Too much time lost sourcing industrial supplies

Based on a new survey of stakeholders working across the UK subcontract manufacturing industry, commissioned by MSC Industrial Supply, 58% have limited or no capacity to take on more work, while a further 28% are operating at +50% capacity. Notably, according to ‘The Subcon Report: What next for the backbone of British industry?’, significant time is lost dealing with a volatile supply chain. Some 77% of subcontractors are spending up to 4 hours a week sourcing industrial supplies, and 75% of those surveyed have to deal with as many as five different industrial suppliers. Read the full report at the link below.
For further information www.bit.ly/46asihI

Recycling wind turbine parts

Experts at the Manufacturing Technology Centre are to take part in a €10m EU project to develop technologies that recycle high-value parts from wind turbine blades. The four-year EoLO-HUBS project aims to recover glass and carbon fibres from large wind turbine structures that have reached the end of their useful life. The Coventry-based MTC is one of 18 partners from across Europe, with project co-ordination by the Aitiip Technology Centre in Zaragoza, Spain. The consortium also includes research divisions from several leading industrial companies.
For further information www.the-mtc.org

Nagel invests in competence centre for brake discs

With the introduction of the Euro 7 emission standard, the particulate matter values for all new motor vehicles are set for drastic reductions, regardless of the type of drive. This means that the focus is also increasingly on brake systems. The solution is brake discs with low-wear hard coatings, because less wear means less particulate matter. Against this background, Nagel Maschinen- und Werkzeugfabrik GmbH in Nürtingen is expanding its portfolio to include systems for brake disc coating.

The core module for applying hard coatings to brake discs – usually cast brake discs – is a laser cell, which operates according to the high-speed LMD process, and a double-sided surface grinding machine for finishing. The laser coating machine from Nagel allows workpiece changeover times of less than 2 seconds, meaning that the powder flow, which is fundamentally sensitive to pressure fluctuations and acceleration, does not require interruption. The company measured powder efficiencies of over 94% in the coating process.

Nagel uses a double-sided surface grinding machine with high rigidity, ensuring highly precise and reproducible machining. The machine processes brake discs with an outer diameter of up to 450 mm. Depending on the coating system and customer requirements, Nagel Group says it has the right solution. For example, it is possible to grind a typical mid-range brake disc on both sides in approximately 50 seconds. Where required, a specially developed non-contact air measurement system monitors the machining process in operation.

In addition to process development for a wide range of hard material coatings, including grinding, Nagel will soon also be offering options for the production of coated brake discs for homologation at its Nürtingen plant.
For further information www.nagel.com

Tyrolit expands portfolio with key acquisition

This year marks another exciting year for Tyrolit as it announces the acquisition of Turkey-based Egeli Egesan Abrasives. In a highly competitive market, Tyrolit identified a gap for an additional range of products outside of its current brands, targeted at cost-conscious professionals. This identification has led to the new Tyrolit Egesan brand.

Founded 50 years ago, Egeli Egesan is a leader in the fields of cut-off and deburring wheels, coated abrasives, and abrasive tools for various applications. With an initial range of cut-off wheels, grinding wheels, and flap and fibre discs launching into the UK market last month, customers are already welcoming the Tyrolit Egesan brand. An extended range of bonded and coated products are due to make their debut later in the year.

Pete Dufty, sales director for Tyrolit UK, says: “This acquisition allows us to extend our product portfolio, providing the company with additional access to the production of coated abrasives, as well as added comprehensive know-how. As a result, we can open up more opportunities for Tyrolit to provide an attractive price-performance ratio for cost-conscious customers and a complete range of products from a single source.”

The extended range of Tyrolit Egesan to look out for over the coming months includes: bonded abrasives (cutting and grinding discs for foundry, stainless steel, metal and stone); vitrified grinding wheels (bench grinding wheels, cylindrical and surface grinding wheels, saw sharpening wheels, scythe stones, and cup wheels); coated abrasives (flap discs, fibre discs, DA sander discs, abrasive belts and rolls – including wide belts, waterproof abrasive sandpapers and abrasive flap wheels); and non-woven (flap wheels, mop discs and abrasive sponge wheels).
For further information www.tyrolit.co.uk

ACE boosts export markets with new investment

Complex metal components manufactured in Telford are finding use in space exploration and the next generation of aircraft and cars thanks to the technical expertise of a fast-growing local manufacturer. Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) has seen sales grow by 15% in the past year, with export orders increasing after the firm boosted capacity with the installation of two ‘Chemcut’ etching machines.

With a strong order pipeline and new opportunities in hydrogen fuel cell markets accelerating, the company has just agreed a deal on two further machines that will help it offer increased capacity and reduced lead times on parts. The machines should be operational by the end of the year and provide the platform required for ACE to secure £10m of sales by the middle of 2024.

Chris Ball, executive director at Advanced Chemical Etching, says: “Our ability to etch precision components quickly and in a range of materials is a big selling point, as is the way we control all the forming processes in-house. This makes us extremely competitive against the rest of the world and proves UK manufacturing can do battle on the global stage.”

ACE specialises in the development of precision components to customers in more than 35 countries, spanning aerospace, space, general engineering, automotive, electronics, medical, telecoms and renewables. The scope of its activities is far and wide and can include anything from safety-critical components for aircraft and Formula One cars, to meshes and electronic connectors, battery interconnectors, fuel cell bi-polar plates, cooling plates and heat exchangers.

All parts are developed and manufactured at its main site in Telford and at the company’s dedicated sister business, ACE Forming Ltd, in Kingswinford.
For further information www.ace-uk.net