the family business has most recently been led by the founder’s great-grandson, Chris Ford. The company specialises in manufacturing high precision metal components and sub-assemblies for the aerospace, industrial, and hightechnology sectors.

SPIROL is a successful, familyowned company with a rich history also closely tied to aviation development. Founded in 1948 by Herman Koehl, the grandfather of the current chief executive officer, Jeff Koehl, SPIROL has grown from a single manufacturing facility in the United States to a global enterprise with manufacturing or distribution locations on four continents and twelve countries across North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

With a legacy spanning 75 years as an expert in fastening, joining and assembly, SPIROL says its global footprint will take the UK based Ford Aerospace’s products to a wider international market. It also stated that one of SPIROL’s core principles is to continuously reinvest back into the business to ensure long-term, enhanced success and better serve its customers. It says that this principle is also firmly held by Ford Aerospace and therefore the synergies in markets, products, history and approach

SPIROL lands in North East

specialized manufacturing process from Ford Aerospace, which is still in use today. SPIROL respects Ford’s strong position in the UK market and our product manufacturing knowledge.

SPIROL and Ford’s approach to its employees and its customers align wonderfully, and I am excited to see our strong business carry on as part of the successful SPIROL group.”

to providing value to its customers ties SPIROL and Ford closely together.

Speaking about the sale, Chris Ford said, “Ford Aerospace is, and always has been, here for the people, especially our dedicated and skilled team, and it was important that any new Ford Aerospace owner share the values that have been at the heart of the company for over 100 years. Our two companies have a long history of working together, dating back to 1980 where SPIROL licensed a

Ford Aerospace’s technical skills in ‘space compensating’ management – the production of laminated and solid shims which ensures fast, precision tolerance compensation used on products such as fuselages, gearboxes and movable components – was a key offering that attracted SPIROL. These solid and laminated shims enable clients to reduce stock of individual shims and offers the option of “sizing” a particular shim by adjusting the shim pack to the desired thickness on assembly.

8 ford-engineering.com spirol.com

8 Ken Hagan, SPIROL, with Chris Ford, Ford Aerospace

Messe Frankfurt UK, organisers of Automechanika Birmingham, has announced registration is now open for visitors to secure free tickets to its refreshed trade event, the Automotive Supply Chain Forum, in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The Forum, which will be held alongside Automechanika Birmingham from 6th - 8th June 2023 at the NEC, takes place amid fast-paced changes on the automotive supply chain horizon, and will offer key insights into the opportunities available to help future-proof the industry.

Key discussions will focus on constantly evolving technology and its effect on the supply chain. This, combined with the 2030 deadline on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles, means future innovation is a key focus for manufacturing sites across the UK, as suppliers embrace reshoring.

Simon Albert, managing director of event organisers Messe Frankfurt UK, said: “We’re looking forward to opening our doors for 2023 and welcoming visitors to the new, refreshed Automotive Supply Chain Forum at Automechanika Birmingham 2023.

“Visitors will have access to key discussions on challenges and opportunities presented by electrification and battery technology, light weighting, sustainability and net-zero, supply chain logistics, industry 4.0 and digitalisation and, skills

Automotive Supply Chain Forum

and talent retention with a panel of industry expert advisory board members and the SMMT.”

The Automotive Supply Chain Forum will also explore how UK manufacturing is bringing more global productions back to domestic sites to address supply chain challenges caused by the legacy of the Covid pandemic, logistic pain points, global disruption, and ongoing UK-EU regulation complexities following Brexit.

As powertrains shift to zero emission, and vehicle designs are constantly required to innovate, the Forum brings suppliers face-to-face with those at the forefront of developing new technologies, to explore opportunities and to win business.

The Forum will also see the return of the SMMT Meet the Buyer programme, which enables one-to-one meetings between aftermarket suppliers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and tier-one buyers.

The 2023 edition of the Automotive Supply Chain Forum will be the fifth time the event has run, previously being part of the Automechanika trade exhibition. However, the latest edition will have an all-new format to put the supply chain in the spotlight more than ever before.

Engineering Capacity is an official media partner of Automechanika Birmingham.

You can register for your free ticket at 8 bit.ly/Automechanikareg

Quality management specialist, G&P, has launched a new service designed to help manufacturers identify and eliminate potential quality issues at source before they are shipped further up the supply chain.

