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Visit our online edition for breaking news, jobs, events, features and searchable directory. www.engineeringcapacity.com Editor: Andy Sandford editor@engineeringcapacity.com Business Development: Bob Tomblin sales@engineeringcapacity.com 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 number 10567217 ISSN 0306-0179 COMING UP IN OUR JULY ISSUE Casting & Forging, Forming & Fabrication, Turned Parts, Aeropace & Defence, Composites 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
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Editor’s View First things first, welcome back to Engineering Capacity. I hope that you didn’t miss us too much in the interim and that you enjoy our crisp new look. If you were going to start a new business, you probably wouldn’t plan to do so when the country, the continent and the world were in such as state of uncertainty. But you have to grab your opportunities when they arise, and I thought the opportunity to take over this magazine was way too good to miss. As well as the questionable timing, some might also wonder about the wisdom of committing to print journalism – surely a technology that is past its sell-by date in this digital age? Well no, actually. Like the revival in vinyl records, the continuing popularity of printed magazines and newspapers shows the value and pleasure of having something you can actually hold in your hand. You only have to look in any high-street newsagent to see the proliferation of magazines on every subject and interest imaginable – including a large number about the internet, software, computers and all things digital. As well as the sheer joy of picking up a magazine and leafing through it at your own pace, there is a very practical benefit too. It’s all about putting information in context and giving readers the chance to find out things they didn’t know they were interested in or needed to know. But is there any money in it? Well, I certainly hope so and, again, I think that magazines can give advertisers something they could never get by relying on the internet. If you have a product or a service to sell, putting it in print really gives you the chance to tell a story and get across the character of your company. If you only focus on getting highly placed in search engine results then you simply become a commodity to be ranked on the ability of the consultant you hired. And I don’t think I’ve met a subcontractor yet that was just a commodity. Andy Sandford, Editor
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Contents May 2017
33 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
News
Features
06 Supercar contract is biggest yet 06 Zircotec is supplying an
14 Machined Components 06 Engine component
ultra-durable coating for exhaust tail pipes
07 Sarginson's green investment 06 Casting specialists spend sixfigure sum on energy efficiency
14 MACHINED COMPONENTS
at Bakfin
23 Subcon Preview
11 Looking to a digital future 06 New generation takes the
29 Automechanika Preview
chair at Warren Services
local student racing team 4
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19 Laser & Waterjet cutting 06 Malton Lasers ramps things up New waterjet capabilities Laser standard bearers ÂŁ2m fibre laser order
08 Press progression on show 06 A new press will boost capacity
12 Aerospace skills in pole posistion 06 Leicester-based APT supports
manufacturing Precision aerospace partnership Good vibrations at PTP Lightning doubles milling JJ Churchill on target to double sales
33 Additive Manufacturing 06 AM parts fly on Boeing
23 SUBCON
Rubber-like polymer for 3D printing MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Aluminium casting specialist Alucast has announced it will invest £1.2m in a technical centre and machine shop, as it celebrates its 50th birthday. The project, due to start in June, is part of the West Midlands-based company’s strategy to target up to £3m of new ‘light-weighting’ opportunities for complex castings in the automotive and agricultural markets and grow the company’s headcount. John Swift, managing director of Alucast, which has annual sales of £7m, commented: “2017 will be a year where we celebrate our history and the achievements of our staff, but it will also be a time where we put a marker in the sand for the next 50 years. Alucast has progressed a long way from a local jobbing shop foundry to an international aluminium foundry capable of competing with our global rivals by offering customers a complete supply service.” The project site will house the company’s existing CAD and MAGMA casting simulation facilities, non-destructive testing
Alucast invests in £1.2m expansion
capabilities and the firm’s new 5-axis CNC technology. Tony Sartorius, chairman, stated: “We are already working with luxury vehicle manufacturers and there’s a lot of interest in bringing work back to the UK. This investment in the new technical centre and machining
shop, which is being supported by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, means we’re in a prime position to take advantage of it and reinforce our position as a global leader in structural and other complex components.” 8 alucast.co.uk
Giant circular gear rack A precision gear rack and CNC machined part manufacturer has supplied the first of two giant 44m gear racks for use on germinating kiln vessels for a UK malt producer. Halifax Rack & Screw Cutting Company Limited (HRS) manufactured the rack in 54 separate curved sections
MAY 2017
that come together to form a complete 26m outside diameter circular gear rack which drives the turntable/floor of the kilns. These racks were manufactured in 100mm square sections to Grade 8 accuracy. The gear teeth (pitch of 18 mod) were cut as straight pieces and then each of the 54 sections of rack was
rolled and bent to the precise curvature required. 8 hrs-ccl.co.uk
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity
Market stands up to Brexit The latest Qimtek Contract Manufacturing Index (CMI) shows the market shrugging off concerns about Brexit to gain 11% in the first quarter of 2017. The figures also showed machining was up 15% and fabrication up by 13% on the previous quarter. Karl Wigart, owner of Qimtek, said: “We are now in a position where business is better than it was before the Brexit vote. January was a very strong month for machining – as was January 2016 – and fabrication still seems to be making excellent progress.” “What the figures don’t show, but which is possibly significant, is that the value of individual orders has been higher than average over the quarter.” The CIM also shows that the index for the first quarter of 2017 was 163, compared to 147 in the final quarter of 2016. Growth has been steady but less dramatic year-on-year. In the first quarter of 2016 the index was 155, so the last 12 months have seen a rise in the index of just over 5%. Machining accounted for 48% of the total business and fabrication for 36% of the total, with other processes, including electronics and plastic moulding, accounting for the remainder. 8 qimtek.co.uk
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Supercar contract is biggest yet Heat management specialist Zircotec has secured its largest ever single contract, to supply an ultra-durable ceramic coating for the exhaust tail pipes of a premium European supercar. The £1m contract is for Zircotec’s Ultimate Range which will be used to protect nearby carbon fibre components from heat whilst providing a long lasting cosmetic finish that has been developed to suit vehicle styling requirements. “Our Ultimate Range was developed to provide the maximum resistance to corrosion, stone chips and general wear and tear. It will continue to look good year after year, protecting surrounding panels and paintwork from high temperatures,” explained Graeme Barette, group sales director, Zircotec Group. “The increase in demand, coupled with our expanded capacity to deliver series production quantities, has made our Ultimate Range one of the fastest growing
part of our business.” The components will be shipped from the specialist exhaust manufacturer to Zircotec’s technical facility in Oxfordshire, UK, where the patented ceramic based coating will be applied. Because Zircotec’s ceramic coatings are plasma-sprayed, using a proprietary process originally developed for the nuclear industry, they are more strongly adherent than any painted finish. The coating is in effect “welded” in place, providing an effective thermal barrier as well as a cosmetically durable surface. Zircotec’s Ultimate Range coating is available in a range of colours and surface textures. To ensure consistently high quality across a large production run, Zircotec has further evolved its advanced automated manufacturing processes. This has also led to increased efficiency, with shorter lead times, greater productivity and lower unit costs. 8 zircotec.com MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS
Hardide wins Airbus approval Hardide Coatings, which offers advanced tungsten carbide coatings, has gained Approved Supplier status by the Airbus Group for the coating of flying components. The company, which has production sites in the UK and USA, completed the Airbus Industrial Qualification process following technical qualification of its Hardide-A coating as an alternative to hard chrome plating by the aircraft manufacturer back Lightweight casting company, Sarginsons Industries, is investing a six-figure sum in new energy efficiency measures at its Coventry foundry. The company is in the process of installing two new gas furnaces, a new air compressor system and new LED lighting across its facility. Anthony Evans, managing director at Sarginsons Industries, said: “Sarginsons is at the forefront of technological advances in the manufacturing industry and is constantly working on new measures to improve our carbon footprint and reduce emissions and to support our clients to do the same.” The £130,500 investment, which includes grant funding of £26,365, will see Sarginsons reduce its CO2 emissions by as much as 335 MAY 2017
in December 2015. Philip Kirkham, CEO of AIM-listed parent company Hardide plc, said: “Over the past year we have been working very closely with Airbus engineers to ensure that the Hardide coatings process meets Airbus’s stringent process specifications.” Hard chrome is being banned later this year under EU REACH
environmental and health and safety regulations, unless otherwise authorised by the EU Commission, as it uses carcinogenic hexavalent chromium salts in its production. Increasingly tight restrictions are also being imposed in the USA by OSHA. Hardide-A is one of a range of Hardide coatings which provide exceptional wear and corrosion resistance and uniquely combine extreme toughness with ductility. They can be precision applied to external and internal surfaces including complex geometries. The company is now in commercial discussions with several Airbus sites about the coating of specific components. 8 hardide.com
Sarginson’s green investment tonnes of CO2 per annum as a result of the significant savings in the company’s annual electricity consumption. By securing this grant funding, Sarginsons has become the first company to utilise the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme, which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees situated in Coventry and Warwickshire. Sarginsons has been at the forefront of diecasting for 80 years and is one of the few European
