Sandvik buys DCS

Sandvik has acquired US-based Dimensional Control Systems (DCS), a global provider of dimensional quality management software and on-site engineering services. DCS’s offering will complement and enhance Sandvik’s existing portfolio within metrology. The company will be reported in the Industrial Metrology division, within the Sandvik Manufacturing and Machining Solutions business area. DCS’s software solutions include CAD simulation tools, enabling customers to improve and validate their component design and metrology measurement plan.

For further information www.3dcs.com

Lantek shows digital factory proposal

Lantek resumed its on-site activity at trade shows by exhibiting at MetalMadrid 2021, the Community of Madrid’s annual industrial fair held late last year. A total of 570 exhibiting companies and 9000 professional visitors gathered together to lead industrial transformation, an area where Lantek says it has a lot to offer.

At MetalMadrid, Lantek presented the latest technological developments that it has recently incorporated into its portfolio of software solutions, making them more efficient and enabling smarter and uninterrupted advanced manufacturing.

Joseba Montoya, commercial director of Lantek Iberia, says: “If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that production simply cannot stop and that we must continue to evolve and provide the market with solutions that are better prepared to operate with full guarantees in these new hybrid work contexts that are becoming increasingly common. Here, the cloud has proven to be our greatest ally. During this period, our sector didn’t stop and Lantek certainly didn’t stop either. In fact, we’ve worked hard to develop new functionalities that can be used to raise our cloud products’ level of excellence so that we can respond to new market realities and customer needs. Our partnership with Trumpf has made us stronger and given us more resources.”

One of Lantek’s maxims is to produce more and produce better, but always intelligently. This principle is embodied in the solutions and services proposed for the company’s Global Release 2021, which was shown at MetalMadrid 2021.

Considering the improvements by product type, fair attendees had the chance to get a first-hand look at several Lantek proposals for smart digital factories, including: a programming solution for 2D punching and cutting machines (Lantek Expert V2021); Lantek Flex3D V2021; Lantek MES and Lantek Integra; Lantek Analytics; Lantek iQuoting; and Lantek MetalShop.

For further information
www.lantek.com

KJN acquisition strengthens Rubix UK portfolio

As part of its network development strategy, Rubix continues to extend its engineering, motion control and automation services offer in the UK with the acquisition of KJN Automation. KJN’s workshop in Leicester is a one-stop shop for customers requiring aluminium profile solutions. The company is renowned for supplying high-quality aluminium profiles and components, and for its expertise in precision engineering. Value-added services include turning, milling, grinding, spark eroding, sawing, fabrication and welding, as well as bespoke CNC machining and CAD design services.

For further information
www.aluminium-profile.co.uk

£500,000 advanced skills boost

Hundreds of workers across the West Midlands have the opportunity to upskill thanks to a new initiative by The Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology (IoT). Companies can now access specialist training for members of staff aged 19+ on one of three Level 4 technical courses in automated machining, robotics and QA. The £500,000 In-Work Skills pilot, which will be delivered by the Marches spoke of the IOT at In-Comm Training in Telford, is free of charge and can be completed part-time and in modules, giving both staff and employers complete flexibility.

“Brexit and Covid has placed a lot of financial pressure on businesses and, in some cases, training budgets have been cut, meaning employees and bosses are missing out on vital skills development,” says Bekki Phillips, COO at In-Comm Training. “The In-Work Skills pilot has been designed to bridge this gap and will give manufacturers access to high-quality Level 4 technical courses at no cost to them.”

For further information https://in-comm.co.uk/

Open Mind helps BAM to automate

BAM GmbH, based in Weiden, Bavaria, is going all in with digital processes in an effort to reduce costs and project production times in contract manufacturing. With the support of Open Mind Technologies, BAM has used the hyperMILL Automation Center to streamline and markedly accelerate CAM programming, representing the final digital step in transitioning from customer design to finished workpiece. Automation has helped reduce CAM programming times in hyperMILL by 70-80%.

“Thanks to the powerful 2.5D, 3D and five-axis cycles of hyperMILL, we’ve succeeded in reducing set-up and programming times on our machining centres, resulting in greater efficiency and higher capacity utilisation,” states Stefan Bauer, head of manufacturing at BAM. “With its feature-based technology, macro databases and associated process, hyperMILL also provides a solid basis to automate programming and significantly reduce time expenditure by reusing pre-existing programming know-how.”

The hyperMILL Automation Center is built on feature and macro technology, allowing any user to standardise machining steps and automatically apply them to new workpieces. Open Mind honed and optimised the process for use at BAM. To handle a wide variety of orders and workpieces, the CADCAM developer integrated an interactive user guide that uses just a few parameters to control automated programming.

Marco Bauer, managing director of BAM, is extremely satisfied with the support provided by the team of hyperMILL experts. “Open Mind staff always provide us with expert support, even when dealing with highly complex applications and exotic projects,” he says. “One of the key factors for us was that Open Mind develops its software in-house. As a result, we were able to obtain customised functions for our automation projects very rapidly, which has helped us improve leaps and bounds.”

For further information
www.openmind-tech.com