Engineering Capacity September 2018

FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS

September 2018

INDUSTRY NEWS | AUTOMOTIVE | MACHINED COMPONENTS | MOULDING

GRENVILLE GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

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

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Editor’s View The nights are drawing in, the leaves are starting to shade from green to brown and the mornings are definitely getting chillier. So, before we succumb to the Autumn blues, here is a heart-warming tale of children and engineers.

It turns out that rather than being the surly, selfish and uncaring brutes you might have imagined, young people are actually caring, idealistic and want to make the world a better place (well, most of them anyway).

Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, an initiative led by the engineering community, will run from 5 to 9 November and aims to change perceptions of engineering among young people, their parents and teachers and to inspire future engineers.

To set the scene, research commissioned by Engineering UK found that 9 out of 10 young people dream of a career that tackles social issues.

Nearly half of them wanted a career that would help animals, 40% wanted to save peoples’ lives and 30% wanted to help tackle homelessness.

I guess the other 10% will fill the demand for reality TV stars, footballers and politicians.

It seems that engineers can be at least as principled and idealistic as the young people.

When asked what message they wanted to share with young people to inspire them about a career in education, three quarters wanted to let them know that engineers do indeed make the world a better place. And around 70% felt children should know that engineers help find innovative solutions and shape the way we live.

According to Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, engineers taking part in the survey described their careers as having many different positive effects on the world. They highlighted activities such as ‘making water safe to drink’, ‘repairing machines that improve the quality of life’ and ‘helping people have safe and enjoyable holidays.’

And, of course, you couldn’t do any of that without subcontractors.

Find out more at tomorrowsengineers.org.uk Andy Sandford, Editor

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Tel: +44 (0)23 9267 7747

SEPTEMBER 2018

Email: info@dkwengineering.co.uk

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Contents September 2018

13 AUTOMOTIVE

News

Features

06 Right-first-time castings 06 Tool pre-setting pays

13 Automotive 06 Hail the electric taxi Markets grow outside EU Suspension parts faster

dividends at MRT

07 Aerospace hub for quality 06 G & P opens dedicated office 08 Captured by coincidence 06 An artistic take on Flame Hardening

17 Moulding 06 Two-tone yoghurt spoon

21 MACHINED COMPONENTS

26 Advanced Engineering 2018 preview

from Newbury

10 Aerospace funding for coatings 06 Hardide gets NATEP support

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21 Machined Components 06 Bespoke assembly service First in UK for DPC

09 Fast PCBs for smart water 06 Electronic expertise on tap

11 On the road to Industry 4.0 06 Beverstone links its CNC to IIoT

Nordell’s women in engineering

30 Laser & Waterjet Cutting 06 Laser parts for new concept aircraft

26 SHOW PREVIEW SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Brose, a leading tier 1 automotive supplier, has celebrated 30 years of production in the UK by producing its two millionth seat structure in a year.

The company, which employs 900 people across its two plants in Coventry, announced the manufacturing milestone during the official presentation of its Queen’s Award for Enterprise by Timothy Cox, Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire.

Staff, local dignitaries and Maximilian Stoschek, the great grandson of company founder Max Brose, were on hand to see current Managing Director Juergen Zahl accept the accolade that reflected a major spike in export sales to customers in China, France, Spain and Brazil.

“We are very passionate about our Coventry facilities and the Queen’s Award is the pinnacle of the journey we have been on for the last 30 years,” explained Juergen Zahl.

“Many lows have been overcome, many highs have been achieved and today we are currently one of the best manufacturing locations in the Brose Group and a strategic supplier of window regulators and seat structures to Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota.

“This has only been possible thanks to two factors. Firstly, the commitment of Brose’s senior management team to grow our UK location has seen more than £100m invested since 2012 in the factory extension and the introduction of the state-of-theart paint plant that gives us SEPTEMBER 2018

30 years and two million seats

greater control of the seat coating process.”

He continued: “The second factor and, in my opinion the most important, is the Brose staff that work across our two plants in Coventry. Their hard work, commitment and innovation has been crucial to our success.”

Brose acquired Sheridan Engineering in 1988, making Coventry its first international plant outside of Germany.

Initially, the company was producing locks, latches, hinges and window regulators for Ford, Peugeot, Jaguar and Rover and was based in a collection of industry units on Durbar Avenue.

Today, it employs 900 people and is located in two high performing manufacturing facilities, producing 2 million seat structures and more than 4.6 million window regulators every

year, supplying 17 different car models across 20 global plants.

Zahl continued: “We have had a really strong five years, bouncing back from the global recession to achieve £289m in sales in the last financial year.”

Maximilian Stoschek added his support: “Coventry is very special to me, as during my early years in the company, I spent several months there as part of my training.

“To receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise is such an historic achievement for our plants here, but also holds great significance for the Brose Group. Our Headquarters and my home are in Coburg, where The Queen’s great great grandfather, Prince Albert, was born and raised. Thus, we have our own particular link to the British Royal Family.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Offline tool pre-setting at die castings specialist MRT Castings increases accuracy and part quality, save time and gives customers ‘right first time’ confidence.

Since purchasing a smile420 machine from ZOLLER UK, MRT Castings estimates a 15-minute time saving on each of up to eight daily tool set-ups, dramatically increasing its productivity.

The Hampshire-based firm, which for 60 years has produced components for technology companies across the world, has also reported a significant increase in tool accuracy, meaning its parts are coming off the production line right first time, every time.

Managing Director Phil Rawnson said: “The smile420 has made an instant impact. Prior to installing it we were setting the tools on a machine and a typical set-up might have anywhere between 15 and 40 tools. We were loading every one into the machine, measuring them on there, taking the readings and putting those into the controls of the machine.

UK aerospace worth $48.8bn A new study of the global aerospace industry values it at $838bn but relegates the UK from second largest aerospace industry to fourth behind the US, France and China.

Methodologies and interpretations differ, but the research by Aerodynamic

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Right-first-time castings

“With the ZOLLER we can be pre-setting all of our tools while the previous job is running, and all of that work can be done offline.

Then, when it comes to the changeover, we can load all the tools into the magazine.

“By the end of its first week the ZOLLER machine was already being used for every set-up on the shop floor.”

Traditional on-machine tool setting – even with expensive lasers – not only wastes time but

is unreliable and cannot validate critical tool features prior to machining, increasing the risk of crashes and failures.

Irrespective of the CNC machine controller being used, ZOLLER tool pre-setters and inspection systems can interface with it, making transferring tool data automatically, reliably and securely a straightforward process – perfect for the demands of Industry 4.0.

8 mrt-castings.co.uk

Advisory and Teal Group estimated the UK industry as being worth $48.8bn, which compares to the figure quoted by ADS (the UK aerospace, defence and security trade association) of £35bn (approx. $£45.6bn).

The study puts the US industry at $408.4bn, the French industry in second place on $69bn and China third on $61.2bn. It does however stress that there are extensive global holdings and

work carried out globally by UK companies that is not included in its numbers.

The report characterises the UK as having a very high ratio of exports to domestic consumption, with a heavy presence on US and European platforms. The report adds that the UK is exiting its role as a military prime manufacturer but has a world-leading role as a risk-sharing partner.

8 aerodynamicadvisory.com

SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Precision sheet metal fabrication specialist Grenville Engineering is celebrating the biggest contract win yet in its 34-year history.

The contract, which comes from a major corporation in the petrochemical industry, draws on a wide range of Grenville Engineering’s expertise.

The company is able to offer its customer an end-to-end solution covering all aspects of producing complete fabrications, including the use of superior welding by ASME 9 coded welders, and full traceability and documentation.

Grenville’s engineers worked closely with the customer on the design and planning of the work to determine the most suitable manufacturing methods for the contract. It was also able to draw on the skills of a specific cell of people for this contract that were familiar with this type of work.

The company has been successful across various sectors – including automotive, yellow goods, construction, rail and petrochemical.

Biggest contract win yet

Quality management service providers G&P has expanded its aerospace sector presence with the opening of an office at Derby’s iHub. Located on building located on Infinity Park, the iHub is home to a range of businesses from the aerospace industry and G&P will use its dedicated office as a foundation to build, and further establish, relationships with the surrounding aerospace businesses.

Aerospace hub for quality

SEPTEMBER 2018

Sales Director Stuart Rawlinson said: “Grenville Engineering continues to succeed in beating our sales objectives consistently over the last few years.

“We are all very pleased to have recently won a major contract which is the largest single order in our company’s history.

“Over the last few years we have raised our profile and are constantly making efforts to be

David Whiffin, Director of Aerospace at G&P, commented: “The opening of our new office is a very exciting chapter as it demonstrates G&P’s commitment to the aerospace industry.

