FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS
November 2021
INDUSTRY NEWS | FORMING & FABRICATION | MADE IN BRITAIN
Measurement, Inspection and Testing Quality gives customer confidence
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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 Commercial Director: 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 JANUARY 2022 ISSUE Machined Components, Laser & Waterjet Cutting, Casting & Forging, Sustainability, Additive Manufacturing, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Preview, Electronics 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 There have always been compelling arguments for having a localised supply chain rather than offshoring key components – responsiveness, supplier partnerships, flexibility, assured quality and customer service to name but a few. The events of the past months and years, though, have thrown into sharp focus the fragility of our extended supply chains and the security of supply that reshoring can bring. The current spike in energy and freight prices shows the environmental hazards of shipping parts forwards and backwards across the world before they end up in the finished car, aeroplane or medical device that goes to the customer. In fact, the environmental case for reshoring is as strong as the cost, convenience and reliability arguments. What do we gain from imposing tight emissions and energy consumption constraints on our UK suppliers if the carbon footprint simply ‘leaks’ to parts of the world where these regulations do not apply? Indeed there is currently talk of imposing a carbon import tariff on products that come from countries that are not controlling their emissions from, for example, coal fired power stations. It had been hoped COP26 might have had a significant impact on the use of coal, but in the end the people who could have made a difference – India and China – insisted that the agreement was watered down. So its up to us to stop carbon leakage in its tracks by keeping things local. There are massive technological and societal changes currently in play that are creating the need for new supply chains to meet the need for green power, electric vehicles, clean transport, and so on. These all need us to create new supply chains. Let’s make sure we build them in the UK. Andy Sandford, Editor
Member of the Engineering Industries Association
NOVEMBER 2021
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Contents November 2021
25 FORMING & FABRICATION
News
Features
06 Uncertainty stalls market growth 06 Staff and transport shortages impact CMI
13 Turned Parts 06 CNC investment at 50 Relaunch for aerospace
18 Measurement, Inspection and Testing 06 Maintaining quality in upturn
08 Clean air for cyclists 06 Rapid route to market for innovative mask 09 Leading edge metal melting 06 £600,000 upgrade at Wall Colmonoy Pontadawe
Speeding inspection flow
9 INDUSTRY NEWS
22 Made in Britain 24 Composites
10 UK supply chain show 06 MTA launches companion event to MACH
25 Forming & Fabrication 06 Spring capacity investment Laser aims at electrification
11 Custom magnet move 06 Bunting buys MagDev
28 Aerospace & Defence 06 Post-pandemic take-off 31 BTMA Directory
14 TURNED PARTS 4
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NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS The UK's aluminium industry contributes far more than previously realised in terms of revenue and employment to the national economy, according to research carried out for the Aluminium Federation UK (ALFED). The research found that the sector directly employs 37,000 people across the UK, contributing almost £3 billion in Gross Value Added to the country’s GDP. Once wider supply chain spill-over effects are taken into account, the sector supports at least 97,000 people and £6.8bn in GVA. ALFED chief executive Tom Jones says the association engaged with the Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) at the University of Strathclyde's Business School to take a new approach to the data. “For years, we've felt that the UK government didn't realise the true impact of our sector in terms of generating wealth and jobs, because its statisticians were using a very tight definition of the industry, which we and our members felt was long since outdated,” he said. “The ONS data excluded, for instance, many aluminium products which are fabricated in this country, including aluminium doors, thresholds, windows and frames, and wheels for cars, other vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers. “Accurate data is crucial, both for ALFED as a membership-led organisation which represents companies on the domestic and international stage, and for the NOVEMBER 2021
True value of aluminium to the UK
UK government when it makes policy decisions about individual sectors and the make-up of our future economy. “We'd seen previous FAI reports, and been impressed by their data-led mindset, methodology and rigorous research, so we asked them to judge if a wider definition of the industry should be used and if so, what impact that would have on the previous GVA and employment calculations.” FAI director Mairi Spowage said her team was delighted to collaborate, because the key driver for the institute is to improve economic policy making at all layers of Government – which can’t happen without good data and evidence. She said: “Poor economic data can lead to bad decision-making
and policies which aren't aligned to optimum growth of wealth and employment. Hopefully, our report will enable future discussions around aluminium's contribution to the UK economy to be better informed.” Tom Jones added: “ALFED is further engaging with the FAI about the value of aluminium products that are imported and export that do not fall within HS codes that are not tracked. “I believe we'll eventually discover that even the new data for both GVA and employment are under-estimates, because we will need to analyse the wider use of aluminium in the UK automotive industry, and to take in data for the aerospace, marine and ship-building sector, the tech and energy sector.” 8 Alfed.org.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity
Uncertainty stalls market growth The latest Contract Manufacturing Index shows that the subcontracting market grew strongly in July and August but fell back in September amid concerns over material, staff and transport shortages. This meant that suppliers were unwilling to quote without knowing what their costs would be, while buyers were hesitant about placing orders due to uncertainty over demand and pricing. The Index for the third quarter of 2021 stood at 117, a 52% increase on the previous quarter and just slightly (5%) down on the equivalent quarter in 2020 when the market bounced back after the first Covid-19 lockdown. 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. The strongest sector in the third quarter was Industrial Machinery, which was up by more than 150% on the previous Manufacturing outsourcing specialist PP Control and Automation has invested more than £150,000 in the installation of 450 sq metres of solar panels on the roof of its facility as it aims for net zero carbon. This should provide enough power to reduce the factory’s electricity consumption by 40%
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quarter. In terms of process, fabrication accounted for 53% of the market (47% in Q2), while machining dropped to 36% of the market (44% in Q2). Other processes, including moulding and contract electronic manufacturing, accounted for the remaining 11%. Commenting on the figures, Qimtek owner Karl Wigart said: “Once again we are seeing the underpinnings of a sound recovery in the market being held back by uncertainty
caused by supply chain issues. “July and August were busy with good levels of activity from buyers and suppliers. In September the mood changed. More projects went unquoted by suppliers and more buyers were holding back on projects. Suppliers are telling us that it is difficult to commit on prices with material, staff and transport shortages. Buyers are hesitant as they are not sure of demand and pricing. It is a Catch 22 situation.” 8 qimtek.co.uk
Carbon neutral ambition and will save more than 35 tonnes of CO2 every year. “We are continually looking at ways we can save energy, whilst also being kinder to the environment,” commented Ian Knight, Chief Operating Officer at PP Control & Automation.
