FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS
May 2020
INDUSTRY NEWS | MEDICAL | MACHINED COMPONENTS | MOULDING
LASER & WATERJET CUTTING: Metal birds help wildlife
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FOR BUYERS OF CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES Visit our online edition for breaking news, jobs, events, features and searchable directory. www.engineeringcapacity.com Editor: Andy Sandford editor@engineeringcapacity.com Sales Manager: Arfan Qureshi sales@engineeringcapacity.com Tel: 0207 241 4627 Graphic Design: Dave Blake blakey@djbdesign.co.uk Printer: Holbrooks Printers Limited Norway Road, Portsmouth PO3 5HX Engineering Capacity is published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November SUBSCRIPTIONS Engineering Capacity is available free of charge to UK buyers and suppliers of subcontract manufacturing services. For non-qualifying readers, annual subscription rates are as follows for 6 issues posted to addresses in: UK £60.00; Europe £80; Rest of the World £100 You can request your copy and sign up to our free weekly email newsletter on our website or contact us via subscriptions@engineeringcapacity.com www.engineeringcapacity.com Tel: O1737 270 648 Published by: Engineering Capacity Ltd Abbey House, 25 Clarendon Road Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QZ United Kingdom Registered in England company no. 10567217 ISSN 0306-0179 COMING UP IN OUR JULY 2020 ISSUE Casting & Forging, Oil & Gas, Forming & Fabrication, Turned Parts, Aerospace & 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
Editor’s View These are certainly very strange and demanding times for everyone, but some of the efforts made by manufacturing companies to support the fight against Covid-19 have been heroic. There are certainly some stirring examples in this issue of Engineering Capacity – which, because of the current situation, will only be published as a digital edition rather than in print. We have seen the vital role of manufacturing in the economy come into ever-sharper focus during this crisis. Although many companies made the decision, for very good and understandable reasons, that they should temporarily close, many manufacturers carried on, maybe not as normal, but as close to normal as possible. Even with reduced staff levels, many of those that remained in production stayed busy – including those not working on projects directly related to the current crisis. Qimtek reported that over 300 of its members were open for business, and on my own rough estimate I would say that more than a third of subcontractors are still working. As a sign of Government recognition, Business Secretary Alok Sharma wrote an open letter to those working in manufacturing, paying tribute to the work they were doing keeping the UK economy open. He also stressed that the country needed the support of manufacturing to keep supply chains moving and key workers mobile, as well as to protect the economy. Now, as more businesses come back into production, the pressure is on to find safe ways of working, to re-engage with customers and suppliers and create new strong and local supply chains. There are certainly as many challenges as opportunities out there, but I think that the UK manufacturing industry has shown it has the heart and spirit to take them on. Andy Sandford, Editor
Member of the Engineering Industries Association
MAY 2020
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Contents May 2020
24 MOULDING
News
Features
06 Subcon in September 06 The June event has been put
12 Medical 06 Five-fold increase in critical components Rapid response to ventilator enquiry Medical metrology service
back 3 months
07 100 years of testing 06 Keighley Labs celebrates its centenary with new investment
08 Success in the field 06 Sarginsons is making a novel crop spraying component
19 Machined Components 06 Two times five-axis
7 INDUSTRY NEWS
Tooled up for action
22 Laser & Waterjet Cutting 06 Metal birds help wildlife
09 Sponsored by Leonardo06 CBE+ has high power support for its SC21 programme
24 Moulding 06 Moulder presses ahead All electric sustainability
10 Spreading the word 06 Free PR support for Covid
26 Additive Manufacturing 06 AS9100 for additive alloys
manufacturing heroes
15 MEDICAL 4
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MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS
10 years and 10,000 blades Rockwood Composites celebrated a ten year partnership with Leonardo by delivering its 10,000th blade for the towed decoy on the Eurofighter Typhoon. All parts are fully CNC machined and supplied paint ready on a just in time basis. Rockwood has also supplied Leonardo with connector plates for the wing of the Eurofighter Typhoon. Holly Jones, senior subcontract buyer at Leonardo in the UK, said: “Our 10-year partnership with Rockwood is testament to their ability to deliver quality composite components consistently when we need them.” Rockwood Composites managing director, Mark Crouchen, added: “I remember when we set up the company and were pleased to have the confidence of a The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) has launched the 2020 edition of the Technology, Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge. The flagship schools’ competition, which has been running for 17 years, will return in 2020 with a twist. Due to the current Coronavirus situation in the UK, a new format for 2020 edition of TDI is being launched online. The aim of the competition is similar to previous years with Secondary School Students being asked to design their own
MAY 2020
company of the calibre of Leonardo. Working with this OEM over the past decade has helped Rockwood become what it is today, innovating and supplying some of the most pioneering advanced manufacturing companies. “Compression and bladder moulding, which is now being used in a wide range of industries, from aerospace to medical devices, with our products helping our clients
withstand from the highest temperatures in the solar system (100m˚C) to a couple of degrees above absolute zero.” Rockwood designs and manufactures composite components using out-ofautoclave techniques, compression and bladder moulding of pre-preg composite material in metal tooling. 8 rockwoodcomposites.com
TDI Challenge goes online product or concept and explain its application. This year they will enter by submitting 2-minute video presenting why and how the innovation will benefit its users. Once the video is completed all the students must do is share it on either Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #tdichallenge2020. The competition aims to bring a positive and engaging challenge to young people affected by school closures and the isolation that entails.
You can find out more about the competition and how to enter here www.thetdichallenge.co.uk. Mike Falconer, Education & Development Manager at the MTA, said “Innovation impacts every aspect of our lives. Now more than ever we see the benefits of technology; so we encourage students to be as imaginative and bold as possible and share their ideas with the world.” 8 mta.org.uk
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity
Award for promoting opportunity A commitment to developing apprentices has led to Stainless Metalcraft receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. The company, part of Avingtrans PLC’s Process Solutions and Rotating Equipment division, won the award for promoting opportunity. The business, which was founded over 150 years ago, supplies components for performance-critical industries around the world, including medical technologies, oil & gas, nuclear, renewable energy, marine and Big Science. The award recognises Metalcraft’s commitment to increasing social mobility by providing pathways into long-term engineering careers for local people. Its apprenticeship scheme has operated for over 100 years and was reinvigorated in 2010, since when it has launched the engineering careers of more than 30 young people and helped tackle
Subcon in September MA Exhibitions Limited, which owns and runs Subcon, The Engineer Expo, and The Manufacturing Management Show, has announced that it has decided to reschedule the event from June 9 -11 to September 28 -30, 2020. In a statement the company
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an impending skills shortage by reducing the average age of the workforce from 54 to 44. Austen Adams, managing director of Metalcraft, said: “I’m delighted for everyone that their hard work and commitment to creating opportunities for young people has been acknowledged through this award. “As a former apprentice myself, I’m passionate about creating accessible routes into this rewarding and varied industry and the success of the approach is
being felt across the business, as a number of former apprentices move into leadership and management roles.” While a lot of attention is rightly placed on Metalcraft’s apprenticeship programme, the award also recognises its commitment to raising aspirations, helping engineers to develop their careers, and work to increase diversity in the sector, as well as its commitment to giving back to the local community. 8 metalcraft.co.uk
said: “As organisers, our number one priority is to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all of our exhibitors, visitors and staff. Given the spread of the Coronavirus and the concerns shared by a number of the show’s partners, we have decided that in order to minimise the risks to visitors and exhibitors, the event will now take place at the end of September in Hall 6 NEC. “We also believe that by moving
the show to September, we will be able to offer a better experience for visitors and exhibitors than we would under the current conditions. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the show’s partners for their understanding in this matter and we look forward to working with you to deliver an outstanding event in September.” 8 subconshow.co.uk
MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS
nitride and hydride based defects to the customer, whether this is ductility, brittleness or even cracking issues within the processing phase. Debbie Mellor, Managing Director at Keighley Labs, commented: “As part of our business development, particularly in respect to aerospace, we identified a gap in the UK market to provide this service. Following the addition to our already extensive scope on UKAS, we will be adding this process to our Nadcap MTL accreditation in late spring. “The business has significantly transformed over the last 100 years, and we continually strive to provide a comprehensive and technically relevant service to all our customers.” 8 keighleylabs.co.uk
The business has significantly transformed over the last 100 years, and we continually strive to provide a comprehensive and technically relevant service to all our customers
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titanium based alloys; specifically, those used in aerospace. This allows Keighley Labs to identify particular properties of materials, relaying any oxide,
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100 years of testing
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With the start of a new decade bringing about opportunity for new growth and expansion, 2020 will see Keighley Laboratories Limited celebrating 100 years of service in metallurgical analysis, testing and heat treatment. The company says that, not only does this accolade come with assured confidence of the company’s continuous growth and longevity, but its approvals and accreditations make this a milestone year for the company; in particular, its long-standing UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accreditation. First issued in 1982 under the original NATLAS name, Keighley Labs has held the accreditation for Laboratory Services for over 35 years; being one of the first companies in history to achieve this accreditation, as shown in the Testing Laboratory Number 0034 on the official certificate. It is currently accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. The company acquired customer approvals in its early days from Westland Helicopters and the MOD during wartime efforts, to more recently acquiring larger aerospace approvals from Magellan and Collins Aerospace. Although Keighley Laboratories is celebrating its historic centenary year, it is also looking to the future. Its newly acquired Leco ONH836 Gas Analyser, which is capable of wide-range measurements of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen levels in both ferrous and non-ferrous materials, will be added to the lab’s UKAS 17025 scope for
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Sarginsons Industries, which is based in Torrington Avenue in Coventry, has been commissioned by Irish firm MagGrow to manufacture a manifold that can be retrofitted onto crop sprayers to make them more targeted and reduce waste. It is the latest project for Sarginsons’ Design for Manufacture Technology Centre and combines the firm’s expertise in aluminium casting with its more recent expansion into offering full product assembly. MagGrow is a patented, proprietary technology for droplet formation that yields superior drift reduction of over 70% and increased spray coverage performance ranging from 36 per cent to over 100% compared to conventional spraying. As well as the two core benefits of drift control and superior coverage, MagGrow also reduces water by up to 50%, extends spray windows and reduces labour requirements. The MagGrow system has no moving parts, is easy to install and maintain, and can be fitted to a new or existing crop sprayer.
