Call For Subcon 2027 Speakers Now Open

Speaker submissions are now open for Subcon, returning on 9-10 June 2027 at the NEC, Birmingham. Those participating in the Subcon conference programme get to share their insight with the UK’s buyers, engineers and senior decision-makers in the subcontract manufacturing arena. The show’s organiser is seeking passionate speakers and unique industry voices to be a part of this exciting programme.  

Subcon 2027 speakers will contribute to a programme filled with valuable content and engaging discussions. Several opportunities are available, with a broad range of topics extending from practical shop-floor AI to defence diversification and winning OEM bids. Additional feedback or ideas for features and content in 2027 is also welcome. 

More information https://tinyurl.com/yc8ss7mf 

Focus On Optimised Set-Up Times And Higher Process Reliability

Roemheld showcased two new solutions for faster, safer mould and die changeovers in plastics processing at the Fakuma exhibition in Germany last month, alongside its magnetic and mechanical clamping technologies. 

Making its trade fair debut, the RWA 1000 Elmo die-changing cart handles moulds weighing up to 1000 kg. It combines electric travel with electro-hydraulic lifting, raising loads to heights between 620 and 1485 mm. The cart’s battery-powered drive achieves speeds of up to 4 km/h, while a roller table and safety docking rail facilitate precise, secure positioning at the injection moulding machine. 

Also on display was a new push-pull platform that attaches to an electric pallet truck or forklift to automate tool loading and unloading. Its own electric drive and push-pull chain move moulds weighing up to 1.6 tonnes onto the platform and into the press. Larger versions handling 2 and 4 tonnes are planned. 

Elsewhere on the stand, Roemheld demonstrated its R-MAG electro-permanent magnetic clamping system, which secures moulds automatically within seconds, without distortion, and maintains its hold during power failures. Features include clamping force display, interchangeable magnetic poles, an 8-inch touchscreen and remote maintenance connectivity. Standard systems withstand temperatures up to 150°C, with variants available for applications reaching 230°C. 

The exhibition also featured double-acting curved clamping elements with mechanical locking. Available in six versions, they deliver clamping forces from 50 to 450 kN. Their locking mechanism keeps the clamping bolt secured even if hydraulic pressure drops, helping prevent the upper mould from falling. 

Together, the products demonstrate Roemheld’s portfolio for mould and die storage, transport, changeover and clamping, encompassing magnetic, hydraulic, electromechanical and mechanical systems, alongside transport carts and automation solutions. 

More information https://tinyurl.com/mr286wyk 

FFG Showcases ‘Manufacturing Of Tomorrow’ At AMB 2026

Rising demands for productivity, flexibility and investment security, combined with a dynamic market environment, are creating new challenges for manufacturing companies. What is needed, is not only high-performance machinery, but partners that combine technology, automation and service into cost-effective, integrated solutions – and support manufacturing companies over the long term.   

This is precisely where the Fair Friend Group (FFG) came in at the AMB 2026 exhibition in Stuttgart last month. Under the slogan ‘Stopover’ FFG invited visitors to discover new perspectives for the manufacturing of tomorrow. The ‘Stopover’ represented an opportunity for companies to evaluate technological possibilities, gain new insights and strategically plan the next steps of their manufacturing strategy. 

As a global machine tool and turnkey solutions partner, FFG brings together specialised machine tool companies around the world, combining their technology expertise and know-how across multiple disciplines. Customers benefit from continuous technology transfer within the group as well as international support for delivery, commissioning and service.  

This network provides the foundation for high-performance manufacturing concepts and reliable support across national borders. At AMB, FFG demonstrated – through specific applications and several premieres – how this approach can make the manufacturing of tomorrow cost-effective, flexible and future-ready. 

At the show, the new MAG MMH 630 represented a new development for demanding heavy-duty machining applications. Ahead of its official market launch, the company presented the first details of the new machine. 

The MAG MMH 630 was developed for the cost-effective machining of large, complex workpieces and combines high performance, precision and process stability, reports FFG. This blend makes it particularly well suited to applications in industries such as energy, commercial vehicle, heavy equipment and aerospace. 