“The solar panel installation was an easy decision to make as we can nearly halve our energy bill in one go. Working with our supplier, we’ve installed 108 photovoltaic panels and this investment will pay for itself within four years.” 8 ppcanda.com
NOVEMBER 2021
INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity RP Technologies used its fast turnaround mould tooling and low volume plastic injection moulding capabilities to bring to market an anti-pollution mask for cyclists. Elliot, Harry and Alex, three keen cyclists who met at university, realised pollution was becoming a key issue when cycling in London and started looking for masks to protect themselves from pollution, however they couldn’t find anything that combined personality with real, researchbacked innovation. The decided to solve the problem themselves and after quitting their jobs came up with the Airhead mask – a pollution mask designed to protect people from particulate matter and irritants such as smoke, dust and pollen. Having raised the money on crowdfunding site Kickstarter, Airhead appointed Bristol based product design agency, Realise Product Design. Realise finalised the product design for Airhead and spent time researching tool makers and injection moulders who offered low to medium volume production runs with fast lead times – and came across RP Technologies. RP Technologies specialises in the manufacture of aluminium injection mould tooling along with prototype and production components. RP’s service offers a fast turnaround of mould tooling & low to medium volume plastic injection moulded components from its UK-based 8
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Clean air for cyclists
manufacturing facility in the West Midlands. Airhead and Realise decided to move forwards with RP because it bridged the gap between rapid prototyping services and more traditional steel tool makers and injection moulders who have 3-4 month lead times. RP provided very quick lead times but still maintained exceptional quality and a personal service at an affordable price. RP worked closely with Airhead and Realise offering advice on the component designs to ensure they were time- and costeffective to manufacture. A unique feature of mask design is that no glue or solvent is needed, all of the parts clip together so the accuracy of RP’s tool making and moulding was vital. The idea behind this is to make the mask more sustainable and easier to recycle, as well as extending the lifespan of the product by being able to replace
individual parts if required. The mask’s completely modular design means it can quickly be taken apart for easy, thorough cleaning. There are seven different moulded parts that make up the main body of the Airhead mask. These are a mix of POM, polypropylene and TPE, depending on whether a rigid structure was needed or a soft seal to create an airtight seal against the face. Once testing and development was complete, Airhead approved the moulded components. RP ran a low volume production run manufacturing 8,500 of each part to fulfil the orders received via their crowdfunding campaign, and to launch the sale the mask via their website. 8 rptechnologies.co.uk NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS
Desktop Metal Shop System for additive manufacturing – all of which are designed to position the Precision Components division at the forefront of manufacturing technology. The casting facility investment is partly supported by Welsh and European funding with a £150,000 contribution from the Economy Futures Fund. 8 wallcolmonoy.co.uk
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sand cast, and vacuum cast processes across such industries as food, steel, glass, aerospace, and oil & gas. This significant foundry upgrade forms part of a strategic investment program at Wall Colmonoy Limited, which has included the purchase of advanced measuring systems, upgraded machinery, such as a new Hurco 5Axis Milling Machine and a
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Leading edge metal melting
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A £600,000 upgrade will increase efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of Wall Colmonoy’s casting facility at Pontardawe, Wales. Wall Colmonoy manufactures surfacing and brazing allows, castings, and engineered components for the aerospace, automotive, glass, oil & gas, mining, energy and other industrial sectors. The casting upgrade includes new induction melting equipment and magnetically screened furnaces. The new casting furnaces offer increased capacity and reduced processing times, due to improved reliability and reduced downtime. The upgrade also incorporates better controls on pouring practices with data-driven monitoring sensors and software. Andrew Williams, Project Leader, explains: “It is very satisfying to successfully complete the project, with a brand new high-specification foundry. The investment puts us on the leading edge of cast alloy melting technology and helps us facilitate our drive for innovative growth to meet the increase in global demand for our castings.” With the disruption of global supply chains following the pandemic, Wall Colmonoy has seen increased demand from EU and UK customers for its engineered cast or fully machined components which are designed to optimize wear, corrosion, abrasion, and heat resistant properties. The foundry supports multiple casting methods including investment, centrifugal,
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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Foundry Training Services Ltd (FTSL) has helped Belfast Metropolitan College to get its onsite foundry working and to train new staff members. FTSL was approached during the pandemic by the college and embraced the challenge. After a few virtual meetings the FTS team attended the college in Belfast for two days and carried out the initial start to the training. The training included carrying out various activities as the foundry had not been operational for some time. Now, with the support of FTSL, the foundries furnaces have been switched on again. The first phase of training will continue into 2022 with further phases to be arranged. FTS says that this is the start of a great relationship with the college and again another example of how it is keeping the industry alive. The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) has announced a new show dedicated to buyers looking to source precision subcontracting products and services from UK suppliers. The Engineering Supply Chain Show which will take place alongside MACH 2022 at the NEC, Birmingham, on 5 to 7 April. Engineering Capacity is exhibiting at the show on Stand 7-510. To exhibit, companies must be UK registered and offer capacity in subcontract or supply chain services. Examples
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Training foundry revived
In other news, Michala French, operations managers at FTSL says that it has worked hard with Dudley College to secure another group of apprentices. She said: “We are pleased to welcome our fifth cohort to the centre who are all embarking on their journey in becoming the foundry technicians of the future.
The first cohort of apprentices are about to enter gateway to their end point assessment, and we wish them all the luck in achieving their qualification. This, of course, will be the first group to achieve a qualification of this nature in the foundry industry in over 20 years.” 8 foundrytrainingservices.co.uk
UK supply chain show include precision machined-parts subcontracting, castings and forgings, coatings, mechatronic and electronic design and assembly, extrusion, fabrication, finishing, forming, pressings and stampings, tool making, forming and manipulation, vacuum technology and design, development and testing services. This show-within-a-show is part of the MACH exhibition but sits as a separate 3-day event with its own location and entrance in Hall 7. Commenting on the new
exhibition, James Selka DL, Chief Executive Officer at The Manufacturing Technologies Association said; “This is a very exciting time for the UK’s engineering and manufacturing supply chain. More and more UK OEMs and Tier 1 companies are looking to re-shore their supply chains or develop new ones. This new exhibition, sited alongside the established MACH exhibition, will provide a focused showcase for their products and services.” 8 engineeringsupplychain.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Custom magnet and magnet assembly manufacturer MagDev Ltd has been acquired by Bunting, one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of magnets, magnet assemblies and magnetising equipment, which has its European engineering manufacturing facilities in Berkhamsted and Redditch. The move will expand Bunting’s product portfolio and magnet engineering knowledge. MagDev was part of the Delta Magnet group of companies, based in Swindon UK. The facility features testing and in-house machining facilities as well as over 1,100 square meters (12,000 sq ft.) of warehouse space. MagDev is a leading custom magnets and industrial magnets manufacturer specialising in supplying permanent magnets, magnetic assemblies and soft magnetic solutions in various shapes, sizes and grades, with magnetic properties tuned to specific applications. The origins of MagDev date back to 1973, with the company becoming part of the MMG group of companies in 1986. In August 2003, the merger of MMG GB Ltd and Magnet Developments Ltd in Swindon, UK formed MMG MagDev Ltd. After the Delta Magnets Ltd acquisition of MMG MagDev Ltd in June 2010, the company became part of the DMG group of companies. With an experienced technical development team, MagDev Ltd has the capability to meet a wide range of magnet material NOVEMBER 2021
Custom magnet move
requirements, both with permanent and soft magnet materials, whether from a stock of standard parts or through bespoke development. MagDev magnetic applications engineers will join forces with the existing team at Berkhamsted. As one engineering entity, the scope of magnet design and specification extends across an expansive range of sectors and applications. This includes the dynamically changing automotive, aerospace and electronics sectors, especially concerning low carbon transportation. “The acquisition of MagDev expands our range of magnetic solutions, especially in relation to
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soft magnet materials,” explained Simon Ayling, Bunting’s European Managing Director. “The present demand for magnet application engineering has never been higher. We are working with companies across the manufacturing sector, especially in automotive, aerospace and electronics. The addition of the MagDev products and, more importantly, the technical team, significantly expands our magnet knowledge and capability. This is an exciting development enforcing Bunting’s position as the leading European designer and supplier of magnets, magnetic components and magnetising equipment.” 8 bunting-berkhamsted.com
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Manufacturers of High Quality Mill-Turned Parts
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Engineering Capacity | TURNED PARTS Hague Fasteners, which produces non-standard fasteners and bespoke bolts, recently turned 50 years-old and marked the big anniversary by investing more than £100,000 into a new three-axis CNC lathe to help it deliver more complex parts and increase capacity. The XYZ CT 65 LTY is already being used to deliver contracts for the oil and gas sector, with the company hoping the additional turnover will help it move towards its target of £2m sales by the end of the year. It marks what has been the busiest period in the family-run firm’s recent history, with current Managing Director Jon Hague joined at the helm by his wife Claire and sons Jack (Technical Director), Tom (Customer Service) and Max (Finance). “My father John Hague started the business 50 years ago and back then it was founded on technical expertise, the same technical expertise that is still crucial today in helping us supply parts to more than 30 countries across the world,” explained Jon, who joined Hague Fasteners straight from school in 1989. “I think he’d be very proud that we have been able to withstand global recessions and the recent pandemic and the fact that the business now has the third generation of Hagues working here.” He continued: “The family ethic extends to all members of our 16strong workforce. They have been fantastic during Covid-19, allowing us to remain operational NOVEMBER 2021
CNC investment at 50
and ensuring we continued to provide critical fasteners and bolts to the NHS and for power stations all over the world. “The new 3-axis CNC machine is a perfect way to celebrate five decades in business and puts a marker in the sand for the technology we are trying to embed into our future capabilities.” Hague Fasteners has been manufacturing in the Black Country for the last fifty years, its most recent move being to an 8500 sq ft factory on Monmer Close in Willenhall in 2017. From here, the company produces specialist fasteners, headed bolts, studs, nuts and milled components in high integrity materials and critical nickel alloys.
