Seeking new young robotics stars

The WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition 2025 opens for applications on 3-28 March, with industrial automation specialist FANUC UK continuing its commitment to the next generation of engineers by supporting a search to find the UK’s best young robotics talent. For the fifth year in succession, the company is partnering with WorldSkills UK for the annual industrial robotics competition.

The competition aims at giving young people the opportunity to learn how to program a robot, enhance their engineering prowess, and develop valuable workplace skills such as timekeeping and teamwork. It is open to teams of two young people, who must be within a year of completing a relevant Level 3 Apprenticeship and/or hold qualifications in an engineering-based subject (to a minimum Level 3 or equivalent).

Apply at www.bit.ly/484XXBj

Industry and education collaboration success

A partnership between SIGMA Clermont Engineering School and Fives Machining represents a model of collaboration between the worlds of education and industry that is crucial for training the engineers of tomorrow and ensuring the future of industry in France.

SIGMA Clermont Engineering School, born from the merger of the French Institute of Advanced Mechanics (established in 1991) and the National School of Chemistry of Clermont-Ferrand (founded in 1908), has rapidly established itself as a key player in training engineers in mechanical engineering and chemistry.

In the context of constant evolution, the school has developed a strategic partnership with Fives Machining, a specialist in the manufacture of large-scale machine tools. The partnership, initiated several years ago, is part of a shared commitment to maintaining high-quality industrial offerings in France, particularly in the aerospace, defence, rail, energy and general industry sectors, as well as in the manufacturing of complex, high-value-added parts.

Fives Machining regularly engages with students to enrich their education. Engineers from Fives share their technical know-how by teaching dedicated courses on the design and optimisation of industrial machines. Thanks to a machining centre installed in the school’s workshops, students gain a concrete, hands-on understanding of the challenges faced by industry, whether in complex machining processes, resource management or production optimisation.

“The Fives machining centre we integrated into our workshops is an indispensable tool for our students’ learning,” reports Professor Emmanuel Duc, researcher and professor at the school. “It allows them to machine complex parts each week, which is essential for their practical training and understanding of industrial processes in real-world conditions.”

More information www.fivesgroup.com

Productivity take-off with Starrag machine

By investing in machine tools from Starrag, Missouri-based Seyer Industries has become a major manufacturer of critical aerospace components, evolving a long way from its origins in a farmer’s garage back in 1957.

Today, Seyer is a third-generation family-owned aerospace company that offers four primary product groups. Its activities include supporting customers in the commercial aerospace, military aerospace, military support equipment and maritime industries. The company’s ongoing investment strategy is proving so successful, the AS9100D, ISO9001, ITAR-registered and NADCAP-certified company has grown 20% per annum for the past five years.

Mark Seyer, director of operations, says: “As price and lead time are everything in aerospace, adding the capability of large-capacity machining helps us offer a complete partner solution for more of our customers. To achieve this, we decided to invest in machine tools from Starrag.”

With the project requiring the machining of hard metal parts with dimensions of 1000 x 300 x 300 mm, the billets had to undergo high material removal machining with impeccable precision and surface finishes. The solution was the Starrag Heckert 800 X5 five-axis horizontal machining centre with trunnion design.

Such has been the success of this investment that the company has already committed to machine number two: a six-axis Starrag STC1800-170 set to arrive in autumn 2025. The machine will manufacture large titanium structural parts for the defence industry and, with its 3.3 x 2 x 2 m capacity, the Starrag STC1800-170 will add both capacity and capability to Seyer’s competitive advantage.

“We expect this machine to process stainless steel, titanium and Inconel structural aerospace components, typically in smaller batch sizes in the realm of 2 to 10 pieces,” says Seyer.

More information www.starrag.com

Automated Chiron machine at tooling producer

During machining, the cooling of tool’s indexable insert is an important factor for workpiece precision, chip breakage and tool life. The closer to the cutting edge, the better. One company that has mastered the art of cooling milling and turning tools is family business Aleit, based in Steffenberg. Machines from Chiron and Studer are the first choice for the production of the company’s tools and holders.

Aleit recently relocated an entire product family to a Chiron FZ 16 S machining centre with automation, which was actually acquired for a completely different task.

Roland Ranisch, managing director of FS Filter and regional representative for the Chiron Group, remembers: “Aleit decided on the FZ 16 S a good four years ago to produce a range of different variants of PSC tool shaft interfaces in five axes. As an automated solution, we provided the machine with a VarioCell system featuring a drawer system.”

He continues: “The programs were implemented; the results were correct; everything went as planned. Then came the unexpectedly high demand for Aleit’s ‘stabbing swords’ and there was an immediate need for more production capacity. The idea: distribute the PSC tools to the company’s mill-turn centres and convert the 16 S, including automation, for grooving blade production.”

The task was possible without much effort: the drawer inserts were given new templates for the blanks and finished grooving blades, a new device was added for the storage point between the robot and the machine to ensure dimensionally accurate orientation during loading, and the robot was trained.

“Since this change, the system has been running in two shifts,” says Ranisch. “Importantly, the process is reliable and highly productive.”

More information www.chiron-group.com

New investment strategy pays major dividends

MACH Machine Tools has recently supplied South Shields-based HQ Fabrications with two new CNC machines. The MACH MDV 1160 vertical machining centre and MACH MDS 845-8T toolroom mill were installed at the company’s 790 m² facility in Jarrow towards the end of last year. Both machines, equipped with the DynaPath control system, have been working flat out machining jigs and fixtures, as well as prototypes, one-offs and small batches of pre-production and production parts for a diverse range of UK customers.

HQ Fabrications regularly monitors and evaluates the performance of its machine tools and, to enable the machining of larger workpieces, made the decision in early 2024 to invest in the new MACH MDV 1160 three-axis vertical machining centre.

“Up to that point we had always invested in pre-owned machines,” says Chris Hall, HQ Fabrications’ owner and managing director. “However, one of our existing used machines that we had identified for machining larger workpieces, wasn’t as reliable as we had originally hoped.”

He continues: “We were a little apprehensive investing in a new machine, but representatives from MACH Machine Tools simplified the whole process from machine identification through to delivery, installation and commissioning. They even offered us a great part-exchange trade-in deal on the previously mentioned used machine.”

The positive experience resulted in the company further strengthening its in-house milling capabilities by investing in a second machine: a MACH MDS 845-8T toolroom mill.

“Our two new MACH machines are proving to be a great investment,” concludes Hall. “MACH Machine Tools’ open and transparent approach, combined with their technical know-how and readily-available support, made the whole process quick and seamless.”

More information www.machmt.co.uk