companies to offer low pressure diecasting, sandcasting and gravity diecasting in a single foundry. The manufacturer is known for its work in automotive lightweighting and counts leading names in the automotive, petrochemical, energy and engineering sectors as clients. 8 sarginsons.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Baker & Finnemore Ltd, which manufactures bespoke pressings and the Starlock range of push on fasteners, has invested in a new Minster/Nidec press that will boost its progression presswork capabilities. The company, which has been part of the Titgemeyer Group since 2012, researched the changing demands within the industries it serves and saw the benefits of investing in the capability to manufacture larger Starlocks and more complicated components that push the limitations of pressed component manufacture. The company, also known as Bakfin, therefore decided to invest in a Minster/Nidec The P2H-100 series press. This machine boasts a much larger press bed and increased tonnage than Bakfin’s existing capacity – both key requirements for larger more complicated, and modern progression tooling. The infinite adjustable stroke provides ultimate flexibility and the cast iron frame along with the
Press progression on show
oil film technology results in consistent part accuracy and extended tool life for the entire lifetime of the machine. Bakfin can now meet the demand in the market by both producing larger, more modern tooling and running it on advanced press technology. This in turn means that the high demands of customers of both Starlocks and
bespoke pressings can be met competitively whilst maintaining the expected high level of quality. The company says that this investment has already sparked interest from some of Bakfin’s longest standing customers with a queue of new business already forming in advance of its commissioning. 8 bakfin.com
Latest quality standard achieved
Risk and resilience tool
Malton Laser has become one of the first businesses in the UK to achieve certification under the latest ISO Standards for Quality Management (9001:2015). ISO standard 9001:2015 is an international business standard that specifies criteria for documentation, implementation and certification of management quality systems. Designed to assure customers that a certified company can offer products and services of consistently good quality, the ISO standard 9001:2015 is heavily focused on risk-based thinking, which encourages Malton Laser to look into the potential risks associated with each of its processes. 9 maltonlaser.com
The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) has launched a free online tool to enable procurement and supply management professionals to develop resilience in their supply chains. CIPS said that the free tool has been developed to respond to the increase in global supply chain risk, which is now apparently at its highest for almost quarter of a century. Taking just 15 minutes to complete, the Risk and Resilience Online Assessment tool provides respondents with a detailed report highlighting weak areas and informs them where to go for more support and guidance. 9 www.cips.org/
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MAY 2017
DJJ Precision Engineering Ltd
Specialists in Stainless Steel Machining Specialist in Stainless Steel, Nimonics, Brass, Duplex, Aluminium, Exotics, Super Alloys, Titanium, Inconel, Copper, Hastelloy, Bronze, Advanced Engineering Plastics, most Ferrous and None Ferrous materials and many more...
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Electronic ski bindings have been developed which aim to give skiers the winning edge when it comes to speed in cross-country trials. The bindings, which have been developed by Rottefella in partnership with Semcon in Norway, can change position on the go controlled via a remote control in the pole. They can be moved forwards for a better grip and backwards for a faster glide “Our extensive experience of product development in crosscountry skiing and ski bindings combined with Semcon’s technical expertise has made it possible to create a groundbreaking new product,” said Øyvar Svendsen, R&D manager at Rottefella. The technical solution consists of tiny motors controlled via Bluetooth from a remote control in the pole. The binding can be adjusted remotely by up to 50mm. Semcon contributed both broad technical knowledge and its processes and expertise in
Smart electronic ski bindings
innovation to make the concept come to life. “The binding makes elite skiers more effective in the trail, but also increases skiing pleasure for ordinary ski enthusiasts who can enjoy better control and grip as they ski. As a passionate skier and engineer, this has been a dream project for me,” said Odd Øystein Ra, project manager at Semcon. All cross-country skiers are looking for the best possible grip
Pioneering cancer imaging project Medical device contractor, ITL Group, has partnered with King’s College London (KCL) to develop a ground-breaking cancer imaging project using 3D printing. The project, funded by the EU Horizon 2020 scheme, brings together a consortium of 20 companies, including technology giants Phillips and Siemens, to take developments in engineering and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and use them to provide a non-invasive way to diagnose and measure cancer tumours. 10
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ITL Group joined the consortium in 2015 as a medical device design, development and manufacturing partner. It will further develop KCL’s initial hardware design and manufacture several prototypes, which will be presented to Harvard Medical School this summer. The hardware is an advanced vibration transducer which functions by measuring interstitial fluid pressure and cell traction forces. Dan Hollands, ITL mechanical engineer explained that for the project, ITL has been trialling a
uphill and the best glide downhill. The position of the binding has a great impact but at present can only be adjusted once the skier takes off their skis so this concept has the potential to make a great compact. Rottefella will now work with Norautron to complete the process leading to the finished product, which will be produced locally in Norway. The new binding will be introduced to the market in 2018. 8 semcon.com state-of-the-art 3D printer to open up the possibilities of development and experimentation. As the transducer will be used in a MRI scanner, it’s necessary that all components are plastic, therefore it lends itself to the 3D printing process. Mr Hollands said: “We’ve had a lot of freedom to develop the product and push the boundaries with experimentation - being both R&D and manufacturer means we can be more radical with design and test in-house before implementing changes.” 8 itlmedical.com MAY 2017
Looking to a digital future Thetford-based Warren Services is making changes to its management board to prepare for planned rapid growth. Founder and chairman Richard Bridgman will make way for his son and current managing director Will Bridgman to become chairman, with overall responsibility for the business. A keen technologist, Will says “I want to keep the company at the forefront of new digital technology that is driving the next industrial revolution. We are aiming for 50% growth in the next three years.” General manager and director Clive Poyner, who has been instrumental in growing the 27-year old company in the past 10-years, will become managing director. Richard Bridgman, a well-known businessman in East Anglia, who founded Warren Services with wife Sharon in 1990, will continue to help develop new business but will have more time to focus on his passion, the development of new talent in engineering both locally and nationally. Richard Bridgman was chair of skills council SEMTA East of England for many years, is a regional advisory board member of manufacturers’ organisation EEF, is on the local LEP Skills Board and works very closely with West Suffolk College. In 2014 he was recognised as one of the UK’s 100 most inspirational manufacturing industry leaders by The Manufacturer magazine and
Warren Services founder Richard Bridgman is handing over the chairmanship to son Will, as Clive Poyner becomes managing director
the following year was made an honorary fellow of the University of Suffolk. In each case, he focuses on improving training standards and providing young people with career opportunities in engineering. He says: “I have been devoted to growing Warren Services for 27years, and to developing the engineering skills training industry for almost as long. It is time to hand the reins on to Will and Clive, where the company wants to grow, exploit new markets, and adopt more of the new digital technology that manufacturers now have access to. I know they will do a great job.” As chairman, Will Bridgman will find and integrate new customers, especially for large technically challenging projects that demand multiple engineering
processes, was well as the development of partner companies that strategically fit with the company’s objectives to be the go-to manufacturing partner for blue chip companies while also having resources to help new start-ups. New managing director Clive Poyner will be tasked with establishing stronger links with existing customers and eliminating waste in all aspects of the business, a key performance metric for Warren Services, one of the largest subcontract engineering firms in East Anglia. The board of directors, comprising co-owners Richard, Sharon and Will Bridgman, and supported by Clive Poyner, finance director Becky Mason and production manager Peter Brimson, remains unchanged.
www.warrenservices.co.uk MAY 2017
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Leicestershire-based subcontract machining firm APT is applying its aerospace quality accredited capabilities to drive a university racing team to success. For the second year running, APT is helping the University of Leicester Racing Team compete in the IMechE Formula Student 2017. With an all-electric racing car, the team has a promising chance of becoming the highest placed UK electric vehicle team at the Silverstone event in July, building on its third-place success in last year’s event. IMechE Formula Student is the largest student motorsport competition in the world, with over 3000 students from more than 150 teams and six continents attending. This year the UoL Racing Team, which is made up of over 30 students from various disciplines, hope to achieve an even higher place with an improved design for its electric racing car. A core element of APT’s business method is to nurture and develop engineering talent, so this was an ideal opportunity for the company to help the next generation of engineers. APT has its own popular apprenticeship program that sits at the core of the business, helping it to grow and develop further. Using the on-campus workshops the racing team was unable to produce the quantities needed of the lightweight inboard aluminium spacers that it had designed, so it sought the assistance of the local engineering subcontractor. APT was able to advise the students on 12
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Aerospace skills in pole position
the best design for the manufacture of the parts and working with their 3D files, produced the parts in its Leicestershire factory. APT is an aerospace quality AS 9100 and ISO 9001 approved manufacturing firm and applies the principles of this demanding standard to every part produced in its factory – including the turned parts for the electric racing car’s suspension. As well as championing the next generation of engineering talent through contributing to projects like the UoL’s electric racing car, APT has designed its own car to showcase the firm’s subcontract turned parts and CNC components machining capabilities.