Working with high integrity steel and superalloy bar, the company can work to customer drawings to produce parts ranging in size from 2mm to 250mm in diameter. Claire Hague, Company Owner, went on to add: “We also wanted to do something in our 50th year that left a lasting positive legacy, so made the commitment to become Carbon Neutral by 2024. “This has seen us create the ‘Hague Forest’, where we will endeavour to plant and grow 200 trees every year in Haiti, Kenya and Madagascar to offset the 75 tonnes of CO2 we create manufacturing specialist fasteners for use across the globe. 8 haguefasteners.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com
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TURNED PARTS | Engineering Capacity Covid-19 has had a seismic impact on the aerospace industry, with a great reduction in the number of passengers and strict travel restrictions imposed across the world. However, APT Leicester says it is confident of recovery in the aerospace sector and the continuing demand for their high quality parts. While the negative impacts of the pandemic are undeniable there have been some positive signs of recovery in recent months. The travel restrictions have been eased and there’s been an increase in the numbers of people making international travel bookings. Covid has accelerated a number of pre-existing trends, highlighting the need for continued innovation. APT says it is well placed to respond, as an established supplier of aerospace turned parts. Having been accredited with the AS9100 standard for 15 years, the APT team have earned an international reputation within the aerospace sector. They are able to guarantee the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive quality system for the provision of safe and reliable products. Customers can also be assured of full traceability and tracking throughout the production process. No matter the complexity of part design or engineering, APT offers a complete and personal service in line with the specifications set out in AS9100 Rev D. Its engineers work in collaboration during the design and CNC machining process, 14
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Relaunch for aerospace
producing parts that satisfy customer demand. Fulfilling engineering demands across a wide range of sectors, it has a definite advantage over those manufacturers specialising exclusively in aircraft parts. Even if the pandemic has a sustained impact on aircraft production, it will be able to cater to the demands of customers across such sectors as defence and security. "APT saw demand drop for the manufacture of aerospace components for a couple of months as a direct result of the pandemic. However, we are confident that the worst of the storm has been weathered. Committed to the highest standards, we look set to maintain our established relationships with aerospace subcontractors. APT is working at full capacity again, with government guidelines being
followed and measures being taken for the assurance of staff and customers," explained Nick Baller, Managing Director of APT Leicester. Using materials such as titanium, aluminium, acetal plastic and stainless steel, APT can produce high-specification aircraft mill-turned parts with exceptional accuracy and detail. Its engineers use CNC machining for the greatest precision, making for unrivalled functionality, durability and safety. From landing equipment to aircraft seating, there is a selection of APT aircraft components available to view on the APT website. The company says it is focused on continual improvement and dedicated to the production of high quality parts, making it a trusted leading supplier to the aerospace industry. 8 aptleicester.co.uk NOVEMBER 2021
TURNED PARTS | Engineering Capacity
Aluminium turning transformed Citizen sliding head lathes with guide-bush-free capability and chip breaking software are keeping IML (UK) competitive on aluminium turned parts. Joint owner Dave Zollo said: "We believe that investment in the very latest technology is the key to quality, reliability and competitiveness." He and Jerry Way started the business in 2011 and a year later installed its first sliding-head lathe, a Citizen Cincom A32-VII with 32 mm bar capacity. This was followed in 2013 by a 16 mm bar model, a Cincom C16-VI. The early investments were triggered by an increase in contracts from the medical industry and a desire to be able to manufacture components in one hit, such as endoscope cleaning equipment parts. To cope with an ever increasing level of work, including for the high-end automotive sector which has grown over the past couple of years to become more than 50% of turnover, there are now four different models of sliding-head lathe on site from the same supplier. The latest two, designated L20XLFV and L32-XLFV, were installed in 2018 and 2020. Unlike the first two Cincoms, they offer the flexibility to allow removal of the guide bush, as well as having the notable benefit of low frequency vibration (LFV) software built into the operating system of the control. Mr Zollo 16
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noted that the more modern machines are also more userfriendly, allow better access and are quicker and easier to set. He explained, "These advanced, twin-spindle, sliding-head lathes are helping to keep us competitive on the world stage, as is automation throughout the factory. "All of our lathes including four fixed-head models are bar-fed and work 24/7, with the sliders able to accommodate a wide range of batch sizes from typically 50- to 30,000-off. Dimensional tolerances of less than ± 10 microns may be easily held. "Even smaller quantities are economical to produce, partly because we have adopted a policy of standardising on one size of stock on each of the Cincoms, so we do not have to waste time changing over bar sets. "We have also invested in automation on the milling side of our business, which accounts for more than half of turnover. Our four vertical machining centres
are equipped with robotic loading and remote monitoring, while two horizontal machining centres on the shop floor have a twin automatic pallet changer to minimise idle times. "It all helps to keep costs down and allows us to quote our customers prices that are very similar to those we were charging two decades ago." Aluminium bar, which accounts for a significant proportion of throughput of turn-milled parts, is the villain of the piece as regards sliding-head turning in the Weymouth factory. The material is often of variable quality in terms of straightness and diameter variation, so can jam in the guide bush of sliders and requires frequent supervision by the operator to adjust the collet. The ability to remove the guide bush on the L20 and L32 in less than half an hour allows the subcontractor to turn aluminium bar into shorter components in fixed-head mode without NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | TURNED PARTS problems. It also has the advantage of reducing the remnant length from typically 275 mm to 100 mm. Completion of one recent IML (UK) contract consumed 300 bars, so it is clear that a lot of material and money can be saved. When turning difficult to chip materials, Citizen’s LFV software, which is part of the control's operating system, breaks swarf into manageable chip sizes, whereas normally it would be
stringy and entangle itself around the tool and component. This capability to manage the size of swarf is in addition to any chip breaking features that may be ground into an indexable insert. Mr Zollo singles out aluminium as well as stainless steel bar to be particularly problematic in terms of bird's nesting. LFV oscillation lifts the tool tip clear of the component surface by tens of microns for ultra-brief periods to allow coolant to
penetrate the cut more efficiently. It reduces heat and prolongs cutter life, while at the same time enabling depth of cut to be increased, even when processing tough materials. It often eliminates the need for a roughing pass and significantly shortens cycle times. Mr Zollo advised that it is of major benefit during attended day and night shifts and especially so during the weekend when staff are not present. 8 imluk.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
NOVEMBER 2021
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MEASUREMENT, INSPECTION & TESTING | Engineering Capacity The quality team at DKW Engineering is using Bowers Group pistol grip bore gauges to ensure the quality of its machined components in the face of soaring demand. As a subcontractor, DKW Engineering receives a constant influx of new jobs in addition to its more regular work. This means that the team is faced with new inspection challenges daily, depending on the type of work and the diversity of components that they must manufacture. Traditional plug gauges aren’t always appropriate as there are only limited sizes available, and become costly if new gauges need to be purchased to suit the requirements of a single job. Instead, DKW Engineering decided to invest in a more flexible and cost-effective measurement solution in the bore gauges from Bowers Group. Used several times a day, the bore gauges are an integral part of the inspection process. They are also used by operatives on the shop floor to measure parts with particularly tight tolerances during the production process. Vitalij Cernomorec, Quality Inspector at DKW Engineering said: “We find the Bowers bore gauges much better than your standard plug gauges; they’re far more versatile, flexible for our needs and perfect for subcontractors like ourselves. As subcontractors, the types and size of components vary, so it helps that we’re able to use the bore gauge to check a range of measurements, including series 18