“Most importantly it means that our staff are in close proximity to many existing and prospective aerospace clients to strengthen ties further and deliver exceptional service.

agile, flexible and understand our customers’ needs and meet their expectations. We believe that this is one of the many reasons for our success.

“Our future plans are exciting as we continue to grow, and it is important that we maintain the level of expertise and skill in engineering we need through our apprenticeship programmes.”

8 grenville-engineering.co.uk

“The aerospace sector faces many complicated challenges due to the multinational and multi-stage distribution and supply chain structure within the industry, which we are helping our clients overcome.”

G&P works with clients across the aerospace and automotive supply chains.

8 gpqm.com www.engineeringcapacity.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Flame Hardeners’ impressive long roll and shaft hardening machine (with a capacity to handle components up to 500mm in diameter and up to 7 metres long) has been captured on canvas as the result of a combination of circumstances.

It started with a visit by Flame Hardeners managing director, Roger Haw to an art exhibition where well-known architectural and abstract artist Tony Moss was among the exhibiting artists.

“I observed several of Tony’s works and it struck me how his style would suit a representation of our shaft hardening machine, of which we have always been very proud,” says Mr. Haw.

Captured by coincidence “As it happened, at that time, we were undertaking a refurbishment of our reception area,” he continues. “So, I commissioned Tony to create an artist’s view of the equipment.”

“We are highly delighted with the result, and the painting, which takes pride of place in our reception, has attracted many favourable comments from visitors to our works. It just goes to show how totally unrelated events can come together to create a perfect solution,” concludes Mr. Haw. 8 flamehardeners.co.uk

Future forming for aero engines Doncasters Group has unveiled a demonstration project for a fully electroformed one-piece leadingedge lip skin for a commercial aircraft engine.

This would be applicable for a large regional or single aisle aircraft. Electroforming is a proven additive manufacturing d

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process used to physically deposit metal in microscopic layers to highly precise geometries. While it is not a new technology, it has never been applied to an aerospace component of this scale. This new application is set to bring customers significant costs savings while also offering superior erosion properties.

Andrew Woods, Business Development Manager who spear-headed the electroformed demonstrator project commented: “We’re excited to be launching this industry first at Farnborough it’s certainly going to grab people’s attention. Electroforming has so much potential for the aerospace industry and beyond, so we look forward to sharing our learnings with delegates at the show.”

8 doncasters.com SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS When Mitte, the Berlin company behind a revolutionary smart water system, was unable to obtain PCBs from its regular Chinese supplier, it needed an alternative supplier, and quickly.

After a search on the web, the company approached Newbury Electronics. The two companies started working together earlier this year and since then the relationship has developed further with Newbury Electronics now supplying prototypes, PCB’s, fabrication and assembly services.

The boards were initially installed in the prototype machine which is now being used for further board testing and to verify and test the PCB design. The boards will form part of the control system, UI & sensor feedback in the water filter unit.

Fabien Bastiman, Chief Technology Officer at Mitte, said; “We have been working with Newbury Electronics since February and the quality of both the boards and customer service has been excellent."

Ricardo aerospace certification The high-performance manufacturing business of Ricardo has been certified to the latest aerospace standard AS9100 ‘Issue D’.

With more than 70 advanced CNC machines capable of manufacturing small to

SEPTEMBER 2018

Fast PCBs for smart water

"Even just a few years ago we would never have imagined producing boards for inclusion in a water filter. As the Internet of Things (IoT) and so called 'smart' solutions continue to develop across every aspect of both work and leisure time, there are increasing opportunities for us to collaborate with companies such as Mitte to help them with the development and production of the necessary electrical components;" said Philip King, managing director, Newbury Electronics.

Mitte is the first of its kind; a smart home water system that purifies and enhances water through a process inspired by the natural water cycle. It works in two simple steps: first, it purifies water with a proprietary distillation-based method. Then, Mitte makes the water not only pure, but also healthy by enhancing it with essential minerals. This is done by using mineral cartridges to replicate the process that occurs in nature.

8 newburyelectronics.co.uk

medium prismatic parts, gears and rotating components/shafts using multi-axis gear cutting and grinding equipment, Ricardo Performance Products is capable of manufacturing to the most exacting of requirements.

In addition to its machining operations, the company’s Leamington Spa manufacturing facility includes a comprehensive inspection department that includes multiple co-ordinate measurement machines, a broad

range of non-destructive testing methods and highly accurate surface finish/profiling equipment as well as gear graphing equipment.

While best known for its work with competitive motorsport teams and luxury sports car manufacturers, Ricardo Performance Products also supplies a number of aerospace customers with machined and assembled components.

8 ricardo.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Advanced surface coating technology company Hardide Coatings has been awarded funding from a UK-wide aerospace initiative, to further the application of the company’s innovative coating technology to aircraft components.

The National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) is a £14.4m programme to mature 40 aerospace technologies in the UK aerospace supply chain.

Oxfordshire-based Hardide Coatings has been awarded NATEP funding for two projects commencing on 1 September 2018 that will each take 18 months to complete.

The first project is to develop a grinding and super-finish technology for the Hardide-A coating that is a proven direct replacement for Hard Chrome Plating (HCP). Hardide Coatings is lead partner supported by Airbus, Perfect Bore Manufacturing Ltd and Engis (UK) Ltd. The second project is to develop the processing of an ultra-low temperature coating that will increase the range of aerospace substrate materials suitable for the Hardide coating process.

Airbus, Leonardo Helicopters are end-users and Perfect Bore Manufacturing and Westmoreland Laboratories are support partners in this project to Hardide Coatings.

Philip Kirkham, CEO of Hardide Coatings commented: “These grant awards were made after a rigorous application process and we will be working closely on the projects with our end-user 10

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Aerospace funding for coatings

customers. Both projects have the potential to expand significantly Hardide Coatings’ aerospace business, widening the range of aircraft components and substrate materials suitable for our coating technology.”

The company’s production facility in Martinsville, Virginia recently received approval to the new AS 9100 Rev D and ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards. This follows the award of AS 9100 Rev D certification to the UK production site in Bicester, Oxfordshire in December 2017.

Both accreditations were awarded by the global certifying body Lloyds Register.

Aerospace customers include Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo. Customers in other sectors include leading blue chip companies operating in oil and gas

exploration and production, valve and pump manufacturing and precision engineering industries.

The company develops, manufactures and applies advanced tungsten carbide coatings to a wide range of engineering components. Its patented technology is unique in combining, in one material, a mix of toughness and resistance to abrasion, erosion and corrosion together with the ability to coat accurately interior surfaces and complex geometries. This enabling technology is proven to offer dramatic improvements in component life, particularly when applied to components that operate in very aggressive environments.

This results in cost savings through reduced downtime and increased operational efficiency.

8 hardide.com SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS Beverston Engineering is working with a Liverpool university to boost its CNC manufacturing capabilities with the development of an innovative Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) CNC system.

The Knowsley-based manufacturer, which has clients including Rolls Royce and ChargePoint Technology, has been working with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) through the LCR 4.0 programme to design a system that increases efficiency and reduces waste and downtime.

Beverston Engineering initially approached LCR 4.0, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund

SEPTEMBER 2018

On the road to Industry 4.0 (ERDF), for academic and technical support in identifying how industry 4.0 technologies can be incorporated into the business offering.

The outcome of the support is that resources have been secured in order to undertake a project to develop an IIoT CNC system that will monitor, collect, exchange and analyse data to deliver valuable insights for Beverston Engineering and its customers, allowing them to make smarter business decisions faster. It will also have significant impact on component accuracy within the CNC manufacturing - the use of computers to control machine

tools – process to boost competitive advantage.

As a result, Beverston Engineering has secured funding via the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, a UK-wide programme that will deliver the concept over a three-year period.

Rod Wah, Managing Director at Beverston Engineering, said: “Before approaching LCR 4.0, we had never heard of Industry 4.0. However, it became increasingly clear that these technologies represent a paradigm shift within this market, and we quickly realised that we needed to adopt them.”

8 beverston.co.uk

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Trade Leads from the EIA

PEOPLE | Engineering Capacity

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 Steel products partner A Turkish company specialized in manufacturing and trading of steel profiles and steel products such as long products, tubular products, raw-semi materials and flat products is looking for commercial agencies.

Reference: JV1231 Closing Date: 25/04/2019 Solar Collectors A Hungarian solar collector developer is seeking distributors and commercial agents in the EU. The new technology offers 80% efficiency without heat loss, compared with the 40-60% efficiency gained by other solar collectors available on the market.

