Powering up productivity for EV manufacturer

As a machine tool builder that manufactures high-end four and five-axis machines for the global market, Heller UK has frequent involvement in turnkey projects for prestigious OEMs. On one of its more recent projects, the Redditch-based company enlisted the support of the cutting tool experts at Guhring.

There has been a wide spectrum of tools used on this project for a leading manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs), including Guhring tool holders and tool vending technology. As part of the package of tool holders to accompany the cutting tools, the EV manufacturer has selected a vast range of standard heat-shrink, hydraulic and synchro-tapping chucks.

The cutting tools for the project included a huge range of standard products from Guhring’s portfolio of drills, taps and reamers. Although these accounted for a significant element of the system integration project, it was the bespoke PCD combination tools that demonstrated Guhring UK’s expertise as a one-stop solution provider and valued partner for turnkey projects.

With the PCD combination tools manufactured at Guhring UK’s Birmingham manufacturing facility and its main manufacturing plant in Germany, the bespoke tooling solutions were developed to achieve ‘one shot’ plunging. The bespoke tooling aimed to reduce cycle times and adhere to the high surface finishes required over the life of the tool.

“We delivered 22 four- and five-axis machines in this project, all built in the UK,” says Tad Forys, area sales manager at Heller Machine Tools UK. “Guhring has been with us for every step of the journey, clocking in tools and optimising speeds and feeds to make sure we have the most efficient process for the customer before delivery of the machines.”

More information www.guhring.co.uk

Mapal gains foothold at Kramer+Grebe

To stay competitive in mould and die making for the automotive industry, efficient production with a high degree of process reliability is vital for Krämer+Grebe of Biedenkopf-Wallau. Manufacturers such as Krämer+Grebe also judge cutting tool suppliers by their applications engineering. Mapal is earning trust in this respect with its reamers and high-feed milling cutters.

Machinery at Krämer+Grebe is all state of the art. The 16 machining centres are predominantly from DMG and Hermle. There is also a deep-hole drilling machine, two turning centre, three EDM machines and 3D printers. The company has 11,000 m²

of production space at its disposal, where the transition to electric mobility is well underway. Powertrain parts here include stator housings for the electric motor.

Co-operation between Mapal and Krämer+Grebe is reaching its five-year anniversary, a partnership which began with multi-bladed reamers. Mapal was the only manufacturer Krämer+Grebe could find that was able to produce these tools with the necessary quality and short lead times. Bores with H7 quality are needed to insert heating cartridges in low-pressure moulds.

Mapal’s application engineers left a lasting impression. They provided user training on site and helped commission the process on the machine. As part of process optimisation, Krämer+Grebe parted company with some of its former tool suppliers, of which there were many.

After such a good experience with the reamers, Krämer+Grebe began adopting Mapal’s high-feed milling cutters. The tools demonstrate long tool life and generate large chip volumes during roughing, thus reducing production times. The milling cutters are also extremely reliable to allow for multi-machine operation.

More information www.mapal.com

70 new jobs in Galway

Fastening solutions specialist PennEngineering is expanding its operations in Galway, a move that will create 70 new jobs over the next five years. The €14m expansion project, which involves the construction of a new building, includes a state-of-the-art technology and training centre, testing laboratories and a customer experience centre. The new jobs will span a variety of roles that include manufacturing, engineering, training and more.

PennEngineering’s expansion project has support from the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. Estimates suggest the work will be complete by January 2025.

More information www.pemnet.com/eu/

Bowers promotes Ryan Kingswell

Bowers Group has appointed Ryan Kingswell as the company’s new director of sales, marketing and service. In his new role, Kingswell will unify the sales, marketing and service teams at Bowers – an integration that will enhance service by centring on the needs of customers. He will also explore new markets and opportunities for upcoming products. Most recently, Kingswell served as the company’s UK and Ireland sales manager, focusing on driving sales growth and building strong relationships with customers and colleagues. His experience and understanding of the business have prepared him well for his new role.

More information www.bowersgroup.co.uk

Schuler under new management

Martin Drasch will become the new CEO of press manufacturer Schuler when he takes up his new position on 1 October 2024. Since 2018, the 49-year-old has been CEO of multinational engineering company Manz AG, which employs around 1400 people. Drasch built up the Mobility & Battery Solutions division there and initiated a co-operation with companies such as Dürr and Grob on the topic of a ‘turnkey battery factory’. The mechanical engineering graduate previously worked as chief operating officer (COO) at Manz and in various management positions at Eisenmann.

More information www.schulergroup.com