Ground-breaking agreement

The Manufacturing Technology Centre and the Herefordshire-based New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering have signed a ground-breaking agreement, leading the way to regional partnership and industrial and educational growth.The collaboration will build on the advanced technologies of the MTC and the academic quality and distinctiveness of NMITE, providing students with hands-on access to the latest manufacturing equipment and techniques. MTC@NMITE will also work with local businesses in transferring and adopting knowledge to boost manufacturing productivity and sustainability.
For further information www.the-mtc.org

Howells on track forsuccess with ITC

Founded in 1946 as a radio and TV repair shop, Howells Railway Products has travelled a long way since its early days. Today the company has an extensive list of marque clients that include household names like Siemens, Network Rail, Alstom, Transport for London, Bombardier, Babcock Rail and others. To work at the cutting edge of technology, Howells Railway Products has added a new 40,000 sq ft CNC machine shop with 26 Haas machine tools and cutting tools from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC).

The company has worked with ITC since 2018. A recent project saw ITC introduce the Widia line of indexable cutting tools with modular drills and high-feed shell mills on CLA3 alloy steel castings (end bracket components for rail stretcher bars).

A 63 mm Widia M8065HD face mill set about removing 6 mm of excess casting stock in a single pass as part of a facing and shoulder milling process. With the previous high-feed face mill removing material at a rate of 1mm per pass, the M8065HD significantly improved cycle time.

Always looking to take productivity gains to the next level, ITC then introduced the benefits of aBig Kaiser system to the end bracket components, helping to produce an 88.1mm diameter bore at a depth of 65mm. Previously performed using a 50mm diameter indexable shell mill helical interpolating inside the bore, the process took 3 minutes 30 seconds.

The idea to change the process from helical interpolation to a plunging application paid dividends using a Big Kaisertwin-bore tooling system (SW rough boring head). Howells Railway Products runs the twin-bore head at 542rpm and 81mm/min feed rate, reducing the cycle time by 2 minutes 50 seconds per part.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

New initiative equips teachers for 3D printing

Daemon3D Print is launching a new initiative that equips and supports teachers to deliver highly effective lessons on how to use and apply 3D printers and scanners. The initiative, which is part of the company’s Makerspace services, targets both STEM and arts subject specialists for key stages 3 and 4.Makerspaces help teachers create and deliver engaging learning experiences so that students of all abilities can find their strengths and realise their potential. Working individually or in teams, students are able to constantly motivate and support each other in their individual tasks and learning.
For further information www.daemon3dprint.com/makerspace

Floyd presents cool solution for ‘crazy milling’

Now available in the UK from Floyd Automatic Tooling is the new CrazyMill Cool Micro series of micro end mills manufacturing by Mikron Tool. With micro-machining applications increasingly commonplace in the electronics, medical, optics, automotive, aerospace and defence sectors, Floyd Automatic says the high-performance CrazyMill Cool Micro end mills are a game-changer.

For the first time, engineers at Mikron Tool have successfully transferred high-performance cutting tool geometries to micro-dimension end mills. Suitable for operations as diverse as sidemilling, helical interpolation, slot milling and drilling, the CrazyMill Cool Micro is available with three or four flutes, diameters from 0.2 to 1mm, and effective cutting lengths of 3xD and 5xD. The high-quality micro-grain carbide grade permits the grinding of special filigree geometries that maximise strength and performance, minimising the potential for tool breakages, especially when machining challenging materials.

The combination of innovative geometries, the high-quality carbide grade and a patented new cooling concept deliver double the tool life performance and three times higher productivity levels than rival product lines, reports Floyd Automatic. Integrated through-coolant channels guarantee high levels of cooling. Furthermore, with a cooling channel for each of the three or four flutes, swarf evacuation issues in micro-machining applications are now a thing of the past.

Also introduced is coating technology that prevents the loss of sharp edges which can be so critical in micro-machining applications. The new arrivals are available with an S geometry for machining stainless steel, steel, cast iron, non-ferrous metals and titanium alloys, while the SX geometry type is suited for particularly challenging materials such as Inconel, Monel, and CoCr alloys.
For further information www.floydautomatic.co.uk

ASG Group championsapprenticeships

ASG Group, a Manchester-based manufacturer supplying detail parts and tooling to OEMs, risk-sharing partners (RSPs) and associated supply chains, has taken on a new cohort of manufacturing apprentices in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry.By partnering with the MTC, ASG Group is able to offer its apprentices access to state-of-the-art facilities and training from experienced industry professionals.

The decision to take on these apprentices is an important step for both ASG Group and the wider UK manufacturing industry. With the sector facing a shortage of skilled workers, investing in apprenticeships is crucial to ensuring a sustainable future for manufacturing in the UK. By recruiting these apprentices, ASG Group is doing its part to address the skills gap and secure its future workforce, with over 150 CNC machine tools, coupled with the latest technologies and cutting techniques.
For further information www.asg-group.co