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Measuring up to quality demands
of step bores, all in one go. They’re quick and easy to use on the shop floor for in process checks and we always trust the bore gauges; the accuracy is excellent.” Based in Portsmouth, DKW Engineering manufactures and supplies quality, high value, and complex machined components for critical industries including automotive, medical, gas and oil, and more. Established in 1969 it has been providing subcontract manufacturing services on a global scale, producing both simple and complex milled/turned parts from a wide range of materials in various batch sizes. The business prides itself on its team of highly skilled engineers who utilise the latest CNC machines to ensure all manufactured components are produced efficiently and to
specification. By continually investing in the latest manufacturing technologies and ongoing training of engineers, DKW Engineering aims for exceptional quality control and professional management, throughout the entire procurement process. The bore gauges provide an accurate, repeatable, and costeffective measurement solution. They can be used for a variety of sizes of component depending on what’s required on a particular day, instantly meeting the needs of individual customers. The digital pistol grip bore gauges also offer an ergonomic design with a large, clear LCD display, along with IP67 electronics protection and proximity output with built-in Bluetooth, allowing bi-directional communication for flexible data acquisition and storage. 8 dkwengineering.co.uk NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | MEASUREMENT, INSPECTION & TESTING
Maintaining quality in upturn As the effects of the Covid pandemic eased during 2021, certain industry sectors saw a strong upturn in orders as some normality returned, reports quality management provider G&P. It saw first-hand how for some sectors, the recovery was far stronger than expected and this put huge demands into supply chains that were not prepared for a return to that level of load. As a result, G&P was approached by a number of manufacturing businesses, initially to audit supplier performance and expedite delivery of conforming stock to support increasing OEM build rates. However, as build rates rose to normalised volumes, some of G&P’s clients saw a reduction in quality as the supply chain creaked under the pressure. Meanwhile, consideration also needed to be given to working towards building increased capacity to meet revised demands in the future. The solution from the quality management provider was two-fold. In the first instance, where possible, G&P pulled orders forward where demand fluctuated below maximum capacity later in the year as a remedy to relieve immediate short-term pressure. Secondly, G&P’s engineers then analysed the medium to long-term security of supply for the client facilities. NOVEMBER 2021
G&P examined hundreds of supply chain businesses by stress testing capacity plans at the OEM’s Tier 1 suppliers, as well as performing deep dives into Tier 2 and 3 dependencies such as subcontract processes or raw material supply. Where shortfalls in the suppliers’ ability to deliver at rate could be solved with investment, G&P included costs and lead time in our client report. The solution is that through G&P’s analysis the client can be
confident in the supply chain supporting its growth. Through engaging G&P to perform this service, clients were able to get detailed information from a third-party, at pace, including gap analysis and costs to resolve identified shortfalls. Clients received a detailed, but macro view of their supply chain, enabling confidence when accepting record orders for their products that their supply chain could support their growth. 8 www.gpgm.com
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MEASUREMENT, INSPECTION & TESTING | Engineering Capacity Coordinate measuring machines at WLR Precision Engineering give greater inspection flexibility and can be used by production staff as well as quality inspectors. The two LK Metrology machines have been supplied with LK Launchpad, an icon-driven, touchscreen operator menu, and a network of viewing screens and tablets. The simplified operator menu lists all the available inspection programs and the exact position the part should be placed on the machine table for inspection, giving operators the confidence to perform measurement tasks in just a few clicks. It enhances flexibility and opens up the system for use by nonspecialist CMM operators. Measured results and automatically generated reports may be shared between screens, tablets and other networked devices for easy access and viewing from any location. WLR aims to cover the entire production process in its contract manufacturing service, with a proportion of the value of each part lying in rigorous metrology, often involving 100% inspection. Contracts are received mainly from the oil & gas, pharmaceutical, medical, laboratory and scientific instrumentation industries, which place great reliance on the accuracy and consistency of parts delivered. The company's sales manager Tom Parr said, "The increasing confidence that our customers have in the accuracy and consistency of components they 20
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Quality gives customer confidence
receive from us has resulted in our winning considerably more business in virtually every sector that we serve." Installed in 2015 the first LK CMM an AlteraS 15.10.8 quickly transformed quality control activities in the Wilford factory, making it faster, much more efficient and less labour-intensive in respect of both measuring parts and preparing inspection reports. The machine's acquisition was triggered by a steep increase in components ordered by key customers coupled with a requirement for more comprehensive, 100% inspection and detailed reporting. Soon afterwards, a customer in the defence sector had a similar requirement for the provision of traceable measurements and certified reports covering the supply of critical, matched components. A major benefit of the CMM is its large table area, approximately
1.0 x 1.5 metres, which is able to accept up to twelve identical components at a time for batch inspection, instead of just one as on either of the older CMMs. It is unusual within manufacturing industry to see a measuring machine nested with multiple components in this way, but the subcontractor attests that it is a perfectly feasible way of operation. Typically, five batches can be inspected during a day shift with a load time of about five minutes between each batch. By May 2021, a further increase in batch measuring capacity was needed. A requirement was also introduced for in-process inspection of a particular family of components for one customer. This time a smaller LK AlteraS 10.10.8 with a working volume of 1,016 x 1,016 x 813 mm was purchased, together with the latest CAMIO 2021 and the additional LK Launchpad software. 8 wlrprecision.co.uk NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | MEASUREMENT, INSPECTION & TESTING New technology Quins inspection machines at Newbury Electronics are speeding inspection times on difficult PC fabrications and assemblies. Chris Hobson, Newbury Electronics said: “We have a policy of continuous investment in latest technologies, practices and manufacturing equipment, often driven by our client’s process innovation requests, to make sure we can deliver the best possible product for our customers now and into the future. “The Quins product line offering by Altus had a great feature set and suitable equipment footprint to deploy into our inspection team versus its price point. Recommendations from other users also reduced the risk and gave us the confidence to invest in the product, with direct support through Altus. “This has been born out in our initial deployment, where it has exceeded our expectations and has proven to be a great addition to our inspection department, aiding in accelerating inspection flow for boards that have taller devices or through hole components that would normally struggle with other AOI machines specified with SMD / lower profile components in mind.” Anthony Oh, Technical Applications Manager- Altus added: “Since adding Quins inspection equipment to our product offering we have seen huge interest. The equipment has proven itself to be a safe investment and is increasing the quality of the finished product NOVEMBER 2021
Speeding inspection flow
thanks to its impressive inspection abilities which inspects, captures and records high quality images of every PCBA being produced for traceability purposes. “Newbury Electronics required an inspection process that allowed clear data capture of larger assemblies. Quins equipment can take away a process that was once only achievable through manual
processes and increase efficiency and quality assurance.” Newbury Electronics installed the Quins Pro UV. This innovative machine protects employees from harmful UV radiation when testing the assembly coating. Thanks to its combination of scanners and innovative software, Pro UV delivers high-resolution images and a simple optical test environment. 8 newburyelectronics.co.uk
Aerospace Oil & Gas Nuclear Defence
Automotive Electronics Hi Fi
Industrial & High Volume Machining
PRECISION ENGINEERING www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk Tel: 01484 548903
