Funding helps foundry expand

Grimsby-based specialist engineering company Fowler & Holden is set to expand its manufacturing facilities and invest in new machinery following a £250,000 funding package from HSBC UK. The support will allow the business to expand its facilities through the addition of new and repurposed factory space, with the additional space used to house a second moulding line and new plant room. This expansion will increase the privately-owned company’s production capacity by up to 80% and create up to 14 new jobs.

The HSBC funding will also enable investment in new equipment, which includes a sand recycling machine so that the business can re-use up to 95% of the sand from its casting process, substantially reducing waste. As a result, there will be a reduced need for sand quarrying, while fewer HGVs will be required for transportation.

For further information
www.bit.ly/3I8l0h2

37% increase in orders

Welshpool-based precision engineering firm Dawson Shanahan has seen phenomenal growth in the first two months of the year, with order intake of automotive components, particularly those for the e-mobility sector, up by 37% in comparison to the same period in 2021. The growth has come from a mix of new and long-standing customers that include OEMs and tier one automotive manufacturers.

As part of Dawson Shanahan’s investment plan and to help meet orders, a further two rotary transfer machines have been completely refurbished for CNC control and are arriving in April. These machines will meet increased requirements for electric vehicle parts in response to high consumer demand. Interestingly, sales for 2021 were 27% up on 2020 and 17% on 2019, so the latest figures point to yet more growth for Dawson Shanahan.

For further information
www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk

UK debut for grinder

Following its world exhibition premiere at EMO last autumn, Vollmer (Hall 20, Stand 550) is giving a UK exhibition debut to the new VGrind 360S grinding machine. The new five-axis CNC grinder can produce carbide tools with a diameter up to 25.4 mm and, depending on the machine’s kinematics and the equipping of grinding wheel packages, it can even manufacture tools up to 150 mm diameter. What sets this grinding machine apart is that it has more precision and power thanks to its linear induction motor and linear slides in the X, Y and Z axes.

For further information
www.vollmer-group.com

Five-axis machining centres from Dugard

Dugard (Hall 20, Stand 640) is showcasing a raft of new machines, including two five-axis models: the Kitamura MedCenter5AX for fast precise machining and the simultaneous Dugard GTX-620.

According to Dugard, the Kitamura MedCenter5AX five-axis vertical machining centre is an extremely compact and versatile machine. With X, Y and Z-axis travel of 254 x 330 x 330 mm over a 170 mm diameter table, the machine incorporates a 30 to 30,000 rpm spindle with an HSK-E40 spindle taper connected to a 40-tool ATC that can change tools in just 1.5 seconds.
Dugard’s new GTX-620 simultaneous five-axis machining centre offers 620 x 520 x 460 mm in X, Y and Z respectively, and the capacity to accept workpieces up to 700 mm diameter on the table. Available with a FANUC or Siemens 840D CNC, the GTX-620 provides spindle power up to 22 kW, a BT40 spindle taper and a 12,000 rpm spindle motor. The B-axis tilts from -50 to +110°, with the C axis capable of rotating a full 360°.

For further information www.dugard.com

Sensor-based clamping system

Roemheld (Hall 6, Stand 450) is showing for the first time in the UK a new modular, sensor-based system that digitalises zero-point clamping by enabling digital recording of its status. STARK.intelligence enables data on workpiece loading and unloading to be integrated directly into an automated manufacturing process. The system also provides information on the condition of the clamping equipment to facilitate its scheduled maintenance. Each fixture is equipped with its own sensor box to measure position, temperature and pressure in real time. A master unit receives data from several units and outputs the information to different devices via IO-Link. The device can be the machine tool’s control screen, computers in the QA department or the service engineer’s smartphone.

For further information
www.roemheld.co.uk