EU funding for AM

Some €408,000 of EU funding has been awarded to the University of Wolverhampton for a new project to address skills gaps in manufacturing and engineering.

Newly developed training methods will now be used to develop high-level expertise in advanced manufacturing technologies focused on additive layer manufacturing (ALM). Entitled ‘Additive Process Technology Integration with Management and Entrepreneurship’, the project was awarded Erasmus + funding. Six European universities will now partner to create flexible learning that could result in a Master’s qualification.
For further information https://is.gd/elawic

Crusher specialist installs Doosan borer

At the Coalville facility of Terex, a mobile crusher machine manufacturer, a large-capacity Doosan DBC160 horizontal borer from Mills CNC has been installed.

Used to produce the high-accuracy bores, holes and threads found in the fabricated sections of Terex’s mobile crushers, the DBC160 accommodates sections that can weigh up to 30 tonne. Machining operations can be relatively long and, such is the need to maintain productivity, that high removal rates are an ongoing requirement. Up to 70 mobile crusher machines are manufactured at Terex’s Coalville facility every month.
Jason Toon, operations and facilities manager, says: “The machine specification we’d drawn up included the requirement for a large 3 m Y axis. We didn’t realise at the time that the new Doosan DBC160 borer could be supplied with such a large Y axis, although when we found out, we were naturally interested. The DBC160 is a new machine and we were going to be the first customer in the UK to buy one. This, plus the performance-critical nature of the investment meant we had to get it right first time.”
The DBC160 is a large-capacity, moving-column type borer equipped with a 160 mm diameter boring spindle (45 kW/2000 rpm). Workpieces measuring 3400 mm in diameter, and up to 20 tonne in weight, can be accommodated on the machine’s B-axis rotary table.
“We have been delighted with the DBC160 machine’s performance, and cannot speak highly enough about Mills CNC’s dedication and commitment, which have been first-class,” concludes Toon.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Turnover growth continues at XYZ Machine Tools

The first quarter of XYZ Machine Tools’ 2019/2020 financial year has continued the positive growth in turnover that saw the company post record figures for its year ending April 2019.

In the first quarter turnover has risen by over 6%, with sentiment in the market remaining strong across XYZ’s product range. Sales growth has also led to another accolade for the company, with it gaining 17 places in the Western Morning News’ Annual Business Guide Top 150 Businesses in Devon and Cornwall, moving up from 135th to 118th. This is no mean feat given that these 150 companies have a combined turnover of £14 billion.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Channing Engineering invests with ETG

The huge growth in fish farming in recent years is proving good news for a small precision engineering company based near Spalding.

A one-off job 10½ years ago has turned into a major stream of business for Channing Engineering, which employs eight people at its workshop in the village of Pinchbeck.
Run by Colin Channing, the company makes parts that are in high demand for fish farming businesses in Norway, the Faroe Islands and Canada. As a result, more than half of its work is now exported and, unlike many, the firm has no worries about the implications of Brexit with all of its main sales destinations outside the EU.
With business continuing to grow due to its reputation for quality and reliability, Channing and his team have decided to replace one of the company’s Bridgeport machining centres, working with the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) to purchase a new Hardinge GX710S.
“The previous machine was a highly reliable piece of kit, so it made sense to get another Bridgeport,” points out Channing. “It’s been a while since we’ve had to replace a piece of equipment and it was the first time we had worked with ETG. Everything went very smoothly and, when any issues did crop up, we received a rapid response, which is just what you want with a significant investment.”
The Bridgeport Hardinge GX710S is a three-axis vertical machining centre with 20 tools on an ATC carousel and a single spindle speed of up to 12,000 rpm. Table size is 800 x 400 mm, while travels in the X, Y and Z axes are 710, 400 and 430 mm respectively.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

Machining centres for graphite parts

The high-speed Mikron Mill S 400/500 Graphite and Mikron HSM 500 Graphite have been released by GF Machining Solutions.

As the name suggests, the machines have been designed to produce workpieces made from graphite. Graphite glass moulds for glass products are increasingly used in the ICT sector, while graphite electrodes are proven in the automotive, electronics, aerospace and packaging industries.
GF Machining Solutions’ Mikron Mill S 400/500 Graphite is aimed specifically at graphite mould tools. As ambient temperatures fluctuate in machine shops and machining speeds change, process stability is maintained thanks to the machine’s intelligent thermal management system and thermo-stable machine body. Precision and stability at the tool tip are said to be assured by the Step-Tec HVC140 spindle, with speeds ranging up to 42,000 rpm and 13.5 kW of power. As well as providing a solution for graphite, the machine can also handle a range of other materials, thus increasing its versatility and appeal.
Conversely, the Mikron HSM 500 Graphite is suitable for the dry machining of graphite. The machine’s Step-Tec HVC140 spindle (42,000 rpm) and integrated dust extraction system ensure fast production and process optimisation and, when integrated with a System 3R WorkPartner (WPT1+) part-changing robot, productivity increases yet further.
For further information www.gfms.com/uk