The SME is also interested in signing licence agreements with manufacturers who would like to use the licence for production in their home country.

Reference: JV1231 Closing Date: 25/04/2019

Alayna Legg joins Axiom Product Development as Head of Finance. She is a qualified company accountant with skills in finance, accounting, system integration planning and CRM as well as extensive experience working in the manufacturing sector.

Elizabeth Donnelly has been appointed as the new CEO of The Women’s Engineering Society. After an early career in IT, she worked with Rolls-Royce from 2005-2008 and was awarded Membership of the Royal Aeronautical Society as a result.

Steve Morley is the new President of the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM). With its headquarters in the Black Country, the CBM is the leading organisation for the manufacturing and metals and can trace its history back for a century.

Mark Cullens joins OPITO, the not-for-profit skills body for the energy industry, in the new role of director of strategic development.

He joins from Petrofac Training Services where he was director of business development Eastern Hemisphere.

Turkey - aluminium scrap A flat aluminium company is looking for scrap aluminium and secondary ingots.

Reference: 31548 Closing Date: 28/12/2018 Turkey - Ice blasting A company is looking for partnerships in the ice blasting sector.

Reference: 31673 Closing Date: 01/11/2018 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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SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | AUTOMOTIVE Optimas is providing the nuts and bolts that underlie the re-invention of the classic London taxi as an electric vehicle.

When reinventing an automotive icon, manufacturers are required to preserve the ethos of the original model while bringing the concept in line with modern technology. A difficult balance to achieve, but one that seems to have been struck by LEVC (London EV Company) and its new TX, the advanced electric taxi. To achieve the performance and efficiency levels demanded of modern vehicles, the TX represents a complete redesign compared to its predecessors. To enable this new approach, LEVC requested the involvement of automotive supply chain and fastener experts, Optimas Solutions.

Redesigning an icon from the ground up requires consistent thinking from the smallest components upwards, as Ian Carvell, European Engineering Director at Optimas explains: "Specifying suitable fasteners and bolts to achieve a pioneering vehicle while minimising the cost to the manufacturer is a fine balance. That is why at Optimas we involved ourselves from the initial design phase of the new TX project, so we could begin rationalising component options from the first preliminary builds. By this methodology, we could work in tandem with LEVC to tackle the engineering challenges associated with a new vehicle platform."

Optimas specialises in working in conjunction with manufacturers to recommend, specify and SEPTEMBER 2018

Hail the electric taxi

standardise parts which the business supplies for the production of a particular vehicle.

The primary goal in most cases is to develop an efficient approach with regards to the specification of components, offering solutions that are already available or can be easily adapted from the Optimas portfolio for a vehicle application.

This serves to reduce lead times for parts, which is of the utmost importance in the research and development stage of a vehicle.

Daniel Pereira, UK Engineering Manager at Optimas and a key proponent of the project expands: "What we are trying to achieve is increased supply chain simplicity by offering suitable alternative parts that can be delivered to tight deadlines. For example, one of the first hurdles for this project was to ensure the verification prototypes were ready for the winter testing and shakedown season. Missing this window would delay the project by a year, which is unacceptable to LEVC and its investors. Therefore,

we utilised parts that were reliable and freely available, or engineered alternatives where there was no stock forthcoming to ensure that LEVC could adhere to its testing schedule.

"We held weekly 'Fastener Clinics' at three different design consultancies (Ricardo, Envisage and Emerald), so we could keep pace with the changing requirements of LEVC throughout the research and development process. By this regular contact, we were able to actively manage and mature the bill of materials in order to supply parts for various new TX prototype stages to tight deadlines, despite the fact that many of the application challenges did not have officially released parts," Ian elaborates.

"Considering the new TX incorporates over 2,000 individual parts designed specifically for the project, it was vital we kept regular contact to ensure we could integrate seamlessly with LEVC's component requirements." âž www.engineeringcapacity.com

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AUTOMOTIVE | Engineering Capacity Daniel adds: "By offering component solutions that were freely available, we were able to avoid the delays caused by sourcing bespoke tooling, quoting process or incurred via a complex logistics chain, which all serve to threaten demanding deadlines.

Furthermore, by this approach we are able to pass reduced costs onto the manufacturer, so that they can utilise budget to maximum effect during what is a capital-intensive process.

"The London black cab is instantly recognisable, and an engrained part of automotive culture," Ian reflects, "to be involved in a project of such national importance is of course a great satisfaction.

Throughout our involvement, we have tried to aid LEVC in creating an efficient transport icon for the future by smoothening the supply chain, offering ease of specification, reliability and a cost-effective approach."

Phillip Bracken, Procurement Director at the London Electric Vehicle Company commented: "Throughout the prototyping stage of the new TX, Optimas has been a dynamic fastener partner who has helped us to achieve application goals to demanding schedules at a competitive cost point."

The new TX will be introduced to British roads over the course of 2018, with models due to be exported to cities in Europe and Asia.

8 global.optimas.com

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SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | AUTOMOTIVE New research, commissioned by Wyelands Bank, reveals that three out of the top five fastest growing markets for the UK automotive sector are outside Europe.

These markets include the USA, Japan and Australia where UK exports are growing at 4.3%, 3% and 2.6% respectively.

The Netherlands and Italy make up the remaining top five where exports are expected to grow at 4.3% and 2.1% per year to 2021.

In all, automotive exports to these five markets were worth $17.9bn last year. The projected growth could generate an extra $677.7m a year for UK exports to 2021.

At $54.7bn the automotive sector is the second largest export sector by value in the UK behind machinery and components, at $55bn. Automotive exports as a whole are expected to grow by more than 1.7% annually to 2021.

This makes the UK the fourth fastest growing automotive exporter globally, behind Mexico, China and Spain respectively.

Companies in the UK automotive industry account for £104bn in turnover, they created nearly 340,000 direct jobs and a further 814,000 in the whole sector value chain in 2017.

Overall, automotive exports were worth $54.7bn in 2017, nearly half a billion more than in 2016.

Iain Hunter, CEO at Wyelands Bank, said: “As the UK’s second largest export sector, automotive manufacturers are an important source of export growth to 2021.

What’s more, given 58% of SEPTEMBER 2018

Markets grow outside EU

companies in the automotive sector are SMEs, we can see how important SMEs are to UK trade.”

UK automotive imports were worth $85.6bn in 2017 – an increase of more than $5bn from 2016. The UK imports an estimated 42% of the value of the cars it exports and has a large trade deficit in the automotive sector.

Looking at components in more detail, the UK has a trade deficit in gear boxes, dashboards, brakes, windscreen glass, rev and speed monitors, and bumpers and bumper parts. Only in radiators and engines does the UK export roughly what it imports.

The situation is similar for powertrain and assembly components where the UK has a deficit across all areas other than car seats where there is a modest surplus. Parts in deficit are safety belts, chassis with engines, silencers and exhausts, car

bodies, suspension and shock absorbers, tyres, steering wheel and columns, and drive axels.

More widely, trade accounts for 58% of UK GDP. This makes the UK economy one of the most open in the G20, and more open than China, America and Japan. In 2016, the UK exported goods worth US$433.5bn and imported goods worth US$678.1bn.

Looking at the regional picture for UK exports, Europe remains the UK’s biggest trading partner for exports with a 46.3% share.

North America is next with 17.2%, while Asia Pacific (7%), SubSaharan Africa (5.4%), Mena (1.8%) and South America (1.2%) follow.

However, the fastest growing market is Asia Pacific, where UK exports are expected to grow at 3% a year to 2021 and South America, where this is expected to grow by around 0.5% annually until 2021.

8 wyelandsbank.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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AUTOMOTIVE | Engineering Capacity

Suspension parts faster A new three-turret, twin-spindle turning centre is cutting cycle time on suspension parts by up to 40% and freeing up capacity at Muller Redditch.

The company will use the Nakumura NTY3-150 three turret, twin spindle machine with 3m magazine bar feed to reduce the cycle time of a new suspension part by 30 to 40%, after engineers at its Redditch site developed the process within one week of the machine being installed and training being completed.

“This is the fourth Nakamura we have purchased from the Engineering Technology Group, equating to over £1m of investment in the latest CNC technology to help us continue to supply our global customer base with precision parts,” explained Adam Cunningham, Managing Director of Muller Redditch.

“All of the machines have been very reliable and offer excellent cutting performance. The latest one has three turrets and twin spindles that allow us to overlap a

Visit our website or contact us for a quote or advice

16

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number of secondary ops, making the overall process quicker. This approach has now been adopted

for other parts and is proving very successful in helping us win new business both at home and abroad.

