Engineering Capacity Digital Edition September 2021

FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS

September 2021

INDUSTRY NEWS | AUTOMOTIVE | MOULDING | SHOW PREVIEWS

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What is _rotary friction welding?

Subcontract friction welding _bi-metallic materials

Rotary friction welding (RFW) is a solid-state bonding process which works by rotating one workpiece relative to another whilst under compressive axial force. The friction between the contact surfaces produces heat causing the interface material to plasticize. A forge force is then applied and the compressive force displaces the plasticised material from the interface, extruding any pre-existing surface contaminants and creating an upset of material and a fully homogenous molecular bond across the entire mating interface of the two parent materials.

Titanium (Grade 2) Aluminium (6063)

Subcon Process Advantages • 100% parent material joints • Full bonding across the entire contact area • Solid state process retaining parent material properties • Fine grain structure: no porosity and minimal hardening • Superior joint strength • Very low risk for safety critical joints • The only direct method of joining for cu-al and other bi-metallics • Machine stored parameters offer 100% repeatability & reliability • Automated joining process with 100% in-process monitoring • Comprehensive quality assurance • Fast weld times • Economical per unit cost • Flexibility to weld wide range of similar & dissimilar materials T: +44 (0)121 585 0888 E: frictionwelding.UK@kuka.com www.kuka.com/en-gb

Aluminium (6063) Copper (C103) Aluminium (1050A) Mild Steel (EN8) Stainless steel (316)

’s subcontract friction welding capabilities cover many material combinations including similar and dissimilar material welding, and geometry options including: Bar to bar; tube to bar; bar to plate; tube to plate & tube to tube, for example.

Commonly friction welded components include safety critical components such as axles, drive, beam & half-shafts, drill rods & pipes consisting of nitriding and structural steels, piston rods constructed from chromed rods and forgings as well as hydraulic cylinders and end caps, plus, stainless steel to mild steel pump shafts plus many more.

Dissimilar bi-metallics such as copper-aluminium cable lugs and connectors as-well as stainless steel to aluminium, stainless steel to copper and double joints including, stainless Steel to aluminium to titanium for high pressure and cryogenic applications.

What is _linear friction welding?

Linear friction welding _the possibilities

Linear friction welding is a solid-state joining process. The technique involves two parts being brought into contact, one oscillating at a low frequency. This creates friction that generates heat until the materials achieve a plasticized state. The oscillation stops and a final forge load is applied which creates a forged parent material molecular bond across the entire mating interface.

Near net shape and bi-metallics can bring huge cost savings. Near net shape manufacturing is a term given to processes in which the initial fabrication of a part is close in size and shape to the finished article. This approach reduces pro-duction costs, production time and most importantly expensive material waste.

Linear friction welding delivers a number of advantages: It is a repeatable, machine controlled, quick process, taking as little as a second for a full face bond to occur. Little preparation of the raw materials is required*. Surface imperfections and impurities are expelled as weld flash.

No consumables are required; no harmful fumes are produced, potential issues seen in traditional welding methods associated with solidification and changes to grain structure, segregation or porosity are not features of this solid state bonding process.

SS-Al Cu-Al MS-Al

Al-Al Ti-Al

*Subject to material

Near net shape manufacturing techniques are sometimes linked to lean manufacturing methods, as the primary objective is to reduce waste involved when producing the final product. Industries who utilise NNS include: Automotive, Aerospace, Rail & Power Generation. It is particularly useful for applications which require the use of expensive and exotic raw material combinations.

Please contact us to discuss: • R&D Projects • Small and Large Production Runs • Procurement and stocking options • Testing and laboratory services in -house or via a partner • Pre and post weld preparations in-house or via a partner • Metallurgical analysis/investigation work Thompson Friction Welding - a business unit of Systems U.K. Limited

FOR BUYERS OF CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES Visit our online edition for breaking news, jobs, events, features and searchable directory. www.engineeringcapacity.com Editor: Andy Sandford editor@engineeringcapacity.com Commercial Director: Arfan Qureshi sales@engineeringcapacity.com Tel: 0207 241 4627 Graphic Design: Dave Blake blakey@djbdesign.co.uk Printer: Holbrooks Printers Limited Norway Road, Portsmouth PO3 5HX Engineering Capacity is published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November SUBSCRIPTIONS Engineering Capacity is available free of charge to UK buyers and suppliers of subcontract manufacturing services.

For non-qualifying readers, annual subscription rates are as follows for 6 issues posted to addresses in: UK £60.00; Europe £80; Rest of the World £100 You can request your copy and sign up to our free weekly email newsletter on our website or contact us via subscriptions@engineeringcapacity.com www.engineeringcapacity.com Tel: O1737 270 648 Published by: Engineering Capacity Ltd Abbey House, 25 Clarendon Road Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QZ United Kingdom Registered in England company no. 10567217 ISSN 0306-0179 COMING UP IN OUR NOVEMBER 2021 ISSUE Forming & Fabrication, Aerospace & Defence, Machined Components, Composites, Turned Parts, Measurement, Inspection & Testing Services Please send editorial for consideration to editor@engineeringcapacity.com There is no charge or cost involved with having your editorial included in the magazine or on our website

Member of the Engineering Industries Association

SEPTEMBER 2021

Editor’s View It is a great pleasure to be able to include not one but two trade show previews in this issue. The first since January last year. The first up is Subcon, which has had to change its dates three times before finally being able to go ahead at the NEC from 14 to 16 September.

Two months later, on 3 and 4 November, Advanced Engineering returns to the NEC after a two-year gap.

These shows present a tremendous opportunity to reconnect in person to colleagues, partners, customers, suppliers and potential customers. It will be great to see some of the old faces again.

Both shows also feature extensive, focused and high level seminar programmes on the critical issues for the industry as we continue to nurse the delicate creature which is the manufacturing recovery.

The signs are good that we are on the right track – the latest Contract Manufacturing Index shows that the level of subcontracting business at the end of June was 10% higher than before the pandemic and the growth path had continued into the next quarter.

Even in July though it was clear that the market was very sensitive to materials supply – particularly in automotive electronics, logistics problems created by HGV driver shortages and key workers having to self-isolate. Self-isolation problems have eased up since then, but the shortages seem to have got worse.

The latest Manufacturing Barometer confirms both the positives and the negatives. 42% of manufacturing SMEs surveyed stated that they are trading at a higher level than before Covid hit.

At the same time, nearly all the respondents said that they were struggling with price changes within their supply chain.

Firms believe that rising costs are being driven by lack of raw materials availability (94%), rising transport costs (82%), and reduced capacity in the market to meet demand (63%). And half were struggling to find staff as the try and scale up production.

It’s nail-biting stuff, but hang on in there.

Andy Sandford, Editor

www.engineeringcapacity.com

5

Contents September 2021

14 AUTOMOTIVE

News

Features

08 MoD nationalises Forgemasters 06 Government moves to

14 Automotive 06 Crack-free castings test New approach for EV busbars Driving down auto part costs

secure supply chain

18 Laser Processing 06 6m-bed laser is game changer

10 Wear part endurance 06 Wallwork adds plasma

Ultra-precise laser cutting

nitriding capacity

11 Sole source PCB partners 06 Offshore Electronics aims

13 READER OFFER

for supply stability

22 Moulding 06 More recycled plastics used 26 Advanced Engineering Preview

12 Testing comes in-house 06 AWI invests £100,000 in testing facility

30 Machined Components

14 Reader Offer 06 Save 25% on 'Railways:

34 Subcon Preview

A History in Drawings'

37 Digital Roadmap

30 MACHINED COMPONENTS 6

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39 BTMA Directory

SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS According to the latest Contract Manufacturing Index, by the end of June the UK subcontracting market was 10% higher than in the quarter preceding the pandemic.

This strong growth has continued into July but the market is still very sensitive to uncertainty in materials supply, transport shortages and the number of people having to selfisolate due to Covid.

The latest figures show that the UK market for contract manufacturing in the second quarter of 2021 was down by 8% on the previous quarter, but 57% higher than it was a year ago.

The Contract Manufacturing Index (CMI) stood at 77 for the second quarter (Q2) compared to 84 for the first three months of this year. The headline figure conceals a volatile market in which April and May continued the slump seen at the end of Q1 – falling to the lowest level since a year ago – but jumped back in June to the highest level since August last year.

At the end of June the market was 10% higher than in the quarter preceding the pandemic and this strong growth has continued into July.

The CMI is produced by sourcing specialist Qimtek and reflects the total purchasing budget for outsourced manufacturing of companies looking to place business in any given month. This represents a sample of over 4,000 companies who could be placing business that together have a purchasing SEPTEMBER 2021

Stop-start recovery for subcontracting

We hope the flow of new contracts will continue but there is still a lot of uncertainty both among buyers and suppliers. Will the market hold, is there enough raw material and will Covid rear its ugly head again

‘‘

budget of more than £3.4bn and a supplier base of over 7,000 companies with a verified turnover in excess of £25bn.