More information www.ffg-ea.com/en 

Machine Investment Strengthens Plastic Machining Capability

Northampton-based ABG Rubber & Plastics has improved productivity and increased machining capacity by replacing a BT40 vertical machining centre with a compact BT30 Brother Speedio S700Xd2, supplied by Whitehouse Machine Tools. 

The machine is producing precision plastic components for customers across sectors including water, food, rail, automotive and pharmaceuticals. Installed in a single afternoon, it entered full production after just two days of operator training. 

The Speedio’s rapid traverse rates, high acceleration and 1.4-second chip-to-chip tool-change time reduce non-cutting times. Moreover, the machine’s 16,000 rpm spindle also runs at twice the speed of nearly all other machines on ABG’s shop floor, enabling higher material removal rates. As a result, the tool spends around 30% more time cutting than on the previous BT40 machine. 

Early production runs have demonstrated substantial cycle-time reductions on both new and repeat orders, with further improvements expected as program are optimised. 

“The S700Xd2 is not only fast, but also accurate and holds tolerance well, which is primarily down to its rigidity and excellent coolant delivery to the cutting area,” says production manager Anthony Morbey. 

Machining plastics presents particular challenges because their coefficient of thermal expansion is typically around 10 times that of metals, making temperature control essential for maintaining dimensional accuracy. 

Despite its compact footprint, the machine offers a working envelope of 700 x 450 x 380 mm, fitting easily into the space vacated by its predecessor. It also consumes around one-third of the power required by a typical BT40 machining centre, while using less compressed air. 

ABG specialises in precision machining engineering plastics including nylon, acetal, PET, PEEK and PTFE. Its investment in the Speedio supports continued growth as the company prepares to move into a new 23,000 sq ft manufacturing facility. 

More information www.wmtcnc.com 

EXPERIENCING EVERYTHING FROM SIMULATION TO INNOVATION AT VUE 2026

The Vericut Users’ Exchange (VUE) returned to the UK last month and brought customers together for a day of technical insight, awareness, practical CNC machining solutions and knowledge sharing. Prominent among the highlights was a presentation by Stoneswood Precision Components on how Vericut is facilitating innovative processes like interpolation turning to push CNC machining capabilities beyond conventional limits. 

For CNC machine shops, the value of Vericut simulation extends well beyond identifying potential collisions. At VUE 2026, held at the Silverstone Museum adjacent to the world-famous Silverstone Formula 1 Circuit, around 60 attendees explored how Vericut software can support everything from production planning and tooling decisions to the development of advanced machining processes. 

Following breakfast and registration, attendees were welcomed by Gavin Powell, managing director of Vericut UK, before Gavin Bridger, applications engineering manager, opened the technical programme with a presentation entitled: ‘Feature, Future or Fiction: Vericut 9.6, 9.7 and Beyond’. 

An interactive format saw delegates use their phones to vote on whether Vericut capabilities presented by Bridger were current features, planned future developments or pure fiction. With a live leaderboard adding a competitive element, the session proved an entertaining approach. Many attendees were surprised to discover that capabilities such as Vericut Assistant, tool-tip caption pop-ups, verified coolant usage per tool, FANUC TP language support and bidirectional connectivity with Siemens’ Run MyVirtual Machine (RMVM) digital-twin platform, are already available. 

The presentation also offered a glimpse of potential future developments, including cloud-based Vericut, virtual reality (VR) for Vericut, and data management for Siemens’ Teamcenter PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software platform. 

Jonathan Hollinworth, area sales manager for northern England and Scotland, followed with an overview of Vericut 9.7. He revealed the latest release delivers performance improvements of 10-40%, alongside expanded AI assistance, streamlined workflows and enhancements to tooling management. He also discussed future developments, including reading semantic PMI (Product Manufacturing Information), an embedded Mastercam interface, and direct Vericut connection to the CNC machine (eliminating the need for a third-party connection). 

The day’s keynote presentation came from Tom Whitbread, technical engineer at Cheshire-based Stoneswood Precision Components, part of Hyde Aero Products. Specialising primarily in aerostructures for civil and defence applications, Stoneswood’s programming workflow starts in hyperMILL CAM software, with Icam (part of the Vericut software suite and ecosystem) providing the post-processing before Vericut independently verifies the resulting NC code. 

