BREAKING NEWS
Dyson wins ventilator order

Dyson has secured an order from the Government to manufacture 10,000 ventilators as the UK steps up its fight against COVID-19.

In a statement to staff seen by Reuters, James Dyson said that since receiving a call from Boris Johnson, the company had refocused resources, working with Cambridge-based TTP (The Technology Partnership), to design an entirely new ventilator, the CoVent (photo: Dyson). The race is now on to get it into production.
“We have received an initial order of 10,000 units from the Government, which we will supply on an open-book basis. This is clearly a time of grave international crisis, I will therefore donate 5000 units to the international effort, 1000 of which will go to the UK.” He added that Dyson and TTP will be working with the MHRA and the Government to ensure that the product and manufacturing process is approved.
For further information www.dyson.co.uk

Calling all apprentices

The education and skills charity, WorldSkills UK, is looking for talented apprentice engineers to prove they are the country’s best.

Putting apprentice and student skills, knowledge and employability attributes to the test in a competitive environment, 90% of those who entered in 2019 said they had seen improvements in their career prospects. The WorldSkills UK competitions are designed by industry experts and are free to enter. Each successful entrant that makes it through the national qualifiers, taking place between April and June 2020, will represent the UK’s engineering industry in the national finals in November.
For further information www.worldskillsuk.org

AB Tools opts for Anca tool grinder

A specialist in the manufacturing of cutting tools, Lincoln, California-based AB Tools, has taken delivery of an Anca MX7 Linear grinding machine with automation to help it produce the company’s Shear Hog range of carbide inserts. Existing machines and processes were proving insufficient to keep up with demand.

The engineering team at Anca worked closely with AB Tools to find a solution, as it can custom-design mechanical, electrical, software and process solutions to enhance the standard product range and meet specific customer requirements. The engineering team was requested to deliver a solution that was able to automatically load and grind the Shear Hog inserts, perform grinding operations in one set-up and meet cycle time requirements.
Developments included a modification to the loading system, with custom pallets to suit the inserts. The custom pallets can hold up to 442 inserts, although this capacity can be increased by ordering the four-pallet upgrade option available on the MX7 Robomate universal loader. A modification to the robot gripper head allows the robot to pick up and handle the insert/nail combination. In addition, robot loading software was developed to support the insert pick-up operation, and load and unload the nail via an interchange station. Inserts can now be ground in a cycle time of less than six minutes.
“Anca impressed me from day one,” states Alfred Lyon, AB Tools’ shop supervisor. “Creating a whole new type of machine for AB Tools is not merely impressive, it’s extraordinary. We could have purchased another machine similar to the one we were using, but we asked Anca for help because we wanted to expand our capabilities and simplify the process. This new machine has exceeded both desires.”
For further information www.anca.com

Ceramics specialist invests in Okamato

Following 12 months of trouble-free operation at the Crewe manufacturing facility of CoorsTek, a manufacturer of engineered ceramics, an Okamoto 818 CNC surface and profile grinder has been integrated as a core part of the company’s specialist grinding operations.

The machine was one of the first to be supplied by Jones & Shipman Hardinge, Okamoto’s sole UK distributor. Tristan Weller, production manager at CoorsTek, says: “In the surface grinding cell, we are precision grinding ceramics to typical tolerances of ±10 µm on form radii, and down to 5 µm on flat surfaces. It is a complex process with slow feeds and speeds, and can take its toll on machines and wheels alike. Inherently, it is a time-consuming task, so sustained machine integrity and stability are important.”
Offering a compact footprint, the Okamoto 818 CNC features a 450 x 200 mm table area with the machine based on a small moving saddle design. The ISO type programming menu is delivered through a Fanuc CNC unit with other key features being automatic lubrication to guides and slideways to optimise reliability and prolong maintenance-free operation.
All of the core machine castings exhibit high static and dynamic stiffness, and are fully damped. Scraped V-slideways with low-friction Turcite coatings are standard.
Harry Hodgson, Crewe plant manager, and Tristan Weller, production manager, say: “The Jones & Shipman overall commitment to quality and aftersales technical support convinced us to invest in the machine.”
For further information www.hardinge.com/jones-shipman

Emag acquires CNC-Technik Weiss

The Emag Group is expanding its technology range with cylindrical grinding technology from Weiss.

“Cylindrical grinding is particularly important at the end of the process chain, when a large part of the added value has already been transferred to the component,” says Dr Guido Hegener, managing director of Emga Maschinenfabrik GmbH. “That is why it’s very important for us to offer our customers the best solutions in this area. The expertise and machines from Weiss significantly expand our range of solutions, resulting in even more attractive offerings for our customers.”
Over the past few years, CNC-Technik Weiss has made a name for itself as a developer of cylindrical grinders. Founded in 1993, the company built this expertise by performing maintenance and modernisation work on Karsten cylindrical grinders. The high-quality service provided by the company quickly led to a growth in its customer base, and resulted in demand for in-house production solutions, which marked the birth of Weiss CNC cylindrical grinders.
“I’m excited to have found a new partner in the Emag Group that allows me to put my visions for our business into practice,” explains Bernd Weiss, current and former managing director of the company. “Our massive growth at the Neckartailfingen plant has brought us to our capacity limits. As part of the Emag Group, completely new opportunities are opening up for our products. We now have access to broad knowledge and support from the group, which will allow us to accelerate the development of new machines.”
For further information www.emag.com