New ITC sales engineer

Ongoing expansion at Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) has seen the cutting tool manufacturer add a new technical sales engineer to its expanding team. The appointment of Ben Morgan will bolster the sales support provided to manufacturers in the south of the UK, predominantly in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire. Morgan entered the industry as an engineering apprentice in 2011, learning his trade as a multi-axis programmer and machinist in the aerospace industry. He progressed to team leader before moving to another prestigious manufacturer and subsequently joining ITC.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

JOINING FORCES TO SIMPLIFY COMPLEX MACHINING DEMANDS

After a decade of using VERICUT machining simulation, verification and optimisation software, Advanced Manufacturing (Sheffield) Ltd (AML) is extolling the virtues of providing industry-leading protection for its high-value capital assets and expensive parts. VERICUT from CGTech is a key component of business success at this rapidly expanding precision machining company, which serves a plethora of customers in sectors such as aerospace, energy and defence. More recently, AML has embraced the efficiency and productivity gains offered by VERICUT’s Force module, which is driving tool life gains and cycle time reductions in the order of 30-40%.

Originally a spin-out from the award-winning Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield, AML is today a leader in delivering flexible manufacturing capability at the cutting edge of machining technologies and efficiencies. The company is AS9100-certified and carries a Rolls-Royce Certificate of Approval. In addition, AML is part of the SC21 framework for ’21st Century supply chains’ to accelerate the competitiveness of aerospace and defence companies.

To manufacture the market’s highest quality precision parts, the company utilises the very latest technologies, including VERICUT simulation, verification and optimisation software from CGTech.

“We’ve had VERICUT from day one of manufacturing at AML, which dates back around a decade,” explains engineering manager Jason Mills. “VERICUT is our safety net; it looks after our complex components, some of which are machined from expensive forgings that cost in excess of £50,000 before we’ve even drilled a hole. There is no margin for error. We use all of the features in VERICUT, including gouge detection, collision detection and, more recently, the Force module. The software also looks after our machine tools through virtual simulations, which are critical because a replacement spindle could cost around £40,000 for the hardware alone.”

From receipt or generation of customer CAD, forging and stage models, AML engineers start building up what it calls the ‘Tech Pack’ from its Siemens NX CAM system, including documentation and any relevant paperwork. The company will then start importing the component, fixture and tool models into VERICUT. Here, AML can take advantage of its VERICUT NX Interface, a function that provides an easy and convenient way to verify, optimise and analyse individual NC programs, a series of selected tool paths or a complete sequence of operations, directly from within Siemens NX.

“We then start simulating the tool paths, checking for everything that could possibly go wrong, from collisions and near misses, to spindles running in the wrong direction,” explains Mills.

AML has seven seats of VERICUT base and essential modules that include Verification (detects program mistakes and verifies part accuracy), CNC Machine Simulation (detects collisions and near misses between all components in the machining zone) and Multi-Axis (simulates multi-axis milling, turning and mill-turn operations).

The latter is vital as AML has 15 DMG Mori CNC machine tools on site, almost all of which are high-specification, multi-axis NT series mill-turn models. These include a large NT6600 with 6 m bed and the latest arrival, an NT4250 DCG, which is capable of simultaneous five-axis mill-turn operations with a direct-drive motor installed in the B axis.

“Business is extremely busy, so we also have a DMG Mori DMU 125 FD five-axis machining centre on order, and are looking at two more assets in the near future,” says Mills. “We are not shy of investment if it makes sound business sense.”

The company also takes advantage of several further VERICUT modules, including AUTO-DIFF™, which compares a CAD design model with a VERICUT simulation to automatically detect differences, weaknesses or mistakes in the design.

“We use AUTO-DIFF on every component as part of our standard operating procedure [SOP],” states Mills. “With AUTO-DIFF, anyone involved in the manufacturing process can identify an incorrectly processed job. We find that it often flags up errors, especially as we have numerous mill-turn machines. The tools on mill-turn machines can be flipped round either way, so if they are not set-up correctly, VERICUT will capture it.”

Additional VERICUT modules on site include CNC Machine Probing, which checks for probe collisions (all of the CNC machine tools at AML feature Renishaw probes), and TDM Systems, which provides a live, on-the-fly connection to TDM. The company is now building tools in TDM for direct import into VERICUT.

Most recently, AML has added Force – Milling to its list of modules. VERICUT Force makes optimising an NC program fast and easy by calculating the contact between the tool and material, cut-by-cut. Force also takes the cutting-tool edge and material into account, adjusting the feed rates accordingly so they are optimal and constant.

“We’ve seen up to 40% more tool life and 30-40% savings in machining cycle time when using VERICUT Force,” says Mills. “The module is invaluable for our production work as it provides us with a competitive edge. It’s quite easy to use and understand. We simply pick the material from the database and input the cutter geometry, which we get from the tooling manufacturer. Force then does its calculations in the background.”

AML has come a long way since spinning out of the AMRC (the company remains a tier-two AMRC member to this day).

“We have 30,000 ft2 here now, which is a tenfold increase in 10 years,” explains operations director Mark Hands. “We’ve gone from 8 staff to 66; from two CNC machines to 15, and imminently about to sanction another two.”

It is all about continuous improvement at AML, a strategy that is spurring ambitious goals for the years ahead.

“For the 2021-2024 period we set targets to grow turnover from £4.9 million to £12 million; headcount from 55 to 110; and assets [CNC machine tools] from 10 to 22,” says Hands.
AML is also working with a team of consultants from Sharing in Growth, business experts in the world of advanced manufacturing. The dedicated three-year transformation improvement programme is witnessing the entire AML team commit to an intense and comprehensive scheme of training, mentoring, coaching and development.