The small cars are designed to hold phones, tablets or even business cards. Each part of the model racing car has been designed and created to APT’s manufacturing standards in a range of materials including aluminium, mild steel, brass, stainless steel and plastics. Specialised manufacturing methods demonstrated on the car include hexagon key broaching, CNC engraving and laser etching. The company is offering readers the chance to win of these limited edition designs by visitingwww.aptleicester.co.uk/ sc2107 and registering with your email address. 8 aptleicester.co.uk uolracing.co.uk MAY 2017
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
Andrew Patterson has been appointed Managing Director of Kenard Engineering’s Tewkesbury operation. With over 20 years of leadership experience he graduated with an MSc in Coaching and Behavioural Change and has had success in organisational modelling across multiple business units.
Robert Davies Has been appointed Operations Director, European Headquarters, by materials engineering specialist Wall Colmonoy. He joined the company in 2015 and has 14 years’ experience in strategic, operational and engineering management – predominantly in the automotive industry.
Stamped logo A French company selling ham slicers is looking for a manufacturer for a stamped and painted aluminium logo. Closing Date: 08/09/2017 Reference: JV1159 Landing gear A Chinese aviation and automobile company to co-operate with a UK landing gear company on small fixed wing aircraft. Deadline: 31/08/2017 Reference: 28824 Ukraine - brass and bronze One of the biggest souvenir manufacturers in Ukraine requires a supplier of brass and bronze. Deadline: 01/08/2017 Reference: 29016 Costa Rica - Control valves An importer of industrial spare parts requires in control valves. Deadline: 01/07/2017 Reference: 29329
David Merchant Joins Ace Forming as Operations Director from pressworking specialist Brandauer. He will help steer a strategic investment plan that aims to drive turnover to £1m in two years. His experience lies in tooling, production, sales and design. MAY 2017
Alasdair Coates is now CEO of the Engineering Council. Previously Route Managing Director, South East, Network Rail, he joins following an assignment to develop civil engineering course material for the National College for High Speed Rail in Birmingham.
Germany – business expansion An experienced consultant wants to help medium-sized UK manufacturers of automotive products expand in Germany. Deadline: 30/09/2017 Reference: 29393 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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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity Peterborough subcontractor Westcombe Engineering has installed a new manufacturing cell to produce increased quantities of a family of aluminium engine components for Perkins Engines. It comprises a Haas ST-30 CNC lathe with short bar feeder, a Blast Wash top-loading washing machine and a vibratory bowl finishing machine from PDJ Vibro, the second to be installed in the factory. Now owned by Peterborough City Council, Westcombe Engineering was established in the early 1970s by philanthropist Royce Westcombe to provide work and development opportunities in manufacturing for people with physical and mental disabilities, of whom 10 currently work at the factory. Together with seven support staff, they produce milled and turned parts mainly for nearby Perkins Engines and its parent group, Caterpillar. Westcombe Engineering’s general and commercial manager, Andrew Lesiw explained, “Our latest manufacturing project is a good example of the applications input that we can provide. “We redesigned the engine parts so that they could be produced automatically and cost effectively from extrusion fed by a bar magazine, rather than from manually loaded castings.” When the subcontractor was previously making the parts by the latter production route, porosity in the castings resulted in a significant level of costly scrap. Often, the porosity became apparent only after a lot of value-added machining had been 14
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Engine component manufacturing
We redesigned the engine parts so that they could be produced automatically and cost effectively from extrusion fed by a bar magazine, rather than from manually loaded castings
‘‘
completed, which further increased the unit manufacturing cost of each good part. The new process, which became operational in March 2017, eliminates the problem and also reduces the amount of metal removal, allowing Westcombe Engineering to save production costs and reduce prices for the customer while still maintaining a good profit margin. It is important for the subcontractor to be competitive to ensure long-term financial viability, as there are no subsidies
underpinning the operation. While the latest vibratory bowl, a 100-litre capacity model, is dedicated to finishing these specific Perkins engine parts, the original 220-litre bowl was installed in 2012 to automate deburring and edge-breaking of components machined in all of Westcombe Engineering’s machine tools from aluminium, cast iron, brass, stainless and mild steels, exotic metals and plastics. The intention was to eliminate mundane, manual finishing tasks and improve consistency of finish and the PDJ Vibro equipment succeeded in achieving both aims. Based on the first bowl’s reliability and effectiveness, Westcombe Engineering returned to PDJ Vibro to order a smaller finishing machine for integration into the Perkins engine cell. 8 westcombeengineering.com pdjvibro.co.uk MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS
Precision aerospace partnership
Lightning doubles milling Lightning Machining has invested in an XYZ 2-OP portable vertical machining centre to optimise its productivity. The new machine sits alongside an existing XYZ CT52 turning centre and an XYZ SLX 1630 ProTURN lathe. Since its arrival, it has almost doubled the amount of milling work undertaken by Lightning Machining in the first month since the XYZ 2-OP was installed. Pete Ivings, managing director of Lightning Machining, said: “The XYZ arrived in September 2016 to initially help with the new contract for a Formula One team in the build up to the 2017 season, which would be out biggest order to date.” He added: “Initially I looked at buying a used vertical machining centre, but came up against two issues, one was available space on the shopfloor and the second was that the price differential between a good second hand machine wasn’t big enough to overcome the reassurance of buying a new, with all the support that comes with it if required from MAY 2017
XYZ Machining Tools.” The compact nature of the XYZ 2-OP with a footprint of just 775 mm by 1380 mm meant that it would easily fit at the side of the existing XYZ CT52 turning centre at Lightning Machining. This allows it to be used as intended as a first or second operation machine tool to machine faces, pockets, drill holes, rigid tapping and even 3D surfacing (run from CADCAM), as you would from a stand-alone vertical machining centre. Mr Ivings concluded: “The arrival of the XYZ 2-OP has significantly improved our productivity and has sown seeds as to how I can develop our machining capability going forward.” “We have very little room to bring in more machining capacity at our current premises, so it is a case of possibly having to relocate. However, by concentrating on work of a certain size we could develop a multiple 2-OP working environment to grow the business.” 8 lightningmachining.co.uk
West Midlands-based Cube Precision has formed a partnership with a global player in the aerospace engineering industry to help it meet customer lead time demands and deliver a more efficient service. The firm began work with Paul Fabrications, a Unitech Aerospace Company, in autumn of 2016 upon the referral of a successful tooling package delivery to Rolls Royce. Subsequently, Cube’s support and insight when it came to optimising the company’s tooling process quickly became invaluable. Now, five months since forming the partnership, Cube has delivered over £400,000 worth of work. Kevin Brown, managing director, Paul Fabrications, said: “Since we met in July, our contract with Cube Precision quickly accelerated thanks to their expert advice on our component manufacturing processes. They have been a huge help, suggesting smart improvements and ultimately helping us meet customer lead time demands and to deliver a more efficient service.” 8 cubeprecision.co.uk
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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity The Sharing in Growth (SIG) programme has helped precision engineering specialist JJ Churchill refine its processes, allowing it to target doubling turnover by 2022. Engaging in SiG has helped the company set a vision and strategy for the future. It also enabled JJ Churchill to weather the turbulence in the oil and gas sector and, at the same time, reshape the business with a greater focus on the aerospace market. Andrew Churchill, managing director of JJ Churchill, explained: “Working with SiG we were able to identify the structural and process weaknesses in the business and to put a plan in place to address these. And this wasn’t just at a strategic level. The SiG team supported our teams to implement structured problem solving.” One of these was a metrology issue, where recordings from JJ Churchill’s CMMs did not match the results from the customer’s CMM. This posed a real problem as parts inspected by JJ Churchill with accompanying metrology documentation did not match that of the customer, leading to parts being rejected. As part of the SiG programme, measurement experts the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) worked alongside SiG and JJ Churchill’s engineers to develop capability. JJ Churchill’s quality manager, Paul Oldfield, said: “All our CMM readings showed an exact match with the drawings the customer provided, but these were not replicated when the customer 16
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JJ Churchill on target to double sales
9 Moving a new Viper grinding machine into the JJ Churchill factory
checked. Our CMM and the customer’s were telling two different stories." “The problem was fundamentally with the two different sets of algorithms used by the two different CMM brands: measuring an aerofoil surface is not straightforward.
