Promotion at XYZ

XYZ Machine Tools says that customer service has always been a business priority, from initial sale through to ongoing support for machine installations.

Recent additions to its service team bring the numbers of engineers up to 18 and, XYZ has recognised the expertise of Julia Aggett, who after eight years in the sales office has been promoted to customer services manager. Aggett’s promotion is in recognition of her administration skills that have been brought to the fore in her sales role over the past eight years. Her ability to plan and organise a team will be used to further enhance service levels at XYZ.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Fusion device benefits from composites

Rockwood Composites says that it used composites to successfully assemble the central core for the UK’s newest fusion device, Tokamak Energy’s ST40.

This involved the very precise application of a glass-fibre/Kapton/glass-fibre insulation layer to each of the core elements. The whole assembly was then bonded together with accurate control of the bond line thickness. Tokamak Energy is an Oxfordshire-based company that grew out of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy. The business was established in 2009 to design and develop compact fusion power plants. Tokamak Energy’s aim is to put fusion power into the grid by 2030.
For further information www.rockwoodcomposites.com

Hydraulics specialist relies on MecWash

Husco International, a manufacturer of hydraulic and electrohydraulic controls, has installed another MecWash Midi component cleaning system following the success of previous installations.

The company commissioned its first MecWash Midi for use at the company’s European headquarters in Runcorn, in 2000. Since then, Husco has installed a further six cleaning systems. Another two machines will be delivered this year, totaling nine MecWash machines altogether. MecWash also has five component cleaning systems in Husco’s US manufacturing plants and one at its factory in China.
For further information www.mecwash.co.uk

International Women in Engineering Day

To encourage female secondary school students to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects, Renishaw is hosting an International Women in Engineering Day event at its New Mills headquarters.

On Saturday 23 June, students aged from 11 to 18, with their parents/guardians, are invited to visit Renishaw to learn more about the opportunities open to females in this field.
During the event, attendees will meet Renishaw’s female apprentices and graduates to hear about their experiences, and learn about the different paths into engineering. The group will then rotate around workshops, including a hands-on engineering session building LED torches. Visitors will be invited on a tour of the Renishaw Innovation Centre and to take part in a speed networking session. There will also be a CV writing workshop to help the students with their applications to further education or apprenticeships.
For further information www.renishaw.com/educationoutreach

German Chancellor meets service robot

Collaborating with robots and controlling them with gestures? German chancellor Angela Merkel experienced first-hand how this can be achieved in her opening day tour at the recent Hannover Messe 2018 exhibition. On the IBG Automation stand, Angela Merkel and the Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife Angélica Rivera, got up close and in person with robotic hands from Schunk.

SCHUNK – HMI 2018, Hannover Messe, Hanover Trade Fair

Schunk’s SVH mechatronic gripping hand, which is designed for applications in assistance and service robotics, is very similar to its human counterpart in terms of size, shape and mobility. The five fingers can carry out all kinds of gripping operations with the help of nine drives. Elastic surfaces on the front phalanxes ensure a reliable hold on objects being gripped. As the hand can perform and imitate numerous gestures, visual communication between humans and service robots becomes significantly easier.
For further information www.schunk.com