EIA joins MTA family

The Engineering Industries Association (EIA) is joining the MTA (Manufacturing Technologies Association), where it will sit as an independent identity under the MTA umbrella brand. MTA CEO James Selka says: “On-boarding into the MTA family will help ensure the EIA’s long-term sustainability and, by bringing key elements of the engineering and manufacturing community closer together, ensure member businesses receive enhanced support and enjoy a stronger, more influential voice into government.”

Karen Finegold, who now heads up the EIA, adds: “I believe EIA members will experience a huge benefit with this development. The services offered by the EIA will be enhanced by joining an allied association; the close links with the MTA have made this a natural progression.”

For further information www.mta.org.uk

Guhring unveils grooving system

The new Guhring 222 system of grooving and parting-off tools incorporates an extensive line of indexable inserts and tool holders to ensure suitability for all material types and applications. Guhring’s 222 designation derives from the tool’s two cutting edges with an effective depth of cut up to 22 mm. The 222 system is available with a tool holder or as a blade type to suit the demands of the end user.

Notably, the dedicated nickel-plated tool holder extends tool life and longevity, with three internal channels to suit the specific set-up of the machine and coolant supply. High-pressure coolant delivery supplies the work zone via two channels positioned above and below the cutting edge. This design increases tool life and performance, while supporting chip breaking and evacuation.

The tool holders are available in left- and right-hand designation, with tool body dimensions from 12 x 12 mm to 25 x 25 mm, making the 222 system suitable for everything from small compact turning centres and sliding-head machines, through to large, more robust machine tools. Tool holders are available in overall body lengths from 108 to 152 mm, depending upon the tool selected. Rigidity and performance receive a further boost thanks to a tool design that incorporates a new clamping screw design and insert support, which guarantees maximum insert clamping torque and stability during machining.

Like the tool-holder designation, the nickel-plated blade-type tool holder is available with and without through-coolant, with a blade length of 120 or 150 mm, a height of 26 or 32 mm and a width of 2.25 mm depending upon the selected tool.

For further information
www.guhring.co.uk

GFMS adds financing programme

GF Machining Solutions (GFMS), a division of the Georg Fischer Group, has entered into a partnership with DLL, a global asset finance company for equipment and technology, in preparation for offering funding options to GFMS customers through a new financing programme. GFMS Finance includes a range of financial solutions that covers the entire technology portfolio of GF Machining Solutions.
Tailored to meet individual customer requirements, GFMS Finance will be available in most European countries, as well as North and South America. The programme is flexible and will ensure that customers are able to: schedule payments to fit in with cash flow fluctuations; upgrade easily and seamlessly to acquire the latest equipment; and finance new manufacturing investment projects.

For further information www.gfms.com

Manufacturing surges to record high

Conditions in the manufacturing sector improved at an unprecedented rate in May, as output growth strengthened and new orders rose at their quickest pace in the near three-decade survey history. Looser pandemic restrictions and high levels of pent-up demand meant that the rapid revival in labour market conditions also continued, with staffing levels rising at a record pace.

The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 65.6 in May, up from 60.9 in April, above July 1994’s previous record high of 61.0. The PMI has now signalled improvement in each of the past 12 months. Manufacturing production also rose at one of the quickest rates in the series history. In fact, over 70% of companies forecast that production will be higher in one year’s time, compared with only 3% expecting a decline.

For further information
www.cips.org

3DLive GDML interface for Vericut

CGTech say that its Vericut software can now read in GDML files with a new 3DLive interface. GDML is an application-independent geometry description format based on XML. 3DLive is available in MachiningCloud for products that require kinematics, such as machine tools and work-holding devices.

MachiningCloud is renowned for its ability to provide 3D models of cutting tools for use in Vericut and other related CADCAM and simulation software. DMG Mori, Haas, Mazak, Kennametal and Kurt Workholding are among the first to supply GDML machine-tool driven-turret units and fixture models to MachiningCloud.

Vericut is the first software of its kind to support the import of 3DLive files for use in verifying, simulating and optimising NC programs. This enhancement provides Vericut users with the ability to read in 3DLive data for CNC machines, work-holding fixtures and cutting tool holders for use in simulations. This capability eliminates having to measure and model the components by traditional means or request 3D models from the machine-tool builder.

“What has traditionally been a challenging and time-consuming procedure to obtain machine-specific information and manually build digital twin machines, can now be done quickly and easily in Vericut using the new 3DLive interface to read information-rich geometry data,” says Gene Granata, Vericut product manager.

The 3DLive catalogue in MachiningCloud currently contains over 8700 products. 3DLive files contain kinematics, travel limits, minimum and maximum feed rates, initial machine location, and 3D geometry colours in a single file format. Vericut can read this data in a matter of seconds.

For further information
www.cgtech.co.uk