There were three main parts to the NVQ project – reducing waste in an aerofoil development programme; reducing damage to a production part; and lost staff time across the organisation
‘‘
“When we showed this to the customer, we were able to explain the reason for the variations and
to re-establish our quality credentials. We learnt a valuable lesson in the use of metrology. We also, with SiG’s support, spread quality skills around the company, for example with Gauge R&R and FMEA (Failure Mode & Effects Analysis) training.” And this is one of the key achievements of SiG at the company – enhancing the skills of the workforce. As part of the SiG programme, continuous improvement engineer, Pete Manton, led an NVQ initiaitve to enhance skills, which gave the two teams of eight complete autonomy in solving three production problems. At the same time, it generated a potential benefit to the company of almost £500,000 per year and had a positive impact on staff motivation and productivity. He explained: “There were three main parts to the NVQ project – reducing waste in an aerofoil development programme; reducing damage to a production part; and lost staff time across the organisation. “We addressed each of these in a structured way, using several operational techniques such as fishbone diagrams, value stream mapping and statistical data analysis to solve the problems. “This resulted in a wide range of benefits: reduced time spent looking for tools; material for jobs MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS easily identified; improved layout; time saved cleaning down machines; improved visual appearance of work areas; 5S checklists in place; SOPs in place. And each member of the team achieved an NVQ qualification. “Personally speaking, I have been able to develop my role and I now play a much greater part in ensuring communication is efficient, with the whole company acting as one team. We couldn’t
have done any of this without SiG.� Andrew Churchill added: “We rolled the SiG blueprint throughout the company. This enabled us to weather the downturn in oil and gas. It supported us to in bringing in fresh blood to complement the existing skills within the company. And we were able to run two cohorts of employees through an NVQ initiative. “SiG gave us access to experts across a range of functions,
including Lean and logistics, who sit in our management meetings. Their coaching adds real value to our working processes and systems. This level of expertise would normally not be available to a company of our size. “We are also now engaging with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult to enable our company to take the next significant step forward: in advanced automation.� 8 jjchurchill.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
MAY 2017
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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity
Good vibrations at PTP Plastic Turned Parts (PTP) was the first company in the UK to install a Citizen CNC sliding head turn-mill centre incorporating patented Low Frequency Vibration (LFV) machining technology. Since then, it's been able to totally eliminate swarf control problems in the production of thousands of plastic components. Jonathan Newis, managing director, PTP, said: “For us, the development of LFV has transformed our turn-milling operations so we can now confidently progress the business and operate the Citizen bar machine from pressing the start button rather than having to continually interrupt the cycle to clear troublesome birds nesting of plastics swarf.” Mr Newis describes LFV as being especially effective on deep hole drilling. He added: “We have totally eliminated any clogging of the drill flutes. Previously we often had to set the machine with two or even three drills due to swarfing problems but can now go straight to depth with a single tool and the flutes are completely clean.” Mr Newis said: “So impressive is the result of applying LFV that our forward plans are to purchase a second machine having a smaller 16mm capacity once it is available so we can more effectively machine smaller components.” PTP has eight CNC sliding heads with capacities up to 32mm 18
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diameter and a fixed-head Miyano BNA-42S turn-mill centre installed in 2013. Also in the machine shop are fixed head lathes with a bar capacity up to 65mm diameter and billet capacity of 250mm. A vertical CNC mill provides addition milling capability. A wide range of components are produced for customers in the marine, paint spraying, bearing, food, motorsport, telecommunications, automotive, valve and medical sectors. One major long term medical contract won by the company is the production of 6,000 ear grommets a month for babies that suffer from glue ear. These are micromachined from 5mm PTFE bar on a Citizen K16 and turned down to just over 1mm diameter with a 0.75mm diameter hole drilled through.
As we provide a specialist service and have developed the skills we have to be able to respond to the demanding nature of some of these materials
‘‘
In addition to PTFE, the plastics-based materials passing through the machine shop are wide ranging including Acetal, Delrin, Nylon, PVC, polypropylene, polyethylene, Nylatron, PEEK and graphite-filled PTFE, as well as other high performance plastics including variants of glass reinforced plastics in batches between 500 and 10,000.
Plastics ‘birds-nesting’ in the right hand without LFV on the Citizen L20-Vlll and the cutting process totally under control with programmed chip lengths using LFV in the left hand
“As we provide a specialist service and have developed the skills we have to be able to respond to the demanding nature of some of these materials. Polypropylene, for instance, can react totally differently under cutting conditions and will even behave almost like machining chewing gum. Others can soften, melt and many just grow, deform or spring back under cutting conditions,” said Mr Newis. Polythene is a material that Mr Newis describes the material as being a nightmare with swarf wrapping around the tools and often melting on drills. He said: “With LFV it readily chips so we can now even run unattended with the process carrying on for several of hours. This has further benefits as it frees up setter/operators during the day to do other things which is a massive advantage for a small company.” 8 plasticturnedparts.co.uk MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | LASER & WATERJET CUTTING
Malton Laser ramps things up Malton Laser has provided a series of specially laser cut components to SG Technical Systems for an ambulance access ramp that’s been awarded a Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation. The EasyLoad wheelchair and stretcher ramp is used in ambulances across the UK and has a proven track record of being both highly-robust and reliable. These attributes have led to substantial cost savings for operators, as well as ensuring ambulances can be kept in service thanks to the virtual elimination of ramp faults. Simon Chacksfield, managing director of SG Technical Systems, said: “We have a great working relationship with the Malton Laser team – the expert engineers always deliver a high-quality, reliable service and end-product at the right price, which is why 80% of our laser cutting requirements, as well as our fabrication, powder coating and welding needs, are serviced by the specialists. “The Malton Laser team played a big part in us winning the Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation and we look forward to working with the team as we move forward to bring further new, innovative products to the sector.” Charles Corner, managing director of Malton Laser, added: “We’re really proud to have worked on a project that has been MAY 2017
recognised with a Queens Award – one of the most prestigious awards a business can receive.” The company also recently supplied 900 laser-cut plates for Ginetta’s G55 GT4 and G55 GT3 race cars. Daniel Shaw, supply chain manager at Ginetta, said: “Having worked with Malton Laser for more than ten years, we know the team can manufacture high profile applications and perform in terms of cost, quality and delivery time-after-time.” “The parts required for the G55’s are very specific and need to be made to a precise specification. The Malton Laser team not only has the expertise to manufacture these components in high volumes, but also to an unrivalled standard.” The cut plates, Malton has also created kits of parts to assist the vehicle’s revised suspension systems. 8 maltonlaser.com
Laser standard bearers Nuneaton-based Subcon Laser Cutting has achieved certification to the latest quality assurance and environmental standards with no major non-conformances identified. Subcon Laser's General Manager, Tom Mongan, said: "I am pleased to announce that Subcon Laser has been recommended for approval to the new ISO9001:2015 and the ISO14001:2015 standards. With no major non-conformances identified I cannot stress strongly enough what a great achievement it is for the company in gaining approval for these two new standards, especially given the intensity and thoroughness of the two assessors in the process and execution of the audits governing our quality & environmental management systems. “A big shout out to all the staff at Subcon Laser who work tirelessly in generating a quality product for our customers whilst also striving to reduce our impact on the environment." Subcon offers customers services that include flat-bed and 3D 5-axis laser cutting as well as value-added secondary operations. 8 subconlaser.co.uk
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LASER & WATERJET CUTTING | Engineering Capacity According to Shane Thomas of ICEE Managed Services, waterjet cutting in two-and three-dimensions on one machine offers designers and production engineers important new opportunities to innovate and save costs. He says: “Until recently it has only been possible to cut twodimensional profiles in a variety of materials by waterjet, but with the latest investment ICEE has made in new equipment with advanced 5-axis computer numerical control (CNC) technology, we can cut compound 3D forms as well, all on one machine.� He added that waterjet cutting in both 2D and 3D opens up exciting new possibilities for
New waterjet capabilities
designers to take a fresh look at processes they might not have considered before. Partly because production engineers can now have parts made that could previously only be made by costly machining or casting. In fact, he said, in some cases, 2D and 3D waterjet cutting, where
a high-pressure jet of water is mixed with abrasive particles and forced at around 60,000 psi through a nozzle only 0.8mm in diameter, may be the only practical and affordable way to manufacture parts. The waterjet process, 2D and 3D, will cut through a variety of different materials and thicknesses including metals, plastics, wood and stone, such as granite over 200mm thick. ICEE offers a manufacturing service that includes cutting, forming, welding, finishing, fabrication and assembly 8 icee.co.uk