Visit our website or contact us for a quote or advice
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Success in the field
Sarginsons has an order to supply around 200 units to MagGrow with the potential for around 1,000 a year as global interest grows in the product, particularly in The Netherlands and the USA. Gavin Shipley, Sarginsons Technology Centre manager, said: “We are delighted to be working with MagGrow on this very exciting development. “This new division has given Sarginsons a new capability of delivering fully manufactured and assembled products to clients, which has opened up this new avenue of work for the company.
“The manifold we are making for MagGrow is quite complex – with the body requiring a two-part diecast solution under very high pressure. “MagGrow can see very strong potential for this product, especially as the statistics on water waste reduction and lowering the spread of pesticides are so impressive, and that would mean a good pipeline of orders for Sarginsons. “The fact that this is another product that has environmental benefits is another factor that is very important to us as a business so, all in all, this is a very exciting development for Sarginsons.” Fred Dupont, of MagGrow, said: “We are delighted to work with Sarginsons. We very much appreciate not only their manufacturing capabilities but also their ability on helping a young company like ourselves on the design aspect of our products. In the future, we expect to closely work with them to develop many more products including our wonderful technology.” 8 sarginsons.com MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Before Covid-19 shutdown hit, UK subcontract market was up by 70% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the final quarter of last year. Both machining and fabricating were strongly up on the previous quarter – by 93% and 86% respectively – while other processes, including moulding and electronic assembly, were pretty much the same, with just a 3% increase. The strongest markets were Oil/Chemical/Energy, Construction, Industrial Machinery and Automotive. The CMI is produced by sourcing specialist Qimtek and reflects the total purchasing budget for outsourced manufacturing of companies looking to place business in any given month. This represents a sample of over 4,000 companies who could be placing business that together have a purchasing budget of more than £3.4bn and a supplier base of over 7,000 companies with a verified turnover in excess of £25bn. Commenting on the figures, Qimtek owner Karl Wigart said: “It Specialist subcontractor CBE+, which offers precision engineering, electroless nickel plating, gear cutting, artificial lifting and metal testing service has been sponsored by helicopter company Leonardo on the SC21 Operational Excellence programme. Securing SC21 certification will enable CBE+ to extend its aerospace credentials further, after recently becoming AS9100
MAY 2020
Subcontract market was strengthening
really did look as if the UK subcontract market was back on a growth track before the Covid-19 lockdown hit. There was a slight decline over the three months, possibly because the shutdown in China was disrupting supply chains and reshoring had yet to make an impression, but overall, the outlook was good.
“As for the year ahead, we can only hope that this underlying strength manages to survive the current emergency. I am certain that supply chains will look very different in the future and hope that UK manufacturers will be in a position to benefit from that.” 8 qimtek.co.uk
Sponsored by Leonardo accredited for its electroless nickel plating division, NiTEC UK Ltd, which plays a key part in the group’s strategic growth plans for the coming years. The company believes it is unique in being able to supply the aerospace and defence markets with services in precision CNC machining and nickel plating from a single business unit. Christopher Thomson, Supplier
Development for Leonardo Helicopters UK, said: “I am proud that Leonardo is playing its part in developing the UK aerospace and defence supply chains with key OEM-led activities such as SC21 Supplier Development. CBE+ has expressed great ambition by enrolling on the programme.” 8 cbeplus.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity
European shows postponed The Swiss high precision trade show, EPH, which was due to take place in Geneva in June has now been postponed until 15 to 18 September. Show director Alexandre Catton said: “It is a difficult announcement but the unprecedented health crisis that we experience with the closing of borders and recommendations of confinement would not allow anyone to get organised and work peacefully, with confidence. “We want to thank you for your trust and loyalty and look forward to seeing you again in September for the most important annual Swiss show dedicated to high precision.” The German production technology show METAV, which was due to take place in March and has now been postponed until next year, is offering disappointed visitors the chance to catch up of some of the seminar sessions that were due to be presented at an online event , ‘METAV Web Sessions "Let's talk d
ite
d re cc
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about innovation’ that will run from 15 to 19 June. Meanwhile, the Hannover Messe, which had already been postponed from April to June this year, will not now go ahead until April 2021. The organisers are
Spreading the word Aro PR and Marketing is launching a pro bono PR service to celebrate the work of engineering, science and composites businesses helping to fight Covid19. The service is a one-off campaign, which includes writing a
to
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Manufacturers of High Quality Mill-Turned Parts
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planning a digital information and networking platform for Hannover Messe. Various web-based formats will enable exhibitors and visitors to exchange information about upcoming economic policy challenges and technological solutions. Live streams will transport interactive expert interviews, panel discussions and best-case presentations all over the world. The online exhibitor and product search is also being enhanced so that visitors and exhibitors can contact each other directly. 8 ephj.ch/en metav-websessions.com hannovermesse.de
news release and distributing it to Aro’s network of media contacts. Managing Director Billy McKenna said Aro had been humbled by the tech industry doing its bit to help during the pandemic and the team had been scratching its heads as to how it could help in a meaningful way. McKenna said: “We know many SMEs are unsung heroes who have adapted their manufacturing facilities in order to help the NHS - but they don’t have the time or resources to tell their story. We’re offering to write and distribute their story to the media for free.” Contact billy.mckenna@aroprand marketing.co.uk to find out more 8 aroprandmarketing.co.uk MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | PEOPLE
Trade Leads from the EIA The following FREE OF CHARGE trade leads for the UK engineering industry are currently appearing on the Trade Board pages of the Engineering Industries Association at www.eia.co.uk
Peter Hobbs has been appointed as Director by the BTMA (British Turned Parts Manufacturers Association). Peter has been involved with the BTMA for many years as a Technical Member and has recently completed a two-year term as the BTMA’s Technical Officer.