“We are big believers in reinvesting in our future, as well as our people,” says Hands, who joined as a project engineer in 2011 and is now a company director and major shareholder. Similarly, engineering manager Jason Mills began his career at AML as a CNC machinist, while the company’s quality manager was originally a press brake operator.

The coming years are clearly bright for this progressive manufacturing business, where production follows a simple mantra: apply the best manufacturing technology available to provide low-cost parts to customers. This is more than just a tagline; AML was born out of advanced research activities and the company still believes that technology is a key differentiator in providing value for customers. AML aims to apply the best knowledge in tooling, CAM strategies, dynamic analysis and CNC machine platforms to deliver precision quality at high production rates. Key to this goal is VERICUT.

“VERICUT brings security to our business,” says Hands. “Not just because our parts are expensive, but because some are 1-offs with no margin for error. We also rely on VERICUT to protect our CNC machines; large, expensive assets that are costly to repair. If we’re not protecting our machines or our parts, then we’re not protecting the customer programme, nor the relationship we have with them. Right first time within the business is a must and VERICUT is a vital part of that.”

Mills concludes: “I can’t ever see us changing from VERICUT. We’re comfortable and happy with the software, as well as the level of support we receive from CGTech. Today we apply VERICUT to all of our parts. No matter what we change in NX, even if we just add a command to turn on the coolant, it goes through VERICUT as it provides confidence for everyone in the business, from directors to machine operators. You can’t put a value on that.”
For further information www.cgtech.co.uk

Up to 20% faster processing speeds

GF Machining Solutions recently supplied a new wire EDM machine to Bedestone Ltd, a wire erosion and jig-grinding specialist based in Birmingham. The machine, an AgieCharmilles CUT P 550 Pro has taken its place alongside two, previously acquired, large-capacity wire EDM machines and two EDM hole drills, to create a flexible, responsive and high-precision wire EDM resource for its growing customer base.

Says co-owner and director, Richard Stanley: “The new machine has replaced an older Charmilles 330F wire eroder which, while still able to meet our accuracy and surface finish requirements, was relatively slow by today’s standards and was experiencing some reliability issues that, if left unchecked, would likely impact on our ability to meet customer lead times in the future.”

He continues: “We spent time identifying the key features and characteristics of the new machine we needed and approached a number of EDM machine tool manufacturers with our plans. We had also devised a challenging test cut [machining a precision spline] that we asked the participating machine tool manufacturers to undertake.”

The key performance indicators of the test cut were part accuracy and cycle time. On both measures, as it transpired, the CUT P 550 Pro wire EDM machine from GF Machining Solutions came out on top.

Says Stanley: “The CUT P 550 Pro was the best performing machine in the test cut, but our decision wasn’t just based on the results of the test. We also liked and responded positively to the business approach adopted by GF Machining Solutions. From the outset they were interested in what we were doing and where we wanted to get to. It felt more collaborative rather than merely a supplier providing a new machine to a customer.”
For further information www.gfms.com/uk

Erodex inspires greater health and wellbeing

Erodex UK, a Black Country based supplier of graphite and EDM consumables to the aerospace industry supplier, is supporting the ‘Workplace Health at One You Walsall’ and ‘Healthy Years Ahead’ initiatives to help its employees and local community become more aware of the benefits of living a healthy, active lifestyle.

Workplace Health at One You Walsall, funded by Walsall Council, is a free healthy lifestyle service dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of all residents across Walsall. Services exist to help residents make the best choices for their lifestyle, from health and fitness to emotional wellbeing.

Erodex HR manager Deborah Bayliss says: “As a business we were looking to engage our employees in health and wellbeing initiatives and saw the opportunity to become involved with Workplace Health at One You Walsall, in addition to the Healthy Years Ahead initiative, which works with individuals of 40 years of age and older. So far, we’ve held a workplace event to engage employees and introduce the initiatives. From this we gained expressions of interest in services offered by the organisations.”

She adds: “There’s been a great response and we’re looking to book in a practitioner to deliver two full days of health assessments for our employees. From these we’ll plan future health and wellbeing sessions in the workplace and signpost to outside services.”

Erodex employs 85 people across two sites in Halesowen and Darlaston, West Midlands, as well as a site in Croydon.
For further information www.erodex.com

Accelerating towards digital transformation

Celonis and Accenture are teaming up to support Mann+Hummel, a global filtration solutions provider for markets that include EDM, to accelerate its company-wide digital transformation and become a data-driven enterprise. By leveraging intelligent insights and actions, Mann+Hummel will improve and optimise its processes to increase operational excellence and become even more customer-centric.

Accenture has supported Mann+Hummel’s data-driven enterprise journey since 2019. Together with global execution management specialist Celonis, Accenture will foster the firm’s process capabilities by helping to roll out Celonis’ execution management system across Mann+Hummel in a multi-year program.

With this strategic collaboration, Mann+Hummel will gain new levels of transparency and an objective, fact-based understanding of how its core business processes really run. This will enable the company to identify performance barriers in real-time and take automated action to remove inefficiencies and improve processes. Insights from the initial stages of deployment have already created process standardisation and optimisation in the areas of supply, distribution and production. This will be expanded on in the coming months across materials, planning and logistics, to improve cycle times and productivity, reduce rework, optimise inventory, increase automation and streamline global execution.

Emese Weissenbacher, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Mann+Hummel, says: “Our efforts and investments in standardisation are all targeted towards being able to stay a step ahead of customer needs. Deploying Celonis market-leading process mining and execution management capabilities enables us to drive more intelligent, data-driven insights, measures and decisions. I am convinced with this transformation we can take our business processes to the next level and create an agile platform for continuous improvement.”
For further information www.mann-hummel.com