High quality manufacturing services for a range of industries Including: 5 Design for manufacturing 5 Fabrication including 5 2D and 3D waterjet cutting 5 Fibre laser cutting 5 Welding 5 Metal forming, coating and assembly
Plus, where required, a range of related services including warehousing, installation, commissioning, life-time maintenance and decommissioning ICEE will process ferrous, non-ferrous and exotic metals, plastics, composites and stone materials Stuart Hendry, ICEE Managed Services Ltd 20 Arnside Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 7UP Tel: 023 9223 0604 Email: stuart.hendry@icee.co.uk Web: www.icee.co.uk/
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MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | LASER & WATERJET CUTTING Proform, a new sheet metal subcontractor that has opened on the Wirrall, brings together the engineering expertise of two businessmen - Ian Hazlehurst and Russ Canner. Through his own subcontracting firm Machfab Engineering, established in 2004, Mr Hazlehurst has an extensive background in traditional precision engineering. He recently joined forces with Mr Canner, a business entrepreneur, as they identified a gap in the local market for a full-service firm able to provide a full range of services including sheet metal cutting, bending, fabricating and even powder coating. With the assistance of a regional growth fund grant, Proform has invested over £2.5 million in extensive premises and purchasing some of the highest specification machinery available on the market today. The company has committed to creating 28 jobs in its first year of business and hopes to continue to expand on this year on year. A turnover of £1.2 million is expected in the first year of trading, which the directors hope to double by the end of the fifth year. These figures are based on Proform’s current capacity, which comprises a fibre laser cutting machine, two press brakes and a twin-head, 3D waterjet cutting machine, all supplied by Bystronic UK. The ByJet Flex waterjet machine has a 6 metre by 3 metre bed. Any material up to 30cm thick can be cut to very high accuracy The equipment is installed in a 22,000 sq ft facility in Prenton, a suburb of Birkenhead that is also MAY 2017
Laser and waterjet capability
Ian Hazlehurst (right) with Russ Canner, proprietors of Proform Group, at the firm’s new premises on the Wirral peninsula
home to Tranmere Rovers’ football stadium. Additionally, the subcontractor has installed MIG and TIG welding bays and bought a nitrogen generation plant to supply the fibre laser machine and another in the future. This cutting gas, which is expensive to buy, provides a high quality cut edge. Oxygen will be used only on sheet over 6 mm thick and when cutting copper. By mid-2017, a powder coating plant will be installed to augment the wet spray painting service offered, bringing the total investment in the venture to £3.3 million. Mr Hazlehurst said, “We polled over 30 of Machfab’s customers and found that they were spending £1.5 million on buying in laser cutting services, so we reasoned that we could win a proportion of that.” An important facet of the company is that it offers a complete design and
manufacturing service, which was the rationale for investing in laser cutting, water jetting and folding from the outset. It is also the reason for opting to buy Bystronic equipment, as it was the only manufacturer able to supply all three types of machine, which are built in Switzerland at the company’s factory in Niederönz. An added bonus is that all equipment uses the same production planning and control software, BySoft 7. It means that programs can be generated from a CAD model to drive the three different types of Bystronic machine, so components can be transferred easily from one to another with little production downtime. The software incorporates IGEMS, which generates toolpaths over 3D models for machining with the two CNC heads on the waterjet cutting machine. 8 proformgroup.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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LASER & WATERJET CUTTING | Engineering Capacity
£2m fibre laser order Derbyshire-based FC Laser has invested £2 million in three new fibre laser machines. Its investment in these Bystronic laser cutting machines will speed up cutting times and a new 4m press brake will extend the company’s bending capability. Danny Fantom, owner and managing director of FC Laser, said: “The latest fibre lasers are a game-changer compared to conventional CO2 lasers. We can now effortlessly cut stainless steel and aluminium up to 30 mm, mild steel up to 25 mm and more
exotic materials such as brass up to 15 mm.” He said that in the past, these materials have been processed conventionally by plasma or water jet at great expense, but can be now cut in moments by the new laser machines. “As users of this technology for more than 20 years, we aim to realise the full potential from our machines, especially the fibre laser’s speed whilst ensuring that the highest cutting standards are achieved,” he said. Mr Fantom added that the latest investments have generated five new technical and administration apprentice schemes, two of which are already filled. The apprentices will work towards NVQ III Business
As users of this technology for more than 20 years, we aim to realise the full potential from our machines, especially the fibre laser’s speed whilst ensuring that the highest cutting standards are achieved
‘‘
Administration and NVQ III Fabrication, Welding and Mechanical Services qualifications. FC Laser’s customers come from a range of sectors including the structural, architectural, shopfitting and automotive industries and will benefit from the improvements in production capacity and shorter lead-times. 8 fclaser.co.uk
FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS
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MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | SUBCON PREVIEW
Fruits of investment on show Exhibitors at Subcon, the UK’s only show dedicated to subcontract manufacturing, will be offering visitors a range of new services and capabilities following recent investments. Subcon, which runs from 6 to 8 June at the NEC, Birmingham, is the UK’s only event dedicated to outsourced manufacturing. It serves all sectors and all processes – from machining, sheet metalworking, casting and forging, to plastic moulding, composites and electronics. This range of manufacturing technologies is reflected in some of the new services and investments being featured in this preview – including new fabrication equipment at WEC and Kloeckner, EDM machines at PGT Ceewrite, CNC grinding at Perfect Bore, machining technology at Carlton Die Castings and Mini Gears and moulding facilities at Chess Plastics and Meadex. Supporting the Subcon show, sourcing specialist Qimtek is sponsoring the VIP Buyer’s Programme and hosting a dedicated Qimtek UK Manufacturing Pavilion. Subcon runs alongside the Advanced Manufacturing Show and The Engineer Design & Innovation Show from 6 to 8 June 2017 at the NEC Birmingham. Together the three shows cover the complete manufacturing cycle from concept to component, bringing together design engineering, product MAY 2017
development, in-house production and outsourced supply chains. Over 500 exhibitors will welcome thousands of professional visitors who have current sourcing needs for equipment, software and manufacturing services. World-class conference speakers Two free-to-attend conference streams addressing key issues, best practice and technological innovation will run alongside Subcon, the Advanced Manufacturing Show and The Engineer Design & Innovation Show. World-class speakers come from global blue-chip organisations including Microsoft, Siemens, BAE Systems, Jaguar Land Rover, Bureau Veritas, Stratasys, Lloyds Bank and Renishaw. The programme will also feature leading technological experts from top research and development
bodies and special presentations giving an exclusive behind-thescenes look at companies showing the highest levels of engineering innovations and ingenuity in their products – including Ocado Technologies, BAC Mono and leading HiFi turntable manufacturer Rega Research. The sessions will be held in two separate streams hosted by The Engineer and The Manufacturer respectively. Thirty-six sessions across the three days will cover topics ranging from virtual reality, additive manufacturing and Industry 4.0 to materials testing, updates to AS9100, magnesium components and big data. Microsoft’s Lars Knoke will be examining the potential for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in manufacturing and supply chains, while some of the UK’s foremost authorities on additive www.engineeringcapacity.com
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SUBCON PREVIEW | Engineering Capacity manufacturing (AM) will be looking at the latest developments in this technology. Phil Reeves of Stratasys and Professor Richard Hague of Nottingham University will be giving keynote presentations looking, respectively, at where to get the most valuable business benefits from AM and multifunctional 3D printing of complete components. Complementing these talks, Marc Saunders of Renishaw will look at metal additive manufacturing as a viable series production process and Desi Bacheva of HiETA will look at its potential for lightweight automotive components. Other keynote speakers include Sam Turner, Chief Technology Officer at the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Andy Wright Director Strategic Technology at BAE Systems Programmes and Support, who will be looking at disruptive technologies and the future of manufacturing, while Michael Ward, Chief Technology Officer at the Advanced Forming Research Centre, will be looking at the way we will use conventional technologies in the future. The fourth industrial revolution
Visitors will be able to hear the engineering story behind the BAC Mono supercar
– also known as Industry 4.0 – will also be well covered, particularly from the perspective of SMEs and what they can do to engage with the demands these new technologies bring. Alan Norbury of Siemens, Malcolm Harold of the Knowledge Transfer Network and Chris Richards of the EEF are among the speakers on this topic, while Bin
Roy Gandy will tell the engineering story behind Rega’s award winning turntables
Cai, Powertrain Metrology Manager at Jaguar Land Rover, will explore the vital role that metrology plays as the interface between the physical and digital worlds. For many visitors, the highpoint of the conferences will be three presentations focusing on innovation and excellence in engineering. The speakers here are Sid Shaikh, who will be talking about the automation systems that Ocado has developed to make sure that its retail operation delivers, Roy Gandy, founder and innovator behind the renowned top-end British HiFi manufacturer Rega Research, and Neill Briggs of the Briggs Automotive Company on the story behind the BAC Mono, the single-seat, roadlegal supercar that was dubbed ‘amazing’ by Jeremy Clarkson. 8 subconshow.co.uk