Paul Heard has been appointed the new Chief Executive of SMMT Industry Forum, the consultancy and training provider for manufacturers. He was formerly President of Automotive Tier 1 supplier Futaba UK and has worked for more than 20 years in management and consultancy roles.
UK – Metal ores and alloys Supply and Delivery of High Temperature Material for the Manufacture of an Isothermal Die Stack. Reference: 34551 Closing Date: 12/05/2020 UK – Pipe Spools This framework agreement is for the manufacture and supply of pipe spools. The framework will be for a maximum period of 48 months. Reference: 34555 Closing Date: 18/05/2020 Kuwait – Compressors A national oil company wants to make contact with compressor manufacturers. Reference: 34571 Closing Date: 20/06/2020
Neil Ainge a machine broker specialist, has been appointed Regional Manager of its Finance for Industry Team by Close Brothers Asset Finance. He was previously with an asset finance and insurance brokerage where he specialised in the sale of machine tools to the engineering sector. MAY 2020
James Hewitt has joined Kyocera Hardcoating Technologies as Business Development Manager. He will develop existing and new business from cutting tool companies as well as other markets such as wear parts, components and decorative items. He is also leading a complete rebrand for the company.
China – Robots and Automation A Chinese robot manufacturer is seeking distributors of robotic and automation solutions in Europe. It offers solutions on intelligent logistics, AGVs (automatic guided vehicle), automation integration and smart factory. It is now looking for overseas distributors to explore local markets. Reference: JV1407 Closing Date: 04/07/2020 For more information please email head.office@eia.co.uk quoting reference number. Please remember to use due diligence in responding to Trade Leads. Engineering Capacity provides you with the above information in good faith, but is unable to accept any responsibility or legal liability arising from any use of these leads.
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MEDICAL | Engineering Capacity
Aerospace to ventilator parts Coventry-based aerospace supplier, Aerosmith Engineering, which is now suppling critical parts for ventilators, has been awarded the Queen’s Award for International Trade. The company has seen a 996% increase in export activity over the last three years, supplying precision components to global manufacturers including Rolls-Royce, GKN, ITP, and Siemens. The company’s parts are used in aerospace engines, landing gears and air frames, with recent wins seeing sales rise to £7.6million and investment in the latest CNC robotics paving the way for 10% growth in 2020. The company’s management believe the Queen’s Award will play an important role in further expansion in Brazil, Germany, Singapore, Spain, and the United States. “This is the highest honour a company can achieve and is a fitting tribute to the strides we have made to become a global aerospace supplier,” explained Jason Aldridge, Managing Director at Arrowsmith Engineering. “To be able to display the Queen’s Award logo on our letterhead, in marketing material and across all of our communication channels will be a massive boost to our business and will definitely generate new opportunities in overseas markets.” He added: “Importantly, the award is a massive thank you to our staff, who continue to go 12
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above and beyond in meeting the exacting standards of the aerospace sector, and in recent weeks, the NHS ventilator push.” Arrowsmith Engineering, which is part of the Aero Services Global Group, has been lending its manufacturing expertise to support the frontline fight against COVID-19 after being invited by Rolls-Royce Control Systems and Rolls-Royce in Derby to join their ventilator supply chains. Despite having 25% of shop floor staff self-isolating, the company responded immediately to the nationwide effort by creating a dedicated team to produce prototype and production parts for the Smiths ventilator assembly line. In total, more than 60,000 ventilator components have been delivered and a further order has now been placed to manufacture prototype parts for a
new type of ventilator currently undergoing testing. “Our team are working two, 12-hour shifts every day and night to deliver the volumes expected, with all of the initial parts now supplied and being assembled,” continued Jason. “This has been a phenomenal effort by everyone involved and we have successfully been able to transfer our precision aerospace engineering knowledge to create the necessary tooling and tolerances required for life-saving parts.” He concluded: “All of this has been carried out with the Government’s social distancing measures in place, hence splitting the shifts in two and ensuring that 85% of office staff are set-up to work from home. Our staff are fantastic, we have to protect them as well as supporting the NHS.” 8 arrowsmitheng.co.uk MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | MEDICAL MRT Castings pulled out all the stops to meet a five-fold increase in demand for die-cast, machined and painted components for critical care ventilators. Within a fortnight it ordered and installed a new die-casting machine, put on extra shifts, recruited more staff, and ordered two new machining centres. MRT Managing Director Phil Rawnson says: “In the current crisis there are no lengths we haven’t considered in order to increase our capacity and our output for these essential components.” MRT has been producing parts for this particular customer for the past six years – 21 components for each ventilator including all the external panels and the chassis that the electrical components are assembled on to. The ventilators are complex units that are only used for the most severely ill patients and, as medical devices, are produced under a tight regulatory regime. This means that if the manufacturer wants to increase output in a hurry it is very hard for them simply to bring on another supplier or change the process. “All of the testing they have gone through and all the validation means the fastest route to ramp up is to stick with established methods and supply chains to minimise risk,” says Phil. “They laid down the challenge to us and said – we want to increase our output fivefold within the next six weeks.” “We have had to divert capacity that was previously running on MAY 2020
Five-fold increase in critical components
other work onto this – but that was nowhere near enough – and we then had to put on additional shifts to double capacity. Now we are bringing more machines in to try and double capacity again.” The first of these was a new Bühler 530t high-pressure diecasting cell. Normally it would be a 12-month project to bring in a machine in like this, but Bühler were able to set up a machine from stock in Switzerland for immediate delivery. The next step was to order two Brother machining centres from Whitehouse Machine Tools, that are duplicates of a machine that MRT already has installed. “If I can get machines that are the same as the ones I already
have, then I haven’t got to completely re-validate the processes,” says Phil. He says the fact that some other engineering companies have struggled means that he has been able to take on some good people at short notice to expand the workforce. “We have already doubled output within a fortnight so we are on track – but trying to do it in these circumstances can be a bit difficult. “The amazing teams at MRT and our key suppliers are working round the clock, and have embraced the challenge, all of our customers have been incredibly supportive, and our partners throughout the industry have pulled together with us to make things that a few weeks ago would have seemed impossible, possible.” 8 mrt-castings.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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MEDICAL | Engineering Capacity
Medical metrology service Coordinate measuring machine (CMM) manufacturer LK Metrology has introduced a subcontract inspection service in support of ventilator and other medical component and equipment manufacturers in the UK and Ireland that may not have sufficient quality control resource in-house. When the UK government launched its Ventilator Challenge UK, the consortium behind it asked multinational firms such as Rolls-Royce, BAe and GKN with robust experience in supply chain management to identify and involve OEMs and subcontract machinists in the aerospace, automotive and other industries to boost the production of medical parts. It was designed to meet the target of 30,000 extra ventilators needed by the National Health Service to cope with the surge in Covid-19 patients. They were looking for manufacturers with
The majority typically require the use of CMMs to measure, reverse engineer and assure the quality of many complex and precision parts, including prismatic, rotational and freeform. For that reason, we are offering them a series of metrology services that we believe can be of assistance during these anxious times
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spare machining capacity or an ability to acquire more urgently, as well as ISO accreditation and expertise in metrology to ensure the high level of quality required when making parts for medical equipment. Many firms had the first two prerequisites but not the third. It prompted LK Metrology to expand the existing contract inspection service run from its headquarters in Castle Donington and make it available exclusively to companies registered to supply ventilator and other medical parts. Dave Robinson, marketing manager at LK Metrology commented, "We understand that manufacturers in the medical sector today are critically needed to help provide valuable components, products and systems to combat the pandemic. "The majority typically require the use of CMMs to measure,
reverse engineer and assure the quality of many complex and precision parts, including prismatic, rotational and freeform. For that reason, we are offering them a series of metrology services that we believe can be of assistance during these anxious times." The company's location in Derbyshire in the Midlands means that it is conveniently placed to serve the whole of the UK and Ireland. It continues to operate under government guidelines, including in its own factory and in the field for applications, programming and service, and has put in place special transportation arrangements should manufacturers require them. The CMM Assistance Programme can be contacted on +44 (0)1332 813755 8 lkmetrology.com MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | MEDICAL When Sub CNC got the call from Rolls Royce to quote on two plastic parts for the Ventilator Challenge UK it was in full production within two days. Rolls Royce had been given Sub CNC’s details by turning machine supplier Citizen UK, which had identified it as a possible supplier. Joint owners and managing directors of the contract machining operation, Yian Stavrou and George Dingley, received an email request from Rolls-Royce late in the evening on the last Wednesday in March. Drawings came in the following morning; quotes were issued quickly and by the afternoon provisional orders had been issued. Mr Stavrou recalled, "Everything happened at breakneck speed. We prepared the two programs, bought in cutting tools and ordered plastic bar that had to be ground so it would feed through the guide bushes on the sliders. Citizen loaned us a number of milling toolholders that we did not have, and we were in production around the clock by the Friday morning. "Process capability studies were completed, the paper trail put in place and the 9,000 plastic parts were machined, inspected and delivered on the following Monday to meet the contract conditions." One of the reasons for Sub CNC winning this plastic turn-milling work, as well as subsequent urgent medical contracts, was the option to use LVF chipbreaking software on its Citizen slidinghead lathes. The prevents stringy swarf wrapping itself round the MAY 2020
