UK MICRO MACHINE MANUFACTURER PARTNERS WITH OPEN MIND TECHNOLOGIES

The world of precision machine tools is a remarkably niche area that is increasingly in demand as certain industries demand ever smaller components with dimensions and tolerances in the ‘micron’ range. Loxham Precision, a UK manufacturer of ultra-precision machine tools is making waves in this sector, but such a rapid rise to prominence would not have been possible without partnering with Open Mind Technologies and its HyperMILL CADCAM system to develop its machine solutions and market presence.

Industries as diverse as consumer electronics and jewellery, automotive to the semiconductor, aerospace and many more – the world is demanding smaller parts with tighter dimensions. Achieving this objective is only possible with machine tools capable of delivering micron precision. All machine tool manufacturers want to claim they can achieve it, but only the top echelon actually does. Sitting at the top of this pyramid is Loxham Precision, a company that spun out of Cranfield University in 2011. Located on the campus of the university, Loxham specialises in the development and manufacture of next-generation ultra-precise machine tools and motion systems.

The company’s product range includes the BoX freeform grinding machine, the μ6 Micro six-axis turn-mill machine, the μ5 turn-mill machine and the AeroloxSeries 200 linear motion slides.As a niche manufacturer, Loxham also offers services such as product development, FEA (finite element analysis), dynamics and modal analysis, specialist optic fabrication, ultra-precision fabrication, electrochemical machining, complex device fabrication, and specialist bearing manufacturing.

Machine tools produced by the company can perform everything from diamond turning and micro milling for quantum devices, electro-optics, medical devices, watch components and sensors. The machines provide high flexibility in precision turning and milling suitable for finishing near net complex shape AM substrates, laser targets, electro-optics and air bearing components, as well as precision free-form grinding.

As an ex-head of the engineering division at the NPL and also the Cranfield University Precision Institute (CUPE), Loxham Precision CEO Professor Paul Shore has worked at the very highest levels of academia, industry and cutting-edge research – the perfect background for developing machine tools that break the boundaries of convention. However, when it comes to manufacturing and selling these innovative advances, Loxham Precision has chosen to work with Open Mind Technologies.

Recalling the start of the relationship, Shore says: “As a machine tool builder, we wanted to work with an industry-leading CAM vendor to not only develop and manufacture many of our machine components but also validate our machine tools. We identified Open Mind as the industry benchmark and entered discussions in 2021. As a small UK machine tool manufacturer, Open Mind provided us with a development licence for HyperMILL, their CADCAM software solution.”

He continues: “In the three years that we have worked with HyperMILL, we’ve been bowled over by their level of expertise, innovation and willingness to provide us with support. We were looking for a CAM developer that has an impeccable reputation for innovation, so we can sell our machine tools with a competent CADCAM system that is capable of not only driving our machines but also meeting the very diverse demands of our end users.”

Recalling the decision to work with Open Mind, Shore says: “From the very outset, the people and the level of communication was exceptional. Open Mind recognised that we are a small UK machine tool builder and they wanted to support us. Additionally, HyperMILL is a CADCAM system supported by a team with no boundaries. For example, our machines operate in the ‘nano’ scale, not ‘micron’, which deterred some CAM developers from wanting to work with us. Open Mind instantly said that was not a problem. They have not only enabled us to become CAM-competent, they have also taken charge of certain challenges and made our partnership a seamless and easy process.”

Highlighting an example of this willingness to work with any situation, Shore adds: “We don’t use conventional Siemens, FANUC or Heidenhain CNCs on our machines as we prefer an open architecture system. Open Mind had no problem with this, informing us that whatever CNC system we chose to power our machines they would ‘make it work’.”

Loxham Precision supplies its machines to market segments that were once niche but are all rapidly expanding to become the norm. As the relationship blossoms, Loxham Precision is offering its machine tools with licences for HyperMILL incorporated to help customers drive their five-axis investments.

Concluding on this point, Shore says: “The relationship with Open Mind is certainly a huge benefit to both parties. They supported our CAM competence and given our customers confidence in purchasing machine tools that are driven by an industry-leading CADCAM software suite. Likewise, our ultra-precise machines are being sold to rapidly ascending market segments and we are opening the doors of these niche areas for Open Mind.”

For further information www.openmind-tech.com

Versatile tool for factory floor unveiled

Markforged has unveiled its newest industrial 3D printer, the FX10. The FX10 empowers users to print the right part when and where it is needed, reducing costs and cutting lead times from months to days compared with traditional manufacturing methods.

“We engineered the FX10 to be the best tool for the manufacturing floor,” says Shai Terem, CEO of Markforged. “The FX10 allows manufacturers to slash original part replacement costs in comparison with traditional methods and keep production lines running without worrying about supply chain issues or spare parts inventory. The FX10 can accelerate the digitisation of the manufacturing floor by increasing the adoption of digital inventory to build supply chain resiliency. Our customers now have the potential to save even more capital by reducing physical inventory and boosting production yields while decreasing operating costs.”

