Tool Prize

ANCA named the winners of its 2026 Tool of the Year awards at the recent IMTS 2026 exhibition in Chicago. ARCH Medical Grinding (USA) won with a multipurpose surgical tool concept. TDM from Türkiye took second place and Roder Ferramentas from Brazil third. ARCH Medical Grinding’s winning entry was a cannulated tool that combines drilling, reaming and tapping. It also has a milled pocket for a nitinol wire and a screwdriver at the opposite end. The team designed the tool with ANCA’s ToolRoom and CIM3D software, before grinding it on an ANCA MX7. 

More information www.anca.com 

Steve Jones Named New Chair of Automate UK

Automate UK has appointed Steve Jones as its new chair, tasked with aiding the continued growth and evolution of the organisation. Jones, who has been involved with Automate UK in a non-executive board role since 2021, will work closely with CEO Dan Thombs, outgoing chair James Causebrook, COO Scott McKenna and policy director Peter Williamson. He says his key focus will be the progressive development of Automate UK, ensuring relevance while continually evolving an automation community, adding that providing value to members is pivotal to the association’s success. 

More information www.automate-uk.com 

Driving Onshore Next-Gen Engine Component Builds

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) aerofoil demonstrator has been produced and precision-finished by an engineering consortium – Archer Technicoat Ltd (ATL), the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) – establishing advanced high-temperature manufacturing capability across the aerospace, nuclear and defence sectors. Notably, the AMRC deployed advanced CNC abrasive grinding to finish curved aerodynamic surfaces, while using small-diameter core drills to precision-machine intricate fastening features. 

More information www.amrc.co.uk 

Rheinmetall Opens Gun Hall in Telford

Rheinmetall has officially opened its new ‘UK gun hall’ in Telford in the presence of British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, thereby marking the return of independent production of large-calibre weapons to the UK. The facility forms part of Rheinmetall’s wider investment of more than £200m across its UK operations over the past five years. 

From concept to reality at pace, Rheinmetall transformed an empty facility into an operational manufacturing capability in just eight months. The new gun hall will manufacture 120 and 155 mm weapon systems, including those supporting Challenger 3 and future artillery platforms. The facility offers 11,500 m² of production space. At peak capacity, it can produce up to 245 barrels per year across both calibres, as well as more than 50 breeches annually. 

More information www.rheinmetall.com 

Transformative Jet Engine Technology Programme

The UK Government and Rolls-Royce are planning a joint 10-year, £2.5bn research and technology programme to develop cutting-edge gas turbine technologies for civil and defence aerospace. According to Rolls-Royce, the move unlocks the biggest opportunity to transform advanced manufacturing across the UK for a generation. 

Delivering the initial stages of the plan will support 3300 UK jobs at Rolls-Royce and supply chain partners by the end of 2029. Securing a UK engine position on new narrow-body aircraft would create tens of thousands more. As a result, Rolls-Royce and the Government will work together on a jobs and skills development plan to provide the necessary pipeline of future talent.  

More information www.rolls-royce.com