Pandemic recovery package for Scotland

The Manufacturing Skills Academy at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland is launching a scheme that will support manufacturing businesses with the upskilling of their workforces as they recover and grow following the pandemic. As part of the campaign, the Manufacturing Skills Academy will help manufacturers take advantage of new market opportunities during Scotland’s recovery from Covid-19. By highlighting the skills required for emerging manufacturing sectors, the team will help employers and employees upskill and diversify, while working to futureproof businesses.

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https://is.gd/ewojin

From motorsport star to industrial entrepreneur

Industrial services company NIKAB was founded in 2015 by Tim Marklund, at the time best known as a successful and daredevil snowmobile and motocross driver. The company has recently invested in new premises equipped with a waterjet-cutting machine from Water Jet Sweden.

Johan Ceder has many years of experience in waterjet cutting. However, for NIKAB, waterjet cutting was a completely new technique. In connection with the procurement of a new machine, Ceder contributed with special expertise and today he works at NIKAB with responsibility for waterjet cutting.

“The basic idea is that you can do most things with a waterjet cutter”, says Ceder. “We work with industry in a very expansive region, with companies such as Northvolt, LKAB and several paper mills where downtime costs a lot of money. They want their parts now and not in three weeks. With our own waterjet-cutting machine, we get short lead times and can also ensure that we deliver the best products. With our own machine, we can be more innovative and test new solutions.”

As in NIKAB’s own operations, quality, guarantees, support and spare parts were important in the choice of waterjet machine supplier.

“Everything has worked out exactly as I expected since we installed it,” says Ceder. “The machine from Water Jet Sweden always delivers according to plan. Also, I notice that the support team really knows their stuff and has been around for many years. I always get good help and the spare parts come quickly when I order.”

For further information
www.waterjetsweden.com

Prepare edges for welding during laser cutting

At the recent Blechexpo fair in Germany, Trumpf unveiled its EdgeLine Bevel solution that automatically prepares parts for welding during the laser-cutting process. Compatible with standard Trumpf laser-cutting machines, EdgeLine Bevel technology allows users to create bevelled edges for welding while cutting out the contours of each part.

On today’s shop floors, fabricators typically perform bevelling prior to welding using a milling machine, grinding machine or angle grinder, an additional process that is both cumbersome and time-consuming. Trumpf says that EdgeLine Bevel is the first solution that allows users to bevel part edges automatically on much simpler, standard types of laser cutters. The technology can also create bevels on a part’s inner contours, which are impossible for manual angle grinders to access.

“This is a truly unique way of eliminating downstream processes in the sheet-metal fabrication environment, boosting the efficiency of customer production lines,” says Trumpf product manager Patrick Schüle.

As well as bevelling, EdgeLine Bevel can automatically produce countersinks, thereby eliminating yet another downstream process. The technology is suitable for all companies in the sheet-metal fabrication sector that use joining processes on the shop floor or require countersinks for screw connections. “And thanks to quick and easy programming, EdgeLine Bevel also makes sense for companies that only occasionally fabricate parts with bevels and countersinks,” says Schüle.

Blechexpo saw the launch of the technology for the standard versions of Trumpf TruLaser Series 3000 fiber and TruLaser Series 5000 fiber machines. From spring 2022, existing owners of new-generation Trumpf laser-cutting machines will also be able to retrofit EdgeLine Bevel technology.

For further information
www.trumpf.com

Doosan machines integral to AMC success

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied two new high-performance machines to the recently launched Advancing Manufacturing Centre (AMC) – a research, design and manufacturing ‘hub’ based within West Highland College UHI’s Ocean Frontier facility in Fort William.

The machines, a Lynx 2100LMB multi-tasking lathe and a DEM 4000 vertical machining centre, were installed at the AMC in September and October 2021 respectively, in good time for the facility’s official opening on 15 November. The machines form part of an impressive array of advanced manufacturing technologies and equipment that the AMC now has at its disposal.

The AMC is part of the national ‘Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund’ (AMCF), an economic growth and regeneration partnership between the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and is also part funded by the 2014-2020 European Structural & Investment Fund.

A principal aim of AMCF-funded projects is that they have a direct and measurable impact on increasing the manufacturing capacities, capabilities and competitiveness of SMEs within Scotland, and of becoming recognised agents of change and best-practice: transforming, exponentially where possible, national and regional skill and productivity levels.