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MADE IN BRITAIN | Engineering Capacity
John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, explains how British engineering companies are shaping the post-Brexit, post-pandemic economy In May, UK manufacturing growth hit a 30-year high, as the relaxing of lockdown measures unleashed pent-up demand. This was music to the ears of everyone who cares about the strength of the sector and the renewed focus on exactly where goods come from and how safe they are. This had to be a sign that the worst economic effects of the pandemic were drawing to a close, and that making goods in this country and expanding our overall capacity was happening, or at least the green shoots were emerging. In the months since then, as our country began returning to some form of ‘normal,’ Made in Britain has been inundated with member companies describing order books that are full to bursting and instances of demand far outstripping supply. The increasing appetite for British goods post-Brexit and postpandemic, has also been reflected in our membership which has
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Making it in Britain
been growing at its fastest-ever rate as our community seeks to capitalise on rising domestic demand for British made. Indeed, over the last 18 months, there has been genuine, measurable growth and real progress in British manufacturing. We have seen evidence for cautious but very real optimism about the future of our industry in general, and the engineering sector in particular a clear signal that British innovation is not just alive and well, but thriving. More recently, conversations have been dominated by the HGV driver shortage and the supply chain disruptions affecting companies up and down the country. This serious on-going logistics crisis is just the latest in a series of extraordinary challenges for British engineering firms who’ve already been
8 Yorkshire-based Heald is a pioneer in hostile-vehicle mitigation systems
weathering the upheavals of Brexit, as well as the unprecedented limitations and restrictions of the lockdowns. One of the positives to be gained following more than a year and a half of uncertainty is being compelled to look into what can be produced on our shores. A recent survey of Made in Britain members showed that over a third have completely localised their supply chains. And our annual ‘Buying British’ research speaking to consumers and businesses to understand purchasing motivations and factors affecting shopping habits and attitudes towards British goods, showed that the majority of both consumers and businesses are now more likely to NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | MADE IN BRITAIN buy British goods than before the coronavirus outbreak. Eight in ten businesses and consumers would happily pay more for products made in this country, while two-fifths of consumers and two-thirds of businesses would prefer to buy British regardless of the cost. Britain’s engineering sector has a long-held reputation for quality, reliability and innovation. Within our membership - of which around a fifth are from the engineering sector - we have numerous examples of companies perpetually conceiving, creating and implementing new ideas and technologies. Yorkshire-based Heald is a pioneer in hostile-vehicle mitigation systems. Following a growing number of attacks on high-profile bridges, the company set out to find a new way to better protect these structures. The challenge was that effective perimeter protection options had always been limited due to the impact on a bridge’s structural integrity. Heald’s Bridge Bollard System, launched last year, found a solution to the problem. The system, consisting of fixed pillars on individual base plates bolted together, has revolutionised the bollard market as it requires a depth of just 50 millimetres. Engineering supply firm Heap and Partners has been making valves for more than 150 years and has proven that a company is never too old to evolve and embrace the new. Founded in 1866, the company is now NOVEMBER 2021
introducing QR codes and cloudbased technology into its manufacturing process. A move Heap and Partners believes will accelerate growth and create jobs. Innovation is embedded in the business DNA of British engineering firms. That flair, together with the other hallmarks of the sector - quality and reliability - are jewels in the crown of industry in this country. Meanwhile, internationally, ‘brand Britain’ holds a value that hasn’t faded, with British businesses and consumers keener than ever to buy homegrown products. On top of that, buying products that don’t have to be transported into the country from 1000s of miles away has obvious measurable benefits for the environment, so it’s not surprising to see a preference for products manufactured or sourced locally. The government has moved their British-made procurement target from five percent up to fifty percent and we want to help them move that needle even further with proximity and quality our absolute priorities. We know that British consumers want to buy more British goods, but confusion over provenance can be an obstacle. Some four in ten consumers say they can’t tell if a product is made in this country or not. When asked about the car we drive, for instance, we tend to know the country that owns the brand but not where the model was built. To help cut through the
confusion around product origin, manufacturers should make it as easy as possible for consumers and businesses to identify and buy British. The registered Made in Britain accreditation, for example, certifies a product’s place of origin while also recognising the producer’s ethical and sustainable business practices. The mark can also serve as a product ambassador around the world - an easy way to identify where a product is from, and who really takes responsibility for it. The extent of the many business challenges faced by engineering firms and other manufacturers makes it difficult to ascertain whether things will correct back to normal by next year, or even the year after that. However, what we can be sure of is the incredible longevity in the British engineering community. It’s not unusual to hear of British engineering firms that have been around for 100 years or more. Some of these companies have survived one or even two world wars and multiple recessions. They have resilience embedded in their DNA and will be able to adapt to whatever comes next. British innovators will continue to be at the forefront of shaping the post-Brexit, postpandemic economy. And as we usher in this new era, the spotlight will rightly grow ever larger on the ideas and the goods created on these shores products that are made in Britain. 8 www.madeinbritain.org www.engineeringcapacity.com
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COMPOSITES | Engineering Capacity
Under-body protection for EVs TRB Lightweight Structures has developed a composite under-vehicle protection plate for electric vehicle batteries that dramatically improves impact absorption while decreasing weight. These panels have been created from a combination of materials and a proprietary, toughened TRB
resin, using a manufacturing process that enables production at high volume. Cost-effective and high volume manufacturing, often the critical missing piece hindering composite adoption, has been developed in parallel with this new solution, and is now operating in both North America and the UK.
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The new protection plates utilize a sandwich construction of advanced materials, layered intelligently to provide varying impact absorption strengths depending on location. Testing has shown impact absorption rates that are typically doubled compared with best-in-class steel solutions, while halving the weight. The plates can be painted although, unlike steel, paint is not required for corrosion protection, while the low weight construction simplifies installation and replacement. “Skateboard chassis designs require better battery protection for both on and off-road vehicles,” said Richard Holland, Managing Director of TRB Lightweight Structures. “Our approach leverages decades of knowledge in the development and testing of materials and manufacturing methods, resulting in a costeffective solution for automotive components that decreases weight and increases performance.” 8 trbls.com
PR | Marketing | 6RFLDO 0HGLD | Copywriting | Events Awards | Design | 0HGLD 5HODWLRQV | Web & SEO
01752 894786 www.aroprandmarketing.co.uk
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NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION Airedale Springs has added a new £200,000 a new Wafios FMU16+ to its range of CNC coiling and wire forming machinery in response to increased manufacturing demands. The new machine will increase capacity and is part of a broader plan to improve efficiency across the company. Airedale Springs chose the Wafios machine because it offers the greatest possible product diversity while increasing performance by up to 10% compared to earlier generations of the machine. The company says this boost in performance allows it to meet customers’ orders effectively and efficiently within a reasonable timescale, without compromising on the quality of the final product. Airedale Springs Chairman Tim Parkinson said: ‘The WAFIOS FMU16+ offers a multitude of spring manufacturing technologies at a very high standard. It comes with an optical
