3D printing developments

Since exhibiting at the last Subcon event in 2019, there have been some major developments at 3DPRINTUK (Stand D78) which have reinforced the company’s credentials when it comes to the industrial use of 3D printing for prototyping and production applications. First, 3DPRINTUK has moved to a new 10,000 sq ft purpose-designed facility in London that can accommodate the company’s growing fleet of 3D printers and post-processing technologies. Furthermore – having been synonymous with the use of the SLS 3D printing process – 3DPRINTUK also now provides Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF).

For further information www.3dprint-uk.co.uk

Subcon conference details finalised

Subcon has announced its final conference programme for this year’s event. With the addition of Andrew Peters from Siemens and Andrew Jones from HP 3D Printing (who will be discussing the value proposition of digital manufacturing and 3D printing benefits across the product lifecycle, respectively) the Subcon conference programme is now finalised. The three-day conference also includes panel discussions and keynote addresses from Make UK CEO Stephen Phipson, Made in Britain CEO John Pearce, Manufacturing Excellence MD Paul Bell, NMITE associate professor Nadia Kourra and many more.

For further information
www.subconshow.co.uk/sessions-2021

Latest TIG welding techniques

Orbital Fabrications (Stand C68) is a specialist in the field of manufacturing high-purity stainless steel manifolds and control systems for use in the semiconductor, pharmaceutical, chemical and process industries. At Subcon, the company will be showcasing its latest developments and innovations in TIG welding techniques for fabricating complex assemblies made from stainless and high nickel content alloys; utilising both automated orbital welding techniques and conventional lathe and turntable TIG welding.

This capability is supported by recent investment and expansion of the company’s CNC machine shop in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, giving greater control and management of the entire fabrication process. On display at the stand will be examples highlighting some of the latest innovations in welding techniques, as well as the fabrication of fluid handling solutions for a wide range of industries and processes.

For further information www.orbitalfabrications.co.uk

High-load ball screws suit press brakes

Following success with previous-generation machines, a leading manufacturer of press brakes is once again specifying high-quality NSK ball screws for its latest electric model. The company is using the NSK HTF-SRC high-speed, high-load ball screw featuring A1 seal for its new machine, which with 80 tonnes of press force, is the most powerful in the range.

As with previous electric press brake models, the force will be carried by two HTF-SRC ball screws in tandem configuration, with independent electronic control of each axis. Thanks to the design of HTF series ball screws and NSK’s technical knowledge, the solution can withstand large forces while retaining a compact shaft diameter – smaller than ball screws from other manufacturers – to help OEMs minimise machine size.
Such is the customer’s confidence regarding the performance of NSK ball screws that its first order was for a full production batch, rather than prototype quantities.

NSK’s HTF-SRC ball screws offer numerous benefits to OEMs and end users, including high dynamic load, high speed, low noise and extended operating life thanks to proper load distribution. The press brake manufacturer has been using NSK HTF series ball screws since 2017, when it produced its first electric machine.

Compared with hydraulic press brakes, electric machines offer low maintenance thanks to automatic lubrication, low power consumption, low noise and shorter cycle times. The press brake manufacturer’s sales force also refers to the use of NSK ball screws as another key selling point.

For further information
www.nskeurope.com

ERP system cloud edition unveiled

ERP software provider, E-Max Systems (Stand D68), is releasing the cloud edition of its manufacturing ERP system, E-Max ERP. Designed by engineers for engineers, E-Max ERP provides full visibility of all manufacturing processes, from enquiry to invoice, and facilitates efficiency improvements and business growth. The on-premise version is currently in use at over 350 manufacturing and engineering SMEs within the UK, and the company is seeking to expand its customer-base with the release of the new cloud option. Users also benefit from a contemporary new user-interface and single-click functionality.

For further information
www.emax-systems.co.uk