To achieve these aims, the AMC, through its £1.6m funding, will help stimulate and improve the performance of SMEs by providing them with direct access to advanced manufacturing technologies and expertise – at zero cost to their businesses.

Says Margaret Weir, AMC’s project manager: “Providing existing and new companies with a risk-free ‘sandpit environment’ where they are able to fully explore and understand specific manufacturing issues and challenges, and be able to then design and develop innovative solutions using freely available advanced manufacturing technologies at the AMC, is a real business benefit.”

It is also anticipated that the centre, through its successes, will be instrumental in helping to promote STEM subjects and careers within schools and colleges resulting, over time, in the establishment of a skilled STEM workforce aligned with local and regional business needs.

The two new Doosan machines supplied to the AMC share pride of place with a range of advanced manufacturing technologies and equipment that include: CNC machine tools; additive manufacturing, 3D printing and laser-scanning equipment; automation and robotic systems; and advanced CADCAM software. Also in situ are Festo Didactic ‘smart factory and Industry 4.0’ integrated hardware and software training systems and solutions focused on wind and solar power generation, building automation systems, mechatronics, hydraulics and pneumatics, machine maintenance, electric car charging stations, and electric drives and industrial controls.

Explains David Campbell, STEM project director: “The emphasis and focus of our project are on meeting the needs of SMEs in the West Highlands of Scotland; helping them become more competitive through embracing, utilising and exploiting the latest manufacturing, automation and smart digital technologies.”

The technologies and equipment acquired have a broad scope and are intended to attract as many SMEs to the AMC as possible. As a point of note, the equipment and technology at the facility were acquired via a rigorous tender process, with Mills CNC being one of a number of machine tool manufacturers/suppliers invited to submit tenders for supplying a CNC lathe and machining centre.

Mills CNC says it is regarded and respected, not just for the machine tools it sells, but for the range of aftersales services it provides to customers. Every year, hundreds of large and small UK and Irish component manufacturers (OEMs and tier-one suppliers through to precision subcontractors), as well as universities, colleges and research centres, invest in Doosan machine tools from Mills CNC.

Among the best-selling models in Mills’ machine-tool portfolio are Lynx 2100 series lathes and compact Doosan vertical machining centres like the DNM range of machines.

The Lynx 2100LMB is an 8-inch chuck multi-tasking lathe equipped with a 15 kW/4500 rpm spindle, driven tooling capabilities (3.7 kW/6000 rpm), a tailstock (to machine longer parts), and the Doosan Fanuc 0iTF control with 15” iHMI touchscreen. Notably, the lathe has a maximum turning diameter of 310 mm and turning length of 510 mm, and was also supplied to the AMC with a CNC bar puller, enabling it to machine components in larger batches from bar stock.

Says John Morning, Mills CNC business manager for Scotland: “The Lynx 2100LMB is a compact turning centre equipped with many advanced features that enable it to machine complex, high-precision parts in one hit.”

The DEM 4000 is a compact, fast and versatile three-axis machining centre equipped with a 5.5 kW/8000 rpm spindle, a 20-station ATC and the latest Fanuc 0iMF control. Furthermore, the machine features a 650 x 400 mm worktable with 400 kg maximum table load and boasts 24 m/min rapids on its three axes.

“The DEM 4000 is ideal if you are looking for a small, compact machining centre but don’t want to compromise on speed or power,” says Morning.

The AMC is an essential and integral component in helping Scotland grow and diversify its manufacturing base, and create a highly-skilled workforce to fill well-paid and sustainable jobs in the future.

By providing SMEs with a range of services (including training) and access to advanced manufacturing technologies and equipment at zero cost to their businesses, the AMC is tackling issues and perceived weaknesses in Scotland’s manufacturing base and sector supply chains exposed recently by the Covid-19 crisis.

Concludes Morning: “We are delighted to have been involved with the AMC at the outset and to have installed two of our best-selling machine tool models at the facility.”

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

Fast health checks for machining centres

Starrag’s new online Fingerprint machine analysis service enables the company’s remote service technicians to record machine conditions and provide customers with detailed overviews of the wear on mechanical assemblies within 24 hours. The machine is out of production for only one hour and, without the need for extensive disassembly/assembly work, the result is a fast and meaningful analysis of the main components’ state of wear.

In addition to helping prevent unplanned wear-related failures – and improving machine availability and productivity – Fingerprint also saves on maintenance costs.

For further information
www.starrag.com