RIM Moulding services
EDM capacity doubled
After heavy investment in new equipment and experienced personnel, Hepworth Group (Stand F47) has launched a new RIM Moulding Division. The new arm of the business offers the firm an additional manufacturing option, boosting its extensive range of fabrications services. 9 www.b-hepworth.com
PGT Ceewrite (Stand C24) has invested more than £11m over the last five years on a fully upgraded facility based in Portland, Dorset. In 2017, the firm has invested in three new NADCAP approved EDM wiring machines doubling its capability to run highly complex work that needs wire and spark erosion. 9 www.pgtceewrite.com
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MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | SUBCON PREVIEW Continuous improvement has ensured that Velden (Stand B22) a precision engineering firm based in Bolton have remained at the forefront of modern manufacturing methods and technology. A British, family owned subcontract engineering company based in Bolton, Velden supply machined components, assemblies and fabrications to a diverse range of industries including oil, gas, nuclear and aerospace. Managing Director, Austin Kitchen has been responsible for driving the business forward by introducing cutting edge technologies, such as automation, laser technologies and robots. He developed its ERP system, when he joined the company, long
Live-streaming Industry 4.0
before the term Industry 4.0 came into being, and recognised then that automation, data exchange and cloud computing would be the way forward. During the past three years, the company has seen investment or more than ÂŁ3 million on new state
Advanced wire cutting capability
MAY 2017
C
solid, powerful technology. In addition, double crimp, sleeve on insertion, ferrule crimping, strand twisting and tinning can be processed efficiently. The company says this is an important step for future growth. 8 sicltd.com
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Loom, harness and wiring specialist SIC (Stand F24) has increased its wire cutting capacity on the back of increased orders which it says is largely due to Brexit promoting a rise in demand for local and re-shoring projects. To cater for demand, the company has invested in advanced Komax Alpha 530 cutting machine, as well as upscaling its older models to increase its capability. The company said it is the first in the UK to receive this machine and its customers will benefit from increased capacity, quality and faster delivery times. SIC’s Alpha 530 is a fully automatic wire processing machine for one and two-sided crimping and seal insertion with
of the art machinery, including a self-loading busbar punching machine with integrated laser marking, robot loading assistants and an automatic conveyor system. The ERP system has live bar code tracking and the company aims to become paperless on the shop floor very soon, as the use of interconnected machines and systems is further extended. Electronic data interchange is already in use, with all invoices being submitted electronically and key customers already sending orders and logistic requirements digitally. During Subcon in June, Velden Engineering will be showing a livestream back to its manufacturing facility in Bolton. One screen will be showing several of the firm's machines in action, some with robot loading, and another screen will show its smart factory monitoring system. The intention is to show Industry 4.0 as a reality in a manufacturing environment. 8 veldenengineering.co.uk
Years 19
74 - 2014
FM10101
Manufactur Manufacturers ers of High Quality Mill-Turned Mill-Turned Parts
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SUBCON PREVIEW | Engineering Capacity
Turnover up by 20% Cable loom and harness specialist Convert (Stand D21) will be showcasing its capability at Subcon and celebrating a 20% increase in turnover last year to £1.5 million. In November, the company
bought a Komex Gamma 225 fully automatic crimping machine to help fulfil contracts for two of the world’s leading sports car manufacturers. So impressed was Convert with the Komax’s small wire handling, it intends to
Supporting your sales Boost your company profile with strong PR and effective digital marketing.
buy another one – or even two more - in the not too distant future to further increase efficiency and boost capacity. 8 www.convertltd.co.uk
Plastic moulding investment A five-year, multi-million-pound investment and refurbishment programme is nearing completion for Chess Plastics (Stand B31) with the installation of another new Negri Bossi eV650-6700 moulding machine. The company has also refurbished the office block, factory floor and made significant investment in a new MRP software and hardware to integrate with MATTEC production monitoring. 8 www.chessplastics.co.uk
For a free consultation phone 01752 894 786 or email info@aroprandmarketing.co.uk
www.aroprandmarketing.co.uk
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MAY 2017
ADVANCED CERAMIC AND METAL ASSEMBLIES Exhibiting at SUBCON on Stand G24
THE RUBIS-PRECIS Group can now offer Advanced Ceramic + Metal Assemblies to customers’ drawings in high tech materials
ADVANCED CERAMICS Fine Ceramics including Alumina Oxide, Zirconia, Silicon Nitride or Carbide, Sapphire, Ruby, Quartz, Glass, Zerodur, Tungsten Carbide, Macor and Silicon.
METALS & MATERIALS Titanium, Tungsten, Molybdenum, Nickel, Platinum, Gold, Tantalum, Hafnium, Niobium, Rhenium, Aluminium, Magnesium, Zirconium, Carbon, PEEK, Chromium Cobalt, Carbide, Inconel, Iridium and Graphite.
MARKETS FOR THESE HIGH TECHNOLOGY ASSEMBLIES INCLUDE Medical, Aeronautics, Defence and Military, Space, Nuclear, Laboratories and Research, Scientific Instruments, Optics and Instrumentation.
For more information and product enquiries please contact: Jean Chapuis,chapuis@rubis-precis.com, Groupe RUBIS-PRECIS / MICROPIERRE / HIGH TECH CERAM 25140 Charquemont/France Tel : 0033 (0)3 81 68 27 20 • Fax : 0033 (0)3 81 68 68 34 • www.rubis-precis.com HIGH PRECISION MACHINING ON HIGH TECH MATERIALS
MAY 2017
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SUBCON PREVIEW | Engineering Capacity
Top quality performance
Aro gears up for Subcon
Contract Electronics Manufacturer, Cogent Technology (Stand E81) says it has achieved unsurpassed audit results for the first quarter of 2017. Cogent achieved zero nonconformities during its ISO9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001 audits in March and a rigorous FDA inspection to 21CFR820, in February 2017, which yielded an outcome of No Action Indicated (NAI). 8 cogent-technology.co.uk
A specialist PR and marketing agency for composites, advanced engineering and scientific companies, is gearing itself up for Subcon. The company works closely with clients across the aerospace, marine, automotive and medical sectors to establish their business needs and agree clear PR and marketing strategies. Aro (Stand B5) has experience across the full marketing mix, including PR, social media management, marketing and
Robot Wars star on show
Fully machined castings
Laser, waterjet, design and fabrication specialist Emsea (Stand D31) has sponsored one of the early victors to star in the return of the popular BBC series, Robot Wars. The success of Aftershock was attributed to the 3500 RPM armour plated spinning blade, one of many parts supplied and cut by Emsea. 8 emsea.com
brand management, media relations, public affairs/lobbying, copywriting, graphic design, web design and build and event management. 8 aroprandmarketing.co.uk
Carlton Die Castings (Stand E61) has purchased a Mazak twin pallet horizontal CNC machine. The company’s seventh horizontal machine and 20th CNC in its machine shop, which complements its gravity and high pressure casting foundry and enables Carlton to supply customers with fully machined castings ready for assembly. 8 carltondie.com
New CNC grinding division
PRV adds space and machines
Perfect Bore Manufacturing (Stand E4) has added a new subcontract CNC cylindrical grinding. The firm now provides a fully managed, supported and temperature controlled CNC division with Studer grinding machines and is ideally suited for machining parts in all materials from mild steel to Inconel holding parts from three to 300mm diameter up to 1000mm in length. 9 www.pbm-ltd.com
PRV Engineering (Stand E15) is enhancing its services with the addition of three building extensions, increasing its floor area to 55,000 square feet. In addition to the expansion, the firm has added a large format high speed aluminium machining centre, a heavy duty large format five face machining centre as well as a new Leadwell V50i and a five axis Hydro Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Machine. 9 www.prv-engineering.co.uk
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MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | AUTOMECHANIKA
From 6-8 June, Automechanika Birmingham, the largest automotive trade exhibition for the UK’s aftermarket and supply chain, will open its doors at the NEC, with over 800 and industry experts set to deliver over 60 seminar sessions, technical talks and live demonstrations. The industry event unites the UK aftermarket and supply chain and provides a forum discovering product launches, the latest technologies and practical solutions, with 70% of the exhibitors from the UK and 30% from abroad. The exhibition boasts national pavilions from Czech Republic, India, China and Taiwan. As well as significant representation from Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and France. A comprehensive programme of over 60 seminar sessions, technical talks and live demonstrations from industry experts adds to the offering for visitors from the aftermarket and supply chain. Three seminar theatres provide topical conversation on current industry issues and discussions about inspiring new technology. Supply chain focus The supply chain seminar programme will cater solely for the supply chain audience, including engineers and procurement professionals from vehicle manufacturers, tier 1, tier 2 and upstream suppliers. MAY 2017
Automotive supply chain focus
Expert speakers from SMMT, Jaguar Land Rover, Industry Forum, National Composites Centre and the AIO will present key topics including innovation, research and development, connected & autonomous vehicles, manufacturing technologies, Industry 4.0 in advanced manufacturing, and logistics & supply chain. In a dedicated area in the supply chain zone, SMMT with support from Automechanika Birmingham, will display the Connected and Digital Technology Zone which will demonstrate the latest cutting edge automotive technologies. The area will feature products coming to market, but also those that will enable the design, development and manufacture of the vehicles of tomorrow.