Fife Fabrications celebrates 50 years in business next year. The company offers a complete service from design for manufacture support, to manufacturing and full customer delivery, not just for sheet metal, but also electromechanical assemblies, and precision machined components. Managing Director John Penman said: “We’re delighted to have stayed in business for 50 years and to have used that time to develop local talent, regularly
NOVEMBER 2021
Spring capacity investment
measuring system that offers 100% quality checking of parts manufactured on the machine.’ The Wafios FMU16+ will provide Airedale Springs with much more than simply an increase in manufacturing capacity. The quick retooling options make it easy to transition between wire sizes, which is ideal for moving between small and large batch sizes. The addition of IQ spring simulation software enables operators to design and
program parts away from CNC machines, resulting in faster and more efficient production solutions. Airedale Springs aims to have the new Wafios FMU16+ integrated with its 123insight ERP system by the end of 2022. Integration with the ERP system will strengthen productivity, minimise error margins, and reduce the time employees spend doing routine tasks. 8 airedalesprings.co.uk
Fifty years of Fife Fabrications engage with our community and build long-lasting relationships with our customers across the UK. Fife Fabrications has always been focused on continual investment in technology, people and processes. Our aim is to further build our capabilities and expertise to continue to provide customer service which is a cut above. “I’d like to thank our loyal customers, our team, and our suppliers for supporting FiFab to get
to this milestone. We will continue to invest in our growth, our equipment, our people and in young talent to support the upskilling of the next generation. Not only does this ensure we can create opportunities for our workforce and develop a fantastic team, but it also allows us to build a pipeline of skilled and talented experts who will deliver for our customers for the next fifty years!” 8 fifab.com
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FORMING & FABRICATION | Engineering Capacity Sheet metal specialist HV Wooding has invested over £500,000 in a new laser cutting machine that it hopes could deliver up to £1m of new sales from electrification opportunities. HV Wooding, which employs 90 staff at its manufacturing facility in Hythe, has invested more than £500,000 into the installation as it looks to take advantage of significant ‘electrification’ opportunities. With the addition of the Trumpf TruLaser 3030 the Hythe-based company has doubled its laser capacity. The machine will immediately be used to produce thin gauge laminations and busbars for use in electric cars, lorries, buses and commercial vehicles. It can offer customers the ability to cut below 0.5mm thickness and to a better than 50 microns tolerance. The 3kW Trumpf 3030 has simultaneous axis speeds of 170M/min, axis acceleration of 14 m/s2 and a fast pallet change time of only 18.5 seconds. “Our existing laser was working 24 hours per day, so we needed an additional option to help us satisfy current demand and to give us capacity to target new opportunities,” explained Paul Allen, Sales Director at HV Wooding. “Customers are changing designs of rotors and stators to increase performance and this investment gives us the ideal solution to offer quick turnaround prototypes without the cost of wire cutting.” He continued: “The maximum 26
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Laser aims at electrification
sheet thicknesses we can cut on the new machine is 20mm for mild steel, 15mm for stainless steel/aluminium and 6mm for copper and brass. “This enhances our current equipment that allows us to cut up to 8mm copper and brass. Over £200,000 of orders have already been placed, with the potential to add another £800,000 between now and the end of 2022.” HV Wooding has enjoyed a strong ten months, with turnover up £600,000 since the UK emerged from lockdown. The company, which also offers wire erosion and presswork services, has created 16 new jobs to help cope with the increase in demand and is hoping to tap into the increasing desire for local sourcing from clients in the automotive, aerospace and power generation sector. It is also part of the Faraday
Battery Challenge, working with the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the University of Sheffield to develop an improved insulation solution that will enhance the quality of the busbars it is producing. Supported by Innovate UK, the project focuses on investigating and developing alternative coating methods that will improve the performance and integrity of the critical components, which carry high-current power between different parts of an electrical system. Paul Allen added: “We have and will continually invest in equipment to help us be the best in our field and, in addition to the new laser, we have also added a new Bruderer BSTA 25H press, a Trimos height gauge and the InspectVision inspection system.” 8 hvwooding.co.uk NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | FORMING & FABRICATION New equipment at KMT means it can now offer a standalone laser cutting service as well as reducing lead times for more complex projects. The company, which makes bespoke machinery, has invested in a new laser system and press brake that will improve fabrication capabilities while increasing production capacity. The new machines include a LVD type PPEB320/30 press brake with a 3200 kN x 3 m capacity, designed to bend large metal sheets and thicker plate. This complements an LVD Phoenix FL-3015 6 kW fibre laser cutting machine for producing complex fabrications within reduced timeframes. Neil Harrison, Associate Sales Director at KMT, said: "As a bespoke engineering business, our capabilities are related to the equipment we operate. To further support our customers across multiple industries, we have invested in new machine capacity at our Cheadle facility in Staffordshire. Together they can precision cut 25mm Steel, 30mm Stainless Steel and 30mm Aluminium sheets up to 3 metres long." "Outsourced laser cutting work will now be brought inhouse, reducing fabrication times. We will be able to work with more varied materials thanks to our new press brake. Both machines will reduce lead times, directly benefitting customer projects. We will also be able to offer laser cutting services as an extension to our NOVEMBER 2021
New laser cutting service
business whilst helping others reduce their lead times as current market capacity is in high demand." "Our customers can now book laser cutting work independently from our other services. We can handle materials of larger size and thickness than ever before, ensuring that we can meet your fabrication needs."
As well as reducing lead times, the machines will increase the scale of projects that can be serviced by KMT. The business works closely with OEMs in the rail, manufacturing, automotive and construction sectors to provide bespoke equipment and 24/7 on-site maintenance support. Neil Harrison added: "This is one of our largest machinery investments to date. By bringing more processes in-house, not only can we offer more capabilities on reduced lead times, we can maximise the resilience of our services and supply chain. Offering our customers a truly turnkey bespoke engineering service has always been a cornerstone of KMT. These new machines will allow us to further strengthen this complete in-house approach.” 8 kmt.tools
From design, sampling and technical support to manufacture, Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd provide the complete service.
Tel: 0118 978 6573 Email: sales@simpsonsprings.co.uk
www.engineeringcapacity.com
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AEROSPACE & DEFENCE | Engineering Capacity
Post-pandemic take-off
Pre-pandemic investment by Erodex in a continuous improvement programme has provided it with the increased efficiencies and reduced cost per part that aerospace industry now needs for recovery. Such is the success of the programme that it has not only ensured the company is better positioned to weather the current storm but has also created new business opportunities thanks to more competitive processes and the implementation of advanced technology. James Kirk, Director of Operations at Erodex UK, a supplier of EDM graphite, graphite machining and tooling to the aerospace market, joined the company in 2019 to spearhead the CI drive. 28
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“We are in an environment now in aerospace where cost per part is becoming even more critical than it was two years ago” says Kirk. “More than ever, we are required to find more efficient ways of producing and must therefore embrace a strategic commitment to improvement and change. This is far easier to do when you are doing it in a business that is not performing. It is much more difficult to come into a business like Erodex, a market leader that was profitable and had been growing year on year and say ‘we need to improve’”. However, that is what Kirk, working alongside fellow directors and owners Steve, Ian and John Rolinson, set about doing at its Graphite Machining Facility in
8 James Kirk with Ellie Emery, of the Office Administrators at Erodex, who has been instrumental in administering the CI programme