Rapid response to ventilator enquiry
tool and component by oscillating the tool to break the swarf into small pieces. The two components for Rolls-Royce required the use of sliders capable of turning 32 mm diameter bar. The only machine of this capacity at Sub CNC equipped with LFV is an L32-VIII, which was deployed for producing the most difficult part with drilled and milled features. The other, less challenging component was put on a Cincom M32, with the long swarf broken traditionally using high pressure coolant to prevent machine stoppage. Overall, about half of the subcontractor's lathes have been made over to producing parts for ventilators and other medical
products. The remaining half of the turning capacity serves manufacturers in other industries that are continuing to operate during the Covid-19 crisis. Co-director Mr Dingley added, "We are fortunate that our activities are split across two sites in Dunstable and one in Luton, so machines are fairly spread out and our operators can socially distance easily. It is a credit to our staff the way they have stepped up to tackle this urgent medical work, which involves coming in at nights and weekends, including over the whole of Easter. Day to day it is more or less business as usual for Sub CNC, except that the workload is unusually high.� 8 sub-cncprecision.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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MEDICAL | Engineering Capacity Precision engineering firm DA Design Automation has ramped up production of key equipment used by the NHS in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Specialist in machinery design and build, the company has begun to produce hundreds of headbands for face shields, a crucial piece of PPE for healthcare workers. The firm has also more than doubled its production of aluminium components used in bedside hoists, which frees up NHS capacity by enabling patients to be treated at home. DA Design Automation manufactures the chassis and mounting hooks for the portable hoist system that is used by hospitals and in care homes and care facilities. The Lancashire company has been the key supplier of the parts since 2018, but order volumes have doubled since the lockdown. The home care kit can quickly and easily install in a patient's home. So as long as a patient doesn't have a medical need to be in hospital, they can receive care in the community, which releases much needed beds and
Going to work for the NHS
nurses for coronavirus patients. John Morris, director at DA Design Automation said: "We are delighted to be doing our part in the ongoing effort to keep the British public safe from coronavirus and to take care of those who have fallen ill. The NHS is a fantastic organisation and all at DA Design Automation are proud to be involved in assisting them to carry out their incredible work." "Social distance has forced us all to adopt new working methods, yet there are upsides. Taking
Aerospace Oil & Gas Nuclear Defence
PRECISION ENGINEERING www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk Tel: 01484 548903
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Automotive Electronics Hi Fi
Industrial & High Volume Machining
advantage of conference calling and ‘Zoom' meetings has improved the company's turnaround of new parts decisions just get made faster." John said: "The coronavirus lockdown has reduced our volume of orders in some areas, but also brought about a closer working relationship with customers. We've won new contracts to supply additional key components. The trust that has built up will hopefully leave us in a stronger position when all returns to normal." The company was founded in 1998, then known as DA Industrial Design. The company has grown to become a UK-wide supplier of precision engineering expertise, serving all manufacturing sectors, encompassing sole traders through to multinational companies and sectors ranging from oil and gas, automotive and health to the fashion industry. 8 dadesignltd.com MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | MEDICAL Protolabs is using its 3D-printing, machining and moulding skills to produce critical parts for Covid-19 testing and ventilator masks. The company specialises in the fast digital manufacture of prototypes and low-volume production parts. Protolabs, which employs over 450 people at its European headquarters in Telford, has played a key role in supporting Italian engineers in the conversion of ‘Easybreath’ snorkelling equipment into ventilator masks. 3D printed ‘Charlotte’ valves are being rapidly produced and shipped direct to its customer Isinnova, who are producing kits that can be used to create a non-invasive ventilator mask that will help save lives. The company is also urgently working with a highly multiplexed molecular diagnostics specialist to produce a series of plastic cassettes that will help house a critical medical solution used in testing for Covid-19. AusDiagnostics approached Protolabs to see if it could injection mould 500 sample parts, a challenge that was immediately picked up by the manufacturer. The first CAD drawings were not fit for manufacture so were quickly updated and the right material specified, with production now underway. “We’re currently working on a number of customer projects that are critical to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Bjoern Klaas, Vice President and Managing Director of Protolabs Europe. 8 protolabs.co.uk MAY 2020
Fast Digital manufacture
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Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS The success of a twin-pallet fiveaxis machining centre at Hollygate Aircraft Components has led to the installation of a similar machine at sister company Victoria Production Engineering. The two companies are both members of the Hyde Group, with Hollygate installing the Heckert HEC 800 X5 for machining titanium parts and Victoria using its machine on stainless steel. Both X5s, supplied by Starrag UK, have enabled the companies to ‘work smarter’ by introducing twin-pallet machining instead of single-station, three-axis working. This provides for unprecedented utilisation levels due to the fact the machines’ twin pallets enable efficient extended hours of machining. In addition, not only do the machines’ attributes such as integrated spindle monitoring, high-pressure coolant and excellent swarf removal allow for unmanned working, but the improved toolholding stability has also led to improved tool life. Both companies are part of the Aero Products division of the Hyde Group – the North West-based leading engineering service provider that specialises in design, manufacture, tooling and support for a global blue-chip customer base that includes such companies as Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Embraer, GKN Aerospace, Leonardo, MBDA and Rolls-Royce. Paul Mellor, Divisional Technical Director, explains that rising demand for the titanium workpiece at Stockport-based Hollygate spurred the search for MAY 2020
Two times five-axis
“an improved way of working where we could effectively gain more from the same” in terms of replacing machine-for-machine in terms of floorspace and manpower requirements, which led to the installation of the initial Heckert HEC 800 X5. He said: “We’ve been cutting titanium for over 30 years so seeing Starrag’s proposals for process improvement – based around the implementation of different feeds and speeds, for example, as well as the use of a trunnion table for four-/five-axis working - were ‘very interesting’, bearing in mind the components in question had been designed for three-axis machining. Mr Mellor, who has been with the Group for 24 years starting as a machine programmer/operator in 1995 and appointed Divisional Technical Director in 2007, outlines
how similar process improvement strategies were employed for the stainless steel workpieces being machined by Victoria Production Engineering in Manchester. “Two aspects were of particular significance,” he says. “These were Starrag’s introduction of the use of special hydraulic ‘sleeve’ clamping (via the machine’s hydraulics system) to consistently hold – yet not deform - the thin-wall tubular parts, and the application of longreach angle milling heads on the Heckert HEC 800 X5. “The Heckert machine is used solely for internal milling on these pre-turned workpieces. The angle milling heads, of either 280 mm or 375 mm long, reach into the workpieces and perform all milling tasks. The heads are held and automatically changed via the machine’s toolchanger.” 8 hydegroup.com www.engineeringcapacity.com
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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity
Bigger bar stock turning With the investment of two, brand new state-of-the-art fixed head lathes, APT Leicester can now produce larger subcontract precision turned parts for existing and new customers. With components now available with a diameter of up to 65mm, together with 300mm billet work, it is able to offer customers a wider range of capabilities than ever before. At the end of 2018, APT made a large-scale investment that allowed it to install sophisticated, Doosan Puma and Lynx lathes with the ability to produce larger turned parts, to the same high standards that it is known for. With the increase in size, the company says its new capabilities can allow customers to benefit from parts that have been made with the utmost skill and precision, ensuring that quality is never compromised on. The investment was made in two Doosan multi-axis lathes, allowing APT to now offer bar stocks of up to 65mm in diameter and, for the first time, 300mm billet work. This will also expand APT’s precision turning capabilities, as well as being able to machine components at high speeds, and with rapid accuracy. APT says it has managed to substantially increase its capacity 20
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with the help of this latest investment. Prior to the instalment of these sophisticated machines, it had quoted packages of work that excluded parts with a diameter of over 42mm. However, being backed by on-site extensive operator training, it can now offer the complete package, ensuring our customers continually receive a highly efficient service. It says this investment allows it to continue to be an attractive proposition and remain at the forefront of British subcontract manufacturing. “Since the successful
