Coating services launched to help improve sustainability

As part of its sustainability strategy, AkzoNobel Powder Coatings has launched Eco+ Services, a suite of technical, digital and data-driven solutions designed to help manufacturers measure, understand and improve the sustainability of their coating operations.

Combining digital tools, technical expertise and verified environmental data, Eco+ Services provides manufacturers with practical insights into coating performance, energy consumption and carbon footprint. The initiative is designed to help businesses translate sustainability targets into measurable operational improvements while enhancing process efficiency and environmental transparency.

“Customers today are looking for more than high-performance coatings,” says Jorrit van Rijn, marketing director of AkzoNobel Powder Coatings. “Manufacturers want partners who can help them run more efficient coating operations and better understand their environmental footprint. Eco+ Services gives customers the insights they need to improve performance and make informed decisions about their operations.”

The new offering focuses on three key areas: application optimisation, energy savings and access to verified environmental data. Application optimisation includes Flightpath Pro, an AI-driven solution developed in partnership with CoatingAI that optimises spray gun settings using cloud-based data analysis. The system helps manufacturers reduce overspray and defects while improving coating consistency and lowering material consumption.

Energy-saving services include carbon footprint and curing line assessments that identify opportunities to reduce energy usage and emissions. Eco+ Services also provides verified environmental reporting tools, including third-party certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for the Interpon D powder coatings range.

“Our technical expertise has always been central to how we support customers,” declares van Rijn. “By combining specialist knowledge with digital tools and environmental insights, Eco+ Services helps manufacturers improve coating performance, reduce carbon footprint and gain clearer visibility of their environmental impact.”

More information www.akzonobel.com

Aesculap deburrs bone saws using automated ultrasound

Aesculap AG has automated the deburring of its ‘Rapid Action’ surgical saw blades using ultrasonic technology from UltraTEC innovation GmbH, available in the UK through Vollmer. The contact-free process removes burrs and fibres from metal components using ultrasound, enabling greater consistency and unmanned production.

Part of the B Braun Group, Aesculap AG manufactures around 28,000 medical products, including delicate surgical instruments produced at micron scale. The company selected UltraTEC’s automated system to replace the manual deburring of its Rapid Action saw blades, which are manufactured from high-grade stainless steel for use in surgical cutting applications.

“We consistently pursue technological openness to remain competitive,” says Manuel Welte, process manager – engineering & processes at Aesculap AG. “The UltraTEC system proved to be the most suitable solution for our application thanks to its technical expertise and solution-oriented approach.”

The ultrasonic deburring process uses a high-frequency sonotrode oscillating 20,000 times per second inside a water tank. These vibrations remove burrs from the saw blades without damaging the cutting edges. The A25 S system from ultraTEC can process different saw blade types automatically within a 60-second cycle.

Previously, up to six employees manually deburred the blades using brushes, abrasive cleaners and scrapers. The new automated process integrates directly into Aesculap’s existing production chain using a pneumatic handling system and dedicated workpiece carriers capable of holding up to 180 parts.

Dieter Münz, managing director of UltraTEC innovation GmbH, says: “The result is a perfectly deburred saw blade that retains its sharp cutting edges while enabling reliable automated production.”

More information www.vollmer-group.com/en-uk

NCMT to host ‘Engineered for Power’ event

Manufacturing technology provider NCMT will host a two-day technical event at its Coventry Technology Centre on 9-10 September 2026. Entitled ‘Engineered for Power’, the event is dedicated to precision grinding and advanced manufacturing for turbine blades, vanes and high-value engine components. The new Makino G5 grinder with Pro6 control will be a central focus, combining grinding and machining in a single platform for complex component production. As the exclusive UK and Ireland partner of Makino and Okuma, the event will also highlight supporting technologies such as EDM and machining solutions.

More information www.ncmt.co.uk/event/efp

XYZ Expands Renewable Energy Commitments

With energy costs continuing to rise and events around the world creating an uncertain marketplace for power supply, XYZ Machine Tools has taken control by installing a further 352 PV solar panels on the roof of its 100,000 ft² facility in Devon. The company has already witnessed occasions when the whole factory has been powered by green energy. The amount of power created, used and fed back to the grid is monitored using software.

“We continue to investigate ways to help protect the planet here at XYZ,” states Chris Hellier, operations and finance director. “Biodiversity is a topic that’s important to us, as we’ve shown with our ISO 14001 environmental management accreditation. We now plan to utilise the roof space of our new 30,000 ft² extension, due for completion in mid 2026, for even more solar panels.”

More information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Ceratizit heralds MACH 2026 as its best of all time

Ceratizit UK & Ireland has reported its most successful MACH exhibition to date. The company’s stand attracted strong interest throughout the week, with manufacturers visiting to explore the company’s latest cutting tool, tooling management and work-holding technologies.

The exhibition showcased Ceratizit’s machining portfolio across milling, turning, drilling, threading, grooving and parting applications, supported by demonstrations from the company’s UK Technical Centre. Among the standout attractions was the CTC5240 titanium indexable milling system display, developed in collaboration with the University of Sheffield AMRC, Heller Machine Tools and Siemens NX.

Designed specifically for difficult-to-machine materials including titanium, Inconel, Hastelloy and Waspaloy, the CTC5240 grade generated significant attention from engineers attending the exhibition. Ceratizit demonstrated how its proprietary coating technology improves heat resistance, chip formation and tool life in demanding titanium machining operations.

A key highlight was a live machining demonstration using the new RADX porcupine cutter paired with SXHU 120408ER-F41 CTC5240 inserts during a full-slot milling operation in TiAl6V4 titanium alloy. The application achieved a material removal rate of 318.78 cm³/min while benefiting from eight usable cutting edges per insert, creating a highly competitive solution for heavy-duty titanium roughing applications.

The Ceratizit UK & Ireland engineering team is currently working with manufacturers to implement productivity and cost-saving improvements identified during MACH.

The company also continued its long-running MACH charity initiative, with visitors entered into a prize draw to win a Hope HB160 mountain bike in exchange for donations to the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK. Over the past 16 years, the initiative has raised more than £100,000 for the two charities.

More information www.ceratizit.com