The baseline for the index is 100, which represents the average size of the subcontract manufacturing market between 2014 and 2018.

The strongest sector in Q2 was the electronics industry, which was up 30% on Q1. Construction was three times higher than in Q1 but Industrial Equipment was

sharply down. Agriculture, Oil & Gas and Consumer Products showed strong growth.

Fabrication work accounted for 47% of the subcontract market – down from 57% in Q1.

Machining work, in contrast, was up from 32% to 44% of the total.

Other processes, including moulding and contract electronic manufacturing, accounted for the remaining 9%.

Commenting on the figures, Qimtek owner Karl Wigart said: “The quarter started very slowly but picked up very strongly in June and this has carried on into July.

“We hope the flow of new contracts will continue but there is still a lot of uncertainty both among buyers and suppliers. Will the market hold, is there enough raw material and will Covid rear its ugly head again?”

8 qimtek.co.uk www.engineeringcapacity.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity

MoD nationalises Forgemasters The Ministry of Defence has agree to buy the entire share capital of Sheffield Forgemasters to recapitalise the company and secure the delivery of components into future defence programmes.

The intervention will secure Sheffield Forgemasters’ role as a key supplier into the MoD for the long-term and is structured to invest substantial new capital into the modernisation of defence-critical assets, including a heavy forge line and major machine tool replacements.

The company’s main driver of revenue and profitability over recent years has been manufacturing specialist forgings and castings for submarine platforms and surface vessels as a supplier to Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Babcock International, who have provided guarantees to support the financing of the company. With With a growing UK base of customers Aben Europe has moved to a new site in Somerset.

Building on its extensive capabilities across multiple prototyping and short run production processes , this move has allowed enhanced development of its SLS processes as well as expanding capability in finishing , painting , dyeing , inserts and assembly.

The Aben instant online

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the company’s existing credit facilities due to expire in December and significant investment required for it to a reliable supplier into MoD, the intervention provides the financing necessary to place the company on a secure footing.

David Bond, CEO at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The agreement to bring the company under the ownership of the MoD

provides a more secure future for the business and its people. The MoD’s intention is to invest up to £400m over the next 10 years to replace defence-critical equipment and infrastructure as we recapitalise our productive capacity, positioning the company to retain and create new highly skilled manufacturing jobs within the Sheffield City region.”

8 sheffieldforgemasters.com

Aben Europe expands quoting system for SLS and SLA , offering customers multiple price and delivery options and highly competitive pricing is proving more and more popular.

Aben says that ‘Quality and Service’ are two of its most important USPs and building on the core team who have decades of experience in the industry , Aben Europe has also trained and expanded its workforce.

Barry Assheton, Sales Manager, says: “Try our online quoting system and get access to instant quotes and get access to some of the best SLS , SLA `and other rapid services in the UK. “Alternatively we offer hands on help with selection and quoting of a wide variety of processes and materials for prototype or low volume production" 8 abeneurope.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS TGM Partners, a firm that specialises in the acquisition, transition and growth of ownermanaged businesses, has acquired Automatic Engineers, based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and Barnsley’s Vesseltec UK. Automatic Engineers is a component manufacturer with more than 50 years’ experience in the aerospace, automotive, rail, energy and renewables sectors, while Vesseltec is an engineering firm specialising in designing and manufacturing pressure vessels for the pharmaceutical sector and other industries.

TGM co-founder Eric Kolodner said: “We are extremely pleased to add Automatic Engineers and Vesseltec into the TGM group as

Partners make engineering acquisitions our 11th and 12th businesses.

These two acquisitions will bring TGM’s total annual revenue to almost £25m and underscore our four-year track record of providing attractive exit solutions to long-term owners of SMEs in the engineering and industrial manufacturing sectors.

“Our flexible approach to acquisitions is reflected in both deals; the seller of Automatic Engineers is looking to transition out of the business quickly, while at Vesseltec, the seller is planning to continue providing services to the

company for the foreseeable future.

“Both businesses will continue to operate from their existing premises and all staff will keep their jobs, to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for employees, customers and suppliers.”

Fellow TGM co-founder Jon Frewin added: “In the coming months, we will provide training to develop the skills and careers of relevant staff members, which reflects our focus on continuity, stability and growth of our acquired businesses.

8 tgmpartners.co.uk

Compact Orbital Gears Limited Design, development and manufacture of bespoke epicyclic and parallel shaft gearing, gearboxes and test rigs.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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9

INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Meeting growing demand for plasma nitriding in the heat treatment of new and replacement wear parts, Wallwork Group is adding two further Rübig plasma nitriding furnaces.

Wallwork director, Simeon Collins, explained, "This is a further £650K investment by the group, this time in our Cambridge plasma nitriding centre, increasing the existing capacity to six operational plasma nitriders, providing 24/7 processing. We are also adding a new dedicated area for inspection of case depth, structure and other quality aspects of the nitriding process."

Nitriding is a metal heat treatment process that improves the endurance of wear parts such as gears, camshafts and followers, valve parts, aero-engine and airframe components, dies, extruder screws and injectors.

The Rübig furnace range chosen is the Micropuls Everest.

This plasma nitrider offers several advantages, including three heating and cooling zones with the temperature measured directly at the component. A blast

Visit our website or contact us for a quote or advice

10

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Wear part endurance

chiller shortens process times, while optimised filling and increased energy efficiency reduce running costs.

In the Rübig nitrider, molecular nitrogen is cracked in plasma to obtain active nitrogen which then penetrates the component's surface. The process meets differing needs because the depth and properties of the case hardened layer can be finely controlled. Wallwork also design and manufacture the physical masking needed to ensure only

the specified surfaces are exposed and hardened.

"The process has the major advantage of being relatively cool compared with other heat treatment methods. Importantly, this means the dimensions and characteristics of the base metal are not compromised. Also, it is ideally suited for low temperature plasma nitriding of stainless steels as it minimises potential loss of corrosion resistance in the metal, which could compromise its use in harsh environments," Simeon added.

There are no chemical residues and so the process can be followed by physical vapour deposition (PVD) coating to impart even better wear resistance for use in high-load applications. Cambridge, also being Wallwork's centre for advanced PVD coating technology, gives customers access to both plasma nitriding and coatings under one roof.

8 wallworkht.com SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | INDUSTRY NEWS

has seen copper go from $2.17 per lb to a peak of $4.75 at the beginning of May 2021, has severely impacted electronics production across the globe.

Van der Tang says that NCAB’s ability to mitigate the effect of raw material price while maintaining supply was a major factor in the decision to consolidate suppliers: “With NCAB’s help we’ve been able to mitigate copper price increases which, in turn, has meant that we have been able to control end-product prices to our own customers.”

Ryan Pellow, General Manager at NCAB, added: “During these times, Offshore’s flexibility and desire to work with NCAB has allowed us to manage costs whilst ensuring continuity of supply.”

8 offshore-electronics.co.uk

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Sole source PCB partners

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Offshore Electronics has signed a sole source partnership with PCB supplier NCAB Group in a move designed to secure its supply in the face of unprecedented industry pressure.

The agreement consolidates Offshore Electronics’ PCB procurement for its electronic contract manufacturing facility in Guernsey. The business originally had four suppliers but will now work with NCAB exclusively.

Supply of PCBs has been severely impacted by a number of issues in recent years, including reduced manufacturing capacity in China, increased demand for electronic goods and a limited supply of raw materials for PCBs due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Paul van der Tang, Purchasing Director at Offshore Electronics says the agreement is a slightly counter-intuitive move: “To cut the number of suppliers during a squeeze may appear counterintuitive but will ultimately help us to guarantee more stability for from customers. We’ve worked with NCAB for ten years and the company’s performance has been outstanding in the face of unprecedented pressure on the global PCB supply chain.”

He continued: “We’ve benefited from good pricing and stable lead times over the last eighteen months. In large part this is due to NCAB’s network of manufacturing facilities across the world that have maintained supply and kept lead times to a minimum. This agreement is a sign of our complete faith in its capabilities.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS | Engineering Capacity Alloy Wire International (AWI), which produces high performance round, flat and profile wire, has invested £100,000 in a new testing room.

It has designed and equipped the facility to include two tensile testers, a Micro-Vickers Hardness tester and four lab furnaces to support heat treatment.

It has also acquired macro and micro imaging technology and a custom-built metallographic lab to help with the preparation of materials.

This means that much of the testing that was previously subcontracted can now be done in-house, shortening lead times for its global customer

Testing comes in-house

base and giving it the opportunity to test new processes and materials quickly.