Wednesbury, West Midlands. “Initially we set about understanding what the true performance of the facility was. We identified potential to improve delivery adherence and then needed to understand what the drivers were behind that; was it down to performance, capacity, efficiencies, or a combination of these? “It became quite clear that there was scope to improve workflow and machining efficiencies” continues Kirk. Focusing on the priority areas of improving the efficiency, aesthetics and workflow of the shop floor, a CI road map was NOVEMBER 2021
Engineering Capacity | AEROSPACE & DEFENCE agreed between the Directors that also gave Kirk a wide scope on investment moving forward. Basic but quick wins closed out in the first year included improving the layout of the factory, de-cluttering and implementing cellular environments for grinding and machining. This created a far more lean and efficient production environment that complimented other fundamental improvements such as white boards and daily team meetings. Kirk adds: “After a period of evaluation, we focused on encouraging our people towards embracing change and wanting to be part of the journey, ensuring that we had the right mindset and philosophy of the people on site. “We tried to show them that by changing, they will make it both easier for themselves and better for the business. For example, by raising the level of inspection, improving the workflow so material is always ready in advance for the machinist to start their next job, ensuring tooling has been checked. This kind of method in manufacture is very basic, but once bought into these basic principles, it is easier for individuals to go with the greater leaps of faith.” Driving down costs in existing programs through a ‘one operator, three machines’ philosophy of multitasking and re-assigning roles and responsibilities laid the foundation for investment in new machinery and exploring new processes. “We’re at the more technical end NOVEMBER 2021
of the road map now; drilling down part by part into high value runners and repeaters. If you look at what we have done on one of our highest value lines, we have driven in some significant savings into our products. We are now developing new techniques and are now looking at robotics for high volume products,” Kirk continues. “We’ve started asking new questions, such as ‘how can we take that part that we’ve machined in a 3-axis orientation and machine it in a 5-axis orientation - and what does that do to our cost per part’?” “Investing in and maximising the capability of different machinery such as 5-axis also opens us up to new products and industries going forward. As a business, I think we’ve began to acknowledge that whilst we are industry leaders at what we do, we can push ourselves to grow into new areas as well and there are aspects of electrode manufacture in Aerospace that we’ve not been able to do for one reason or another in the past,
mainly technological reasons.” The company believes the £1.75m programme of expansion will ensure that it is best placed to capitalise on the expected economic upturn throughout 2021 and beyond. Investment in new machinery has seen capacity at the site increase by 40% and has enabled the company to secure a contract for a part that they were previously ‘not competitive on’ within the first two weeks of having the new machine on site. This is combined with investment in a growing team that are bought into the vision of where Kirk and the Erodex Directors are taking the business. “We’ve got a team that are really bought in to what we do. We’re investing in our people, progressing young talent within the business and ultimately for me, you get a more proactive response if you have a more dynamic mix of talent within your workforce. “It is just a case of constantly pushing forward” concludes Kirk. 8 erodex.com
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SPONSORED FEATURE | Engineering Capacity There are multiple benefits from using subcontract rotary friction welding (RFW), including the ability to draw on proven expertise and access industry-leading friction welding machinery without the need for capital investment. A multitude of components can be manufactured across numerous sectors in a range of geometries and material combinations. The subcontractor can advise on materials, geometry, metallurgy and pre and post weld processing. In the case of bi-metallic, copper-aluminium connectors, there is simply no other viable method of joining these two materials directly thanks to their very different thermal expansion coefficients. Low-cost aluminium is joined directly to high cost copper. Other than the obvious benefit of cost reduction by reducing the use of expensive high conductivity copper, direct costs, waste and the increased threat of theft are also reduced. Aluminium does not impede conductivity and is useful for ease of crimping to electrical cabling. The electrical connector market for power distribution and rail is a significant market for this process. RFW is a standard bonding method in the automotive sector for producing axles, CV joints, turbo-chargers, airbag canisters, while the aerospace industry uses RFW to manufacture landing gear shafts, steering shafts, ejector seat components and other high integrity parts. The construction industry uses friction welding for piston rods and hydraulic cylinders, 30
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Subcontract rotary friction welding
where large diameter high quality steel chromed rods are joined to eyes, yolks and pinions for heavy duty industrial service. RFW also shows its strength in oil, gas and mining applications where joint integrity in the harshest conditions is paramount, such as drill pipes and rods for deep hole water boring, directional drilling and rock drilling. The cost of failure in these components can literally cost the operators millions of pounds in lost revenues. The integrity of the friction welded bond is so superior to other joining processes that most OEMs across these industries own and operate their own rotary friction welding equipment to produce their safety critical components in-house. Cryogenic applications also benefit from the processes’ ability to join dissimilar materials. For instance, stainless steel to copper and interlayered transition joints consisting of stainless steel welded to titanium with an
aluminium alloy interlayer. Friction welding has also proved highly successful for welding tools, such as drill bits for example. Stronger than conventional welding, friction welded drill tools have an enhanced join integrity, as the weld is as strong as the parent material. Whatever the sector, or application in which the component shall be utilised, rotary friction welded products have proven to have an enhanced structural integrity. The question that engineers and manufacturers ask when considering their production joining and manufacturing processes is can we do this better, cheaper and more efficiently? The answer is ‘yes’ and the solution lies in subcontract friction welding. For more information please contact: T: +44 (0)121 585 0888 E: frictionwelding.UK@kuka.com 8 kuka.com NOVEMBER 2021
BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY
ACSL Precision Engineering sales@acsleng.co.uk www.acsleng.co.uk
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
Atkinson Engineering sales@atkinson-engineering.com www.atkinson-engineering.com
Currie & Warner Ltd tonyfox@curriewarner.com www.curriewarner.com
H P C Services Ltd sales@slidinghead.com www.slidinghead.com
Auto Turned Products (Northants) Ltd shad@autoturned.co.uk www.autoturned.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
Batchflow Engineering info@batchflow.co.uk www.batchflow.co.uk
Dawson Precision Components Ltd. sales@dpc.co.uk www.dpc.co.uk
Herve Engineering Ltd sales@herve-engineering.com herve-engineering.com
Cambion Electronics Ltd sales@cambion.com www.cambion.com
Dawson Shanahan (Wales) Ltd info@dawson-shanahan.co.uk www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk
JCF Engineering Limited john.felton@jcfengineering.co.uk jcfengineering.co.uk
Cambridge Precision Ltd sales@cambridgeprecision.com www.cambridgeprecision.com
DKW Engineering Ltd karl@dkwengineering.co.uk www.dkwengineering.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
Falcon Engineering Productions Ltd sales@falconengineering.co.uk
Machined Component Systems sales@machinedcomponent.com www.machinedcomponent.com
Colpa Precision Engineering Ltd steve@colpa.co.uk www.colpa.net
GS Brown (Precision Engineers) Ltd malcolm@gsbrown.com www.gsbrown.com
Manton Engineering (Bedford) Ltd sales@mantonengineering.co.uk www.mantonengineering.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2021
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DIRECTORY | BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS
MaS Precision Engineering Ltd sales@masprecision.co.uk www.masprecision.co.uk
Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd ian@precisionproducts.co.uk www.precisionproducts.co.uk
Techfore Turned Parts Ltd info@techfore.co.uk www.techfore.co.uk
Muller England Limited sales@muller-england.co.uk www.muller-england.co.uk
Qualiturn Products Ltd sales@qualiturn.co.uk www.qualiturn.co.uk
Tenable Screw Co Ltd nigel@tenable.co.uk www.tenable.co.uk
NC Precision Ltd sales@ncprecision.com www.ncprecision.com
Quantamatic info@quantamatic.co.uk www.quantamatic.co.uk
Tercet Precision Ltd Alex.Burns@tercet.co.uk www.buyturnedparts.com
Neida Products Engineering Ltd sales@neida.co.uk www.neida.co.uk
Rodmatic Ltd enquiry@rodmatic.com www.rodmatic.com
Thomas Brown Engineering Ltd info@thomasbrownengineering.co.uk www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk
Normec (Manchester) Ltd sales@normec.co.uk www.normec.co.uk
Rowan Precision Limited sales@rowanprecision.co.uk www.rowanprecision.co.uk
Oracle Precision Ltd shaun.palmer@oracle-precision.co.uk www.oracle-precision.co.uk
Salcey Precision Engineering Ltd info@salceyprecision.co.uk www.salceyprecision.co.uk
TKM Engineering Ltd Sales@tkmengineering.co.uk www.tkmengineering.co.uk
Plastic turned Parts Ltd sales@plasticturnedparts.co.uk www.plasticturnedparts.co.uk
Scot Bennett Engineering Ltd rob@scotbennett.co.uk www.scotbennett.co.uk
Trust Precision Engineering Ltd info@trustprecisionengineering.co.uk www.trustprecisionengineering.co.uk
Precision Component Services Ltd shane@precision-components.co.uk www.precision-components.co.uk
Swissmatic Ltd info@swissmatic.co.uk www.swissmatic.co.uk
Wealdpark Limited sales@wealdpark.co.uk www.wealdpark.co.uk
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BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY
Wharf Engineering Ltd sales@wharf-engineering.co.uk www.wharfengineering.co.uk
Wilco Manufacturing Ltd sales@wilcomanufacturing.co.uk www.wilcomanufacturing.co.uk
Yorkshire Precision Engineering Ltd info@ypel.co.uk www.ypel.co.uk
BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS | DIRECTORY
Arno (UK) Limited sales@arno.de www.arno-tools.co.uk
C Dugard Limited sales@dugard.com www.dugard.com
Mills CNC Ltd tdale@millscnc.co.uk www.millscnc.co.uk
The Amodil Group tkd@amodil.co.uk www.amodil.co.uk
Filtermist Systems Limited sales@filtermist.com www.filtermist.co.uk
Optimum Oils cliff.thrussell@optimumoils.com www.optimumoils.com
Badger Anodising (Birmingham) Ltd sales@badgeranodising.co.uk www.badgeranodsing.co.uk
Floyd Automatic Tooling Ltd sales@floydautomatic.co.uk www.floydautomatic.co.uk
Premier Machine Tools UK Ltd avid.dunn@premiermt.co.uk www.premiermt.co.uk
Bowers Group sales@bowersgroup.co.uk www.bowersgroup.co.uk
Kumi Solutions simon@kumi-solutions.com www.kumi-solutions.com
PSL Datatrack engcap@psldatatrack.com www.psldatatrack.com
Ceratizit UK & Ireland Ltd info.uk@ceratizit.com www.ceratizit.com
LNS Turbo sales.uk@lns-europe.com www.lns-europe.com
Citizen Machinery UK sales@citizenmachinery.co.uk www.citizenmachinery.co.uk
Matsuura Machinery Ltd imichie@matsuura.co.uk www.matsuura.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2021
Smiths Metal Centres info@smithmetal.com www.smithmetal.com
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DIRECTORY | BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS
SolidCAM UK Ltd info@solidcamuk.com www.solidcam.com
Stelstocks Ltd info@stelstocks.co.uk www.stelstocks.co.uk
Wickman Coventry Ltd o.coyne@wickman.co.uk www.wickman-group.com
Wieland-Nemco Ltd. sales@wieland-nemco.com www.wieland-nemco.com
Star Micronics GB Ltd sales@stargb.com www.stargb.com
JFL are broach and broaching specialists with many years personal experience. We offer a comprehensive broaching service covering keyways, squares, hexagons and special forms. Unit 2, Deethe Farm Industrial Est, Cranfield Rd, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK17 8UR Tel: 01908 585103 www.jflbroaches.co.uk
FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS
Qualiturn Products Limited 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. 7 Fountain Drive, Hertford, Herts, UK, SG13 7UB Tel. +44 (0) 1992 584499 www.qualiturn.co.uk
PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
JFL Broaches and Broaching
CNC PRECISION COMPONENTS 8
BROACHING 8
DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity
DAWSON PRECISION COMPONENTS Manufacturing precision machined components since 1965 Services include: CNC milling, CNC turning, turn/mill machining, sub contracted services, finishing and project management. Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311
dpc.co.uk
September 2017
INDUSTRY NEWS | MACHINING | AUTOMOTIVE | SHOW PREVIEWS | COMPONENTS MACHINED
Get your company noticed with an Engineering Capacity classified profile advert MACHINED COMPONENTS: Prismatic parts from bar
www.engineeringcapacity.com
34
Call 01737 270648
www.engineeringcapacity.com
Capacity Engineering
supports Mill-turning ach lean appro
year half of this In the first has committed to g Roscomatic investment, includin More than Engineering of 1000 Capacity | £750,000 tion of the latest medium-sized small to INDUSTRY xis the installa NEWS (SMEs) have manufacturers MSY multi-a been given Miyano BNE-51 business a centre. boost turn-mill months thanks over the last ten g-based company The Worthin to a new £9.7m business machinist support million parts subcontract The Manufac initiative. some 1.5 ted dispatches from comple Programme turing Growth (MGP), funded emblies a year – ranging European and sub-ass s and Regional Develop by the assemblies Fund (ERDF) ed casting ment is to large machin Economic and delivered by parts – and Growth turned small a record Solutions has helped (EGS), achieving of 98%. companies currently rate the UK to across 13 mins to just grow, Martello from on-time delivery products and develop been cut new further complex director Joe y is driven A Managing which Keet says: overcom the compan Seanproducti y 2.5 emins.s steel component on issues explains that hy of constant Cell Leader nal flexibilit that previous were stainles ns taking of operatio us ly holding to a by a philosop of lean manufacturing “The levels them three operatio Thisenabled BNE has has already ing ledhad back. is now reduced developmentsupported by machin in the Miyano reduce tominutes new nute cycle. tment ntly jobs, with an addition 11 400 four-mi ng £1 techniques, to significa al 359 n-inves important, often exceedi mostpositions expected to single, ivity.” investment and an ‘open-liaison’ times and Further return-o up setters to be created once product ongoinge projects year the freeinghas the million a improve overall which keeps are complet comes from tasks and from new machin ed.machin By the es other people strategyto date on the He says the£1.6m end of perform for each 3-axis July, up grant contribu um d existing ofalumini arising. n of lost time g the workforce replace issues 10 been reductio on, reducin errors and any four tions have inspecti family ofmade, withdmoney in company require so that a to support first-off We’ve relocati got aonlot of “We invest e in place andstill previously another He says: s. grants to deliver a separat 2200 firms parts that between risk of setting and progres ns and and the latest we want MSY leadership nownow work in operatio be and which manufac automation cutting March ogy and manage and the BNE-51 n canHolmes, cycle.2019. 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NOVEMBER 2021
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Sutton Road, St. Helens Merseyside WA9 3DJ Tel: 01744 22567 www.wealdpark.co.uk
NOVEMBER 2021
Batchflow Engineering Ltd
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
SPRING MAKING 8 TURNED PARTS 8
Budbrooke Road, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5XH Tel: 01926 492889 www.batchflow.co.uk REPETITION TURNED PARTS 8
Wealdpark 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.
Oldfield Street, Crosland Moor Huddersfield HD4 5AJ T: 01484 548903 www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk
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.
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
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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
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PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
Subcontract mill turned parts up to 65mm in diameter from bar and 300mm billet work.
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PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
PRECISION ENGINEERING 8
SUBCONTRACT CNC TURNING 8
Engineering Capacity | DIRECTORY
Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd A one-stop-shop for high-quality turned parts Accredited to AS9100 Rev D Unit 2 Brookside Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LF Telephone: +44 (0) 1903 776 171 www.precisonproducts.co.uk
www.engineeringcapacity.com
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FARNBOROUGH | Hants | GU14 6TQ
8th | 9th | 10th FEBRUARY
9.30am - 4.30pm (3.30pm close Thurs)
Where Industry and Innovation converge Over 600 national and international suppliers come together to exhibit at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre this February for Southern Manufacturing and Electronics (inc AutoAero) 2022. Meet the power behind UK manufacturing industry and see live demonstrations and new product launches of machine tools & tooling, electronics, factory & process automation, packaging & handling, labelling & marking, 3D print technology, test & measurement, materials, composites & adhesives, rapid prototyping, ICT, drives & controls and laboratory equipment. Free industry seminar programme online @ www.industrysouth.co.uk
FREE SEMINARS FREE PARKING
AUTOMATION DEFENCE FOOD & DRINK AUTOSPORT MARINE AEROSPACE TRANSPORTATION PACKAGING ELECTRICAL & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS ELECTRONICS ENERGY SPACE ENGINEERING R&D
The exhibition is free to attend, free to park and easy to get to. Doors open at 9.30am on Tuesday 8th February.
PRE-REGISTER TODAY for your Fast Track Entry Badge, Preview Magazine and Event Catalogue at
www.industrysouth.co.uk
MEDICAL COMPOSITES CONSTRUCTION
SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING & ELECTRONICS is an ETES event organised by European Trade & Exhibition Services Ltd
Tel 01784 880890 · email philv@etes.co.uk