Muller Holdings specialises in CNC milling, turning, multi-spindle and CNC/conventional Escomatic manufacturing services.

It has recently secured the prestigious IATF 16949 quality accreditation, putting it in a perfect position to not only retain existing automotive work, but also explore additional contracts, starting with £300,000 of new orders with Wabco and THK Germany.

8 muller-england.co.uk

Doubling up on die-sink Following a recent move to a facility more than twice the size of its previous premises, RST Engineering has invested in a second Sodick AG60L die-sink EDM. The two machines, supplied by Sodi-Tech EDM, are now working side-by-side producing a host of complex parts such as titanium internal gears and splines for the motorsport industry.

RST was established by Robert and Maureen Taylor in 1986, and is

now run by their sons Sean, Jason and Paul. The company specialises in EDM (wire and die sink) and milling (including fiveaxis machining) to help it produce complex parts for sectors such as motorsport, which is presently proving particularly strong.

The new die-sink machine helps RST manufacture complex motorsport parts from challenging materials, such as titanium, as well as tungsten carbide components for other industries.

“There are some peaks and troughs with motorsport, but generally the work is fairly continuous,” says Mr Taylor. “We spark a lot of internal gears and splines for Formula One and other racing disciplines. It’s all low-batch, high-precision work. Tolerances of 10 μm on form are normal when it comes to internal splines and gears, but the Sodick machines hold that very consistently.”

8 rsteng.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | MOULDING

Two-tone yoghurt spoon Great Central Plastics, based in Northamptonshire has completed an order to make feeding spoons for Yoplaits’ Petits Filous using an intricate two shot mould production.

The Petits Filous purple feeding spoon features a unique and eyecatching white inlay, which relied on the ability to inject a second shot into the mould. The Yoplait name is then featured in purple on the white inlay.

Rowan Wilson, Sales Manager at Great Central Plastics said: “We are delighted to have successfully delivered a complex project of this nature and scale to such a high-profile and globally

recognised brand as Petits Filous.

“The business has invested heavily in state-of-the-art CAD and CAM facilities and this - coupled with a highly skilled workforce with in-depth technical know-how - has enabled us to fulfil our clients very bespoke requirements, something which many other mould injection companies would not have been able to do.

“Offering tool-making and injection moulding all under one roof really puts Great Central Plastics at the forefront of our industry and, as such, being able to offer such complex moulding techniques puts us in a very strong market position to deliver such bespoke contracts as this.”

Manufactured from the

company’s 10,500² ft manufacturing facility the company managed to turn the multipart order around in less than five weeks, with the feeding spoons being delivered to the client on time and on budget.

Great Central Plastics designs and manufactures high quality plastic injection moulded products for both the promotional and industrial markets. Offering a complete product development service, the company can support its clients throughout the whole end to end process from design and tooling through to moulding and assembly. The company has a client portfolio including McDonalds, Smirnoff, Tesco, Mercedes and Jaguar Land Rover.

8 promotional-plastics.co.uk

Tooling up for growth with 5-axis Toolmaker and injection moulding specialist Investment Castings Systems has bought its first five-axis machining centre.

The company has increased turnover by 51% over the past 3 years with more growth forecast.

This growth, along with plans to double its floorspace, has created a need for greater manufacturing efficiency. As part of this efficiency drive, the company has purchased its first five-axis machining centre, a UMC-5X from XYZ Machine Tools.

The move to simultaneous fiveaxis machining immediately brought the benefit that SEPTEMBER 2018

Investment Casting Systems was looking for, increased efficiency.

The very first job that went on to the XYZ UMC-5X was a complex bolster for an injection mould tool that required machining on all six faces. Using existing three-axis machines would have required six set-ups, this was reduced to two on the XYZ UMC-5X. The result was a saving of 60 per cent in manufacturing time, elimination of any potential inconsistencies from multiple set-ups and, by making use of a fixture plate all faces were machined from the same datum point.

Investment Casting Systems’

Technical Director, James Head, said: “In terms of the overall integration of five-axis into our system we recognised that that we just had to start thinking in a different way, approaching jobs with a fresh mindset and accepting the challenges and possibilities that five-axis presented.”

8 investmentcastingsystems.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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MOULDING | Engineering Capacity

Nordell’s women in engineering Emma Penn, Business Systems Manager at Nordell, explains what continues to attract her to the UK engineering space.

Recent statistics revealed that women make up less than one in eight of the engineering workforce.

However, with the engineering & manufacturing industries suffering from a well-documented skills shortage, it is imperative that more young women are inspired to consider skills within our industry.

This means encouraging them from school and college ages. At Nordell, we have females from all over Europe working within our business at all levels, including some environmental engineers and staff studying economic degree’s which we look to be able to retain within our business. This ensures that those who wish to better their careers are given the opportunity to do so here within Nordell.

In recent years, Nordell has made a huge push to new managers and team leaders, a move which has also raised the number of women in leadership roles who are responsible for managing and supervising the engineering and manufacturing operations of plastic parts. The current ratio of women to men at Nordell is at an all-time high of 28% female workers ranging from operators to senior management.

We all act in various areas of the business from administration to quality, production manufacturing, and logistics.

As well as myself, at Nordell we 20

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Nordell’s women workers. Top, from left: Virginija, Teresa, Diana, Neda, Nicky, Emma and bottom row Edita, Yuliya, Madalina

have Skills and Resource Manager, Neda Pociute; Finished Goods Manager, Virginija Mitokaite; Quality Administration Supervisor, Jana Shkrelaj; Line Supervisor, Edita Mikucioniene; Quality Assurance Inspector, Diana Iftimie; Finishing Supervisor, Madalina Plantos; Production Supervisor, Yuliya Shukerova; Customer Care Administrator, Teresa Blackman; and Finance Assistant, Nicola Cozens.

We have seen a significant improvement in productivity and aptitude of the staff since the increase to a more gender balanced workforce. We have joined forces with Sigta, which offers apprenticeships in mechanical engineering, welding/fabrication/sheet metal, electrical/electronics, and more, and we are excited about welcoming both male and female candidates for future apprenticeship opportunities.

Nordell’s modern approach and forward thinking means the

diversity of applicants for all positions within our business is solely based on the skill level.

Nordell has a competitive advantage by embracing the diversity of our workforce and ensuring the best skilled workers are placed rightfully within positions in our business. Considering the skilled workers shortage, which is projected over the next 10-years, our strategy includes investing and developing those with the skills required to grow our business.

What Nordell may be considered to be doing differently is actually nothing different at all – having an open mind in an industry which has been predominantly a male environment just means that we are able to ensure the right person is in the right seat within our business which is supported only by their desire for the position, their understanding of what is required of them, and their capacity to succeed given the right support and environment.

8 nordell.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS Customers for APT’s turned parts and CNC milled components can take advantage of a bespoke assembly service and receive their products ready to fit.

Once components have been machined, the final product is assembled to the client’s specification in a clean and controlled environment within an on-site dedicated area.

APT machines, finishes, assembles, tests and checks components. The assembled products can be found in all kinds of industries including aerospace, medical, security and oil & gas industries. The company says this optimises efficiency, quality and cost for its customers.

Recently, APT has completed the assembly of some hydraulic inertia pumps. In the past couple of months, it has been assembling anodised black aluminium aerospace parts, designed to be fitted into fighter pilots’ helmets.

APT also regularly assembles parts for specialist medical equipment, aircraft landing equipment and breathing apparatus. APT Leicester offers a complete mill turning, high quality finishing and assembly package for any size or complexity of design.

APT machines and assembles components in a wide range of materials including yellow metals, stainless steels, alloys and super-alloys as well as plastics. It operates high-speed fixed head and sliding head lathes, using bar fed lathes with sub spindles and live tooling for optimum productivity.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Bespoke assembly service

Each finished piece is rigorously inspected before it leaves the site. There is full traceability under the AS9100 and ISO 9001 accreditations, with all assemblies produced to both standards, even if they are not intended for use in the aerospace sector.

All aspects of the production process are continuously

monitored, 24/7, via visual screens throughout the site and which can be accessed remotely.

Nick Baller, Managing Director of APT, says: “At APT, we are excited to provide efficient and high-quality component assembly as part of the full-service package that we can offer our customers worldwide.”

8 aptleicester.co.uk

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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity New investments at Dawson Precision Components (DPC) include a new turning centre that is the first of its type in the UK. Greater Manchester-based DPC provides wide-ranging subcontract and engineering services to clients in the UK, Europe and beyond, across sectors including aerospace, aviation, defence, energy, environmental, marine, medical, motorsport and rail transport.