Assets are being sourced from across SMMT members, including vehicle manufacturers, suppliers of various sizes, engineering firms and manufacturing technology companies. There will be a range of interactive elements on show including Virtual and Augmented reality, and robotics, giving visitors a very tangible and memorable sense of the impact different technologies will have on the industry. SMMT will also bring its two established and influential networking events; Open Forum and Meet the Buyer. Open Forum will deliver a morning of automotive supply chain seminars bringing together over 300 senior delegates from OEMs, tier 1, medium and small suppliers. The event offers a multitude of free www.engineeringcapacity.com
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AUTOMECHANIKA | Engineering Capacity networking and learning opportunities for attendees. SMMT will also host Meet the Buyer on Wednesday 7 June which offers a day of one to one meetings and matches suppliers with OEM and tier 1 buyers who have a stand in the Meet the Buyer area. This year, SMMT will be partnering with the Department for International Trade (DIT) and over 20 key buyers have already signed up for the event. Buyers include Federal Mogul, Bentley, Faurecia, Hitachi, Nobel Automotive, Magna, Jaguar Land Rover and many more. Aftermarket seminars The Aftermarket seminars will explore current industry issues including new technologies, training, business advice and best practices. The sessions are designed to bring motor factors, retailers, dealerships and workshops up to speed with the latest industry topics and offer opportunities to share new ideas. Among others, industry experts from the likes of Frost & Sullivan, SMMT, The IMI, IAAF, NTDA, Autodata, Denso Sales UK, Energenics, Melett Limited, TRW, ZF Aftermarket UK will deliver sessions on topics such as the digitalisation of retailing and distribution, the future of parts distribution, challenges faced by the automotive aftermarket, the process of diagnosis, and connecting the industry. New for the 2017 event, the Workshop Training Zone will be launched to offer technicians, workshop owners and all 30
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technically minded visitors practical tips, technical know-how and live demonstrations from leading industry experts. The new feature for workshop attendees is the perfect opportunity for visitors to see the latest technologies and learn best practice from the experts. The Zone will include a programme of technical sessions, training and advice to address the most pressing issues facing workshop owners and technicians. Frank Massey will present the evolution of gasoline direct injection, expose some of the hidden myths that it is cleaner or less harmful than diesel, and give an insight into the way vehicles are serviced and repaired in the future. James Dillon will be providing a technical talk and a real-world view on the future of vehicle diagnostics which will benefit both business owners and vehicle technicians alike. Peter Coombes will highlight the key technology features of modern electric and hybrid vehicles. Coombes will cover battery and drive-motor
technologies, transmission systems, energy recovery systems and power electronics. Alongside the Technical Talks, expert speakers and feature partners will be on hand in the Interactive Workshop offering one to one advice and demonstrating technical tips for technicians to take back to their daily work. New opening hours In response to the growth of the show, the organisers have introduced new opening hours to allow both exhibitors and visitors to maximise their presence at the show. The new times will be 9.30am to 5.30pm Tuesday 6h and Wednesday 7 and 9.30am to 5.00pm on Thursday 8 June. The organisers will offer a free coffee and pastry to all visitors who have pre-registered for the event and who arrive before 10am. The voucher will be distributed at the entrances and can be redeemed at the restaurants in the halls. 8 Visitors can register at reg.buzz/amb-visit01 automechanika-birmingham.com MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | AUTOMECHANIKA 8 Increased press capacity As a direct result of an increased demand for metal pressings and assemblies within the UK automotive and domestic sectors, Rical Group has pushed forward with investment in additional capacity in the mid-sized press range with the provision of additional 450t Rhodes progression stamping press technology. Rical Group, via two of its divisions, William Mitchell Ltd, located Smethwick and specialised in the manufacture of fine blanking components along with Fellows Ltd located in Wolverhampton which is focused on deep drawn metal pressings – and loated adjacent to the new JLR i54 Engine Plant – is able to
offer a range of additional press capacity, specifically within 250t to 600t progression and transfer production. Items as diverse as automotive seating components and domestic boiler components can be produced within this mid-sized press range over a variety of different shift patterns in mid to high volume. Both divisions are accredited to TS16949 and ISO14001. Stand 6B71 8 Precision machined components DJJ Precision Engineering has over 40 years’ experience in manufacturing CNC turned and milled components, broaching, prototypes, surface treatments
and finishes for automotive, motorsport, marine, oil & gas, energy, rail, automobility and more. It provides over 50 core industries with 24/7 facilities, Kanban, one-off and volume production with free PPAP, URICA finance, global delivery, quality and traceability certification. Stand 6D52 8 Subcontract plastic painting Applied Coating Technologies is one of just a very few companies in the UK able to provide a professional painting service to both low- and high-volume manufacturers. Customers are supported from two sites in the West Midlands, located only two miles from each other.
Applied Coating Technologies ACT is approved by major European OEM’s for the coating of automotive interior and exterior trim components. Operating 3 robotic lines and 9 manual spray booths, coatings applied for this sector include: Atlas Chrome • Narvik Black • Satin Black
See us at Automechanika 2017 for further details, stand 6D71 Applied Coating Technologies Ltd Tipton Road, Tividale Oldbury, West Midlands B69 3HY Tel: +44(0)121 557 5324 E-mail: info@applicoat.com
MAY 2017
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AUTOMECHANIKA | Engineering Capacity The company’s Tipton Road site currently operates three robotic spraying lines. Each line includes IR or thermal curing capabilities and has dedicated 2k mixing technology. Solvent or waterbased coatings can be applied in single or multilayer applications and coatings which are routinely applied, include: Atlas Chrome 3coat system, Narvik Black 3-coat system and Brunel / Satin Black single-coat systems. Examples of all these finishes will be on display at Automechanika. Supporting the paint operations, ACT provides turnkey project management solutions to procure mouldings, paint and provide sub-assembly operations. ACT is now a major supplier to JLR. Situated less than two miles away is the Park Lane site. This site provides the same level of service but using manual spraying. Parts are sprayed in fully enclosed spray booths to provide an exceptionally high finish quality. These are meeting the demands of some of Europe’s most recognisable automotive brands , including BMW, JLR, Aston Martin, VW Bentley and Volvo. Finishes can range from single-coat matt/satin flash coats to more complex 3-coat systems, including piano black and body colours. Selective painting is also achievable as the company has extensive knowledge in the manufacture of high presicion electroform masking tools. The company, which is accredited to BS EN ISO 32
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9001:2008, says that the two facilities coupled with over 30 years of experience in application of coatings. make it the ideal partner for OEMs and injection moulders. Stand 6D71 8 Precise plastic components Located in Huddersfield, forteq UK supplied precise technical plastic components and assemblies to the automotive industry. Many of the components or assemblies are unseen on the vehicle such as engine timing systems, air suspension, fluid delivery, filtration, engine antivibration mounts, door latch, window lift or window wiper mechanisms. The Huddersfield plant has supplied window wiper gear assemblies to the USA for over 25 years. It uses modern automation systems in its dedicated moulding cells, comprising 6-axis robots, vision systems for poke-yoke and vibro-bowl automatic shaft loading. Value added processes such as ultrasonic welding of plastic magnet assemblies and heat staking of metal contacts are performed in the production cell to ensure a lean process flow of the final assembly. Due to increased demand, it is investing in a third automated cell in 2017 that will run 24/7. forteq Group has injection moulding facilities in Europe, USA and China with over 800 employees, a gear technology centre in Switzerland and automotive pumps competence centre in Italy. Stand 6B141
8 Cold formed fasteners Heico Fasteners manufactures design-specific precision cold formed parts which are produced at high speed and high pressure using dies to form the intricate geometries required of todays’ automotive fasteners. This manufacturing route is said to offer cost savings against machined parts of up to 60%. Paul Windsor, national sales manager at Heico, says: “CNC turning of parts creates a high volume of material waste as the part is ‘cut’ from a blank but with cold forming predetermined lengths of wire are formed into finished parts using high pressure presses and dies, eliminating waste and providing material savings alone of up to 70%. Stand 6C51 8 Metallised finishes Dual Metallising provides vacuum metallising, plastic injection moulding and spray painting services for retail, brewing, point of sale and automotive markets. Once items have been moulded Dual can vacuum metallise or spray paint them providing a one stop service for finished products. Vacuum Metallising is a process in which the substrate is coated with a thin layer of aluminium to give it a metallised finish. Investment in equipment and technology has enabled Dual to manufacture other automotive products such as wheel cap components. Stand 20A98 MAY 2017