“We want to show how we’re using Vericut for more than simply checking whether a toolpath is going to collide,” stated Whitbread. “For instance, the simulation provides useful information for production planning, tooling decisions and developing processes that aren’t necessarily supported by a conventional workflow.” 

One notable aspect of Stoneswood’s approach is that its Vericut sessions are built using the same documentation issued to shop-floor operators. Fixture selection, component position, work offsets, tooling assemblies and machine configuration are all checked against the set-up sheet. This strategy provides an independent check of more than the NC code. If the set up documented for the operator does not correspond with the Vericut session, the discrepancy can be investigated before the job reaches the machine. 

The company also uses Vericut’s cycle-time estimates to support production planning. After posting and verifying a program, the simulated manufacturing time is fed back to the planning department, helping inform production scheduling and machine capacity decisions.  

Whitbread highlighted another practical application: reviewing cutting flute engagement. Vericut’s graphical representation enables programmers to assess how much of a solid-carbide tool is engaged in the cut and evaluate changes to axial engagement as part of process development. The focus is on understanding tool engagement and verifying tooling decisions within the digital workflow. 

Stoneswood uses Icam to develop bespoke post-processing functionality for its machine tools. This activity includes controlling specific C-axis table orientations, enabling the company to reposition components and access machining areas that might otherwise exceed the available machine envelope. 

Whitbread illustrated the point with a component approximately 2.3 m long that required machining in a working envelope of around 1.6 m. By controlling table rotations through bespoke post-processing, the company could access the required length while working within the machine’s physical limitations. Vericut then independently simulated the resulting machine behaviour. It was close, but perfectly safe, providing complete peace of mind for Stoneswood. 

The presentation by Whitbread also covered the use of gear-driven and coolant-driven angled heads for hole-making, with Vericut representing the complete assemblies to verify access, orientation and collision risks. 

However, it was interpolation turning that provided the most striking example of Stoneswood’s efforts to extend its manufacturing capabilities. 

Available on the company’s DMG Mori DMC series machining centres, interpolation turning enables the production of turned features through co-ordinated machine movement, rather than transferring the component to a conventional turning operation. The challenge was not simply making the machines perform the process. Stoneswood wanted to integrate interpolation turning into the same controlled digital workflow used for its conventional machining operations. 

Said Whitbread: “It’s one thing to know that the machine can perform a particular function. It’s another to make sure we can program it, post-process it and independently verify what the machine’s going to do before we press start.” 

To achieve this, Stoneswood used hyperMILL’s general turning functionality to create the required toolpaths. Using Icam, the company then developed bespoke post-processing logic to translate the output and utilise DMG Mori’s CYCLE806 functionality, producing the machine-specific NC code. 

The next step was to develop the Vericut environment so it could interpret the posted code and accurately reproduce the interpolation turning process on both machine configurations. 

The result is a workflow that follows the same sequence as conventional machining. Rather than relying on the first physical machining cycle to confirm that the specialist functionality works as intended, Stoneswood can now evaluate the process digitally before it reaches the shop floor. 

“That’s the real outcome for us,” stated Whitbread. “We haven’t just made interpolation turning possible on the machine; we’ve brought it into a process where we can understand and prove the behaviour before manufacturing begins.” 

After lunch, attendees had the opportunity to tour the Silverstone Museum with a free pass courtesy of Vericut UK before returning for a demonstration of the latest Icam Post V27, delivered by Bridger. 

The latest release includes AI-powered assistance, regression testing and enhanced debugging tools designed to support post-processor development and validation. The demonstration highlighted how the software can help teams compare NC output, investigate changes and maintain reliable machine-specific code. 

Bridger also provided an informative Vericut ‘Tips & Tricks’ presentation, before the event concluded with round tables led by Vericut experts, providing attendees with an opportunity to discuss their own challenges and exchange practical knowledge. 

Ultimately, every VUE event is about bringing the Vericut community together to share experiences, explore possibilities and learn from industry peers. The Stoneswood presentation in particular was a great example of how customers are using Vericut in innovative ways, perhaps providing attendees with ideas they could take back to their own manufacturing operations. 

More information www.vericut.com/en-gb