Designed with flexibility in mind, it is possible to expand and upgrade the printer’s modular systems with additional capabilities. For example, the FX10 has been designed to incorporate a printhead integrated vision module to capture detailed part images and data to further ensure part quality and optimise printer performance. The fifth-generation Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR) print system delivers high print quality in a heated print chamber, allowing for print speeds that are nearly twice as fast and print sizes that are up to twice as large as previous Markforged industrial series printers. This capability enables the replacement of metal parts with advanced composites.

“The FX10 is another important milestone in our mission to bring industrial production to the point of need,” states Terem.“It enables our customers to address even more industrial applications with clear return on investment. Coupled with our ‘Digital Source’ platform, we are truly starting to bring the vision of distributed manufacturing into reality.”More information www.markforged.com

UltiMaker launches industrial-grade 3D printer

UltiMakerhas released the UltiMaker Factor 4 industrial-grade 3D printer, an end-to-end 3D-printing solution for light industrial applications.

With support for engineering materials, direct-drive dual extrusion, on-board print quality reporting, temperature-controlled build volume, UltiMaker 4 delivers high levelsof predictability and minimal variance. Built upon more than a decade of dedication to openness and accessibility, the machine will support one of the widest material portfolios on the market for a variety of applications, including end use parts, functional prototyping, manufacturing tools, and small batch manufacturing of auxiliary components and spares.

Factor 4 offers a temperature-controlled build volume of 330 x 240 x 300 mm and uniform bed heating, ensuring consistent performance across the entire build plate. Designed for the manufacturing and industrial sectors, it launched with a new high-temperature print core that allows engineers to print up to 340°C, enabling a broader range of high-performance, temperature-resistant, and durable materials. These include the new UltiMaker PPS CF, a high-temperature composite material.

The machine uses the heated bed and actively controlled chamber airflow to manage the build volume temperature up to 70°C, ensuring optimal material-specific processing conditions and consistent part quality wherever the 3D printer is located. It is tested to achieve over 95% print completion success and dimensional accuracy within ±0.2 mm or ±0.2% of the feature nominal length.

The latest print profiles for Factor 4, available on Cura 5.7.1, enable the printing of engineering materials such as PET-CF and nylon with productivity levels similar to tough PLA and PETG, effectively doubling print speed when compared with the UltiMaker S series.

More information www.ultimaker.com/factor-4

UK-manufactured large-format 3D printer

New additive manufacturing technology – designed and manufactured in the UK – was launched at TCT 3Sixty earlier this month.LANDR, which spun out of fast-growing RYSE 3D, is looking to unlock engineering-grade technology and materials for SMEs, disruptors and entrepreneurs with the arrival of LANDR 500.

Featuring a 500x500x500mm build volume, the large-format FDM printer gives users the scope to build larger and more complex parts suited to rapid prototyping and volume production for end-use in the automotive, aerospace, healthcare and consumer sectors.

The machine is the brainchild of Mitchell Barnes, who recognised the need for a cost-effective 3D printer that delivered high power and flexible capability. At £11,398.80 including VAT, LANDR says its nearest competitor is 10 times the cost, three times the weight and twice the size, making it difficult to fit into shop-floor operations.Nearly £200,000 of pre-orders are already in the pipeline and LANDR used the TCT 3Sixty event to give potential customers the opportunity to register their interest.

“I was frustrated with what I was seeing in the marketplace, especially the lack of options that were within financial reach,” says Barnes.“Like most difficult things I encounter in life, there’s no choice but to take them head-on and develop innovative solutions from scratch.

Over the course of the next 12 months, the team has designed, tested and built LANDR 500, a 3D printer that will support a wide range of engineering-grade materials.”

He adds: “We are successfully using 10 printers at our sister business RYSE 3D. With 30,000+ hours of use so far, there’s no better testing ground than a company supplying parts to 18 of the world’s hypercars.”

More information www.landr3d.com

3D-printed body panels for wind tunnel tests

Stewart-Haas Racing partnered with 3D Systems to determine the best-performing aerodynamic shape for the new 2024 NASCAR Ford Mustang Dark Horse through an innovative approach to testing hundreds of different body panel shapes in a highly efficient way.

3D Systems’ SLA machines and 3D Sprint software in combination with the development process used by the two companies, yielded a race car body for the Ford Mustang Dark Horse race car that combines the aesthetics of a 2024 production car with aerodynamic performance for the Ford team’s race cars to win races and a NASCAR Cup series championship.

To submit a new race car body shape, the Ford race teams needed to meet specific aerodynamic coefficient specifications as determined by NASCAR. This is ideally achieved during a full-scale wind tunnel test of the submitted car body, which can be extremely costly and time-consuming. Stewart-Haas Racing found a more efficient solution that allows it to test dozens of different body panel shapes during each test session by partnering with additive manufacturing firm 3D Systems. 

The 3D Systems’ 3D Sprint software is intuitive to use and enables the technician to set up CAD models of parts that require printing. It is then possible to send the resulting files to 3D Systems’ ProX 800for fast, accurate printing of the parts in the desired material. By fastening the 3D-printed parts to the sub-structure of the full-scale car, Stewart-Haas Racing could define the entire car body shape using these 3D-printed tiles.As the car wasundergoing tests in the wind tunnel, additional 3D-printed tiles could be added or removed from the car to test various concepts.

More information www.3dsystems.com