It took over six months to complete the fit-out, but the firm is already reaping the benefits with several new customers agreed in the last month, all keen to take advantage of the rapid turnaround provided by AWI. “We were increasingly asked

for more testing as our customers strive for exacting performance from the materials they purchase,” explained Andrew Du Plessis, Technical Director at AWI. “The decision was taken as part of an overall commitment to improve our service and the range of testing we can deliver in-house, and this is reflected in the level of investment and extent of capability we can now offer.

“What this means to our clients is that we will have far greater control over testing and, I have no doubt, this will reduce lead times for them.

8 alloywire.com

Advanced Engineering Stand E12 Lab Innovations Stand B44

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SEPTEMBER 2021

ER D R EA FE R OF

Railways: A History in Drawings Readers of Engineering Capacity can save 25% on a new book featuring magnificent engineering drawings, spanning two centuries, that give unique insights and perspectives on the history of our railways.

The advent of railways in Britain was a fundamental part of its economic and social revolution in the 19th century, with technical advances that were the envy of the world and chronicled from the beginning through meticulous drawings.

Detailed plans were created of locomotives, carriages and wagons, as well as of stations, bridges and tunnels, to facilitate the manufacturing process and the maintenance of the rapidly expanding railway network.

Miraculously, about a million of these magnificent drawings have survived and are held at the National Railway Museum in York, as part of the Science Museum Group’s collection.

Over the past five years author Christopher Valkoinen has selected more than 130 of the best examples which are recreated together in this unique volume for the first time.

The illustrations tell the engineering history of great innovations and triumphs such as the Forth Bridge, and reveal the work of famous pioneers, including Richard Trevithick, George and Robert Stephenson, and Nigel Gresley of Flying Scotsman and Mallard fame.

Other plans range from Queen Victoria’s royal saloon and a

travelling post office to a station tea-room at York and modern experiments with a hovertrain.

There are also drawings for railways around the world: the USA, Russia, Japan, India, Australia and Egypt, among others, as well as contemporary photographs and posters.

Throughout, Valkoinen provides valuable insights into the social and political impact of the railways.

He also reveals how these drawings are more than a reference tool for the historian or modelmaker; they are exquisite works of art, painstakingly produced by highly skilled artists in a pre-digital age, which can be appreciated in their own right.Published by Taylor and Hudson the usual cost of ‘Railways: A History in Drawings’ is £50.

8 To find out more visit https://bit.ly/ECRailwaysOffer Enter discount code RAILWAYS25 at checkout to get your 25% off.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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13

AUTOMOTIVE | Engineering Capacity

Crack-free castings test Alucast has bolstered its capabilities as a single source manufacturer of aluminium castings with a £200,000 NDT investment.

Alucast, which employs nearly 100 people at its factory in Wednesbury, has secured a number of new wins with major carmakers thanks to its ability to provide simulation, casting, machining and the latest testing facilities.

The latter has been strengthened with the addition of a new dye penetrant offering – a non-destructive process that can assess structural vehicle components and other parts for cracks.

This new line has been successfully operating for several months, with five members of staff fully trained on it.

“The automotive sector is always looking for faster production times and ‘right first time’ quality and this is what our latest investment is delivering,” explained Tony Sartorius, Chairman of Alucast.

“Cast and machined parts are cleaned and treated with a special, coloured penetrant liquid, which searches out minute cracks in the surface of the components. The parts are then left for a period of time, so that the penetrant can soak into any cracked areas, after which they are washed clean, which removes the liquid from the surface.

“A developer is then used on 14

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the part and essentially draws out the penetrant from the crack to reveal a coloured line if a fault exists. If cracks are evident, the part is scrapped.”

He added: “What this means to the customer is that they don’t lose time and experience additional costs that arise when a faulty part is sent out for secondary processes.”

Alucast offers sand, gravity and high and low pressure casting to a client base that spans automotive, construction products, electrification and hydraulics.

Dye penetrant testing joins additional complementary services, including casting simulation software, advanced laboratory facilities, X-ray, heat treatment and high-tech metrology.

This is helping the firm, which has recently been re-accredited to the TS16949 automotive quality standard, to create a strong reputation for supporting carmakers and tier 1s with structural lightweight parts for

use in next generation vehicles and electric cars.

Tony went on to add: “We have to offer more than just casting if we are going to be successful in the modern auto industry and we started the move to a single source solution five years ago.

“Since that decision, we have invested nearly £3m into upgrading our core making facility and creating a new CNC machining shop with 5-axis capability, as well as the additional technology we have for testing and development.”

He concluded: “Servitization is a big area of potential for us, where customers can access individual services we offer, such as casting simulation and heat treatment, to solve specific production issues or to ensure quality compliance.

“The addition of a Dye Penetrant department is a perfect example of this and we are seeing a steady increase in companies using it to double-check their parts.”

8 alucast.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | AUTOMOTIVE William Hughes Group says it has perfected a method of composing and forming complex automotive electric vehicle (EV) busbar geometries out of pre-coated copper stock; and can do so in such a way that the insulation/protective cover remains completely viable along the length of the bar.

Traditionally, busbars are stamped and bent, but stamping cannot always deliver the features required to navigate around the under-bonnet complexity of new-generation EVs. For this reason, bending machines are a far better proposition.

“Battery advances and high voltages mean that busbars are just as at home under the bonnet as they are in a control cabinet backplane,” explains Emma Burgon, Engineering Director at William Hughes. “But automotive applications are not quite as smooth sailing as their significantly less complex industrial peers. As well as electrical insulation, the copper has to be protected from Mother Nature too, which is why the efficacy of the insulation covering is so important.”

The development has been driven by the relative ease with which straight copper bar stock can be more easily coated than bar that has already been shaped. But it is possible to over stress the coating and cause stretches and cracks if the material is bent too far or too tightly. For this reason, significant research and development efforts SEPTEMBER 2021

New approach for EV busbars

Battery advances and high voltages mean that busbars are just as at home under the bonnet as they are in a control cabinet backplane

‘‘

were expended on formulating the capabilities and limits of the materials and the processes.

Using bending machines, the minimum bend radius for the high edge is approximately the same as the material’s height, while the minimum radius for the small edge is approximately the same as the material’s thickness. 90° twisting is also possible for confined areas where a bend could be

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problematic. In all instances, William Hughes can work with customers to help define the material cross section, the bend radii, the curve forms and the geometry possibilities based on the installation space.

“As a market leader in springs and wire forms, with many customers in the automotive industry, EV busbars were a natural evolution of our capabilities,” Burgon explains.

“We spotted the market requirement for this a few years back and, never being one to shy away from innovation and new markets, we started developing the process and procedures based on the technologies we had in-house.

Additional capital assets have since boosted these capabilities, and we are now in a very strong position to serve the needs of the global EV market.”

8 wmhughes.co.uk

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Manufacturers of High Quality Mill-Turned Parts

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AUTOMOTIVE | Engineering Capacity HV Wooding is working with the Nuclear AMRC on a new powder coating process that will improve the performance of busbars for electric vehicles.

Supported by Innovate UK through the Faraday Battery Challenge, the project focuses on investigating and developing alternative coating methods that will improve the performance and integrity of the critical components, which carry highcurrent power between different parts of an electrical system.

“Current coating methods are difficult to control, with a high level of components rejected because of poor quality insulation,” explained Paul Allen, Sales Director at HV Wooding.

“There is currently no standard specification or process availability, and our new method will contribute supply chain capability and capacity for battery and energy storage applications.”

He continued: “We will develop a best practice testing method to standardise quality assurance where there is currently no international standard, and this could generate up to £1m in additional sales to our business.”

HV Wooding previously worked with the Nuclear AMRC through the Fit for Nuclear programme, which helps manufacturers meet the quality expectations of the nuclear supply chain.

The company will look to maximise the centre’s advanced manufacturing methods, as well as tapping into university 16

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EV performance covered

researchers to develop a standardised test procedure for quality assurance, demonstrating that each busbar meets all the required integrity standards with minimal risk of failure in use.

“The current busbar coating process is difficult to control and can’t currently be scaled up to meet customer demands in the UK,” commented Dr Li, head of the Nuclear AMRC’s control & instrumentation research group.

“This funding enables collaboration between a UK SME and academia to tackle a real pressing issue and this project will help ramp up production at HV Wooding whilst also minimising the product failure rate.

“Our team from the University of Sheffield will bring our expertise in electro-mechanical design, process, testing and manufacturing to ensure this collaboration will ultimately enhance the UK’s capability in producing quality busbars for automotive and adjacent supply chains.”

The one-year project will also

draw on the specialist capabilities of the University of Sheffield AMRC – like the Nuclear AMRC, part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult – and the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

Paul Allen went on to add: “Powder coated insulated busbars are safer than heat shrink sleeved alternatives. They have better thermal and electrical performance alongside other benefits in compact battery design - for example saving up to 10% clearance and creepage distance.

