World’s largest RTM press system revealed

Langzauner, a pioneer in advanced hydraulic press systems, has achieved a breakthrough in aerospace manufacturing technology through its collaboration with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). AMRC’s Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) is a major boost to aerospace R&D in the UK, providing a new innovation facility that will initially house Boeing’s research project to de-risk and develop high-rate sustainable structures.

At the heart of this innovation is Langzauner’s newly developed resin transfer moulding (RTM) press system, said to be the largest-of-its-kind globally for integral aero-structural parts. Using this state-of-the-art press system, the project aims to reduce large component process times by a factor of 10 – from approximately 40 hours to just four hours – while maintaining high quality standards.

Darren Wells, senior technical fellow for large composite structures at the University of Sheffield AMRC, says “When we created the specification for such a groundbreaking piece of equipment, we knew we’d set the bar very high in what was achievable. Langzauner’s solution not only meets all of our targets but exceeds in many of them meaning this press will be at the forefront of high-rate composite manufacturing research for years to come.”

The press system features a 10,500 x 3500 mm platen size and delivers high precision with adjustable pressing force up to 2400 T.

The system also offers: press force regulation accuracy of 0.1%; a sliding table system accommodating 180 T mould mass; plate parallelism control within hundredths of a millimetre; individual cylinder control with active parallelism management; and gap injection functionality with two-axis rotation capability. The system is fully integrated with IIoT capabilities, enabling data collection for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in factory-scale process optimisation.

More information www.amrc.co.uk

TIME TO AUTOMATE: SHIFTING THE MANUFACTURING NARRATIVETOWARDS PRODUCTIVITY

The latest IFR figures show just how far British manufacturing has to climb in terms of
automation adoption. Now down to 23 rd in the global robot density league table, the UK has
just 119 robots per 10,000 workers, against a global average of 162. If we remove the
automotive sector from these statistics, the picture is worse still, with just 69 robots per
10,000 workers. The UK has also dropped out of the top 10 world manufacturing rankings
for the first time, falling to 12 th place. Oliver Selby, head of sales for FANUC UK and chair of
BARA (British Automation and Robotics Association), reveals his thoughts.
Despite a proud history as a strong manufacturing nation, UK productivity rates have to rise
if the company is to remain a force on the international stage. In Q4 2024, productivity was
estimated to be 0.8% lower compared with a year ago, and 19% lower than the US. With a
clear correlation between automation adoption and higher productivity rates, why are not
more UK manufacturers investing in robots?
One often overlooked reason is a focus on job creation over productivity. It has been well
documented that the UK manufacturing industry is in the grip of both a labour crisis and a
skills shortage. According to a recent report by The Manufacturer, 97% of manufacturers say
that hiring and retaining staff presents a challenge to the growth of their business, with 36%
of manufacturing vacancies proving hard to fill (compared with an average rate of 24%
across all industries).
Despite this, news stories appear regularly regarding how government funding towards
large manufacturing projects for companies such as Nissan, Rolls Royce or BAE will create
“thousands of new jobs” for the industry – with no mention of where these workers will
come from or what this funding will deliver in terms of output. A shift in government and
media focus towards increasing productivity levels among manufacturing firms of all sizes –
rather than job creation via large corporations – would be far more useful for boosting
overall manufacturing output. Support for investment in automation projects would be a
sure-fire way to do this.
Exacerbating the labour crisis is the fact that young people are not currently entering the
sector in sufficient numbers to replace workers leaving the industry. Working culture has
changed hugely over recent years and digitally native Gen Zs are looking for stimulating
roles that offer career progression, instead of a steady but low skilled ‘job for life’.