Supplier quality issues in automotive, aerospace, offhighway and other manufacturing supply chains cause regular disruptions to build processes and end product quality levels. G&P’s service has been specifically developed to protect manufacturers from costly disruption through proactive intervention with tiered suppliers who pose a significant risk of creating disruption.

Simon Francis, group quality director, G&P said: “Our new service has been designed to prevent quality spills, instead of controlling spills that have already happened.

“To do this, our system develops a picture of the tiered supplier’s overall risk level by measuring and monitoring internal and external influences, through a Business Integrity and Capability assessment.

“From here we can identify those suppliers posing the greatest risk of poor quality or missed delivery and find the right resolution to minimise any disruption before it occurs.”

The launch of the new service comes as several macro factors such as raw material shortages, parts supply problems and depleted workforces across several manufacturing industries

continue to have an effect on production schedules.

Stephen Molloy, aerospace, defence & industrials director, G&P said: “Globally at G&P, we are seeing quality issues stemming from the very early stages of the supply chain.

“Many manufacturers continue to experience reduced availability of raw materials and

labour shortages which is causing a considerable knock-on effect further down the chain.

“At G&P, we work with OEMs and tiered suppliers to ensure production lines can run without disruption from poor quality or material shortages. Our service will contribute significantly to the success of this work.”

8 gpqm.com

Auto supplier in global top 3%

Vestatec UK, a specialist in metal forming for automotive interiors, has renewed its IATF 16949 certification with a pass rate which puts the business in the top 3% of suppliers globally.

Achieving zero minor noncompliances and zero major noncompliances during its annual audit, Vestatec secured its position as one of the leading automotive suppliers – not just in the UK, but globally. Its first-class Nottingham-based facility puts Vestatec amongst the top 3% of IATF 16949-accredited suppliers globally and the top 7% of those in the UK.

IATF is the internationally recognised quality management standard for the automotive industry, encouraging the progression of continual improvement, defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.

“As a trusted supplier to some of the best-known automotive brands, our certifications reflect our ambition to deliver the highest levels of quality and service,” said David Marriott, Quality Manager at Vestatec. “In recent years, we have invested heavily in our facility to streamline our production and elevate and expand our expertise, alongside improving quality at every step of the journey. To renew our IATF certification without incurring any noncompliance issues is a fantastic achievement throughout the

organisation, putting us amongst the very best suppliers to the global automotive supply chain.

“Our customers, both domestically and internationally, rightly demand the highest levels of quality and service, and our results speak for themselves. Through our work, we are delivering exacting levels of expertise and craftsmanship which help carmakers to push the boundaries of what is possible and add value through design.”

The IATF certification remains valid for three years, with renewal required each year during that period. As part of this, an independent audit is carried out to measure the company’s activities against specific criteria, from verifying that documentation meets the requirements of the standard through to ensuring processes are followed correctly.

Founded in 1987, Vestatec specialises in highly complex metal forming, assembly and PVD coating, creating precision

components to meet the requirements of high performance and aesthetic applications. In addition to being a leading supplier to the OE market worldwide, Vestatec’s technology and expertise are transferable to any sector where intricacy, design and differentiation matter.

Vestatec was founded in 1987, and developed its reputation as a supplier of spoilers and styling products for Japanese cars.

Today, Vestatec has become the leading supplier to the OE market worldwide with the flexibility to offer product solutions to suit any customers across a wide variety of sectors.

While Vestatec produces thousands of parts for automotive brands such as Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, Rolls Royce, and Volvo, it says its technology, skills and know-how are transferable to any sector where intricacy, design, and differentiation matter.

8 vestatec.co.uk

A giant bass guitar celebrating Sir Paul McCartney’s six-decade long career has been created by two Merseyside companies.

The sculpture was created by Wirral-based Diamond Precision Engineering and has been protected from the elements with a little help from their friends at Merseyside Galvanizing Ltd.

Last year, Paul McCartney celebrated his 80th birthday and The Beatles Story Museum at Albert Dock, alongside Hofner Guitars, commissioned a sculpture to commemorate his illustrious six-decade career.

The guitar, which measures 4m long and is 3m high, pays homage to the Beatles, and is to take pride of place in Liverpool City Centre for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Oliver Pitt, Director at Diamond Precision Engineering, said: “We were tasked with fabricating this incredible guitar figure to celebrate Paul McCartney’s 80th birthday. Both the guitar and panels surrounding it are made from 6mm mild steel, which we laser cut and secured to a box section frame. We then sent it over to the team at Merseyside Galvanizing to protect it from the elements before it was powder coated and wrapped in vinyl logos.”