“If the innovative and optimised epoxy powder coating process is implemented it will definitely open up new markets and will lead to new skilled jobs in our area.

“The successful project will support the overall goal of the Faraday Battery Challenge and scale-up British busbar manufacturing for battery modules and packs in accordance with the UK's Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution.”

8 hvwooding.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | AUTOMOTIVE Quality management expert G&P is maintaining quality standards and driving down costs at a European manufacturer of parts for the automotive sector.

The supplier is maintaining quality standards while also making circa 60% cost saving through the deployment of an innovative ‘extended workbench’ solution, developed by G&P. Central to the success of the operation is the ability to promote best working practice through close teamwork of the supplier’s personnel and G&P’s team members, effectively making them one team.

Meanwhile, logistically an offsite operation was established by

WH

Driving down auto part costs G&P for the inspection and rework of components, primarily for use in the automotive sector, to ensure they met the correct quality standards. The savings far more than offset any additional logistics costs.

Geoff Cousins, chairman at G&P, said: “G&P has successfully been providing its extended workbench solution for the central European customer through an open and transparent operation with targeted KPIs to drive performance, which remains ongoing today.

“The result for the customer is that quality standards are maintained, efficiency is

increased, costs are reduced and its reputation is protected.”

G&P’s off-site facility itself on behalf of the customer housed 90 workstations for inspection and rework, while G&P also handled all the human resource requirements in line with the customer volume demands.

Cousins added: “G&P, in essence, became the customer’s team through our extended workbench solution. It was not G&P and the customer – it was one team.

“Such has been the success that we have subsequently opened an additional facility in central Europe.”

8 gpqm.com

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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LASER PROCESSING | Engineering Capacity TW Metals, a global supplier of high-performance metals, has invested in a 10kW, 6m-bed laser system for its Longbridge facility.

The TruLaser 3060 fiber has eliminated the time/cost issues associated with using subcontract resources and is now fulfilling next-day delivery demands.

The market segment occupied by the Speciality Distribution business unit of TW Metals has particular focus on materials for critical and hazardous environments, often in sectors such as nuclear, petrochemical, oil and gas, medical and automotive (a separate business unit serves the aerospace industry).

Mike Street, Vice President Europe - Speciality Distribution, said: “The provision of machined or first-stage components is becoming an increasingly common request. We had a plasma cutter for this purpose, but knew a laser cutter would be ideal for our corrosion-resistant and heat-resistant nickel alloys, which extend from thin gauge sheet up to 30mm thick. It would also help us introduce other product ranges, like thin gauge sheets in stainless steel and aluminium.”

David Ellis, Head of Operations - Europe, adds: “We looked at nine machines, ultimately shortlisting two, one of which was the 10kW Trumpf TruLaser 3060 fiber. Certain nickel alloys are notoriously difficult to cut, but in the trials, Trumpf simply programmed the parts on the day we arrived and cut them beautifully, 18

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6m-bed laser is game changer

without any subsequent tweaking of parameters.”

Selecting the 6m bed option for the TruLaser 3060 fiber provides TW Metals with a market advantage as it can handle much larger raw material. In addition, the company can get preferential pricing from the mills as they have less processing to undertake, while the large bed also means TW Metals can accommodate four or five large offcuts simultaneously for overnight cutting, should the need arise.

“Although the TruLaser is not yet fully utilised we’re filling it much faster than we anticipated,” says Mr Street. “We have a budget for the machine and we’ve managed to exceed that every month so far. Whereas our previous plasma machine would just cut blocks, the TruLaser has

added new dimensions in terms of design and intricate profiling that the plasma was unable to offer, not to mention the dramatically faster cutting speed.”

TW Metals delivers on a next-day basis, so reaction time his key to meeting the service demands of customers.

“The TruLaser 3060 fiber is a game-changer for our customer service because we were previously having to use a subcontractor whenever a request came in for laser-cut parts,” concludes Mr Ellis. “These parts were sometimes taking weeks to arrive and, because we were a small customer to the subcontractor, we were never top of their priority list. The arrival of the Trumpf machine has changed all that.”

8 twmetals.com SEPTEMBER 2021

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LASER PROCESSING | Engineering Capacity Thanks to a Covid recovery grant, ES Precision plans to offer a subcontract erosion cutting service that gives a degree of precision not possible with flat-bed cutting machines.

ES uses its range of galvo-deflected lasers to provide a laser processing service to medical device, automotive, electronics and other engineering companies.

Many of its key sectors were hit hard by the pandemic as there were fewer scheduled operations in the NHS and car plants temporarily closed assembly lines.

ES had been contemplating an expansion of its current laser marking-dominated service to include subcontract erosion cutting but hesitated to do so owing to economic uncertainties and reduced capital available as a consequence of business being hit by the pandemic.

Ultra-precise laser cutting

Erosion cutting is a promising application for medium power fibre lasers. It harnesses the flexibility of familiar galvo-driven laser marking systems and meets a demand for precise cutting of thin materials that most commercial flat-bed laser cutters cannot.

Such large, expensive CO2- or fibre-based machines with high pressure gas nozzles are not well suited to producing fine

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

Tel: 0118 978 6573 Email: sales@simpsonsprings.co.uk

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features and small profiles in metal sheets which are of order of 1mm thickness.

ES plans to offer a service for profiling, drilling and perforating thin gauge materials – mainly any type of metal, up to about 2mm thick – to high technology manufacturing in Oxfordshire and across the UK and Ireland. In addition to its traditional core sectors it also sees interest from motorsport, solar energy, sensor/ lab-on-achip manufacturers, fuel cell development, instrumentation and aerospace.

Integral to ES’s plans to laser cut structures with great accuracy is a need to precisely measure what has been achieved.

This requires investment in an optical measurement system to provide QA and reports for customers in addition the laser cutting workstation.

ES presented its business plans and the impact on Oxfordshire economy in its grant application and the OxLEP committee saw the benefits of funding the project via the government’s Getting Building Fund, which targets capital investment projects which can take part in a much-needed renewal phase for the economy.

ES Precision will take delivery of the erosion cutter and measurement system in the autumn and then launch the service towards the end of 2021.

8 esprecision.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | SPONSORED FEATURE There are multiple benefits from using subcontract rotary friction welding (RFW), including the ability to draw on proven expertise and access industry-leading friction welding machinery without the need for capital investment. A multitude of components can be manufactured across numerous sectors in a range of geometries and material combinations. The subcontractor can advise on materials, geometry, metallurgy and pre and post weld processing.

In the case of bi-metallic, copper-aluminium connectors, there is simply no other viable method of joining these two materials directly thanks to their very different thermal expansion coefficients. Low-cost aluminium is joined directly to high cost copper. Other than the obvious benefit of cost reduction by reducing the use of expensive high conductivity copper, direct costs, waste and the increased threat of theft are also reduced. Aluminium does not impede conductivity and is useful for ease of crimping to electrical cabling. The electrical connector market for power distribution and rail is a significant market for this process.

RFW is a standard bonding method in the automotive sector for producing axles, CV joints, turbo-chargers, airbag canisters, while the aerospace industry uses RFW to manufacture landing gear shafts, steering shafts, ejector seat components and other high integrity parts. The construction industry uses friction welding for piston rods and hydraulic cylinders, SEPTEMBER 2021

Subcontract rotary friction welding

where large diameter high quality steel chromed rods are joined to eyes, yolks and pinions for heavy duty industrial service.

RFW also shows its strength in oil, gas and mining applications where joint integrity in the harshest conditions is paramount, such as drill pipes and rods for deep hole water boring, directional drilling and rock drilling.

The cost of failure in these components can literally cost the operators millions of pounds in lost revenues. The integrity of the friction welded bond is so superior to other joining processes that most OEMs across these industries own and operate their own rotary friction welding equipment to produce their safety critical components in-house.

Cryogenic applications also benefit from the processes’ ability to join dissimilar materials. For instance, stainless steel to copper and interlayered transition joints consisting of stainless steel welded to titanium with an

aluminium alloy interlayer.

Friction welding has also proved highly successful for welding tools, such as drill bits for example.

Stronger than conventional welding, friction welded drill tools have an enhanced join integrity, as the weld is as strong as the parent material.

Whatever the sector, or application in which the component shall be utilised, rotary friction welded products have proven to have an enhanced structural integrity.

The question that engineers and manufacturers ask when considering their production joining and manufacturing processes is can we do this better, cheaper and more efficiently?

The answer is ‘yes’ and the solution lies in subcontract friction welding.

For more information please contact: T: +44 (0)121 585 0888 E: frictionwelding.UK@kuka.com 8 kuka.com www.engineeringcapacity.com

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MOULDING | Engineering Capacity Injection moulding company Bloom-in-Box turned to the AMRC North West for help in developing a new high-filtration face mask.

