NCMT names new marketing head

With effect from May 2025, Maja Foster will become head of marketing at CNC machine tool supplier NCMT. She brings relevant experience to her new role having formerly headed the marketing function in the UK subsidiary of a global machine tool manufacturer, where she was responsible for publicising the brand across Europe.

“I’m looking forward to strengthening NCMT’s position in the marketplace and championing its capabilities,” she says. “The company is built around satisfying customer demand, which means responsive engineering support, training and lifetime back-up form a core part of the service it delivers. My role is to ensure that all of these strengths are clearly communicated in the context of the machine tool brands we represent.”More information www.ncmt.co.uk

NMITE and BAE Systems sign MoU

NMITE (New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering) has signed a memorandum of understanding with BAE Systems’ Digital Intelligence division, signalling a commitment to work together and help bridge the engineering skills gap. NMITE places great value on employer partnerships in producing work-ready engineering graduates and this collaboration will bring invaluable challenges and expertise to the curriculum, enriching the educational journey of students and alerting them to career opportunities in the defence sector. BAE Systems is one of 10 new partners NMITE has welcomed in the past year. 

More information https://nmite.ac.uk/

Factories to See Electric Bills Cut

More than 7000 British factories are set to see their electricity bills slashed by up to 25% from 2027, as the Government unveiled its new Industrial Strategy last week. British manufacturers currently pay some of the highest electricity prices in the developed world, but the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut electricity costs by up to £40 per MW hour for electricity-intensive businesses in sectors like automotive and aerospace.

These firms will be exempt from paying levies such as the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market. The Government is also increasing support for the most energy-intensive firms – like steel plants – by covering more of the electricity network charges they normally have to pay through the British Industry Supercharger. Such businesses currently get a 60% discount, but from 2026, it will increase to 90%.

More information www.gov.uk

New Heckert large-machine series on its way

Starrag, which unveiled its new large-machine series in November 2024, says the four planned Heckert models will be launched and presented to the market in stages throughout 2025.

The company’s HPMS (High Performance Machining Systems) business unit, which includes the Chemnitz and Rorschacherberg sites, has developed a new large-machine construction kit from which new machining centres can be derived.

Development engineers considered the latest technical aspects when redesigning the large Heckert machines. For example, the frame components, such as the beds and columns, were optimised for thermal symmetry. If the ambient temperature changes, the core components expand or contract evenly in all directions. This behaviour is predictable and correctable. The chip fall in the area between the work spindle and the workpiece has also been improved so that hot chips have minimal opportunity to transfer heat to the workpiece or the machine.

An important advantage of the new machines is the improved productivity. The decisive factor here is an increase in the diameter of the ball screws from 63 to 80 mm. A further stiffening of the structural components complements this improvement. As a result, users can achieve even higher cutting values, increase chip volumes and ultimately reduce machining times. The machine has also become faster. Instead of a 40 m/min rapid traverse rate, it now enables 50 m/min, reducing non-productive times.

The approximately 20% smaller footprint is another benefit in light of high floor space costs. This reduction is primarily due to the repositioning of an energy chain, which enables further integration of the chip conveyor into the machine.

More information www.starrag.com

DMG Mori releases DMX five-axis machines

Based on the robust design of DMG Mori’s DMV series vertical machining centres, the company has developed its new DMX 60 U and DMX 80 U for workpieces weighing up to 300 and 350 kg respectively. With travels of 600 x 600 x 510 mm for the DMX 60 U and 800 x 600 x 510 mm for the larger model, the competitively-priced, 3+2 axis machining centres with their swivelling rotary table are suitable for producing complex components.

The machines feature a design based on a monolithic machine bed and massive castings, providing up to 50% higher static rigidity compared with their predecessors. Combined with wide roller guideways in all axes, DMG Mori says it ensures excellent stability during operation. The design also enables dynamic machining and rapid traverse rates of up to 42 m/min, some 40% faster than predecessor machines. Moreover, the speed of the rotary B axis and C axis for positioning parts has been raised by an even higher percentage, from 6 to 10 rpm.

Comprehensive, multi-sensor temperature compensation ensures thermal stability and consistently precise production, while direct drives and linear scales in the X and Y axes guarantee high positioning accuracy.

The energy-efficient production centres are suitable for a variety of applications thanks to a choice of spindles, starting with the 12,000 rpm inlineMASTER spindle as standard. SpeedMASTER spindles with a high torque of up to 200 Nm or a speed of 20,000 rpm are optionally available.

The standard BIG PLUS face-and-taper tool-holding interface provides additional stability and accuracy during machining. Customers can choose from different tool magazine options with 30 to 120 pockets.

More information www.dmgmori.com