At Merseyside Galvanizing, the guitar sculpture was hotdipped in its large molten zinc bath. Coating the metal completely, this process allows the piece to be protected from corrosion, preparing it for

Big bass for a legend

its permanent placement in the city centre.

Richard Smetham, Sales Manager at Merseyside Galvanizing Ltd, said: “It has been an incredibly exciting project to be a part of and a privilege to have been asked to protect this fantastic piece as a tribute to Paul McCartney, and The Beatles, in

their hometown. Thanks to the protection against corrosion that galvanizing provides, it will be rust-free in another 70 years, and so can be admired and enjoyed by passers-by for the foreseeable future.”

8 wedge-galv.co.uk diamondprecision engineering.co.uk

Midtherm Laser has increased capacity and cut processing speeds with an £1.2m fibre laser investment – and reduced its carbon footprint.

The new Bystronic Bystar Fiber 12kW laser with part automation is one of the largest purchases in its 23-year history. It will help the company deliver high cutting dynamics and thin to thick cutting capabilities to a customer base that spans aerospace, automotive and decorative work to food processing, agricultural and conveyors.

It has also made a massive difference to the firm’s environmental performance, with the Bystronic model replacing two older CO2 machines and is already delivering a 50% energy saving – the equivalent of powering 2100 average homes every month.

“Our expertise in laser cutting and metal forming is respected throughout our sector and has led to us increasing sales by a further 6% last year, a great achievement considering the volatility of the market,” explained Mark Hannon, Director of Midtherm Laser.

“The knowledge of our experienced people is one of our greatest strengths and we like to complement this with a sustained investment programme that incorporates the latest technology into our production processes.”

He went on to add: “The 12kW Bystar Fiber is a class leading machine that can cut from 0.5mm to 30mm in mild steel, aluminium,

Midtherm goes full fibre

and a host of other materials. It gives us more capacity to target new opportunities and, importantly, means three quarters of our machines are now fibre technology instead of gas.

“With this in mind, and when you consider we have also invested in LED lighting, sensor switches and electric vehicles and charging for our staff on the road, it’s not difficult to see how we have managed to cut our energy usage in half since 2018.”

Midtherm was originally established in 1968 by Ray Andrews and operated through sister companies offering powder coating, enamelling and UV flues.

There was a laser cutting machine that was occasionally being used at one of the factories and the decision was taken in 2000 to put it to better use by creating a ‘laser’

business that initially employed just three people.

With orders starting to take off, Ray’s son Richard Andrews moved the business to its current 20,000 sq ft factory on Peartree Lane in Dudley in 2004, with the next big milestone taking place in 2018 when Mark Hannon replaced Dean Cockayne as Director and took over the operation alongside Richard and Kate Birt.

Today, Midtherm Laser works with more than 500 companies across 20 different sectors, cutting or forming various sheet metal from 0.5mm to 30mm to a +/- 0.25mm tolerance.

It can offer the cutting of nonferrous materials without the risk of cross contamination for industries, including food processing and chemical manufacture.

8 midthermlaser.co.uk

William Hughes, a specialist manufacturer of springs and wire components, has enhanced the capabilities of its 80 m2 Class 7 cleanroom with its investment in a digitally controlled Ultrawave Neon 60 Ultrasonic Cleaning System.

The new Neon machine, which is Class I Medical Devices compliant to MDR (EU) 2017/745, compliments existing assets and capabilities in the ISO 14644-1 accredited cleanroom, which include further solvent and aqueous cleaning systems, a UVinspection dark room and various

Cleanroom capabilities boosted

cleaning verification systems, including filtration studies, NVR testing and microanalysis.

As well as being used internally, the cleanroom is offered as an advanced subcontract facility. William Hughes can also undertake assembly the assembly of units involving more than one

component in a cleanroom environment.

William Hughes Special Processes Manager, Shaun Tattershall explained: “The cleanroom has evolved over the years since we acquired ultrasonic cleaning company AC Services, in 2015. To keep up with industry demands and evolving legislation we have invested in new contemporary technology which offers the levels of performance expected by some of the most demanding industrial sectors.”

8 wmhughes.co.uk

The Cast Metals Federation has released a five-point blueprint that will help the castings sector deliver a £10billion boost to the economy.