Engineers at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) North West shared their 3D printing skills with a family-run business to create a reliable seal for the mask.

Bloom-in-Box, based in Burscough, has ambitions to show the world the benefits of reusing and recycling plastic across a range of different products.

In 2020, in response to the pandemic and a surge in demand for face masks, the business began to develop a new product - a FFP3 face mask, which is the highest level of filtration a mask can have.

Tom Reardon, Production Coordinator at Bloom-in-Box, said: “We identified a number of opportunities to improve what’s currently on the market and create the best face mask we can.

We don’t do things by halves. Not only do we want the highest level of filtration, we want the mask to be reusable and washable, and to explore the use of readily available materials to keep the cost down. We also want to eliminate the use of metal, which limits the medical environments a mask can be used in.

“We were struggling with the seal section of the mask, and AMRC North West helped us by creating some prototypes. We have our own 3D printer but another important element of the 22

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Moulders mask up

We created a prototype face mask seal printed in flexible material that can fit the shape of a face

‘‘

support provided by AMRC North West on this project was teaching me how to use it more effectively.

The engineers shared their knowledge and expertise, and it was great to learn new skills I can now use to take this product, as well as others, forward.”

Dominic Haigh, a Project Engineer at AMRC North West, said: “Bloom-in-Box is a business that uses recycled plastics and filaments to make a range of products. They came to us interested in options for producing seals for bespoke and small batches of face masks. 3D printing is a great option for this, and there is much less waste in

additive manufacturing than in traditional techniques.

“We created a prototype face mask seal printed in flexible material that can fit the shape of a face. Bloom-in-Box is such an innovative company and it was great to work with a business that’s exploring the potential of additive manufacturing technology to create more sustainable manufacturing practices across a range of lines.”

Bloom-in-Box is still developing its face mask and looking for a partner to work with in its production. It has applied to become a supplier of masks to NHS Scotland, which is looking for the specification Bloom-inBox offer. If successful, the company is hopeful the relationship will result in clinical testing of its masks.

8 bloom-in-box.com SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | MOULDING Protolabs has launched a Critical to Quality (CTQ) inspection service for its on-demand injection moulding, whilst maintaining its rapid dispatch times.

This new service will save design engineers days or even weeks of time for the delivery of quality assured parts.

A key aspect behind this rapid reporting and delivery is the company’s new software platform, which creates a digital thread as soon as a customer uploads their CAD into the system.

Working within the new platform, the client simply submits a print of their model and uses red circles on their design to highlight up to five features where dimensions and tolerances are critical.

They can also use a blue circle to indicate additional features they want measuring for reference.

Engineers from Protolabs will then review the model and email an Inspection Statement of Work, which will highlight if any of the features circled as critical have issues with tolerances and mouldability.

After completing the mould development process, Protolabs will inspect the first three shots from the tool using a coordinate measuring machine. It will then inspect a further 30 parts from the order, taken at equal intervals from the production run, to produce the Critical to Quality inspection report.

Lee Ball, General Manager at Protolabs, commented: “This can make a huge difference in the SEPTEMBER 2021

Moulding quality service race to get our customers’ products to market first, saving days and in some cases weeks of time. We can complete customer orders from CAD upload, through design for manufacturability and quoting to delivery of the CTQ assured parts in as little as a day.”

8 protolabs.co.uk

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MOULDING | Engineering Capacity

More recycled plastics used Essentra Components now is using at least 40% postconsumer recycled plastics in components manufactured across its low density polyethylene (LDPE) product lines without any drop in quality or performance.

As part of its journey towards a more sustainable future, nearly all LDPE products produced at the UK facility are now being manufactured using at least 40% recycled plastics, and sometimes even more, without any drop in quality or performance.

Since production began in April 2021, 57 million parts have already been manufactured and distributed across Europe, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific with zero interruption to service, process or increase in cost to customers.

The development is part of Essentra Components’ wider sustainability strategy and part of its Circular Plastics Alliance pledge. Whilst the LDPE range is the current focus, the aim across the division is to incorporate more sustainable materials across the product portfolio so that at least 20% of material processed is from more sustainable sources by 2025.

To reach the 40% initial threshold, Essentra Components has invested hundreds of thousands of pounds into new machinery at its Kidlington, Oxfordshire plant allowing it to mix both virgin plastics resins 24

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with post-consumer resin, primarily made from recycled packaging from the bottled drinks industry. The new blending equipment ensure products maintain the same level of quality, integrity and durability but with a more sustainable make-up.

Richard Sederman, Essentra Components’ Strategy and M&A Director said “the move is not only designed to lower Essentra’s environmental impact, but also support its customers’ sustainability agendas: “Manufacturers across all markets are looking at ways to lower their carbon footprint across all scopes. Products like our new LPDE range allow our customers to do that with zero cost or interruption and without having to factor it into their sustainability strategies or budgets.

“The products are already in circulation and have been for 2 months, meaning customers

have unknowingly already taken a big step in reducing their environmental impact.

This means as we become more sustainable as a manufacturer and distributor, so to do our customers, speeding up the process towards a net zero industry.”

The initial product started at a ratio of 20:80 but continued research and development has allowed Essentra Components to achieve the 40:60 ratio with a view to progress it further to between 50% and 60% within the next few months.

Alongside integrating postconsumer plastics into its new and existing lines, Essentra Components is also researching ways in which to make its supply chain more circular, including collecting and recycling its own products from customers when they reach the end of their lifecycle.

8 essentracomponents.com SEPTEMBER 2021

SPONSORED FEATURE

As an alternative to plastics and with an abundance of new alloys being developed, designers are increasingly turning to high pressure die casting for their engineering component requirements. As a near net shape process, and with size envelopes getting wider, metal components can be produced in high volumes and with high dimensional accuracy. From small electronic switchgear through to motor housings and complete Tesla car bodies, the demand for die cast parts is increasing and driving new patents and technology solutions.

The ability for metal parts to be readily recycled at end of life, with an established industry in place to handle the dismantling and recycling of metals alloys compared with other materials, is also a significant advantage, helping companies to meet their sustainability and circular economy credentials.

Designers need to be able to

understand the process to be able to take full advantage of the benefits, and to be able to optimise their designs for metal castings. Early contact with the toolmaker and casting company is of course always recommended when embarking on a component design, or design modification, but there is also a need for training in the process for design engineers and procurement managers, as well as for quality control personnel.

A growing list of companies have found a new way to improve their knowledge through a new online training program in Die Casting Technology.

Designers can quickly learn the important technical aspects of the process including the advantage and limitations of metal die casting. This has helped them to have valuable dialog and

understanding with their supply chain and get their products quickly created, developed and to their intended user.

Right First Time Design Completing this specialised and structured course in Die Casting ensures that there are no gaps in their technical knowledge, and can greatly improve performance and the chances of a RightFirst-Time experience during the concept and prototyping stages, through to full series production. The Cast Metals Federation is offering this this online course in the UK with additional support through workshops, mentoring and additional training as required.

To find out more visit: www.castmetalsfederation.com/ training/die-casting-training

Developed by industry experts, the programme includes access to on-line teaching and as well as tutor support, mentoring and workshops all aimed at supporting the learner and enhancing the learning experience.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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ADVANCED ENGINEERING PREVIEW | Engineering Capacity

Back with a bang in 2021 The UK’s largest annual gathering of engineering professionals, Advanced Engineering, will return to the NEC, Birmingham on November 3 and 4, 2021. Here, the UK’s talented and vast engineering industry can meet again for the first time in almost two years to do business, make new connections and discover innovation.

This year, there will be seven show zones — aerospace, composites, automotive, performance metals, connected manufacturing, medical devices and, new for 2021, space and satellite. Also, for the first time, Advanced Engineering UK’s sister show, Lab Innovations, will take place in the same hall.

Advanced Engineering UK hopes that having so many sectors under one roof will enable crossindustry collaboration and the formation of new business relationships after 18 months of limited interactions.

There will be four forums held during the two-day show, featuring some of the leading voices from engineering and manufacturing. A huge topic at the aerospace forum this year is decarbonising aviation. During the show, there will be presentations on electrification, zero-carbon aviation and hydrogen propulsion from the Aerospace Technology Institute, Rolls-Royce, Ampaire, ZeroAvia 26

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and ID TechEx. Supply chain management is a concern for many companies this year, so Advanced Engineering UK will welcome talks from Airbus UK and ADS on supplier expectations and supply chain excellence.

On day two, the forum will have a whole morning dedicated to space and satellite engineering, with talks from the UK Space Agency, Skyrora, DOrbit UK and the Space Applications Catapult.

At the automotive forum, electrification and sustainability will also feature as major themes, with talks from JCB, Ford, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Jaguar Land Rover and many more.