Engineering Capacity | ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Rubber-like polymer for 3D printing
AM parts fly on Boeing Norsk Titanium will deliver the ‘world’s first’ FAA-Approved, 3D-printed structural titanium components to Boeing for its 787 Dreamliner. This will make the Dreamliner the first commercial aircraft to fly with certified additivemanufactured structural titanium components. Warren M Boley, Jr, president and CEO, Norsk Titanium, said: “The Norsk Titanium team will continue to expand the portfolio of components supplied to Boeing meeting stringent certification requirements. It is an honour to earn FAA approval for these structural parts.” The parts will be produced by Norsk’s proprietary Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) process. Boeing designed the components and collaborated closely with Norsk Titanium throughout the development process. To certify these initial structural components on the Dreamliner, Boeing and Norsk Titanium MAY 2017
undertook a rigorous testing programme with FAA certification deliverables completed in February 2017. Norsk Titanium, with its wire-based RPD process, is the first supplier for Boeing’s high deposition rate material specification. John Byrne, vice president, Airplane Materials and Structures, Supplier Management, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said: “We are always looking at the latest technologies to drive cost reduction, performance and value to our customers and Norsk Titanium’s RPD capability fits the bill in a new and creative way.” Norsk Titanium AS is a supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components. The company is known for its patented RPD process which transforms titanium wire into complex components suitable for structural and safety-critical applications. 8 norsktitanium.com
Industrial Plastics Fabrication Ltd can now offer customers 3D printed parts in a rubber-like polymer Agilus30 is one of the latest generations of materials from Stratasys which can be used to create 3D printed parts that offer realistic rubber-like qualities of flexibility and durability. Available in black and translucent, the new material family is ideal for modelling parts that need to be finedetailed and realistic, but also durable enough to be used for design verification and testing. It has a tear resistance of up to 7kg per cm and elongation of up to 270%, so it can be used to create parts that are able to withstand repeated flexing and bending. Agilus30 can be used to simulate rubber over-moulding or a huge variety of functional parts such as living hinges, hoses, seals and gaskets, knobs, grips, pulls and handles. Because it has excellent heat resistance, the material can also be combined with other materials to achieve specific Shore A hardness values, colours and textures, for maximum versatility. 8 ipfl.co.uk
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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.
Ecopare Ltd Ecopare provides practical solutions for energy management that make a difference. We maximise energy savings by offering installation and implementation services in addition to our core expertise in energy analysis, strategy, and planning. 23 Frederick Sanger Road, Surrey Research Pk, Surrey GU2 7YD Tel: 01483 688170 www.ecopare.energy/
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HEAT TREATMENT 8
ENERGY MANAGEMENT 8
Unit 2, Deethe Farm Industrial Est, Cranfield Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK17 8UR Tel: 01908 585103 www.jflbroaches.co.uk
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
Flame Hardeners Ltd Bespoke surface heat treatment processors. Gears up to 4.5m dia. Shafts or rollers up to 1.5m dia. and 7.5m in length. Machine beds up to 6m lengths. Wheels up to 2.3m dia. We have over 75 years of experience. Shorter Works, Bailey Lane Sheffield S1 3BL Tel: 0114 276 8167 www.flamehardeners.co.uk/
LASER CUTTING 8
Laser Process Ltd Premier Laser Cutting Subcontractor. Continual investment in the latest technology to provide our customers with the service they deserve.
Upper Keys, Keys Park, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 5GE Tel: 01543 495000 www.laserprocess.co.uk MACHINING (5 AXIS) 8
JFL Broaches and Broaching
Royd Way, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 3LG Tel: 01535 602587 www.hewitt-topham.co.uk GRINDING CENTRELESS 8
BROACHING 8
Sutton Road, St. Helens Merseyside WA9 3DJ Tel: 01744 22567 www.wealdpark.co.uk
Hewitt & Topham Ltd Precision gear cutters since 1938. Standard and non standard cutter pitches and pressure angles. Gears from 2.5-6mm diameter. Northern England leading gear specialist through quality and commitment.
Mini Gears (Stockport) Ltd 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. Top Gear House, Bletchley Road Heaton Mersey Industrial Estate Stockport SK4 3ED Tel: 0161 432 0222 www.minigears.co.uk
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 8
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.
GEAR CUTTING – GENERAL 8
AUTO REPETITION WORK 8
DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity
PSL Datatrack PSL Datatrack, a flexible production management system for small/ medium size manufacturing businesses, helps to manufacture quality parts, on time and at the right price. PSL Datatrack provides vital information to management and shop floor. Lily Hill House, Lily Hill Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 2SJ Tel: 08456 345931 www.psldatatrack.com
MAY 2017
PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311 www.dpc.co.uk
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DKW Precision Engineering Celebrating our 47th year supplying CNC Turned and Milled Components to all Sectors in both UK and Export markets. From 1 off to Volume, 1-450mm diameter turning, 1x1mtr milling, fast turnaround.
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Precision T Turned urned P Parts arts Subcontract Machining Surface T Treatment reatment CNC Machined Components Parts P arts Assembly Design & Engineering Support Service A AS S 9100 & ISO 9001
SPRING MAKING 8
You Y ou o dream it it,, we mak make e it it..
MAY 2017
Batchflow Engineering Ltd
Rotatech Ltd Specialists in reconditioning and rebuilding of all makes of precision machine tool spindles. Spindles rebuilt in purpose built clean room. On-site removal and re-installation available. 20 Cavans Way, Binley Industrial Est, Binley, Coventry, W. Midlands CV3 2SF Tel: 02476 452600 www.rotatech.com
WATERJET CUTTING 8
Budbrooke Road, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5XH Tel: 01926 492889 www.batchflow.co.uk SPINDLE REBUILD 8
SAWING MACHINERY 8
Saws (UK) 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.
CNC turning capacity from 2mm200mm using high precision Fixed and Sliding Head CNC Lathes. Experience in machining a range of materials, from Low to Medium volumes, to customers specifications.
Quartremaine Road, Airport Service Estate, Portsmouth PO3 5RD Tel: 023 9267 7747 www.dkwengineering.co.uk
South Easts leading specialist metal cutting machinery and blade supplier. Agents for Fabris, Pilous, Alligator, Comet, Forestor, Carif and many more. Unit 8, Wealden Business Park, Farningham Road, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 2JR Tel: 0844 8804511 www.sawsuk.com
Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd
Unit 1, Latimer Road Industrial Est, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 2YD Tel: 0118 978 6573 www.simpsonsprings.co.uk TURNING (CNC) 8
Dawson Precision Ltd Precision CNC milling and turning. Machining centres, CNC Turning centre and multi-axis sliding head machines. Full in-house machining service with additional laser marking and kitting capabilities.
SUBCONTRACT CNC TURNING 8
PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
Engineering Capacity | DIRECTORY
ICEE Comprehensive fabrication facilities offering complete turnkey solution. Design, Precision Engineering, Sheet Metal Fabrication and Welding. Prototypes, one off or batch work. Waterjet Capacity: 4m x 2.25m & dash; materials up to 230mm depth. Aluminium Alloy Specialists. 20 Arnside Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 7UP Tel: 023 9223 0604 www.icee.co.uk
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6-8 June 2017 NEC Birmingham The UK‘s leading exhibition for the automotive aftermarket and supply chain
Join your peers at THE UK automotive supply chain networking event, hosting over 150 exhibitors from all tiers of the supply chain, in association with SMMT. Discover advanced manufacturing technologies from a broad range of home grown suppliers, reflecting the UK’s reputation in design and engineering.
NEW DEDICATED SUPPLY CHAIN ZONE
Find technology solutions across connected and autonomous vehicles, lightweight materials, power electronics and electric machinery, energy storage and internal combustion engines. Choose from supply chain seminars delivered by industry leaders from SMMT, Jaguar Land Rover, Industry Forum, National Composites Centre and the AIO. Topics covered include: »
Product and technology developments
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Connected and autonomous vehicles
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Innovation and R&D
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Manufacturing technologies
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Industry trends and updates
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Industry 4.0 and logistics and advanced manufacturing
Don‘t miss SMMT‘s flagship event, Open Forum, co-located with the event. Find out more at www.automechanika-birmingham.com
USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER FREE NOW AT REG.BUZZ/JUNE03
Automechanika Birmingham has been licensed to Forest Exhibitions Ltd by Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
In association with