The Net Zero roadmap is urging Government to create a stable policy environment that focuses on reforming energy markets and providing clean energy, offering incentives for capital investment in zero carbon furnaces and production equipment and ensuring UK trade policies support customer demand for low carbon products from global markets.

The ‘asks’ also call for Whitehall to encourage and enable the release of land for modern, zero carbon foundries and associated zero carbon energy generation facilities.

Adam Vicary, CEO of Castings PLC and Chairman of the CMF Net Zero Advisory Panel, commented: “This blueprint sets out how UK casting manufacturers can lead globally, growing the industry, decarbonising our components, providing strategic resilience to UK supply chains, creating jobs

£10bn boost for UK foundry sector

Tel: 07904 573374

and wealth and making the components required for a modern economy.

“Our industry can be part of the solution for the UK, making use of recycled metal to produce locally sourced components and leading the way in the supply of

low carbon, cast metal components and finished products, including those needed for greener technologies.”

He continued: “Reversing the leakage of economic strength for the casting and foundry industry is no easy task, but it is the ambition we have set out in this roadmap.

“To return £10billion of GVA to the UK and support our national

transition to a net zero future, a partnership with Government is what our industry wants, aligning foundry sector investment with national industrial decarbonisation strategy. At the moment, current policies threaten to do the opposite, destroying the UK’s remaining foundry capacity before the transition to Net Zero really begins.”

The Cast Metals Federation works to foster development, collaboration and innovation in the UK foundry and casting sector, representing the interests of industry to Government.

Its 100-strong foundry membership produces 85% of all domestic castings, contributing over £2bn to the UK economy and underpinning strategic national supply chains, such as aerospace, automotive, defence, marine, medical and power generation.

Companies make castings in all metals and of all sizes and shapes, using modern and automated versions of processes that have been at the heart of human societies for more than 3000 years, including sand casting, die casting, investment casting, vacuum, centrifugal and continuous processing.

Dr Pam Murrell FICME, Chief Executive of the CMF, added her support: “UK foundries know how to compete internationally and deliver low and zero carbon components into strategic supply chains. Importantly, they can also secure investment in new production facilities and optimise sites to maximise the benefits of on-site energy generation.

“However, like any other industry, we look to Government to set a clear and stable policy framework that allows our sector to compete. The biggest single factor affecting our ability to decarbonise is how our electricity is generated, distributed, and charged, and this lies almost entirely outside of our control.

“The policy environment is an area where we expect and need Government to lead, and our role

is to collaborate and support policy makers in setting achievable targets that align energy, industrial and trade strategies.

“By working together, we can reverse the trend of the castings industry drifting offshore and instead encourage inward investment for the UK. This blueprint can go a long way to supporting our transition to a vibrant, net zero sector.”

8 castmetalsfederation.com.

Fire door PCB assembly support

Offshore Electronics is to provide design for manufacture support and PCB assembly services to Fireco, a supplier and manufacturer of fire door compliance systems.

The move consolidates much of Fireco’s PCBA procurement, with the company having used several suppliers prior to signing its new contract with the Guernsey-based CEM.

Based near Brighton, Fireco’s range has become a staple of modern building safety and compliance since first being introduced in the early 1990s. Despite this success, the product’s circuitry is now in need of a major update to maintain its leading position in the market. The agreement with Offshore –which covers current and future projects throughout 2023 –will also ensure the range’s pro devices work seamlessly with Fireco’s proprietary site manager software.

Fireco’s Dorgard and Freedor products automatically close when a building’s alarm systems are triggered. This allows a business to leave its fire doors open, if desired, while still complying with building regulations. The company has manufactured three variants of this product over almost three decades, but will now incorporate greater functionality into a single all-purpose solution due to be released in 2023.

The agreement comes at a

crucial time for both businesses. Fireco has grown significantly since 2020 and is expecting continued significant growth throughout 2023. Offshore, meanwhile, has recently invested in new production machinery, including a Yamaha Z:LEX YSM20R modular pick and place machine, effectively doubling the number of components it can place each month.

Mark Challacombe, Fireco’s Purchasing Manager, says the decision to consolidate PCB assembly was down to Offshore’s ‘extra as standard’ approach. He said: “I’ve worked with many CEMs throughout my career, but the team at Offshore have consistently outperformed their competitors. There’s a wealth of in-house knowledge and an attention to detail that can be lacking with other outsourced partners. I was unable to appoint

the company in a previous role and really noticed the difference, so it made sense to bring the company back on board for this important project. Now we have a dedicated partner in tune with Fireco’s plans”.