On the composites stage, visitors can find out more about what digitalisation means for composite manufacturing, the 3D printing of composite parts and

how composites are enabling the UK’s move towards its net-zero carbon emissions targets.

Composites UK CEO, David Bailey will return along with the National Composites Centre’s Head of Digital Engineering, Marc Funnell. BAE Systems and Transport for London will also take to the stage.

During the connected manufacturing forum, Ian Gardner, Industry 4.0 and Oracle Specialist at IBM and Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, will deliver keynote speeches. They’ll be supported by speakers from the Connected Places Catapult, Brunel University London and IoT North, to name a few.

As well as its impressive speaker programme, Advanced Engineering UK will be supported by some of the world’s key industry associations, such as The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Composites SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | ADVANCED ENGINEERING PREVIEW UK, Make UK, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, GAMBICA, BARA and the Department for International Trade, all of whom now feature as trade body partners.

Advanced Engineering UK is the go-to show for anyone wanting to meet the world’s leading engineering companies, plus the UK’s most innovative start-ups, thanks to the return of the show’s Enabling Innovation zone, supported by Innovate UK. Here, ten chosen start-ups will have the opportunity to showcase their ground-breaking product or technology, before presenting it to a panel of esteemed judges for the chance of winning a stand at

equipped with all the same technology as the final rover, including the sensors, actuators and cameras that allow the rover to see in 3D while navigating Mars. Advanced Engineering UK’s new show zone dedicated entirely to space and satellite innovation will be Bruno’s landing site for the show, and can be found in the existing Aero Engineering floor.

Also on display will be RS Electric Boat’s Pulse 63. The boat’s power source is a battery pack derived from the automotive industry, which harnesses a RIM drive unit rather than a traditional propeller, increasing the boat’s efficiency and offering a

Bruno - ExoMars prototype

next year’s show.

The show already has several exciting features confirmed, including an original prototype of the ExoMars rover, created by Airbus Defence and Space. The rover, commonly known as Bruno, is semi-autonomous and

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ADVANCED ENGINEERING PREVIEW | Engineering Capacity lightweight power solution.

The boat is zero emission and the most sustainable laminate of any RIB in the industry. More features will be announced in the coming weeks.

Advanced Engineering offers a great opportunity to meet suppliers, partners and generate business leads for the first time in over a year. Already, the show’s exhibitor space is 90% sold out – a sign that our industry is eager to come together again. In 2019, over 10,000 professionals from the manufacturing sector attended Advanced Engineering.

70% of visitors reported that they planned to place orders as a result of the relationships formed and an impressive 93% of exhibitors reported that they achieved their objectives at the show.

This year, Advanced Engineering UK is also relaunching AE Connect, a digital platform that is used to schedule meetings ahead of the show. In 2019, the platform was used to schedule 588 meetings, which generated an average order value

28

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of £200,000 per meeting held.

After 18 months of limited inperson meetings, it’s understandable that businesses might not have as many connections as they usually would by this time of year. AE Connect allows both exhibitors and visitors to make the most of their time at the show by filling their diaries with valuable meetings beforehand.

The portal is designed to be very user-friendly. Registered exhibitors receive login credentials to AE Connect, where they can share information about their products and services.

Exhibitors can also specify their ideal target audience, as well as their goals during the show.

The smart platform uses this data to find potential matches, allowing exhibitors to contact them to arrange meetings during the show. Meetings can take place in a dedicated lounge area, or directly at the exhibitor’s stand.

Exhibitors can also use the platform as a calendar, blocking out periods when they’d like to attend conferences and therefore won’t be available for meetings.

“Advanced Engineering UK marks the return to face-to-face business, which the UK has been craving since March 2020,” explained Alison Willis, Director at Easyfairs, the organizer of Advanced Engineering. “The show offers the UK’s engineering industry the chance to get together again, do business and discover the innovative technologies and products that have been created in the past year.”

Engineering Capacity is an official media partner of the Advanced Engineering Show.

8 advancedengineeringuk.com SEPTEMBER 2021

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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity Worcestershire subcontractor Styles Precision has added wire EDM to its in-house subcontract machining capabilities.

The caompany says the investment in a new Sodick ALC600G from Sodi-Tech EDM is helping to attract more work from both existing and new customers.

Styles Precision has been growing year-on-year since its inception in 2002. With turnover in excess of £2 million, the 20-employee, ISO9001accredited company occupies two modern units near Kidderminster that total 13,000 ft2 in size.

With a focus on subcontract manufacturing, Styles Precision specialises in precision CNC turning and milling, including fiveaxis machining.

“We tend to buy high-end machine tools, an ethos that we’ve transferred to our first wire EDM, a Sodick ALC600G, which we bought with the help of a successful grant application via the RDPE Growth Programme,” explained the company’s Managing Director Tony Styles. “Investing in top-end machines helps us to attract highvalue work, often in energy and power-related sectors such as steam turbine, renewables and oil and gas."

Styles Precision previously subcontracted its wire EDM requirements, maybe not enough to consider buying a machine, but the company knew there would be additional opportunities if it could offer wire EDM in-house.

Therefore, the company concluded that investing in the 30

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In-house wire EDM added

Sodick ALC600G would be a logical step forward.

Installed in March 2021, the machine is proving a great addition to the business.

“We’ve already been busy wiring many different parts, including special profile gauges,” says Mr Styles. “Recently, we won a tender to manufacture a family of intricate, high-value steam turbine wear parts, which have a particular profile in the bore. We use profile gauges as an initial check of the labyrinth’s profile form during machining operations. In addition, the labyrinths themselves are split into numerous segments: we have around 240 specific segments to wire from machined

rings measuring between 300 and 600 mm in diameter.”

Styles Precision chose Sodick because of its brand reputation and the support on offer from Sodi-Tech EDM. Says Mr Styles. “We knew the latter point would be important as it was a new process and our first wire EDM: it seemed likely that we might need a little help in terms of technical support, service and back-up.”

Mr Styles said: “We have some fascinating projects on the go at present, so the ALC600G will make a big contribution to the ongoing success of our business, particularly as we will soon be running it lights-out. In addition, I won’t be stopping at just one SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | MACHINED COMPONENTS machine. The Sodick will almost certainly create a lot of new opportunities that will eventually lead to requirements for further machines from Sodi-Tech.”

Styles Precision, which had a record-breaking year in 2020, anticipates that some of these opportunities will come from its existing customer base.

“Before we bought the machine we spoke with several existing clients, many of whom subcontract their wire EDM

requirements: we now have a shot at winning this work,” says Mr Styles. “In addition, some customers previously didn’t give us milling and turning jobs because we couldn’t do the wiring. We didn’t know this until we did our research. So, thanks to the new Sodick, not only will we get wiring enquiries, we’ll also get more milling and turning enquiries. This is great for our growth as we’re an ambitious company and want to be twice

our current size within the next five years.”

Beyond the energy industry, further sectors served by Styles Precision include pharmaceutical, engine test equipment, packaging and security. Indeed, the company is already planning to use its new Sodick machine in the production of strain gauge components for a pharmaceutical customer, ending the previous outsourcing of these parts.

8 stylesprecision.co.uk

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MACHINED COMPONENTS | Engineering Capacity Dundee-based GA Engineering Sliding Head has invested a six-figure sum in two new Star Micronics sliding head lathes to strengthen its offering to customers.

The investment in the SR10-J and SR-20R MkIV sliding head lathes brings the total machine count at its facility in Dundee to 27 which provide a quick turnaround service to customers in the energy, defence and aerospace industries.

Both lathes are complemented with a high-pressure coolant system and high frequency turning for improved swarf control and deep hole drilling.

These custom-specification machines are ideally suited for exotic materials, achieving excellent surface finish, tight tolerances, and features such as threading, grooving and slotting.

Kerry Devlin, Operations Director for GA Engineering Stonehaven-based Kincardine Manufacturing Services (KMS), which specialises in the manufacture of complex components used across the oil and gas sector, has taken delivery of a heavy duty Yamazaki Mazak SLANT TURN 550M CNC turning centre.

The SLANT TURN 550M is ideally suited to the cutting of large, long shaft workpieces up to 5,690mm in length and Ø910mm.

The investment is the latest in a series of machine tools

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Sliding head investment

Sliding Head and GA Engineering Scotland said: “We are always looking for ways to offer an improved service to our customers. Our team have worked incredibly hard to keep our business operating successfully over the past year which has ultimately allowed us to invest in new equipment.

“We work to some of the tightest tolerances in the

manufacturing industry, working with part diameters as small as 0.3mm and so it is incredibly important that our machinery is of the highest quality. The two new machines are now fully commissioned and operational in our site on the West Pitkerro Industrial Estate in Dundee, which will greatly benefit our growing customer base.”

8 prymegroup.co.uk

Heavy duty investment KMS has purchased from Yamazaki Mazak, including models from its QUICK TURN and INTEGREX series.