The new equipment, costing £230,000, represents the latest stage of investment at the Greater Manchester precision engineers.

Over £1 million has been invested in expanding DPC’s workshops and premises in recent years by owners Simon Dawson, Paul Dawson and Julie Hughes.

The new machines installed at DPC’s base in Shaw, Oldham, are a Miyano BNA 42 GTY with low frequency vibration (LFV) and a Citizen L20 Type 8, also with LFV, which enables better swarf management in metal or plastics.

The Citizen is a 20mm capacity sliding head with sub-spindle live tooling and magazine bar feed. It is particularly suited to long, slender jobs and parts that require turning and milling in one operation.

The Miyano is 42mm capacity and similar configuration to the Citizen. It is the first of its type to be installed in the UK with LFV Technology, DPC said.

Paul said: “Citizen and Miyano hold an open day event every year and we recently went to Watford to see the new Miyano BNA 42 GTY. We’d heard about the machine in the pipeline but wanted to see it 22

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First in UK for DPC running. It has a 42mm diameter capacity and has replaced two older machines we had. The new machine complements our other machining capabilities of 32mm and 50mm diameters.

“Staff at DPC have been trained on operating the new equipment, with in-house training and visits from trainers at Citizen/Miyano.”

Paul added: “We have invested significantly recently in the latest machining equipment, new production control software, inspection facilities and skills to boost our already enviable reputation.”

“LFV technology allows for

We have invested significantly recently in the latest machining equipment, new production control software, inspection facilities and skills to boost our already enviable reputation

‘‘

better swarf management by turning waste shavings into chips rather than long coils. This means some materials, such as certain plastics and aluminiums, can be cut much more efficiently. The waste swarf falls away rather than builds up in long, stringy coils.”

In other developments, DPC has received a strong number of enquiries linked to the recent Subcon 18 supply chain show at Birmingham’s NEC. DPC took a newly-designed exhibition stand to the NEC, reflecting its brand new website, and met lots of good contacts, both new and existing.

Elsewhere the Greater Manchester precision engineering firm has attended the 2018 congress of the Syndicate International du Décolletage (SID) in Limerick. DPC attended as members of the British Turned Parts Manufacturers’ Association (BTMA).

8 dpc.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS Hull-based Helix Precision Machining has supported recent 5-axis machining investment with the purchase of an Aberlink Zenith 3 Coordinate Measurement Machine.

Frequent investments in the latest CNC machine tools, design and manufacturing software and advanced inspection aids has enabled Helix Precision to regularly increase its capacity, expand its machining envelope and to broaden its range of competencies. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of CNC machining services, the company is now able to undertake a wide variety of secondary operations resulting in the provision of a true one stop solution to its growing customer base.

Helix Precision’s quality management system meets all the relevant requirements of the international quality standard AS9100D and having recently been evaluated against BAE’s exacting standards, Helix Precision is now BAE Systems approved.

Encouraged by constantly rising demands for the production of complex, high precision machined components, Helix Precision recently invested in advanced machine tools, such as a 5 axis Haas VF3 YT BT50, equipped with a Lehman 5 axis trunnion table. To enable the company’s inspection department to keep pace with its significant rise in production it purchased a Zenith 3 CMM from UK company, Aberlink.

Helix Precision Machining Ltd. Director, Lee Sansam explained.

“To help prevent nonSEPTEMBER 2018

CMM speeds throughput conformance situations and rework, we apply a company-wide, 'right first time', total quality approach to all of our processes and we make regular strategic investments in the best available inspection aids. We also constantly seek to expand our range of proficiencies and the kind of work we are able to undertake.

For instance, we have recently invested in a range of BT50 Heavy duty vertical mills for cutting exotic materials and we are currently machining zirconium for a major Tier one supplier.

“As we anticipated the expansion of our business and the increase in the machining of complex, accurate components, whist visiting the MACH exhibition in 2016, we witnessed

demonstrations of large capacity, precise CNC CMMs from several leading companies. Having had the opportunity to compare the merits of the available machines we agreed that, due to its large capacity, speed of operation and impressive accuracy specification, the Zenith 3 from Aberlink was the perfect CMM for all of our future needs.

“Following the CMM’s installation and an Aberlink training course, our quality staff quickly mastered our new CMM’s operating system. To further exploit our new CMMs automatic CNC inspection routines, our quality personnel will soon be writing part programs for our regularly repeated machining work. We will then be able to instantly recall the relevant program, load a single large component or multiple smaller parts onto the Zenith 3, then start a fully automatic CNC measuring routine. On completion, when required, our new CMM will also generate detailed inspection reports.

“Our Aberlink’s Zenith 3 has already proven to be a great success. Not only has our new CMM enabled the rapid, precise measurement of complex components, Aberlink’s Zenith 3 CMM has improved our accuracy capability and also significantly speeded-up the throughput of work in our busy Quality Department.”

8 helixprecision.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity Seychell Engineering has added the Status Board display system to the PSL Datatrack production control software modules used to run the business.

All jobs that pass through the shop floor on a daily basis are now presented as clear visual information with action lists and alerts to shop floor operators, ensuring they are dealt with at the right time and in the correct sequence. As a result, customer deliveries are more punctual than ever before, fulfilling one of the company's essential Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Since acquiring Seychell five years ago, owner Roger Williams has transformed its profitability and grown the thriving subcontract engineering business through the establishment of new KPIs. He recognised early on that the company's existing PSL Datatrack software could be core to the future success of the company if used to its full potential. Its functionality and modularity also meant that further investments could be made as the company grew.

At the outset, it was identified that a serious shortcoming in the company's business was the ability to manage production time, resources and machine processes on the shop floor. There was no way of knowing whether customer quotations bore any resemblance to costs and therefore whether a specific job was actually profitable.

As this was one of the KPIs, this clearly had to be addressed.

Initially, PSL Datatrack was set up and used to store all the key 24

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Customer benefit is clear to see

information about Seychell's production processes for the subcontract manufacture of ferrous and non-ferrous metal components, as well as plastics and ceramics, for customers in the industrial, scientific, medical, aerospace, marine and motorsport industries. Supplying various sized machined parts and large fabrications as one-off specials, or as high quantity repeat orders, meant that the accuracy and speed of dealing with quotations and subsequent order processing was of fundamental importance.

Since 2013 there has been continuous investment in PSL Datatrack modules and these are now being used to their full potential. Together with Quotations, eight other modules are used on a daily basis including Sales/Works Orders, Purchasing, Shop Floor Data Collection,

Invoicing, Sequential Scheduling, Job Costing, Non-Conformance and Gauge Calibration. These have all helped to improve the efficiency of Seychell’s production processes, provide a highly accurate method of pricing any component or fabrication, give accurate comparisons between actual costs and quotations and enable variances to be addressed quickly.

Whilst they may not be the final piece in the PSL Datatrack jigsaw for Seychell, the investment in the two Status Boards for use on the shop floor and a third in the programming section of the company has been a vital investment.

Mr Williams says: “Having all the information from the Sequential Scheduler on a dynamic visual display is an essential means of communication. Like the PSL Datatrack software in general, the Status Boards have been well embraced by everyone. Our business is run on KPIs and achieving those as well as controlling our business in general is now much easier. It makes us more efficient and thanks to remote access I can look conveniently at our overall performance or specific aspects of it at any time and from anywhere away from the business.”

8 psldatatrack.com seychellgroup.com SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS After boosting its manufacturing capacity with three new Mazak Integrex machines, Bushell & Meadows upgraded its inspection capabilities with a new Mitutoyo CMM. The Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire based subcontractor has invested heavily in advanced, high-speed CNC machine tools and serves a range of demanding markets including the medical, aerospace and defence sectors.

The recent installation of several highly productive machine tools, including pallet loading horizontal machining centres, prompted the purchase of an a Coordinate Measuring Machine and an Optical Profile Projector from Mitutoyo UK. Bushell and Meadows Production Manager Paul Vedmore explained. “We have a wide range of CNC Milling capabilities provided by our Mazak, Matsuura, Haas and Star Sliding Head machines. Also, to help satisfy growing demand from our customers we have recently added three new Mazak Integrex Machines.

“As our increased levels of

Inspection capabilities upgraded production had the potential to place a strain on our inspection capability, to help ensure that we were able maintain our high quality standards we recently installed a high-speed, highaccuracy Mitutoyo CRYSTA-APEX S 574 CNC Coordinate Measuring Machine to compliment the Mitutoyo CRYSTA-APEX S776 that we already have, we also purchased a multipurpose Mitutoyo PJ-A3000 profile projector for non-contact measuring inspection work.”