Dan Attewell, Offshore’s Director, added: “Offshore’s NPI process is proven and will take Fireco’s range to the next level during an important period of growth. Our close supplier relationship will keep the project running to schedule, and a new pick-and-place machine will vastly increase output once we’ve settled on a new board design.

The way CEMs work with customers has changed over the last three years but we’ve always adopted a value-added mindset. It’s validating to see this approach pay off with an exciting new contract”.

8 offshore-electronics.co.uk

Contract electronics manufacturer Sellectronics has invested in an innovative laser system that will give significant advantage when separating PCBs from the panel.

Laser depaneling is one of the most advanced techniques for cutting and separating PCBs from the panel and is changing how electronic components are manufactured. To ensure production is futureproofed, and products are manufactured to the highest quality, Sellectronics has purchased an LPKF system from Altus.

The LPKF CuttingMaster 2240 system has the capability to laser depanel to the highest tolerances. It offers significant advantages compared to conventional mechanical separation methods thanks to its flexibility and stressfree methods.

Working closely with leading OEMs, Sellectronics sees a wide range of PCB designs that require precise solutions. The LPKF CuttingMaster significantly improves depaneling efficiency with increased cutting speeds of up to 25% on all quality levels depending on the specific application.

Jason O’Connell, Sellectronics Technical Director, said: “Integrating the latest innovative technology and equipment into our operations is fundamental in ensuring we consistently manufacture the very best products and do not miss any business opportunities.

“Sellectronics continue to look at future trends and invest in our

Future-proofed PCB production

in the LPKF CuttingMaster we can effectively produce components of today and also have the capability to produce those of tomorrow, as the equipment gives us the flexibility and scalability to always stay ahead.”

production line to help support our customers in the coming years. We are seeing more and more populated rigid and flexible PCBs, sensitive parts, and complex miniaturised assemblies in varying materials. By investing

The LPKF CuttingMaster 2240 is the first laser system with ultra-fast Tensor beam deflection technology which distributes around the laser spot in a targeted manner. This enables significantly higher laser powers to be used effectively and increases the quality of the PCB as cooling times are no longer necessary due to an ultra-fast beam guidance system.

8 sellectronics.co.uk

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

A Coventry University research centre has won over £4m of new hydrogen testing projects for net zero propulsion systems.

The £50m Centre for Advanced Low-Carbon Propulsion Systems (C-ALPS) at Coventry University, a joint investment between Coventry University and global engineering consultancy FEV, is working with some of the world’s leading engine and vehicle manufacturers, electrification start-ups and UK and European research consortia to develop new solutions for e-mobility start-ups and zero-emission drive systems.

The success of this venture has been made possible thanks to the close collaboration, with £3 million jointly invested over the last two years in the creation of a state-of-art hydrogen research, development and testing facility.

This facility is now capable of evaluating prototypes and preproduction hydrogen propulsion systems for use in trucks, coaches, off-highway machinery, ships, and trains, not to mention light to medium-sized aircraft.

C-ALPS’ five world-class test beds have also been upgraded to provide an environment that can test output up to 650kW, with a new tie-up agreed with one of the UK’s leading hydrogen refuelling businesses, Element 2, to ensure the centre has the quantity of low carbon Fuel Cell grade (ISO 14687) hydrogen it needs to meet demand.

Simon Shepherd, Director of CALPS, commented: “The latest contracts take the total value of

Testing our net zero future

joint projects active and completed at C-ALPS to more than £20 million. This, along with the level of interest we are seeing from collaborators, is a sure sign that we have created the environment and expertise required to support UK companies in meeting future propulsion technology demands.

Besides research and engineering development, the third role of C-ALPS is to create a real-world training environment for engineers and research specialists of the future and the recent £4 million plus contract haul will help deliver more employment opportunities.

So far seven engineers have been taken on as FEV employees - three of whom have come through the university’s undergraduate courseswith 10 PhD students working on joint projects sponsored and co-supervised with FEV in the UK and Germany.

Jörn Behrenroth, Managing Director of FEV UK, emphasised the importance and advantages of the centre: “At C-ALPS, we offer organisations, from both research and industry, the opportunity to put sustainable hydrogen propulsion systems through their paces throughout the entire development cycle, from component up to system performance development.”