installation of the Doosan Puma & Lynx machines our customers now see the benefit not only in increased diameter capacity but quicker floor to floor times resulting in keener pricing. Along with the new Doosan investment we have also purchased a complex comprehensive tooling package to allow not only to improve our manufacturing methodology but to incorporate operations that were previously carried out on a second op basis”, says Simon Dooley, Technical Manager, APT Leicester. 8 aptleicester.co.uk
Since the successful installation of the Doosan Puma & Lynx machines our customers now see the benefit not only in increased diameter capacity but quicker floor to floor times resulting in keener pricing. Along with the new Doosan investment we have also purchased a complex comprehensive tooling package to allow not only to improve our manufacturing methodology but to incorporate operations that were previously carried out on a second op basis
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MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS Ceratizit gave Cutting Edge Precision Engineering the tooling support it needed to produce large quantities of components to support ventilator and respiratory systems. When the Huntingdon-based subcontractor won the work for one existing and one new customer, it was faced with the challenge of sourcing tooling. To meet that demand it turned to Ceratizit UK & Ireland who could guarantee delivery, technical support and pricing to make the job work. While its day-to-day work is focussed on machining parts for the telecoms, special purpose machinery and industrial printing machine sectors, Cutting Edge Precision Engineering’s portfolio of three and five-axis machining centres proved ideal when contacted by Lungfish Dive Systems, a specialist manufacturer of closed-circuit diving equipment, who have diverted their efforts to equipment breathing support for Covid-19 patients, generating additional requirements, over and above the 10,000 each of two machined ventilator components they are currently producing for another customer. “Key to the project was the specification of tooling as we were not allowed to use any existing cutting tools due to the traceability and quality requirements from our customers, with cross contamination of materials being a major concern,” says Stuart Dunklin, Managing Director, Cutting Edge Precision MAY 2020
Tooled up for action Key to the project was the specification of tooling as we were not allowed to use any existing cutting tools due to the traceability and quality requirements from our customers, with cross contamination of materials being a major concern
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Engineering. “This meant we had to have everything brand new and quickly. We therefore took advantage of Ceratizit’s ventilator support offer which as well as giving us a significant help with cost, it also ensured we got Ceratizit’s advice that recommended the best tools for the work and, that these tools were delivered the next day before noon. Additionally, as we were working over the weekend on the project, they made sure that we had telephone access to get technical support and cutting data for those tools we were not familiar with. The service has been excellent throughout.” On this project alone Cutting Edge Precision committed five vertical machining centres, all of which required a range of Ceratizit cutting tools including end mills,
drills, forming taps, threadmilling and drill-reamers for holes down to 5.02 mm diameter. In addition, a selection of workholding was also supplied. A further ventilator project is also coming to fruition, which will require the commitment of Cutting Edge Precision’s five-axis machining capability. This in turn will lead to demand for additional Ceratizit tooling and workholding, specifically vices and tombstonestyle fixturing to be able to achieve the volumes required. “The Ventilator initiative that we have in place has been extremely popular and has enabled customers like Cutting Edge Precision to step up in support of the Government’s call for additional resources to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. In my sales area alone I have 12 customers that have engaged with us to ensure they have the right tools at the right time to machine parts for these urgently required pieces of equipment,” says Warren Howard, Technical Sales Engineer, Ceratizit UK & Ireland. 8 ceprecision.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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LASER & WATERJET CUTTING | Engineering Capacity Lincoln-based manufacturing firm Micrometric has partnered with Metalbird UK to produce 250 unique metal art birds which have raised £11,000 for the wildlife affected by the Australian bushfires. Micrometric has produced 250 life-like artistic birds for Metalbird – the brainchild of Phil Walters, an industrial designer and lover of birds and street art whose work was originally inspired by satirical street artist Banksy. Metalbird started as a guerrilla street art project in New Zealand to surprise and delight passers-by but has now developed into a gift company thanks to popular demand. The birds, which pay homage to the 500 million native Australian birds and animals that have been killed in the bushfires, are made from 4mm mild steel and have been produced using Micrometric’s laser cutting machines. Profits from the sale of the kookaburra metal birds have been donated to the Australian Red Cross and WWF Australia to support the wildlife affected by the bushfire devastation. Neil Main, Managing Director at Micrometric, commented: “We have already worked with Metalbird on several other projects and were thrilled when they appointed us to help them with this charitable project because of our skills and expertise in quickly producing quality pieces of work. “To create the metal birds, we used a mixture of machinery and skills; an outline of the bird perching on a branch was created. This branch acts as a large pin 22
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Metal birds help wildlife which can be hammered into a tree or wooden surface. “We were delighted to be involved in this project and do our bit to support such an important cause – there’s something incredibly special about the fact that we’ve been able to use our skills to benefit a country on the other side of the world.” Phil Walters, founder and Director of Metalbird, said: “Just like so many others across the globe, we are heartbroken by the impact of the bushfires in Australia. We began thinking of ways in which we could provide some form of support for the millions of birds and animals that have been affected by the fires – and that’s when we decided to enlist the help of the
team at Micrometric to create kookaburra metal art birds. “In order to maximise our fundraising efforts, we have already donated all the profits from the sale of the birds during Australia Day weekend (25th and 26th January) to Australia Red Cross and WWF Australia. Our combined Metalbird regions throughout the world have raised over £11,000 for this worthy cause. “We’d like to thank everyone who has already purchased one of the birds – your support and donations have been much appreciated.” To find out more about Metalbird or to purchase a kookaburra or British metal bird, visit www.metalbird.co.uk 8 micrometric.co.uk MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | LASER & WATERJET CUTTING Derby-based Eggleston Steel can now take on larger jobs, speed up turnaround times and be more competitive thanks to new laser cutting and forming machines. The family-owned stockholder has invested in a 6kW LVD Phoenix fibre laser sheet metal processing system with a 4m by 2m capacity and automatic nozzle changer, along with a 220t 4m Easy-Form press brake and a 6mm capacity guillotine. Eggleston Steel was founded in 1809 and has grown significantly since it moved to its current site 16 years ago. It now employs 56 people and has a turnover of around £8m, with customers typically in the fabrication, construction and DIY markets. “We grew rapidly following our move to the new site,” says Managing Director Richard Hewitt. “A lot of that was down to increased efficiencies, more space and better buying, but one of the most important factors has been the company’s move into processing – profiling and bending – in addition to its traditional stockholding activities.” Operations Director John Ready adds: “Processing is our special skill, and along with short lead times that is where we tend to win work. Our customers tell us we are much quicker, more reactive, flexible and will take on the jobs that the bigger guys don’t want to do. We have general steel products and we have the laser so a customer can purchase a beam from us with the end plates and cleats all delivered on the same day on MAY 2020
More processing capability
Processing is our special skill, and along with short lead times that is where we tend to win work. Our customers tell us we are much quicker, more reactive, flexible and will take on the jobs that the bigger guys don’t want to do
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one vehicle – that certainly gives us an advantage.” John says that on the Phoenix laser the key talking points are speed, accuracy, quality and running costs. “The increase in cutting speed and decrease in running costs allow us to be much more competitive in a fast-paced and sometimes very tight market. Having the Phoenix allows us to compete with much larger national steel companies.” He says that on some jobs they
can now take three or four hours off the processing time This would typically be a project for a portal frame building which would involve numerous base plates, cleats, connecting plates and so on, in materials from 3mm to 10mm thick and with lots of bolt holes. Previously that would have been a nine or ten-hour job, which could now come down to five or six hours. That can make a big difference to the price. Eggleston Steel has seen the big benefits on the new LVD Easy-Form press brake too. Previously there were problems with accuracy and repeatability, which led to multiple handling and cutting extra blanks to ensure the job could be completed. Now every bend is right first time with no need for re-bending or adjustment and no need to cut extra blanks for test bends. 8 https://egglestonsteel.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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MOULDING | Engineering Capacity Birmingham injection moulding and toolmaking company Barkley Plastics is investing £250,000 in new presses and robots. The company, which employs 120 people at its Highgate facility in Birmingham, is currently celebrating 55 years of business. The increased capacity will help it to take on support new orders it has won in interior parts and lighting for the automotive sector. The latest installation takes its total capital machinery spend to over £800,000 in the last five years and highlights the firm’s desire to move into more cosmetic and technical products that require a high level of processing accuracy. The company started life when founder John Barkley placed a job advert for four toolmakers in the Birmingham Evening Mail.