8 bushell-meadows.co.uk

The cutting path less travelled Subcontract machinist Plalite has invested in five-axis machining centres with turning capability rather than buying lathes that can mill.

Over the last year the company has invested in two Japanese-built Speedio M140X2 30-taper mill-turn centres from

SEPTEMBER 2018

Brother to carry out work that requires both milling and turning.

Director Tony Bess says the multitasking capability of the machines was attractive: "The number of operations needed to produce a part is minimised, there are no concentricity issues, blending is perfect and the tolerances we are

able to hold allows us to quote very accurate work."

Short setup times using milling cutter back ends and the adoption of Lang zero-point quick-change chucks allow the machines to be changed over quickly, which is especially important when producing components in small batches.

8 plalite.com

www.engineeringcapacity.com

25

ADVANCED ENGINEERING | Engineering Capacity The tenth anniversary show of Advanced Engineering 2018 takes place on the 31 of October and 1 of November at the NEC Birmingham.

The two-day event and conference, which are free to attend, connect the supply chains of the UK’s advanced engineering industry with R&D, design, test, production and procurement from large and small companies, through to top tier industry players.

The exhibition will be held in halls 2, 3 and 3A, with two entrances to the show, making for simpler navigation of the large exhibition space.

Visitors will see cutting-edge innovations across the aerospace, automotive, composites, performance metals, connected manufacturing and nuclear industries.

The show brings together over 700 firms, as well as more than 15,000 engineers, procurement managers and senior decision makers from large and small companies - all looking to source, specify and invest in the most upto-date products and explore the latest industry innovations.

Advanced Engineering 2018 includes six co-located zones under one roof: Aero Engineering, Composites Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Performance Metals Engineering, Connected Manufacturing and, new for 2018, Nuclear Engineering and UK Contract Manufacturing.

UK Contract Manufacturing Zone The UK Contract Manufacturing Zone is open to all UK small 26

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Advanced Engineering 2018

engineering firms and subcontractors and has its own dedicated space on the show floor.

The organisers say that as UK subcontractors are facing growing competition from overseas, there is now a need more than ever, for the UK market to have the best platform to showcase these businesses.

Alison Willis, Industrial Divisional Director at Easyfairs, organiser of the show, said: “Britain’s small engineering companies are the backbone of the country’s manufacturing capability, a capability which is renowned around the world for its technical expertise and fantastic customer service.

“As Advanced Engineering celebrates our 10th year, we are looking forward to seeing thousands of engineers from small and large companies who will see at first-hand the latest developments in the industry.”

Make a match Surveys of visitors to previous shows have highlighted that one of the main objectives of attending is to network with industry peers. In response to this the organisers have introduced a new matchmaking service, AE Connect.

Every visitor and exhibitor has free access to the service which allows you to set up meetings prior to the event with other visitors and exhibitors. Once you have registered you can start browsing the database of visitors and exhibitors, send invitations and start planning your meeting schedule for the event.

Some of the companies already registered to attend include Airbus, Nissan, Siemens, JLR, Network Rail, DIT & more.

Free conference sessions Visitors to the show can attend over 200 presentations and case studies from leading industry experts SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | ADVANCED ENGINEERING including: Sameer Savani, Head of Innovation and Engineering, ADS Group; Robert Dean.

Principal Engineer (Structures), Network Rail; Mike Mychajluk, Supply Chain Projects & External Engagement Manager, Production Purchasing, Jaguar Land Rover and Ian Gardner, Industry 4.0 Solutions Architect, IBM. The conference, which is open to all, is accredited by the CPD Accreditation Service.

Alison Willis added: “Celebrating our 10th birthday this year is a very special occasion for the Advanced Engineering show, and it will be bigger and better than ever. Our technical conference programme is attracting a lot of interest and

there will be hundreds of engineering exhibitors to speak to about the latest innovations in the industry. So register for your free place today and put the date in your diary.�

Last year the show saw a 15%

increase in attendees and, with the launch of the new Zones, 2018 is expected to be bigger still.

Engineering Capacity is pleased to be an official media partner of Advanced Engineering 2018 8 advancedengineeringuk.com

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SEPTEMBER 2018

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ADVANCED ENGINEERING | Engineering Capacity

New material unveiled Alvant is launching a new multiphase metal matrix composite that is a sustainable and capable alternative to titanium and carbon composites.

The Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) multi-phase material looks, at first glance, to be similar to a sandwich panel architecture.

However, while featuring two skins and a core, Alvant’s ‘oneshot’ manufacturing process creates one piece of single continuous reinforced matrix material with different regions of reinforcement; in a sandwich solution, separate materials are bonded together. The result of eliminating weak points where the materials interface, significantly increases component strengthand stiffness-to-weight ratios.

Exhibitors in brief

Traditional sandwich materials are typically assembled from carbon composite or unreinforced metallic panes with a variety of honeycomb cores. The metallic pane, or ‘skin’ is typically a flat, 2D panel, while carbon composite varieties can take 3D forms. Alvant’s multi-phase material method ensures the product is more resistant to shrinkage, damage and high temperatures, making it eminently suitable for harsher environments. It is also possible to create more complex shapes whilst reducing the post processing and assembly times usually associated with sandwich panel construction by as much as 30%.

Different material selections for both the skin and core are

Industrial Plastic Fabrications (L52) will highlight its new plastic laser welding service. Laser welding joins layers of thermoplastics, without additional chemicals or materials, for cleaner, safer, more accurate bonded components with long-term stability. It is ideal for the medical industry where many devices are not only clear or translucent, but also are required to meet strict FDA guidelines.

VonRoll UK (Q130) continues to invest heavily in 2018, to accompany the £120k new cutting facility installed earlier this year, it has taken delivery of a Mitutoyo CNC CMM. This £60K investment will greatly enhance its inspection capability and will shortly be joined by two DMG machining centres for our machining facility.

28

www.engineeringcapacity.com

possible so that the MMC multiphase material’s properties can be tailored to suit specific requirements at the lowest weight. (For weight comparison, typical Alvant multi-phase material density is ~ 1.9g/cc, whereas Aluminium is ~ 2.7g/cc, steel is ~ 7.9g/cc, Titanium is ~ 4.5g/cc and carbon fibre composite is ~ 1.6g/cc.)

Alvant believes that MMC multiphase material panels could benefit any industry facing lower emissions and reduced weight challenges such as aerospace, automotive, defence, high-end consumer goods, industrial products and healthcare. End users will typically be those who are searching to enhance their product’s capabilities, while respecting sustainability targets.

For example, in the aerospace industry, OEMs could benefit from reduced emissions, maintenance, repair and operating costs.

8 alvant.com

SELVA (R5) is a French electronics subcontractor with 40 years’ experience in projects for the defence, aerospace, automotive, medical and energy sectors. To complete its assembly lines and improve product quality it has just invested in a 3D SPI (Solder Paste Inspection) machine from Cyber Optics Corp.

Jenks & Cattell Engineering (D30) exports thousands of metal fabrications a year for Perkins Engines. On the recently launched 4006 electronic diesel engine for the Indian market it is supplying two metal brackets. They are made using the laser cutting, part etching, spot welding and progression stamping manufacturing facilities at the company’s West Midlands manufacturing plant.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | ADVANCED ENGINEERING

Finishing specialists PDJ Vibro (Stand D50) will promote its comprehensive range of new and refurbished bowls, barrels and high energy centrifugal equipment, as well as the vast range of consumables on offer and the company’s repair and subcontract finishing services.

The technology ensures that deburring, descaling, edge breaking, surface finishing and superfinishing of components is carried out automatically to a high degree of repeatability that is unattainable by manual processing. At the same time, parts can be degreased, rinsed, dried and pretreated for anodising, chemical blacking or painting.

People in any industry who are currently finishing their components by hand are invited to log on to www.vibratoryfinishing.co.uk/ cost-calculator.html to find out how much this repetitive and unpopular job is actually costing them and how much could be saved by automating the process.

More than 120 machines are available for inspection at the supplier’s Bletchley headquarters, which houses a showroom, technical centre and demonstration facility. PLC dosing of additives, water metering and recirculation, automatic parts separation, drying and acoustic suppression can be supplied with the machines. In stock also are over 70 tonnes of the main consumable items, which run to over 6,000 varieties including SEPTEMBER 2018

ceramic and porcelain media, detergents and other compounds.

PDJ Vibro can provide free process advice, which takes into account the number of parts to be finished per batch, frequency of production, drainage and noise issues, the size of components and how vulnerable they are to damage by impingement.

Finishing trials and sample processing are also offered, along with flexible payment and buyback solutions.