Graham Truscott, Financial Director & Founder at KMS, commented: “The COVID-19 pandemic has hit manufacturing hard, with the energy sector in particular having faced a wealth of cancelled or postponed projects. However, at KMS Engineering we are well aware of the importance of investing in

our resilience in order to adapt to the manufacturing challenges of a post-COVID world. In short, we must prepare for economic recovery by being proactive.

“The SLANT TURN 550M will add a new dimension to our precision machining capabilities, particularly when undertaking heavy-duty cutting of difficult-to-machine materials, at high feed rates.”

8 kms-eng.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2021

SUBCON SHOW ISSUE | Engineering Capacity

Back to face-to-face business The return of Subcon on 14 to 16 September at the NEC 2021 means UK manufacturers will finally have the chance to meet face-to-face with customers, suppliers and colleagues.

Subcon is the UK’s leading subcontract manufacturing supply chain event and comes at a time when business is gearing up to get back to pre-Covid levels of sales and orders.

Subcontractors at the show cover a wide range of services including machined and turned parts, sheet metal working, plastic components, electronics assembly, castings and additive manufacturing.

Engineering Capacity is an official media partner of Subcon 2021 and is presenting a special discussion forum on Reshoring in conjunction with Qimtek as part of the conference programme.

3-day conference programme The conference programme at Subcon will include 20 session over three days including presentations

from the CEO of Make UK, BAE Systems and a special reshoring forum presented by Engineering Capacity and Qimtek.

Make UK CEO Stephen Phipson CBE will present a state of the industry address, one of many highlights of this year’s conference programme that also includes sessions on sustainability, e-vehicles, additive manufacturing, industrialising innovation, managing the cost of

Aerospace Oil & Gas Nuclear Defence

PRECISION ENGINEERING www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk Tel: 01484 548903

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www.engineeringcapacity.com

Automotive Electronics Hi Fi

Industrial & High Volume Machining

supply chain disruption and the skills gap.

A special discussion forum on Wednesday 15 September entitled: Reshoring: why, how and who can help, will be presented by Engineering Capacity and sourcing specialist Qimtek. The panel discussion will look at the commercial drivers for reshoring and the practicalities of implementing a reshored supply chain.

The session will bring together views from buyers, suppliers trade bodies and industry experts. Panel members include Andy Sandford, Editor of Engineering Capacity, Troy Barratt, Managing Director of Contracts Engineeering, Dr Pam Murrell, CEO of the Cast Metals Federation and Richard Halstead of the Manufacturing Growth Programme.

8 subconshow.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2021

14-16 SEPTEMBER 2021 NEC, BIRMINGHAM 25

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CO-LOCATED WITH NEW FOR 2021

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? Meet over 200 world-class exhibitors showcasing the best of British manufacturing and engineering

Enjoy 3 days of cutting-edge content from speakers including Make UK, Made in Britain, Ricardo and many more

Discover the industry start-up, superstars at the Launchpad awards

WWW.SUBCONSHOW.CO.UK JOIN THE CONVERSATION SPONSORS

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SUBCON SHOW ISSUE | Engineering Capacity

Covid puts focus on supply chains A survey of manufacturers by Subcon showed that over the past 18 months the pandemic had had a significant impact sourcing strategy.

Of the 81 companies surveyed nearly two-thirds said it had increased the need to protect supply chains and more than half said it had driven a move to more local and domestic on sourcing.

Nearly a third said it had also supported increased collaboration between companies.

Over half of the companies polled said that they had been impacted negatively by the pandemic; 43% quite negatively and 10% very negatively. Budget cuts, job losses, customer disruption, chip shortages and supply chain issues were among the reasons cited.

On the upside, 17% of the 81 respondents claimed they were not impacted at all, and 23% actually profited from Covid, with 14% saying their business was impacted ‘quite positively’ and 9% ‘very positively’ thanks to increases in sales, sector growth including medical supplies, and the opportunity to pivot online. 22% said that they had not experienced andy trading losses. Of the rest, 38% thought that business would be back to normal within 12 months – but 3% thought it would never recover.

Replacing machined forgings First Time exhibitor, MJ Sections Ltd ( Stand D61) is launching 36

www.engineeringcapacity.com

new technology to replace expensive machined forgings with multi-joined rolled formed rings produced from sheet metal material.

MJ Sections Ltd was founded 40 years ago and one of its core products, sheet metal rolled formed rings, has continuously evolved in terms of the added complexity of the profile shapes.

Using these complex shapes it is now ready to introduce its ‘game changer’. Traditionally, a sheet metal ring has been limited to a relatively simple shape and produced using only one sheet metal thickness.

In cases where OEMs’ designs require extra features and added complexity, they have previously had to produce more complex shapes from sourcing forged ring material, which is then machined all over to achieve the desired features. This involves long lead times, expensive raw material input, many hours of machining

time, excessive scrap, adding unnecessary cost to the parts and creating environmental concerns.

MJ Sections say that OEM designers now have the opportunity to work with it to consider all the engineered features individually and produce an equivalent design made up multiple rolled formed rings using sheet metal material, which are then joined together into one complex assembly, which can include machined tolerances and sealing features such as honeycomb rings.

MJ Sections Ltd will offer its expertise to ensure that the resulting designs are process capable, in terms of consistently achieving manufacturing tolerances, shorter lead times and considerably reduced cost of both the delivered part and, with almost zero material scrap, environmental costs will also be considerably improved.

8 mjsections.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2021

Engineering Capacity | DIGITAL ROADMAP

Vendigital’s Alec McCullie sets out a six step plan to developing a robust digital transformation roadmap As economies in developed nations rebound strongly, UK manufacturers must find ways to step up their productivity through well-funded, strategic digital transformation plans. In order to realise the potential of Industry 4.0 technologies, businesses should put in place a bespoke digital transformation roadmap, and consider how best to assess the value of different technologies and ensure they are effectively integrated.

Industry 4.0 technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), automation, big data analytics, AI and machine learning, to name just a few, have the potential to play a key role in supporting manufacturers on the road to recovery. In particular, they can help businesses to scale up to meet supply-side demand, while maintaining an efficient cost base.

Improved access to data from across the business can also inform manufacturers’ decisionmaking, while improving customisation, agility, speed to market and sustainability.

Despite this, a lack of knowledge about the true potential of Industry 4.0 technologies is holding back progress for some businesses.

Organisations may also struggle to define their focus areas for digital transformation, due to a lack of methods, tools or practical guidance, or may not SEPTEMBER 2021

Roadmap to digital transformation

have the right infrastructure in place, such as ERP systems or robotics. A lack of analytical skills and gaps in cross-functional visibility of the value of digital is preventing some companies from building a business case for further investment.

According to a joint research study by Vendigital and Cranfield University, there are several common challenges that businesses are facing during digital transformation programmes, including issues with funding and a lack of digital skills.

With the right plan in place, manufacturers can overcome these challenges – and by following the six steps below, they can develop a robust roadmap to fast-track their digital transformation programmes:

1. Raise awareness and understanding - Business leaders should start by improving awareness and understanding of Industry 4.0 technologies and their potential to deliver enterprise value. They should also improve their knowledge of the benefits of shifting to an operating model that allows them to make agile decisions, informed by reliable data. For digital transformation to be successful, it’s not simply about using the right technology platforms and systems. There needs to be just as much focus on the corporate culture and mindset, along with the organisational activities, processes, competencies and operating models. www.engineeringcapacity.com

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DIGITAL ROADMAP | Engineering Capacity

2. Invest in leadership and training - The next step is to build digital leadership at all levels of the organisation and develop a culture that’s committed to researching new technologies. Attention should be given to spotting and filling skills gaps, including the upskilling of existing employees.

The appointment of dedicated ‘Digital Transformation Champions’ can also help businesses to improve their internal communication while encouraging employees to support digital transformation programmes.

3. Assess the value of Industry 4.0 technologies through quick wins – If viewed strategically, Industry 4.0 techniques can join smart products and smart processes together to drive enhanced value for customers and the wider supply chain. Businesses can exploit this value by determining how their smart products can integrate into their customers’ processes and operations, putting in place the right operating model, focusing on IT infrastructure, internal capabilities and processes, and leveraging customer data and 38

www.engineeringcapacity.com

performance-based product data to improve how products are designed, developed and manufactured. Board-level executives need access to a smart data environment to define their objectives and inform their decisions, so this must be established at the start of the digital transformation journey.

4. Develop a bespoke Industry 4.0 framework – In the absence of any industry-specific frameworks, businesses will need to develop their own and these are likely to vary depending on the current operating model and long-term strategic vision. Many companies will not have the right digital infrastructure in place. To network smart technologies and new technology-based operating models, companies will have to adapt their existing IT infrastructure or implement entirely new solutions.

