Metal-Forming Sector Readies for LAMIERA

As the reference exhibition for sheet metal forming, cutting and processing machines, LAMIERA will open the doors to its 23rd edition on 6-9 May at fieramilano rho. Promoted by UCIMU-Sistemi Per Produrre – the Italian machine tools, robots and automation systems manufacturers’ association – LAMIERA is the only international event in Italy specifically dedicated to this industry.

Edition after edition, LAMIERA stands out as one of the most important trade fairs on the global scene. Visitors to the 2025 show will discover solutions for sheet metal, tubes, profiles, wires and structural metal processing and cutting, as well as presses, welding equipment, finishing solutions, tooling, accessories, and subcontracting services – all under one roof.

More information www.lamiera.net

Aerospace manufacturer clear for take-off

In the aerospace industry, compliance with standards is not just a requirement in manufacturing, but a culture embedded in every aspect of a business. With accreditations that include ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and AS 9100, as well as multiple OEM approvals, Senior Aerospace Weston places significant importance on workplace standards. For this reason, the Lancashire company has installed more than 50 Filtermist oil mist filters on its machine tools.

Working primarily with OEMs like Rolls-Royce, Airbus, MTU Engines, Spirit Aerosystems and many other prestigious clients, Senior Aerospace Weston manufactures a variety of aerofoil and aerostructure components for different platforms in the commercial aviation market.

Gary Bell, HSE manager at Senior Aerospace Weston, says: “A clean working environment is essential to ensure that we produce our high-specification components for different aircraft programmes. We have lots of different types of CNC machining centres, with three-, four- five-axis models on site from brands including Matsuura, DN Solutions, Grob and Hermle.”

With Filtermist extraction units, including the FX6002 and FX7002 on 58 of the company’s machine tools, it is imperative that oil mist is extracted from the machines.

“The type of high-speed machining we undertake produces oil mist that needs removing from the working environment,” he says. “Our first thought was to look at the industry-leading standards, and Filtermist was the name that first came up. We engaged with them straight away, and they came on-site to specify exactly what equipment would be available to support our needs.

“Despite our huge variety of machines, the Filtermist units are flexible enough to accommodate the different types, sizes and requirements of those machines.”

More information www.filtermist.co.uk

Hurco supports rebirth of Brough Superior

The Brough Superior, a classic British motorcycle designed by George Brough in 1919 and manufactured in Nottingham, was of such high quality it was dubbed the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. One famous customer, TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), owned eight and died in 1935 from injuries sustained when he crashed number seven.

In 2014, the Brough Superior brand was purchased by a Jersey-registered corporation, which engaged Thierry Henriette to create a Brough Superior factory near Toulouse, France. The factory produces luxury motorcycles at the pinnacle of exclusivity and distinction. Although production is in France, the British spirit of design has been maintained through a joint venture with Aston Martin to create the AMB 001 Pro, a limited-edition, high-performance motorcycle.

To support the R&D process, it was necessary to bring in-house the manufacture of certain complex prismatic components. A Hurco VMX42SRTi five-axis VMC was chosen due to its ability to achieve the accuracy and surface finish required. It is also able to accept 3D models directly into the proprietary WinMax control, which is renowned for its suitability for high-mix, low-volume production. Additionally, and most importantly, the machine enables the manufacturer to go even further in the customisation of motorcycles for its discerning clientele, offering different machining finishes and engraving possibilities, and assuring high component quality.

The VMC also supports CNC machining of a new dual-cylinder, 997cc engine for the AMB 001 Pro. Manufactured from solid aluminium billet, the engine is lighter, stiffer and more powerful than in previous Brough Superior bikes. As well as powering the AMB 001 Pro, the engine has been designed to fit perfectly into contemporary versions of the classic Lawrence and Dagger motorcycles. The majority of metal removal and finishing is completed in a single set-up on the Hurco VMX42SRTi.

More information www.hurco.co.uk

Kern machine automates production at WLR

With a skills shortage in the manufacturing industry, WLR Precision Engineering had a burning desire to automate its high-precision production while maintaining the skill levels of its qualified engineering team. The opportunity to increase throughput, precision, quality and consistency prompted the Wilford-based subcontractor to purchase a five-axis Kern Micro Vario machining centre with an Erowa Compact 80 automated pallet loading system from Rainford Precision.

Located just south of Nottingham, WLR undertakes everything from prototype work to small and medium batches for manufacturers in the oil exploration, medical and pharmaceutical sectors, to name but a few. As a company ‘dedicated to precision’, the ISO9001-certified manufacturer is already an existing Kern user, installing a Pyramid Nano machining centre in 2013.

Discussing why WLR invested in its second Kern machine, the automated Kern Micro Vario, WLR managing director Kevin Callon says: “One of my regrets was not having some form of automation on the Pyramid Nano when we first bought it, despite having the option. There was no way we would have bought another Kern without some form of automated loading to maximise the running hours of the machine.”

With an 80-component Erowa pallet loading system and a 90-position automatic tool change, the Kern Micro Vario was the perfect solution. It enables WLR to run production continuously ‘lights-out’ while utilising the existing Pyramid Nano for smaller batch runs and one-offs during daytime working hours.

“The consistency of the components produced on the new Kern is amazing, with repeatability to the micron,” states Callon. “In fact, the precision is so impeccable that we now channel as much work as possible through the Kern Micro Vario.”

More information www.rainfordprecision.com

Pentzold opts for Heckert machining centres

Holger Pentzold, who learnt his trade at Heckert, has since remained loyal to the Heckert brand in his own company: “I know what Heckert machines are capable of, and I can rely on them 100%.” His company, Pentzold Metallbearbeitung und Musterfertigung (PMM), a service provider for precision machining, is based at the ITC – the Chemnitz Industry and Technology Centre near Heckert’s parent company Starrag GmbH.

“We primarily manufacture series parts with varying batch sizes of 10 to 15,000, but also prototypes,” says Pentzold. “Our in-house fixture and tool construction and a modular system for clamping fixtures allow us to react quickly and flexibly to customer requirements.”

He adds: “We mainly machine gearbox housings, chassis and engine parts, and hydraulic components made of steel and cast materials, so we need very stable, reliable machines. As a contract manufacturer, flexibility and long-term accuracy are paramount.”

The reason the machining professional repeatedly buys Heckert machining centres is quite apparent. PMM has been located the Chemnitz Technology Park (ITC) since 1999, right next to the Starrag plant.

“Nevertheless, we research the market for alternatives before almost every investment,” explains Pentzold. “But it’s all in vain – we have repeatedly decided on universally applicable Heckert horizontal machining centres.”

This was also the case in 2018 when the entrepreneur started automated production with the then newly developed Heckert H50 compact machining centre with an integrated six-pallet system. In 2022, Pentzold and his team invested in a Heckert HEC 630, automated with an Erowa Loadmaster shelving system with 21 pallets.

It is a significant purchase in every respect. The HEC 630 works with 630 mm pallets and produces components up to 1500 kg in weight, up to 1550 mm in diameter and up to 1250 mm in height.

More information www.starrag.com