C-ALPS also hosts Coventry University’s Hydrogen Energy research group, which supports the Centre’s commercial activities with a wealth of academic expertise and works in parallel on high-impact, industrial collaborative research projects.

These range from fuel cell stack instrumentation, diagnostics, and thermal management to the development of next-generation materials, processes, and electrolyser cell designs for green hydrogen production.

8 coventry.ac.uk/c-alps

A new alloyed carbon steel offers a high strength, low weight alternative to austenitic stainless steels.

Hydrogen systems for mobile or industrial applications are made up of multiple, interacting components. To ensure reliable storage and transport of the gas within the systems, these components, such as pipes, valves, or rails, must be extra robust and resistant. The components used in hydrogen applications are often manufactured from austenitic stainless steel to fulfil these demanding requirements.

This solution, however, has some disadvantages. For example, stainless steel has relatively low strengths, so the components must be designed with greater wall thicknesses for higher pressure resistance. This increases their weight, while the higher material input leads to higher component costs.

One way to counter these disadvantages is to use carbon steel for hydrogen applications. The Poppe + Potthoff Group has many years of experience in the manufacturing of components made of carbon steels from the field of diesel applications. Building on this expertise, Poppe + Potthoff has designed an alternative specifically for pipes and rails in hydrogen applications: PPH2.

PPH2 is an alloyed carbon steel with high mechanical properties, which are further enhanced by the innovative PPSH annealing treatment. These special

Carbon steel for H2 applications

properties allow the production of thinner-walled components (compared to stainless steel) and thus a reduction in weight while increasing the availability of hydrogen pipes and rails. The composition of PPH2 meets the requirements of the EIGA (European Industrial Gases Association) for pipes and containers for the transport of hydrogen. External corrosion protection is provided by a zincnickel coating.

PPH2 has been tested by TÜV Saarland/TÜV Rheinland in accordance with DIN EN ISO 11114 in 2021 and approved for use in hydrogen applications under EU Regulation (EC) No. 79/2009. With the successful testing according to ANSI/CSA CHMC 1-2014, a material compatibility test according to another set of regulations has

now been added. In a cooperation with the testing institute TÜV SÜD Chemie Service GmbH, Poppe + Potthoff was also able to have the material tested according to a newly developed testing methodology. The results of this test also confirm the successful outcome of the CHMC1 test.

As a development partner for its customers, Poppe + Potthoff independently develops and produces components such as pipes or rails made of PPH2 for up to 700bar nominal pressure. Pipes, H2 rails (manifolds) and interfaces have been successfully certified in PPH2 by an independent testing institute according to EC79 and successfully tested according to the maximum requirements of HGV3.16.

8 poppe-potthoff.com

Northants Precision has invested in a third Lynx lathe from Mill CNC to increase its machining capacity and capabilities.

The latest arrival, a 6” chuck Lynx 2100 will help meet a significant increase in demand from the company’s growing customer base, which is predominantly in the motorsport sector.

The new machine joins a Lynx 2100LMB and a Lynx 2100LB, purchased by the company in May and December 2021.

In addition to these three lathes, Northants Precision also has an older Lynx 220LSY lathe, equipped with sub-spindle, Y-axis and driven tooling capabilities, that owner and director, Daniel Green, already had in his possession when he created the company back in August 2020.

Together, these four Fanuccontrolled lathes, two of which have integrated multi-tasking capabilities, provide Northants Precision with the ability to offer quick-turnaround machining of small, complex and high-precision turned and milled parts.

Parts machined on the Lynx lathes are small, typically round and cylindrical in shape, and are held securely in position using 5C collet chucks to ensure high accuracy and the high precision machining of intricate features.

They include components for F1, rally and supercars chassis, sub-frames, gearboxes, track rod ends and engines.

Part volumes vary from oneoffs to batches of thousands and

More capacity at Northants

are typically machined to +/- 5 microns on specific features with super-fine surface finishes.

A majority of parts are made from difficult-to-machine materials that include heat treated stainless steels –predominantly 13-8 PH and MP35N (a nickel-cobalt alloy).

Daniel Green said: “Motorsport is a demanding sector. In addition to supplying ‘right first time… every time’ high-quality, competitively-priced machined components, and meeting everstringent delivery deadlines, it’s important to have highly-efficient, effective and reliable software systems in place that help streamline the entire production process (from quotation to invoice), and that make it easy to record and retrieve pertinent business information.”