We’ve already tried to stay one step ahead of what the customer wants, and this is reflected in the latest process that gives us additional capacity and production control to take on more automotive work
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In the 55 years that followed, the company has evolved its offer to be a strategic supplier to the automotive sector, whilst also building a strong reputation in the domestic products, construction, electrical and leisure sectors, not to mention producing 20,000 plastic baubles for the world’s largest chandelier - used at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. “Things have never been 24
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Moulder presses ahead
quiet over the last 55 years, but I suppose that’s UK manufacturing for you,” explained Mark Harwood, Managing Director at Barkley Plastics. “We’ve already tried to stay one step ahead of what the customer wants, and this is reflected in the latest process that gives us additional capacity and production control to take on more automotive work. There will also be news of a ground-breaking development in injection moulding before the end of the year.” Mark continued: “The £250,000 investment is a perfect birthday present for us and will
immediately be put to use on supporting a new project that will see us manufacture a selection of small, high volume JLR parts that will go across its range of vehicles. Barkley Plastics, which is IATF16949 accredited, also has one of the largest toolmaking facilities in the UK, producing high precision tools capable of delivering 50 million mouldings for distribution throughout the UK, Europe and across the world. It can support its expanding client base with initial design and product development, right through to manufacture and assembly, with over 40 modern moulding presses – ranging from 5 to 650 tonne – able to produce the most intricate of components. This was evident in the creation of a dedicated interior lighting assembly cell to mainly support a new project for the Nissan Juke, which has now gone into full production. 8 barkley.co.uk MAY 2020
Engineering Capacity | MOULDING All electric moulding machines have allowed Midlothian-based McLaren Plastics to cut its energy usage by 60%. Recent tests performed by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag on two new IntElect2 50 tonne machines installed in 2019 showed that not only has the family-run moulding business become more sustainable, it has also saved in excess of £7,000 a year. In mid-2019, the company purchased two all-electric high specification machines to replace two older hydraulic Demag moulding machines. In order to secure an interest-free loan with Resource Scotland, the company needed credible evidence that the investment would result in reduced energy consumption and a more sustainable carbon footprint. Installed in 1995, for over twodecades, the Demag hydraulic workhorses had been operating 24/7. The initial measurement performed by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s Technical Manager Nick Stockton revealed that each legacy machine was consuming 7.2 kilowatts for each kilogram of raw material converted per hour. At the time of placing the IntElect2 order, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag estimated that McLaren could save on average over 5kw per hour replacing both hydraulic machines with all-electric ones. This was enough to satisfy Resource Scotland, which approved McLaren’s loan grant. In order to provide a like-forlike comparison, Nick revisited the moulder in early December 2019. Both machines by this stage had MAY 2020
All electric sustainability
been fitted with the same ancillary equipment, replicating the mould vent and cavity balance configuration and exact processing conditions. “Running the same product at the same cycle time before and after new kit is installed, with all ancillary equipment plugged in is the only true way to gauge the energy and performance improvements,” explains Nick. Two separate 30 minutes tests were performed, with McLaren intentionally selecting challenging automotive and packaging applications with tight processing tolerances. The first measurement comprised a square packaging black end cap, using a single cavity mould, with a shot weight of 8.2 grams and 11.5-second cycle. As with the ErgoTech 35 compact test, the IntElect 50 tonne machine was equipped with a sprue picker, a temperature control unit (TCU) and loader, but no granulator.
Previously consuming 4.52kw p/h at an average cost of £0.56 p/h, the results for the new IntElect2 dropped to 1.93kw p/h, saving 58% and the company £0.32 p/h, or over £2,700 annually for a machine operating 24/7. The second test measured the production of a white automotive bracket for a premium passenger car. With a shot weight of 29.9 grams and a 31.5 second cycle time, the component comprises two different parts moulded in a 1+1 cavity tool. A tool heater, material dryer, TCU and loader were connected to both machines during both 30-minute tests. A 62% energy saving was documented on the IntElect2 test, reducing from 7.33kw p/h to 2.81kw p/h. Calculating the physical costs and how this could impact the bottom line for a moulding business, this reduction in energy usage equates to a saving of approximately £4,360 per year. 8 mclaren-plastics.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING | Engineering Capacity Gas-atomized powders made at a new facility in Sweden could accelerate the adoption of 3D printed titanium parts – and the shift towards sustainable manufacturing. Sandvik’s new Osprey® powder plant for titanium and nickel-based superalloys has recently received the prestigious ‘AS9100 Revision D’ certification for deliveries to the aerospace industry. The plant was inaugurated in the end of 2019 in Sandviken, Sweden. Since then work has been ongoing to ramp-up the highly automated plant, finetuning all processes and qualifying the powder to ensure the best possible consistency, morphology and quality suitable for additive manufacturing. Titanium has exceptional material properties, being strong yet light and offering high levels of corrosion resistance. At the same time, it is biocompatible. However, the cost and complexity of machining from titanium billet has historically restricted its use to high value, low volume industries such as aerospace, medical and defense. The launch of titanium powders for additive manufacturing supports a growing trend towards the 3D printing of titanium parts – and the shift towards sustainable manufacturing. The additive process results in far less material waste than traditional subtractive techniques, while also encouraging new levels of design freedom. This is opening up the use of titanium in other industries such as automotive and tooling. On Sandvik’s own Lightweight CoroMill® 390 tooling, for 26
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AS9100 for additive alloys
example, the additive version of the mill is more than 80% lighter and up to 200% more productive. The net-shape capability of technologies like additive manufacturing not only means that material waste is minimized, but also that great energy efficiencies can be achieved by eliminating manufacturing steps. Sandvik says that “If combining this with the opportunities with a light and strong material like titanium can give enormous sustainability advantages. Keith Murray, VP Global Sales, Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, says: “Weight reduction is for example a constant key issue for the aerospace industry, driven both by fuel cost and carbon footprint. The same is true for cars and trucks, and everything else that moves. Each kilogram of weight loss on an airplane saves about 3,000 US dollars per year in fuel –