If funding is not available for machine purchase, the company recommends its 24/7 subcontract finishing capacity. A collection and delivery service is provided, but customers can arrange their own transportation if preferred or even wait for the parts to be ready.

8 pdjvibro.co.uk

One stop for composites

automotive, NORCO is capable of large-scale projects. It is currently working on 36 individual projects, with 66% of them attributed to new clients.

The range of projects includes a new series of drones, medical scanners and a new simulator.

The company operates from five sites with an overall capacity of 100,000 sq. ft. and employs over 150 people. Due to a high demand for its services, NORCO is currently building an extension at its composite centre. NORCO is partnering with exhibition specialist Quadrant2Design on its presence at the show.

“At NORCO, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail and we have found that Quadrant2Design have the same mentality,” said Jim Windebank, Marketing Executive.

“The fact that Quadrant2Design is local to us was also an important reason why we decided to work together. We believe that face to face communication is beneficial in any collaboration, and we’re looking forward to working closely with the Quadrant2Design team to achieve our objectives!”

8 norco.co.uk

NORCO (Stand P103) will be showcasing its composite & GRP structures and components.

NORCO offers a one-stop-shop solution, from initial concept development, to design, to manufacture, to full assembly.

Catering to a broad range of sectors, including aerospace and www.engineeringcapacity.com

29

LASER & WATERJET | Engineering Capacity Malton Laser is helping an aircraft engineer take to the skies with a new concept in single-person aircraft.

The aircraft features folding wings for easy storage and can be rigged ready to fly within just one minute. With testing now underway, the project is close to completion with the aircraft set to take flight for the first time later this year.

Malton Laser has been involved with the project since the very beginning, manufacturing a number of components including the control systems for the aircraft, as well as sections of the undercarriage using its laser cutting technology. With it being essential that the structure is as light as possible to contribute to the fuel efficiency properties, the metalwork specialist was able to achieve this by creating the parts from aerospace alloys.

Ivan Shaw from North Yorkshire first began the aeroplane project five years ago after embarking on a venture to create a method of transport for anyone looking to get from A to B fast and efficiently.

He said: “Malton Laser offers a one-stop-shop for high-quality components, which is exactly what we needed. Each milestone we’ve reached during the building process has been a huge achievement, and Malton Laser’s experts have been invaluable in helping us to manufacture quality parts. It’s been such an experience to see the aircraft come to life and it now feels like 30

www.engineeringcapacity.com

Laser parts for new concept aircraft

we are in the final stages of the project. Most small private aircrafts these days are almost 50 years old and are not as economic as they could be. I’m exploring performance-efficient technology, making the design as simplistic and lightweight as possible to improve the overall efficiency.”

The single person aircraft will cruise at over 200mph, with an economy speed of 140mph – returning to 80mpg – and a range of 1,000 miles.

Managing director of Malton Laser, Charles Corner, said: “Ivan Shaw’s single person aircraft idea definitely sparked my interest, and when the opportunity arose to provide laser-cut components I was more than happy to help. As a fullservice metalwork manufacturer, we are able to accept a diverse range of projects, we can turn our hand to anything from racing trophies to chocolate hoppers.

One of my favourite aspects of this work is seeing projects come to life, from initial concept to a final product and we can’t wait to see the aircraft take flight later this year.”

8 maltonlaser.com SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | LASER & WATERJET A new finishing machine at Dutton Engineering improves part quality and speeds throughput on punched, lasered, and waterjet cut parts.

Dutton Engineering based in Sandy, Bedfordshire is a specialist sheet metal subcontractor. The focus of its 40 years has been stainless steel sheet, serving customers in the food processing, medical and architectural sectors.

For these customers attention to detail, premium finish and quality products are essential.

The company prides itself on the quality of its work; most of which is visible in the finished product.

Managing Director Andrew Read says: “We pride ourselves on the quality and on-time delivery promises that we keep and, with our production focused mainly around high-value stainless steel.

The parts we produce must reflect the material’s inherent value in both visual and handling terms.

For this reason, we place foremost focus on deburring and graining,” To support its customers Dutton Engineering has a comprehensive capacity list including punching, laser, waterjet, bending and forming, as well as milling and turning capabilities.

When a new contract demanded guaranteed consistent burr free parts (which contained multiple slots) the company decided to purchase a Timesavers 42-1350-WRb machine from Ellesco This has a wide abrasive belt head and an eight brush rotary head that combines deburr and graining operations in a single pass. A vacuum table allows the SEPTEMBER 2018

The finishing touch machine to process parts ranging from 1350 mm wide sheet up to 4500 mm long, down to parts measuring just 50 mm by 50 mm and up to 150 mm thick. In addition to deburring the machine also creates consistent edge radii.

Mr Read says: “The advantage we are getting with the Timesavers machine is the ability to generate a consistent edge on components, which is something we now use as part of our sales proposition to customers. When compared with deburring manually not only have we gained in terms of quality, but also time, with processing times being reduced typically by 75 per cent for deburring parts. This is a major bonus as removing any burrs is important for us, especially with the work we do for customers in the food processing sector, where there is the need to eliminate any risk of personal injury or contamination.”

The size of the machine table means that multiple parts can be processes simultaneously, and only requires an operator to feed / remove parts. This leaves Dutton Engineering’s highly skilled polishers, who used to be involved in manual deburring, free to do the work they are best suited to.

“With the addition of the rotary brushes for deburring the new machine provides much greater flexibility in terms of production, with key benefits being the ability to process punched and lasered parts as well as those that have been cut using our waterjet machine, which may not have burrs, but do have sharp edges to them that need to be rounded off, whether on external or internal edges (such as holes and slots). Due to the importance of the finished product in visual terms we can also deburr sheet that still has its protective plastic coating applied,” concludes Mr Read.

8 dutton-eng.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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LASER & WATERJET | Engineering Capacity Northants-based Recol Engineering Ltd is set to become the first European user of an advanced Japanese combined punch and fibre-laser profiling system.

The company will be taking delivery of an Amada ACIES2515TAJ 4 kW CNC fibre-laser profiling centre, complete with double-tower automation system.

The order also includes a CNC press brake with automatic tool changer. The order is worth a total of over £2m.

Recol is currently enjoying a period of sustained growth says Director Ben Guntrip and has a continuous programme of investment in the latest manufacturing technologies.

“We already own a selection of automated Amada CO2 lasercutting machines, including the first ACIES CO2 bought when it was released in 2013, and an Amada LC-F1,” explains Director Ben Guntrip. “However, we mostly process stainless steel, and, for the thinner gauges, we knew there would be gains in both speed and energy reduction by investing in our first fibre laser.”

A team from Recol consequently visited Amada in Japan to assess the new machine and placed the order for what will be the first machine of its type in Europe and only the second in the world outside of Japan.

The ACIES-2515TAJ 4 kW fibre laser is capable of cutting materials up to 6mm thick, including copper, brass and titanium. The punching capability includes a 300-tool, 600-die automatic tool changer 32

www.engineeringcapacity.com

Laser first in Europe with ID tooling system for complete tool management.

“We will use the machine predominantly for processing stainless steel from 2.5 to 3.0mm in thickness, as this is where we will achieve the most gains, both for ourselves and our customers,” says Mr Guntrip.

We want to leverage the full effect of the available automation so that we have no reliance on labour. The buffer of the store makes for a very lean operating concept, which in turn means we can control material diversity across our machines

‘‘

To support the new machine, Recol has also ordered an Amada AS-ULS-NTK double-tower system with 30-tonne capacity. The system provides 10 raw material shelves and five finished component shelves. Some 72 hours of

unmanned production give true lights-out weekend production.

“We want to leverage the full effect of the available automation so that we have no reliance on labour,” says Mr Guntrip. “The buffer of the store makes for a very lean operating concept, which in turn means we can control material diversity across our machines.”

Due to be delivered early next year, the automated fibre laser will be preceded by an Amada HG1003ATC automated press brake in November 2018.

“In total we are investing close to £2 million to ensure that Recol retains its market-leading position,” concludes Mr Guntrip.

“However, the new Amada fibre laser and press brake are not just about gaining extra capacity, they are about process efficiency, reducing lead-time and ensuring we are not reliant on certain machines. Pure and simple, we are futureproofing our business.”

8 recolltd.com

SEPTEMBER 2018

Engineering Capacity | LASER & WATERJET Aberdeen sheet metal fabrication company James Aiken Engineering Solutions is using digital technology to transform the way it schedules its growing workload.

The company has made a £70,000 investment in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) manufacturing software E-Max to track all aspects of its work from initial enquiries to job resources and completion dates.