To facilitate this, Northants Precision invested in PSL Datatrack’s (modular) production control system early on – a

strategic decision, as it turned out, that proved instrumental in helping the company achieve ISO 9001 accreditation in doublequick time.

Northants Precision has relocated twice since being established in 2020. Mr Green said: “With demand for our services growing fast and with the acquisition of a number of new customers, it became clear that we needed to invest in a fourth machine and that, in turn, meant finding, and moving to, larger premises.”

The move to its current location was planned and timed to coincide with the arrival of the new Lynx 2100 in September 2022.

To meet the high-volume production requirements of a new motorsport customer, Northants Precision has invested again. This time in a pre-owned sliding head lathe and bar feeder. 8 northantsprecision.com

The British Turned Parts and Machined Component Manufacturers Association

Find out how our members can benefit your business

Enquire directly with our Members, via btma.org or mail to info@btma.org

Ashtead Engineering info@ashteadeng.co.uk www.ashteadeng.co.uk

Colpa Precision Engineering Ltd steve@colpa.co.uk www.colpa.net

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

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

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

Dobson & Beaumont sales@dobsonandbeaumont.co.uk www.dobsonandbeaumont.co.uk

Bailey & Wade Engineering Ltd www.turnedpartsrus.co.uk Louise.Fisher@nuttersfastenings.co.uk

CTPE Ltd www.ctpe.co.uk alex.taylor@ctpe.co.uk

Falcon Engineering Productions Ltd sales@falconengineering.co.uk

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

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

Global Engineering sales@globaleng.co.uk www.global-engineering.co.uk

BTL Precision-UK Ltd www.btlprecision-uk.com clive.lambert@btl-uk.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oracle Precision Ltd shaun.palmer@oracle-precision.co.uk www.oracle-precision.co.uk

Scot Bennett Engineering Ltd rob@scotbennett.co.uk www.scotbennett.co.uk

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

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

Sub CNC Precision Engineering Ltd www.sub-cncprecision.co.uk george.dingley@sub-cncprecision.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MJ Engineering Ltd www.mjengineering.net enquiries@mjengineering.net

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enquire directly with our Members, via btma.org or mail to info@btma.org

BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS| DIRECTORY

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

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

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

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

C Dugard Limited sales@dugard.com www.dugard.com

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

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

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

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

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

Mills CNC Ltd tdale@millscnc.co.uk www.millscnc.co.uk

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

Gen2 Group pmasters@gen2group.co.uk www.gen2group.co.uk

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

Premier Machine Tools UK Ltd david.dunn@premiermt.co.uk www.premiermt.co.uk

SolidCAM UK Ltd info@solidcamuk.com www.solidcam.com

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

PSL Datatrack sales@psldatatrack.com www.psldatatrack.com

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

Wickman Coventry Ltd

o.coyne@wickman.co.uk

www.wickman-group.com

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

JFL Broaches and Broaching

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

Unit 2, Deethe Farm Industrial Est, Cranfield Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK17 8UR

Tel: 01908 585103

www.jflbroaches.co.uk

Get

SUB-CNC Precision is a leading UK manufacturer specialising in CNC machining of Turned parts Sliding Head: Multi-axis twin-spindle lathes offer flexibility from simple to complex turned parts. Size range 1-35mm. Fixed Head: Twin-spindle twin-turret lathes for reduced cycle times. Size range 8-65mm.

Unit O, Cradock Road Luton LU4 0JF Tel: +44 (0) 1582 667537 www.sub-cncprecision.co.uk

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

www.wieland-nemco.com

8 Qualiturn Products Limited

COMPONENTS

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. CNC PRECISION

7 Fountain Drive, Hertford, Herts, UK, SG13 7UB Tel. +44 (0) 1992 584499

www.qualiturn.co.uk

Call 01737 270648

The Association for UK machined component manufacturers

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

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

Kirkham Engineering Co Ltd

13 - CNC Sliding Heads up to 1”; 14CNC 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

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

dpc.co.uk

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

Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd

Precision manufacturers of a wide range of compression tension and torsion springs. Also circlips, wireforms, contacts, antennas and light pressings. Quality approved to BS EN ISO 9001:2000.

Unit 1, Latimer Road Industrial Est, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 2YD Tel: 0118 978 6573

www.simpsonsprings.co.uk