Fanar becomes part of Seco family

Poland-based Fabryka Narzędzi FANAR SA (Fanar), a manufacturer of solid-carbide cutting tools, is now part of the offering from Seco. Fanar will initially operate as an independent company and continue to sell its products under the Fanar brand. The company’s product portfolio covers an extensive range of high-performance taps and other threading products, as well as solid-carbide drills and end mills. “It feels great to extend the Seco team with the co-workers of Fanar,” says Stefan Steenstrup, president of Seco. “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome them all to the Seco family.”

For further information
www.secotools.com

SME manufacturers reveal investment plans

Small and medium-sized manufacturers are continuing to bounce back from the pandemic, despite experiencing significant supply chain and recruitment struggles. The latest Manufacturing Barometer, which surveyed more than 400 SMEs across the UK, shows that nearly two thirds (64%) of companies are expecting to grow over the next six months and 52% plan to invest in capital equipment and manufacturing.

For the first time in over a year, the report also revealed that more firms are trading at higher levels than before Covid-19, highlighting the resurgence in fortunes since lockdown eased. This encouraging data was set against a backdrop of disruption, with 60% of respondents stating that staff are having to spend additional time liaising with suppliers and, despite growing sales, just over half are having to increase product prices to recover some of their additional costs.

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

Skills development is key theme at MACH

One of the major themes of MACH 2022 (4-8 April, Birmingham NEC), the first national gathering of the UK engineering community post Covid-19, will be the need to concentrate on skills development within the manufacturing industry and inspiring the UK’s next generation of engineers. The exhibition will have a strong focus on encouraging more young people into the industry, with special displays and a dedicated exhibition zone showcasing the changes that have taken place within manufacturing.

MACH 2022 will features a dedicated Education & Development (E&D) Zone, with special displays from Airbus Defence & Space, University of Wolverhampton Formula 3 Race Team, Lincoln Electric Virtual Welding and the Bowers Group Mobile Metrology Centre. Student visitors from Year 7 upwards will also be able to access guided tours of the exhibition. Apprentices and graduates who are already working within the industry will lead the tours.

For further information visit www.machexhibition.com

Amada ENSIS now in 12 kW version

Amada has released its latest high-power fibre laser cutting machine, the ENSIS-AJ 12 kW, which adds to the currently available 3, 6 and 9 kW versions. For the 12 kW version, 3 x 4 kW diode modules (the highest power, single module yet produced by Amada) are utilised to ensure very high beam quality for faster cutting speeds. This technology also opens new avenues for thicker mild steel processing with nitrogen, up to 15 mm. The new ECO WACS system for thick mild steel processing with oxygen further enhances the overall package.

WACS (Water Assisted Cutting System) has been standard on the fully featured ENSIS-AJ fibre lasers since the original launch in 2014 and allows very high-quality oxygen processing of thick mild steel. ECO Cut was used for lower thickness oxygen processing (10-15 mm), for speed increases and running cost reductions. Now, ECO WACS combines both these features to allow very thick mild steel processing with an extremely high edge quality and improved bevel angle, while maintaining fast cutting and piercing capabilities.

Higher power also brings the advantage of processing thicker mild steel with nitrogen to give an oxide-free cutting edge. The 12 kW ENSIS-AJ can now process up to 15 mm mild steel with nitrogen and utilises Amada’s Clean Fast Cut (CFC) process to increase cutting speeds and reduce gas consumption by up to 70% compared with standard nitrogen processing. This capability opens new opportunities for customers in the construction, agricultural and yellow goods markets. In particular, the significantly higher cutting speeds (compared with oxygen) result in quicker deliveries for the end user.

Central to the advanced capability of ENSIS-AJ fibre lasers is Amada’s Variable Beam Control technology, whereby the laser beam mode is automatically adapted to deliver stable cutting across all material types and thicknesses.

For further information
www.amada.eu

Exceptional UK sales of Bodor laser cutters

World Machinery, the UK representative for Bodor laser cutting machines, is reporting exceptional sales of the Bodor i7 fibre laser. During September and October, the company delivered and installed six Bodor i7 machines, a highly affordable model that offers large capacity (3000 x 1500 mm sheet, up to 20 mm thick mild steel) within a compact footprint (6000 x 2300 mm).

The six latest recipients of the machine are: Advent Ductwork Systems (Addlestone), BT Lerson (Stansted), D&A Engineering (Hemel Hempstead), J&M Engineering (Melton Mowbray), Profab (Coventry) and Langley Projects (Manchester). All machines feature an automatic focus cutting head, edge sheet detection and 21.5” touchscreen fitted with Bodor Pro 2.5 software that World Machinery says makes operation very easy, even to new users.

“Each installation is completed by our team of engineers, which is followed by operator training,” explains World Machinery’s managing director Wayne Hipkiss. “All Bodor lasers are supplied with a 3-year manufacturer warranty that is comprehensively supported by our in-house engineers and Bodor UK resident engineers. Unlimited spares and consumables are offered ex-stock to ensure 24/7 production for all Bodor users.”

The company is also reporting big demand for high-power Bodor fibre lasers (12 kW and beyond). Willenhall-based Fastline Steel Services, for example, has taken delivery of its second Bodor laser – a P4020-12 (4000 x 2000 mm, 12 kW) – to increase its capacity in the production of steel fencing.

Another P4020-12 is due for installation this month at SM Thompson in Middlesbrough, where it will replace a fibre laser by another manufacturer. Furthermore, a P3015-12 (3000 x 1500 mm, 12 kW) is going to Cube Metals Ltd in Uxbridge. This machine, which replaces a plasma cutter, will feature an iTrans automatic loading and unloading system.

For further information
www.worldmc.co.uk