The implementation of the E-Max software follows the introduction of new procedures in the office and workshops and an overhaul of the company’s HSEQ management systems.

E-Max enables an at-a-glance analysis of each job on the company’s production schedule, including time spent quoting for work and the status of a job at any given time in the production and installation process.

The production team now have up to the minute information at their fingertips enabling them to identify how best to allocate time and resources to make sure each job is delivered within its agreed completion and installation date.

The company’s customers come from the on- and offshore energy industry, marine, power generation, food processing, municipal and corporate building maintenance, commercial utilities and local authority works.

George Paterson, director of James Aiken Engineering Solutions, said: “Introducing EMax software to the business has been a watershed moment and the benefits are clear to see now SEPTEMBER 2018

ERP transforms metalworker

we’re using the system across both our engineering and machining teams.

“From operating in a traditional way to being able to analyse and interpret time spent on quotes and production work is a big step for us. It means we can identify the most effective way for our estimators to work as well as planning and scheduling time for machining and fabrication teams on the shop floor.

“E-Max has also enabled us to develop a ‘bid to win’ approach where we can analyse the type of work that suits our operation best and proactively follow up on quotes after a set period. This helps us to keep track of our sales pipeline and how competitive we are in the market.”

The company offers services including high definition plasma, laser and water jet cutting, and

conventional machining, pressing, forming, rolling, fabrication and welding, and has made significant investments in CNC machine tools.

The addition of E-Max is the latest stage in the digital transformation of the business from which the entire planning and scheduling process now revolves.

The James Aiken management team has also recently introduced an improved maintenance plan for the facility’s machinery to help minimise down-time on the production.

Mr Paterson said: “We’re very proud of our facility in the Bridge of Don and as well as updating our software, it is just as important that we take care of the machines we use day in, day out so that our production capabilities are kept in optimum condition to deliver the best results.”

8 jasm.com www.engineeringcapacity.com

33

Hewitt & Topham Ltd Precision gear cutters since 1938.

Standard and non standard cutter pitches and pressure angles. Gears from 2.5-6mm diameter. Northern England leading gear specialist through quality and commitment.

Royd Way, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD21 3LG Tel: 01535 602587 www.hewitt-topham.co.uk

34

www.engineeringcapacity.com

MACHINING (5 AXIS) 8

Mini Gears (Stockport) Ltd Mini Gears is a subcontract manufacturer of machined components, gears and racks.

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

Bridwey Precision Manufacturing Ltd A one stop shop for….

Competitive CNC machining service.

Responsive to customers’ needs & deadlines. Prototype & development parts and assemblies.

Low- to medium-volume production parts and assemblies.

8 Albany Road, Weymouth DT4 9TH Tel: 01305 774 552 www.bridwey.co.uk

Dawson Precision Components Precision CNC milling and turning.

Machining centres, CNC Turning centre and multi-axis sliding head machines. Full in-house machining service with additional laser marking and kitting capabilities.

Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311 www.dpc.co.uk

Top Gear House, Bletchley Road Heaton Mersey Industrial Estate Stockport SK4 3ED Tel: 0161 432 0222 www.minigears.co.uk PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

CNC PRECISION COMPONENTS 8 GEAR CUTTING – GENERAL 8

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

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

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

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

Qualiturn Products Limited

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

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.

LATHES.CO.UK

DKW Precision Engineering Celebrating our 49th year supplying CNC Turned and Milled Components to all Sectors in both UK and Export markets. From 1 off to Volume, 1-450mm diameter turning, 1x1mtr milling, fast turnaround.

Quartremaine Road, Airport Service Estate, Portsmouth PO3 5RD Tel: 023 9267 7747 www.dkwengineering.co.uk

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

JFL Broaches and Broaching

MACHINE TOOL MANUALS 8

BROACHING 8

DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity

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

SEPTEMBER 2018

Parts Assembly Parts Subcontract Machining ity eering Capac TS | Engin COMPONEN MACHINED

ts g suppor Mill-turnin oach lean appr

AS AS 9100 & ISO 9001

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 nist business machi suppor million parts subcontract The Manufa t initiative. some 1.5 cturing Growth completed dispatches from Progra g mme (MGP), ssemblies a year – rangin funded European and sub-a Regional Develo by the assemblies ned castings and Fund (ERDF) pment machi is to large Economic and delivered by parts – and 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 ing £1 techniques, significantly positio 359 important, -on-investm to often exceed liaison’ to ns expected nalsingle most ent and investm tivity.” to be Further return setters an ‘opentimes once l produc ongoinne year and the has s createdfrom freeing-up from the g project million a improve overalcomple are and comes y which keeps new machi ted.machi By thenes other tasks for each m people strategto date on the He says the£1.6m end of perfor July, time up of grant ium 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 1MSY andbeMarch which manuf automation and manag acturer and cutting Lorrain 2019. of turnin operat ion can technology of the BNE-5 ge ement, R&D, lean ity le e cycle. ction come Holme and see howassitto capabforwar illing produ s, Chief manufacturin The flexibil me the shorta er, milling Execut d s theyiscan e productivity in oneiveturn-m g, Officer its succes take helps to overco require. Howev ofaverag EGS, produced and capacit is that with three age explain is key toadvant of the would cutting ed: “We systems and ve bonus at y, quality assista cycle has pped we still need massi are offer. nce skills we A way part single that It’s never on targets of above the tant sly overla 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 by and the Martin Coats, there is a suppor up toscope to grow our ends oftacan support and our bar real from nt both Operations appetit using SMEs for Director at and be tailored to the of e exact time, through consta to maximise EGS, continu needs ofter. support that targeted business same in order firms come ed: “When diame the busine can barManufa and so training, The to us they “The differen help them grow. 51 mm 15 kW mainss.” vestment and what cturing ead receive strateg -on-in rt ic review from Progra a return kW The fixed-h mme programme ce with our is 7.5Growth we suppo was set one MGMs that two-ax is upwith the void e and improve how customers.” to fill determines of our spindl by manufacturinthat it is delivered left e, both by the o r to barriers are what spindl Manufacturing Advice dary g we delive n to the new Miyan d experts in the way secon Service (MAS) understand s of 5,000 of support is and what the challen who y ordere In additio by tage 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 followed by ement’, logy) and experienced network of LFV (LFV bringing in ‘Environment specialists BER 2017 manufacturin cutting techno will bring ‘Marke on al’ on SEPTEM and specifi ting growth vibrati g and Market c issues are facing managers ange M16-V 14.

Knowledge’ (MGM) 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

Growth su helps 1000pport SMEs

INDUSTRY NEWS | MACHINING | AUTOMOTIVE | SHOW PREVIEWS

MACHINED COMPONENTS: Prismatic parts from bar

www.engineeringcapacity.com

Call 01737 270648

SEPTEMBER 2018

Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd

Accredited to AS9100 Rev D Unit 2 Brookside Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LF Telephone: +44 (0) 1903 776 171 www.precisonproducts.co.uk

Grenville Engineering (Stoke-on-Trent) Ltd 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

WATERJET CUTTING 8

September 2017

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.

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

Design & Engineering Support Service

Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd

Unit 1, Latimer Road Industrial Est, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 2YD Tel: 0118 978 6573 www.simpsonsprings.co.uk

Precision Turned Turned P Parts arts CNC Milled Components

www.engineerin gcapacity.com

SPRING MAKING 8

APT Leicester, Leicester, the ar artt of precision precision..

TURNED PARTS 8

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

SUBCONTRACT CNC TURNING 8

Kirkham Engineering Co Ltd

SHEET METAL WORKING 8

REPETITION TURNED PARTS 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

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FARNBOROUGH | Hants | GU14 6XL

5th – 7th February 2019 9.30am – 4.30pm (3.30pm close Thurs)

The UK’s must-attend event for every industrial engineering and manufacturing professional

FREE SEMINARS & PARKING

Meet over 800 national and international suppliers under one roof in the brand new Farnborough venue next February at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics (inc AutoAero) 2019.

See live demonstrations and new product launches of machine tools & tooling, electronics, factory & process automation, packaging & handling, labeling & marking, test & measurement, materials & adhesives, rapid prototyping, ICT, drives & controls and laboratory equipment.

Free industry seminar programme online @ www.industrysouth.co.uk The exhibition is free to attend, free to park and easy to get to. Doors open at 9.30am on Tuesday 5th February.

Pre-register online now for your free entry badge and show preview at www.industrysouth.co.uk

SOUTHERN MANUFACTURING & ELECTRONICS is an ETES event organised by European Trade & Exhibition Services Ltd Tel 01784 880890 email philv@etes.co.uk

Register here with your smartphone