5. Drive value through integration – Assessing opportunities to enhance value through the cross-functional integration of digital technologies shouldn’t be viewed as a one-off process.

Instead, this should be kept under constant review as there are likely to be opportunities for continuous improvement.

6. Track the benefits – The smart data environment created as part of the company’s digital transformation not only supports businesses in tracking the benefits, it can also help to underline the case for further investment by forecasting value creation with a high degree of accuracy. Such dynamic models can then be used to guide the organisation’s strategic planning.

The key to remaining competitive in the future will be a business’s ability to fast-track their digital transformation plans, enabling them to achieve growth in recovery. The absence of vital planning tools, such as a generic roadmap, to guide manufacturers on their digital transformation journeys, could be preventing businesses from accelerating their delivery plans. However, by developing and implementing a bespoke digital transformation roadmap, manufacturers can gain a competitive advantage and realise their growth potential.

To learn more about how to optimise value from digital transformation on to the way back to growth, read Vendigital’s white paper at https://bit.ly/3Dda9RZ 8 Vendigital.co.uk 8 Alec McCullie is a partner and specialist in digital platform technology at management consultancy, Vendigital

SEPTEMBER 2021

BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

ACSL Precision Engineering sales@acsleng.co.uk www.acsleng.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

Auto Turned Products (Northants) Ltd shad@autoturned.co.uk www.autoturned.co.uk

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

Haydon Precision Turned Parts Ltd haydontool.co@btconnect.com www.haydon-precision.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cambridge Precision Ltd sales@cambridgeprecision.com www.cambridgeprecision.com

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

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

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

Falcon Engineering Productions Ltd sales@falconengineering.co.uk

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

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

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

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

SEPTEMBER 2021

btma.org

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DIRECTORY | BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS

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

Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd ian@precisionproducts.co.uk www.precisionproducts.co.uk

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

Muller England Limited sales@muller-england.co.uk www.muller-england.co.uk

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

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

NC Precision Ltd sales@ncprecision.com www.ncprecision.com

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

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

Neida Products Engineering Ltd sales@neida.co.uk www.neida.co.uk

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

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

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

Rowan Precision Limited sales@rowanprecision.co.uk www.rowanprecision.co.uk

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

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

TKM Engineering Ltd Sales@tkmengineering.co.uk www.tkmengineering.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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btma.org

SEPTEMBER 2021

BTMA MANUFACTURING MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

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

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

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

BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS | DIRECTORY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PSL Datatrack engcap@psldatatrack.com www.psldatatrack.com

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

Kumi Solutions simon@kumi-solutions.com www.kumi-solutions.com

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

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

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

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

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

SEPTEMBER 2021

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

btma.org

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DIRECTORY | BTMA TECHNICAL MEMBERS

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

Tornos Technologies UK Ltd sales_uk@tornos.com www.tornos.comk

Wickman Coventry Ltd o.coyne@wickman.co.uk www.wickman-group.com

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

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

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

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

FOR MANUFACTURERS ABOUT SUBCONTRACTORS

Qualiturn Products Limited Qualiturn are a very modern subcontract machining service. We offer CNC precision Turned and Milled components to your specifications and quantities. We work with all sizes of customers, offering the same service to all. Supplying various market sectors across the world.

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

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

JFL Broaches and Broaching

CNC PRECISION COMPONENTS 8

BROACHING 8

DIRECTORY | Engineering Capacity

DAWSON PRECISION COMPONENTS Manufacturing precision machined components since 1965 Services include: CNC milling, CNC turning, turn/mill machining, sub contracted services, finishing and project management.

Greenfield Lane, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, OL2 8QP Tel: 01706 842311

dpc.co.uk

September 2017

INDUSTRY NEWS | MACHINING | AUTOMOTIVE | SHOW PREVIEWS | COMPONENTS MACHINED

Get your company noticed with an Engineering Capacity classified profile advert MACHINED COMPONENTS: Prismatic parts from bar

www.engineeringcapacity.com

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Call 01737 270648

www.engineeringcapacity.com

Capacity Engineering

supports Mill-turning ach lean appro

year half of this In the first has committed to g Roscomatic investment, includin More than Engineering of 1000 Capacity | £750,000 tion of the latest medium-sized small to INDUSTRY xis the installa NEWS (SMEs) have manufacturers MSY multi-a been given Miyano BNE-51 business a centre. boost turn-mill months thanks over the last ten g-based company The Worthin to a new £9.7m business machinist support million parts subcontract The Manufac initiative. some 1.5 ted dispatches from comple Programme turing Growth (MGP), funded emblies a year – ranging European and sub-ass s and Regional Develop by the assemblies Fund (ERDF) ed casting ment is to large machin Economic and delivered by parts – and Growth turned small a record Solutions has helped (EGS), achieving of 98%. companies currently rate the UK to across 13 mins to just grow, Martello from on-time delivery products and develop been cut new further complex director Joe y is driven A Managing which Keet says: overcom the compan Seanproducti y 2.5 emins.s steel component on issues explains that hy of constant Cell Leader nal flexibilit that previous were stainles ns taking of operatio us ly holding to a by a philosop of lean manufacturing “The levels them three operatio Thisenabled BNE has has already ing ledhad back. is now reduced developmentsupported by machin in the Miyano reduce tominutes new nute cycle. tment ntly jobs, with an addition 11 400 four-mi ng £1 techniques, to significa al 359 n-inves important, often exceedi mostpositions expected to single, ivity.” investment and an ‘open-liaison’ times and Further return-o up setters to be created once product ongoinge projects year the freeinghas the million a improve overall which keeps are complet comes from tasks and from new machin ed.machin By the es other people strategyto date on the He says the£1.6m end of perform for each 3-axis July, up grant contribu um d existing ofalumini arising. n of lost time g the workforce replace issues 10 been reductio on, reducin errors and any four tions have inspecti family ofmade, withdmoney in company require so that a to support first-off We’ve relocati got aonlot of “We invest e in place andstill previously another He says: s. grants to deliver a separat 2200 firms parts that between risk of setting and progres ns and and the latest we want MSY leadership nownow work in operatio be and which manufac automation cutting March ogy and manage and the BNE-51 n canHolmes, cycle.2019.

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Knowledge’ rs (MGM), to industry top-of-the-rang installations they’re or opportunities they access (12% each). specialists Citizen looking initial stage Once the and the opportunity the total has She continue to explore.” to we then bring been completed, average grant apply for an d: “1000 com capacity.beneficiaries of £1400, rising works with in an expert who ineering is just the maximum the manage www.eng to a to start. £3,500.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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Sutton Road, St. Helens Merseyside WA9 3DJ Tel: 01744 22567 www.wealdpark.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2021

Batchflow Engineering Ltd

Kirkham Engineering Co Ltd 13 - CNC Sliding Heads up to 1”; 14 CNC Twin Turret Fixed Heads up to 65mm; 5 - Twin Turret Twin Spindle; 5 - Twin Turret with Sub-Spindle and 4 - Twin Turret; 4 - CNC Single Turret Fixed Heads up to 6” Billet.

Centreless Grinding & T/rolling. All materials - Stainless Steel; Nickel Alloys and other exotics a speciality.

Prestwood Place, East Pimbo, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9QE Tel: 01695 727401 www.kirkhamengineering.co.uk

SPRING MAKING 8 TURNED PARTS 8

Budbrooke Road, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5XH Tel: 01926 492889 www.batchflow.co.uk REPETITION TURNED PARTS 8

Wealdpark Ltd

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

CNC turning capacity from 2mm200mm using high precision Fixed and Sliding Head CNC Lathes.

Experience in machining a range of materials, from Low to Medium volumes, to customers specifications.

Oldfield Street, Crosland Moor Huddersfield HD4 5AJ T: 01484 548903 www.thomas-brown-engineering.co.uk

CNC mill-turn facility using Star sliding head lathes with bar capacity up to 32mm diameter.

Miyano and Doosan fixed head lathes with bar capacity up to 65mm.

Hurco vertical machining centre.

Simpson Springs & Pressings Ltd

Unit 1, Latimer Road Industrial Est, Latimer Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 2YD Tel: 0118 978 6573 www.simpsonsprings.co.uk TURNING (CNC) 8

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5 High quality precision machined components 5 Trusted technical support service 5 Complete and bespoke service from conception to completion 5 AS9100D & ISO 9001:2015 approved

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PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

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

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PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

PRECISION ENGINEERING 8

SUBCONTRACT CNC TURNING 8

Engineering Capacity | DIRECTORY

Precision Products (Brighton) Ltd A one-stop-shop for high-quality turned parts Accredited to AS9100 Rev D Unit 2 Brookside Avenue, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3LF Telephone: +44 (0) 1903 776 171 www.precisonproducts.co.uk

www.engineeringcapacity.com

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