and can make a great difference for the planet.” Traceability is of vital importance in the aerospace industry. Sandvik can offer what it says is an incomparable level of traceability for its titanium powder as it has the full supply chain in house – from titanium sponge to finished powder. “In additive manufacturing it is essential to use high-quality metal powders with consistent quality, adapted to the different additive manufacturing processes. Our highly automated manufacturing process ensures excellent consistency – and the powders demonstrate optimal particle size distribution,” says Keith Murray. The first two titanium powders produced at the plant are Osprey® Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 and Osprey® Ti6Al-4V Grade 23. The nickel-based superalloys are Osprey® Alloy 625 and Osprey® Alloy 718. 8 metalpowder.sandvik MAY 2020
BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY
ACSL Precision Engineering sales@acsleng.co.uk www.acsleng.co.uk
Davromatic Precision Limited sales@davromatic.co.uk www.davromatic.co.uk
Haydon Precision Turned Parts Ltd haydontool.co@btconnect.com www.haydon-precision.co.uk
Atkinson Engineering sales@atkinson-engineering.com www.atkinson-engineering.com
Dawson Precision Components Ltd. sales@dpc.co.uk www.dpc.co.uk
Herve Engineering Ltd sales@herve-engineering.com herve-engineering.com
Batchflow Engineering info@batchflow.co.uk www.batchflow.co.uk
Dawson Shanahan (Wales) Ltd info@dawson-shanahan.co.uk www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk
Cambion Electronics Ltd sales@cambion.com www.cambion.com
DKW Engineering Ltd karl@dkwengineering.co.uk www.dkwengineering.co.uk
JCF Engineering Limited john.felton@jcfengineering.co.uk jcfengineering.co.uk
Cambridge Precision Ltd sales@cambridgeprecision.com www.cambridgeprecision.com
Falcon Engineering Productions Ltd sales@falconengineering.co.uk
M&M Turned Parts Ltd sales@mmturnedparts.co.uk www.mmturnedparts.co.uk
CK Precision Engineering Ltd Info@ckprecisionengineeringltd.com www.ckprecisionengineeringltd.com
GS Brown (Precision Engineers) Ltd malcolm@gsbrown.com www.gsbrown.com
Machined Component Systems sales@machinedcomponent.com www.machinedcomponent.com
CTN Group Ltd charlie@ctn-group.co.uk www.CTN-GROUP.co.uk
G W Martin and Co Ltd sales@gwmartin.co.uk www.gwmartin.co.cuk
Manton Engineering (Bedford) Ltd sales@mantonengineering.co.uk www.mantonengineering.co.uk
Currie & Warner Ltd tonyfox@curriewarner.com www.curriewarner.com
H P C Services Ltd sales@slidinghead.com www.slidinghead.com
MaS Precision Engineering Ltd sales@masprecision.co.uk www.masprecision.co.uk
MARCH 2020
btma.org
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DIRECTORY | BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS
Muller England Limited sales@muller-england.co.uk www.muller-england.co.uk
Quantamatic info@quantamatic.co.uk www.quantamatic.co.uk
Thomas Brown Engineering Ltd info@thomasbrownengineering.co.uk www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk
NC Precision Ltd sales@ncprecision.com www.ncprecision.com
Rodmatic Ltd enquiry@rodmatic.com www.rodmatic.com
TKM Engineering Ltd Sales@tkmengineering.co.uk www.tkmengineering.co.uk
Neida Products Engineering Ltd sales@neida.co.uk www.neida.co.uk
Rowan Precision Limited sales@rowanprecision.co.uk www.rowanprecision.co.uk
Trust Precision Engineering Ltd info@trustprecisionengineering.co.uk www.trustprecisionengineering.co.uk
Normec (Manchester) Ltd sales@normec.co.uk www.normec.co.uk
Salcey Precision Engineering Ltd info@salceyprecision.co.uk www.salceyprecision.co.uk
Plastic turned Parts Ltd sales@plasticturnedparts.co.uk www.plasticturnedparts.co.uk
Swissmatic Ltd info@swissmatic.co.uk www.swissmatic.co.uk
Wealdpark Limited sales@wealdpark.co.uk www.wealdpark.co.uk
Precision Component Services Ltd shane@precision-components.co.uk www.precision-components.co.uk
Techfore Turned Parts Ltd info@techfore.co.uk www.techfore.co.uk
Wharf Engineering Ltd sales@wharf-engineering.co.uk
Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd ian@precisionproducts.co.uk www.precisionproducts.co.uk
Tenable Screw Co Ltd nigel@tenable.co.uk www.tenable.co.uk
Wilco Manufacturing Ltd sales@wilcomanufacturing.co.uk www.wilcomanufacturing.co.uk
Qualiturn Products Ltd sales@qualiturn.co.uk www.qualiturn.co.uk
Tercet Precision Ltd Alex.Burns@tercet.co.uk www.buyturnedparts.com
Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd info@ypel.co.uk www.ypel.co.uk
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MARCH 2020
BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS | DIRECTORY
Arno (UK) Limited sales@arno.de www.arno-tools.co.uk
Filtermist Systems Limited sales@filtermist.com www.filtermist.co.uk
The Amodil Group tkd@amodil.co.uk www.amodil.co.uk
Floyd Automatic Tooling Ltd sales@floydautomatic.co.uk www.floydautomatic.co.uk
Badger Anodising (Birmingham) Ltd sales@badgeranodising.co.uk www.badgeranodsing.co.uk
Bowers Group sales@bowersgroup.co.uk www.bowersgroup.co.uk
PSL Datatrack engcap@psldatatrack.com www.psldatatrack.com
Smiths Metal Centres info@smithmetal.com www.smithmetal.com
Kumi Solutions simon@kumi-solutions.com www.kumi-solutions.com
Star Micronics GB Ltd sales@stargb.com www.stargb.com
LNS Turbo sales.uk@lns-europe.com www.lns-europe.com
Ceratizit UK & Ireland Ltd info.uk@ceratizit.com www.ceratizit.com
Matsuura Machinery Ltd imichie@matsuura.co.uk www.matsuura.co.uk
Citizen Machinery UK sales@citizenmachinery.co.uk www.citizenmachinery.co.uk
Engineering Technology Group sales@engtechgroup.com www.engtechgroup.com
MARCH 2020
Stelstocks Ltd info@stelstocks.co.uk www.stelstocks.co.uk
Tornos Technologies UK Ltd sales_uk@tornos.com www.tornos.comk
Optimum Oils cliff.thrussell@optimumoils.com www.optimumoils.com
Wieland-Werke (UK) Ltd matthew.day@wieland.com www.wieland.com
btma.org
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Qualiturn are a very modern subcontract machining service. We offer CNC precision Turned and Milled components to your specifications and quantities. We work with all sizes of customers, offering the same service to all. Supplying various market sectors across the world. 18 Merchant Drive Mead Lane Industrial Estate Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 7AY Tel. +44 (0) 1992 584499 www.qualiturn.co.uk
LATHES.CO.UK Lathes.co.uk store.lathes.co.uk - where Manuals, Catalogues Drive Belts Books Accessories & Spares are listed The world’s largest machine tool reference archive. Manuals, Catalogues, Books, Pictures Specifications, Technical Guides Wardlow, Tideswell, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8RP Tel. 01298-871633 (from overseas: +44-1298-871633) from 09:00 to 23:00 UK time www.lathes.co.uk
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PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
Qualiturn Products Limited
PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
Top Gear House, Bletchley Road Heaton Mersey Industrial Estate Stockport SK4 3ED Tel: 0161 432 0222 www.minigears.co.uk
DAWSON PRECISION COMPONENTS Manufacturing precision machined components since 1965 Services include: CNC milling, CNC turning, turn/mill machining, sub contracted services, finishing and project management. Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311
5 High quality precision machined components 5 Trusted technical support service 5 Complete and bespoke service from conception to completion 5 AS9100D & ISO 9001:2015 approved Oldfield Street, Crosland Moor Huddersfield HD4 5AJ T: 01484 548903 www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk
Wealdpark Ltd CNC mill-turn facility using Star sliding head lathes with bar capacity up to 32mm diameter. Miyano and Doosan fixed head lathes with bar capacity up to 65mm. Hurco vertical machining centre. Sutton Road, St. Helens Merseyside WA9 3DJ Tel: 01744 22567 www.wealdpark.co.uk
dpc.co.uk PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
MACHINE TOOL MANUALS 8
CNC PRECISION COMPONENTS 8
Unit 2, Deethe Farm Industrial Est, Cranfield Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK17 8UR Tel: 01908 585103 www.jflbroaches.co.uk
Mini Gears is a subcontract manufacturer of machined components, gears and racks. Winner of 17 Industry Awards, it has a global customer base, 35,000 sq. ft. facility and over 100 machines.
PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
JFL are broach and broaching specialists with amost 40 years personal experience. We offer a comprehensive broaching service covering keyways, squares, hexagons and special forms.
Mini Gears (Stockport) Ltd
REPETITION TURNED PARTS 8
JFL Broaches and Broaching
MACHINING (5 AXIS) 8
BROACHING 8
DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity
Kirkham Engineering Co Ltd 13 - CNC Sliding Heads up to 1”; 14 CNC Twin Turret Fixed Heads up to 65mm; 5 - Twin Turret Twin Spindle; 5 - Twin Turret with Sub-Spindle and 4 - Twin Turret; 4 - CNC Single Turret Fixed Heads up to 6” Billet. Centreless Grinding & T/rolling. All materials - Stainless Steel; Nickel Alloys and other exotics a speciality. Prestwood Place, East Pimbo, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9QE Tel: 01695 727401 www.kirkhamengineering.co.uk
MAY 2020
TURNING (CNC) 8 Subcontract mill turned parts up to 65mm in diameter from bar and 300mm billet work.
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year half of this In the first has committed to ing Roscomatic investment, includ More than Engineering of 1000 latest Capacity | £750,000 medium-size small to INDUSTRY ation of the axis NEWS the install (SMEs) have d manufacturers 1MSY multibeen given Miyano BNE-5 . business a centre boost turn-mill ing-based months thanks over the last ten company The Worth to a new £9.7m business machinist suppor million parts subcontract The Manufa t initiative. some 1.5 eted ches dispat Programme cturing Growth g from compl lies (MGP), funded ssemb a year – rangin European and sub-a Regional Develo by the assemblies ned castings and Fund (ERDF) pment to large machiparts – and is Economic and delivered by Growth Solutio small turned ing a record has helped achiev companies ns (EGS), 98%. currently the UK to across 13 mins to just ry rate of grow, Martello from on-time delive products and develop been cut new r complex director Joe is driven overcomemins. A furthe nent which ny Managing Keet says: the compa r Seanproduc tion ity 2.5 issues steel compo taking flexibil explains that of constant Cell Leade that ional sly previou weress stainle g ions phy of operat d us them holding by a philoso of lean manufacturin three operat reduced to a “The levels o BNE has hadback. Thisenable has ning now developmentsupported by machialready led tominutes is in the Miyan reduce jobs, with new inute cycle. ent an additio 11 400, four-m cantly ing £1 techniques, signifi tant, nal to vestm exceed positio 359 ’ often most impornstivity.” expected to single return-on-in setters to investment and an ‘open-liaison times and be Further once -up l produc ongoinne year has s createdfrom freeing g project keeps the million a from the improve overalcomple machi are which comes y new tasks and ted.machi By thenes people strategto date on the He says the£1.6m end July, m other time for each up of grant ium of perfor existing 3-axis arising. ion of lost reducing the workforce replaced beenofmade, utions 10 alumincontrib reduct have and any issuesin tion, four family withedmoney errors We’ve company requir so that a to suppor first-off inspec reloca gottion “We invest ass. te in place andstill previouslyt anothe lot of grants He says: deliver a separa r 2200 firms parts that betwee to and we want risk of setting and the latest n and leadership nownow work in progre g operations beMarch 1MSY and which manuf automation cutting and manag logy turnin and Lorrain ion can techno of the BNE-5 s to come ge of ement, R&D, lean ityacturer le e Holmes, cycle.2019. operat and see production manufacturin it is capabforward The flexibil Chiefe me the shorta er, milling Execut how turn-milling s asthey productivity g, can take ed in oneive Officer its succes toadvant helps to overco require. Howev ofaverag that EGS, produc and capacit key is with three age explain is of would cuttingthe ed: “We are has systems and ve bonus at y, quality assista cycle pped we still need offer. nce skills we A massi part way above of single It’s never on targets tant that sly overla the we per times beenateasier, development.supply chain have set for the as the procesaneou it is so imporown engineers total cycle s isworkp proving that ourselves,tools simult quickiece and the Martin Coats, there is a rt and by to grow our ends oftacan bar up toscope of real appetit both suppor from SMEs nt suppo Operations be tailored our Director at and using e exact for time, to the through consta to maximise EGS, continu needs ofter. support that targeted business same in order the busine firms come so ed: “When diame can bar and training, help The main ss.” to them grow. 51 mm Manufa “The differen 15 kW vestment what eadcturing strategic reviewus they receive a Progra return-on-in we support and kW The fixed-h mme programme ce with our is 7.5Growth from one of was set MGMs that two-ax is that it is upwith our the void e and improve how customers.” to fill determ spindl by deliver both left manufacturin e, Manufa ines what by the o r to ed barriers are spindl Advicedary g experts we delive n to the new Miyan d in the way secon Service (MAS) understand s of 5,000 cturing support is and what the challen who y ordere In additio by tage of um speed advan providi needed to maximng companies ges access to ny has alread help them reach their are facing. special in, have the assista the compa CNC sliding head isted potenti impos revs/m nce They understand to d / super “Since Octobe al. manufacturer the langua nes. The to synch ronisehelp two Citizen grow and ge improv12-station, s centre machi L20-VIII MDs are talking highest barrier r 2016, the l for both e. Ideal for turn-mill and can guide This contro is being with 15% . nes, a Citizenfrequency them on making was ‘Contin achieve ven turrets an 18-stro d through two machi low uous Improv of clients all-dring adecisions, before the right featuring network of followed by ement’, logy) and experie LFV (LFV bringin ‘Enviro techno 2017 specialists nced manuf BER ‘Marke nment cutting on specific g in acturin SEPTEM ting and Market al’ and growth manag vibration ange M16-V will bring g issues are facing 14. ers (MGM) Knowledge’ ations to they’re or opportunities they to industr top-of-the-r (12% each). y specialists , access Citizen install looking initial stage Once the and the opportunity the total has She continu to explore.” to we then bring been completed, ed: “1000 m average grant apply for an acity.co benefic ringcap of £1400, rising iaries is just works with in an expert who maximum the manag the start. www.enginee to a to £3,500 14 ement team address these Support can . be used for 8 manufacturin issues.” SEPTEM BER 2017 programme.c ggrowth o.uk
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Growth su helps 1000pport SMEs
INDUSTRY NEWS | MACHINING | AUTOMOTIVE | SHOW PREVIEWS
MACHINED COMPONENTS: Prismatic parts from bar
www.engineeringcapacity.com
Call 01737 270648
MAY 2020
Accredited to AS9100 Rev D Unit 2 Brookside Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LF Telephone: +44 (0) 1903 776 171 www.precisonproducts.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
WATERJET CUTTING 8
September 2017
Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd A one-stop-shop for high-quality turned parts
5
Get your company noticed with an Engineering Capacity classified profile advert FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS
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.
TURNED PARTS 8
– Brass – eel St
Alloys per Su
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ity eering Capac TS | Engin COMPONEN MACHINED
www.engineerin gcapacity.com
Batchflow Engineering Ltd
Budbrooke Road, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5XH Tel: 01926 492889 www.batchflow.co.uk
Stainles s
With more than three decades of experience and dedication in producing the highest quality products, Grenville maintains its position as the leading precision sheet metal fabrication company. Unit 3 Newfield Industrial Estate, High Street,Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 5PD Tel: 01782 577 929 www.grenville-engineering.co.uk
SUBCONTRACT CNC TURNING 8
Grenville Engineering (Stoke-on-Trent) Ltd
SPRING MAKING 8
SHEET METAL WORKING 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
www.engineeringcapacity.com
31
4 & 5 November 2020 | NEC, Birmingham
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