Investing in automation to replace the dull, dirty and dangerous roles that are now so hard
to fill has numerous benefits for business owners, existing workers and new entrants alike.
Robots do not get sick or tired, can work 24/7 even in the dark and carry out tasks to a
consistently high level, improving product quality and increasing output for manufacturing
firms. At the same time, existing workers can be upskilled and redeployed to higher value
tasks, increasing job satisfaction and improving retention rates. Furthermore, a company
employing advanced manufacturing capabilities such as robotics, automation, vision
technology and AI will find it far easier to attract new talent to help futureproof its business.
Another potential barrier is the perceived cost of robotics, combined with an unrealistic
attitude towards payback. In the UK, the typical expectation is that payback on an
automation project will be under two years. Yet the value that the right automation solution
can deliver to a manufacturing business will last far longer than that. Focusing on an
unrealistic sub-two year payback can lead to businesses making compromises when
developing their manufacturing strategy and getting a solution which is not fit for purpose,
or choosing not to invest at all.
By contrast, prioritising total cost of ownership over initial purchase price gives a far truer
representation of the real cost, and value, to a business of an automation solution. This is
reflected in Europe where companies typically expect payback in three to five years – and
may help to account for their higher levels of both automation and productivity. German
workers produce around one-sixth more per hour than their UK counterparts.
Aside from this, it’s also worth mentioning that the price of robots has barely increased in
the past 15 years, rising at near, and at times slightly under, inflation levels. Compare this
with price rises in the automotive sector over a similar period, and it is clear that in 2025,
robots represent good value for money. In addition, opportunities for financing automation
projects have improved greatly in recent years, with options including hire purchase and
robots-to-rent making solutions accessible to manufacturers of all sizes.
A final barrier to consider is a perceived lack of automation expertise. Outdated perceptions
of robots as complicated, difficult to program and inflexible have prevented some
manufacturers from taking the plunge, potentially impacting their ability to be competitive
on both the domestic and international stage. In fact, today’s industrial and collaborative
robots are user-friendly, easy to configure and simple to operate, with many plug-and-play
options now available.
What’s more, robot suppliers such as FANUC, as well as its system integrator partners, can
help to reduce the risk of investing in automation and make a project more attractive to
potential funders. Using FANUC’s automation experience and expertise, the company works
with manufacturers across all sectors to understand the problems they need solving,
ensuring they get the right solution, at the right price, at the first time of asking.

In conclusion, today’s automation solutions are flexible, affordable and easy to use. They
can help to solve labour challenges, improve product quality and consistency, increase
output, and ultimately boost the UK’s overall productivity. The time for manufacturers to
invest is now.
FANUC will be exhibiting at Smart Factory Expo 2025 in conjunction with a number of its
system integrator partners on stand 5/F40, NEC Birmingham, 4-5 June 2025.
More information www.fanuc.eu

Bentley Motors marks 25 years of AM

Bentley Motors is marking 25 years of additive manufacturing (AM) – widely known as 3D
printing – at its headquarters in Crewe, having invested significantly into its facility and
technologies in recent years. The journey, which began with a commitment to in-house 3D
printing to support the development of Bentley’s first generation Continental GT, has
evolved into a state-of-the-art facility that is home to 13 machines operating six different
technologies.
Originally housed in the oldest building at the Pyms Lane site – which is now undergoing a
transformation into the future assembly line for Bentley’s first BEV – the 3D printing facility
now has a home in the company’s new Engineering Technical Centre.
More information www.bentleymotors.com

Fully customised licence plate production line

With years of experience in the licence plate production line industry, HE-Machine is
committed to offering customised turnkey solutions to clients worldwide. A recent example
sees the precise collaboration of five machines: decoiler, straightener, automatic laminating
machine, servo feeder and gap-frame press. The implementation of this project has led to

the successfully optimisation of the production process, improving both efficiency and
product consistency.
The smooth unfolding of raw materials is crucial for the successful operation of a production
line. The HE-Machine decoiler handles various specifications of metal coils, ensuring stable
material unwinding.
Next, the straightener plays an essential role. Any bending or warping in the metal materials
during production can negatively impact the quality and accuracy of subsequent processes.
The straightener, designed for precision levelling, effectively eliminates these issues.
After straightening, the automatic laminating machine applies a protective film to the metal
surface, enhancing both durability and surface quality. The auto laminating process reduces
manual intervention, increasing production efficiency while ensuring uniform coating on
every licence plate.
As the production process moves forward, the servo feeder plays a crucial role in precisely
feeding the material into the next stage. Using a servo motor drive system, the servo feeder
ensures that the metal material is delivered accurately to the next process, ensuring smooth
progression in stamping, and other operations.
Finally, the gap-frame press provides the stamping force required for the production line.
Equipped with multiple mould sizes and a conveyor system, the press precisely performs the
stamping, minimising defects and ensuring the efficient production of high-quality licence
plates.
More information www.he-machine.com

College invests in XYZ machines

City of Wolverhampton College has made a major investment in a range of machine tools
from XYZ, ensuring local businesses have access to a pool of young talent to help grow and
develop engineering facilities in this industrial heartland. The college first purchased XYZ
machines back in 2015.
The new XYZ models – a selection of manual mills, manual lathes, CNC bed mills with
ProtoTRAK RMX touchscreen controls, and a vertical machining centre and CNC lathe fitted
with Siemens Sinumerik CNCs – are located in the new £8.1m Advanced Technology and
Automotive Centre. Jim Wilkins, curriculum manager for engineering, says: “The purchase of
the XYZ machines has proven to be the right choice over the years due to their build quality
and XYZ’s service and support.”
More information www.xyzmachinetools.com