£30m nuclear sector contract for TSP

Workington-based TSP Engineering has been awarded a £30m contract to manufacture nuclear waste containers for Sellafield Ltd.

The 50-tonne, lead-lined containers will transfer nuclear waste from the legacy Magnox Swarf Storage Silo to newly built storage facilities on the site. This new work is expected to create or sustain approximately 200 jobs at TSP Engineering. Alongside other orders placed with the business, the work will bring the TSP Engineering workforce to more than 250 people.
Martin Chown, CEO of Sellafield Ltd, says: “TSP’s success in winning this contract proves our nuclear supply chain can compete with the best in the world.”
For further information www.tsp-engineering.co.uk

Milling cutters for tool and mould making

Mapal has introduced a completely new line of solid-carbide end mills – the OptiMill-3D series – which has been specially developed for the tool and mould-making industry. Along with extremely heat-resistant coatings and special carbide substrates, the new cutting tools are characterised by dimensions and geometries specifically adapted to mould making.

Suitable for milling hard parts in the domain of 45 to 66 HRc, the OptiMill-3D-HF-Hardened is offered with four or six cutting edges. Mapal has developed the two variants for high-feed milling on particularly challenging materials. In addition, to optimise performance and longevity on challenging tasks like interrupted cutting, the company has developed special face geometry.
The four-flute tool is the primary choice for roughing and pre-finishing. Available from 2 to 16 mm diameter, the four-flute tool is suitable for long overhang applications such as machining in deep cavities.
Also designed for roughing and pre-finishing, the six-flute series is said to demonstrate impressive characteristics when finishing flat surfaces with a high feed rate. Moreover, with a PVD coating, the tool dissipates heat generation to ensure tool life is prolonged. Available from 6 to 16 mm diameter, the OptiMill-3D-HF-Hardened is complemented by the three and four-flute OptiMill-3D-HF for softer material machining.
Also new to the solid carbide range is the new OptiMill-3D-CR-Hardened with a corner radius. Suitable for finishing 3D mould tools up to a hardness of 66 HRc, this line produces smooth, high-gloss surface finishes when machining at maximum feed rates. Offered in diameters from 4 to 12 mm with accurate corner radii of 0.5, 1 and 2 mm, the PVD coated OptiMill-3D-CR-Hardened is available with a selection of different lengths to suit the machining demands of users.
For further information www.mapal.com

Carfulan expands workforce by 20%

Carfulan Group has expanded its workforce by almost 20% as it continues to strengthen its offering to UK manufacturers.

Part of a revamped five-year business plan, a targeted recruitment drive has seen eight new faces join the group across its four companies: OGP UK, SYS Systems, Zoller UK and ViciVision UK. In total, Carfulan now employs more than 50 people.
Managing director Chris Fulton says: “Our new five-year business plan takes us up to 2025 and people are critical to its success. We’ve made a significant investment up front to get the right people through the door and fully up to speed, so that by the end of this period we’re confident we’ll have a field-leading team right across the group. The recruitment drive isn’t stopping here – if we continue to be successful we’re keen to grow further, across all of our companies.”
For further information www.carfulan.com

Kyocera unveils parting-off solution

With the new KPK series, Kyocera is adding a new product line to its parting-off range. The KPK series has been developed to provide a high-performance parting-off solution supported by a strong clamping mechanism for added safety and security.

Kyocera’s KPK series is said to ensure stable and safe cutting. When it comes to parting-off operations in general, the workpiece can be difficult to secure, which leads to rigidity and chattering issues. Therefore, the cutting speed is usually low at the rotational centre of the workpiece. In addition, tools tend to be broken easily by chip issues.
All of these problems are said to be eradicated with the KPK series as it features a new insert, blade and tool-block design for rigid, safe and speedy parting-off operations in workpiece materials that include steel, stainless steel, cast iron and aluminium. Due to easy insert replacement, downtime is reduced to a minimum. The firmly-secured insert uses three contact surfaces to ensure safe clamping, which eliminates chattering and makes the parting-off process a lot safer.
Proprietary chip-breaker technology is inherited from the KGD line-up and is said to provide excellent chip control. Thanks to this technology, tool life is longer and the machining stable, says Kyocera. The rigid tool-holder block not only prevents chattering, but provides internal coolant, which again increases tool life, even under normal pressure.
For further information www.kyocera-unimerco.co.uk

Record sales

Telford-based Fabweld Steel Products has returned to full operational capacity and recalled all of its staff from furlough after securing a record £500,000 of sales in just seven days.

The spike in sales – around 10 times more than what would be expected at this time of year – signals a return of confidence to the market, believes managing director Richard Hilton. “I think this is a very positive signal that confidence is beginning to return to industry, and long may it continue,” he states. The recent surge in orders has come from a mix of UK and export projects, including €275,000 from Germany for the supply of recessed access covers.
For further information www.fsp.co.uk