£1.5m Made Smarter digitalisation programme

Businesses across Yorkshire and Humber are set to benefit from £1.5m of funding towards industrial digitalisation, from the Made Smarter programme. The programme aims to improve digital adoption among SMEs in Yorkshire and Humber, and includes intensive one-to-one advice and support delivered through growth hubs in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Hull and east Yorkshire, northeast Lincolnshire, York and North Yorkshire. Through the programme, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority expects to be able to fund and support around 500 Yorkshire and Humber manufacturers.

For further information
https://is.gd/piqude

Choice of two, three or four turrets

A CNC turning centre provides potential users with multiple choices to configure a machine to their precise needs. Launched by DMG Mori at the EMO Milano exhibition in October, the NZ platform is available as a DUE, TRE or QUATTRO model, having two, three or four turrets respectively. Each also has an 80 mm Y axis and the possibility of having a -10 to +100° B axis. The built-in 16 kW/12,000 rpm/24 Nm motor has either 12 live stations for VDI 30 tools or 16 stations for VDI 25 tools.

DMG Mori’s new machine is available in two bed sizes, a short version for workpieces up to 740 mm long and a larger version for workpieces to a maximum length of 1290 mm. A magazine for feeding bar stock up to 65 mm diameter is available, with the potential for the chucking of billets up to 120 mm diameter. Even with a 4 m bar feed, only 17.8 sq m of shop floor space is required.

Suitable for use on the long-bed lathe, but also possible on the short-bed version, an optional, double-sided, twin spindle can be mounted in the Z axis between the 5000 rpm (optionally 7000 rpm) main and counter spindles. Able to accept up to 65 mm diameter workpieces, it effectively divides the machine into two twin-spindle work areas and may be used for turning at up to 4000 rpm. When machining longer workpieces, it functions as a hydraulic steady rest or a Swiss-type unit with a 5000 rpm rotating guide bush.

A symmetrical, thermally stable bed ensures stability and precision during machining. Other merits of the machine include ergonomic accessibility to the working area and efficient chip evacuation.

For further information
www.dmgmori.com

Rolls-Royce delivers 1000th Trent XWB-84

Rolls-Royce has delivered its 1000th Trent XWB–84, achieving another key milestone for the engine programme. The engine, which will power an Airbus A350-900, was built at the company’s production test facility in Derby. Following its entry into service in 2015, the Trent XWB-84 quickly became the fastest selling large engine of all time. It has now achieved more than 8 million engine flying hours in service with more than 30 operators, demonstrating its versatility and capability by flying a range of different routes, from short-range segments to ultra-long-range flights of more than 18 hours.

For further information www.rolls-royce.com

Record recruitment drive at Bentley

Bentley Motors has announced the company’s biggest-ever intake of trainees for 2022. A phased recruitment drive will see a total of 113 new recruits beginning their careers at the company’s headquarters in Crewe. The successful individuals will take up positions in lean manufacturing, systems and electrical engineering and business management, for example. Additionally, around 20% of the intake will be in digital skills such as software engineering and data science.

Dr Karen Lange, member of the board for HR, says: “The automotive industry is going through unprecedented change; we are transforming and so are those around us. That’s why we’re committed to continuing our focus on our early careers intake and developing the future talent that will help transform our future skills requirements.”

For further information www.bentleycareers.com

Turn-mill centre prepped for automation

Building on the strengths of previous generations of Miyano fixed-head turn-mill centres, the BNA-42SY is Citizen Machinery’s latest addition to the range. The CNC lathe is the first BNA model to have a 12-station turret giving ±35 mm of Y-axis movement, all tool positions now being live, and a new design that lends itself to easy automation.

Compared with current BNA models, machining efficiency has been upgraded by more powerful spindle motors, which are rated at 7.5/5.5 kW (15min/cont) for the 6000 rpm main spindle and 5.5/3.7 kW for the 5000 rpm sub-spindle. Acceleration and deceleration are quicker on both spindles, improving productivity further by minimising idle times.

The machine’s rigid bed, the weight of which is now 1823 kg, brings thermal control advantages and more capacity to house a larger coolant tank. Notably, the base casting has been prepared with space at the right-hand side for robotic load/unload equipment. If a user intends to take advantage of automation, the machine is available with a swarf conveyor that exits to the rear as an option. Users may deploy the automation solely for unloading components that have been turn-milled from bar stock up to 42 mm diameter, either directly from a spindle or via a parts catcher and conveyor. Alternatively, or in addition, it may load and unload billets or near net shape workpieces like castings or forgings up to 135 mm in diameter.

Mounting points have been included to provide an option to add an overhead gantry if only chucking is to be carried out, in which case a raw material stocker can be positioned to the left of the machine in place of the bar magazine.

For further information
www.citizenmachinery.co.uk