Key energy parts made in Sheffield

Sheffield Forgemasters is manufacturing key components for a novel new device used by the renewable energy sector.

The company will supply GE’s Power Conversion Business with central components for rotating stabilisers – large turbine-like devices that work to stabilise electricity fluctuations on the electrical grid. An initial delivery will comprise a main rotator shaft and hub for a rotating stabiliser located in Moray, Scotland.
Kunal Popat, senior sales manager, says: “The challenge of forging these large components and then conducting a delicate heat-shrink fit to bond the hub to the main shaft of the rotating stabiliser is significant, and our research, design and technology team had considerable input into the design of both the components and the subsequent route to manufacture.”

For further information www.sheffieldforgemasters.com

Out with the old, in with the new

Ayrshire-based NPI Solutions has recently invested in two new Doosan vertical machining centres and a Doosan M1013 cobot – all supplied by Mills CNC.

The machines – a Doosan DNM 4000 and a DNM 6700 – were installed at the company’s 46,000 sq ft facility in the first week of July 2020 and replace two older machining centres that had served the company well but which had seen better days.

NPI’s decision to invest in new machine tool and automation technologies was made during the height of the pandemic in April. At a time when many manufacturers may have understandably been ‘battening down the hatches’, NPI selected a different route; one entirely in keeping with the company’s business ethos and approach.

Says Kevin Priestley, NPI’s managing director: “We’d become aware earlier in the year that two of our older machining centres were creating a ‘pinch point’ in our operations and were affecting productivity and efficiency. We decided that we wanted to replace the two older machines and approached Mills CNC to discuss a way forward.”
NPI is no stranger to Mills CNC. The company, since 2011, has made a number of strategic investments in Doosan machine tools and, prior to the addition of the two latest machines, had acquired three Doosan lathes and three Doosan machining centres.

“Doosan machines are reliable and represent good value,” says Priestly. “We like Mills. They know our business and we believe the company’s aftersales service and support is hard to beat.”

Prior to deciding on the Doosan M1013 cobot, NPI approached other cobot suppliers.

“The Doosan cobot was selected for its build quality, as well as its safety, payload and reach radius characteristics,” he concludes.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Metalex Vietnam goes virtual

The organiser of Metalex Vietnam has taken the decision to convert the 2020 edition of the exhibition to an online format.

A statement said the move followed close monitoring of the COVID-19 situation and guidance issued by the government and public health authorities. The Metalex Vietnam Online Edition will be live for two weeks, commencing on 10 October. Among the highlights will be virtual meetings and business matching events, machinery showcases, and technology talks.

For further information www.metalexvietnam.com

Faro acquires Advanced Technical Solutions

Metrology specialist Faro Technologies has acquired Advanced Technical Solutions in Scandinavia AB (ATS), a Sweden-based expert in 3D digital-twin solutions.

Founded in 1990, ATS has enjoyed particular success in the automotive space. The acquisition will integrate ATS software and its proprietary Traceable 3D system, which enables highly accurate and repeatable 3D scans, into the Faro Webshare cloud platform. ATS’ system connects the physical to the digital world and is expected to bolster Faro’s ability to improve its customers’ time to decision with 10x faster 3D imaging at up to 1 mm accuracy.
For further information www.faro.com

£5.7m MOD innovation hub

Dorset LEP is investing £1.5m of the Government’s Local Growth Fund towards the construction of a new Defence Innovation Centre at Dorset Innovation Park, the county’s enterprise zone.

The investment will be enhanced by £3.1m from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and £1.1m from Dorset Council. Scheduled to be operational by spring 2021, the new Defence Innovation Centre will provide 1100 sq m of office space and 450 sq m of workshop space for MOD innovation, as well as associated conference and collaboration space. The hub aims to create 90 new jobs and achieve a direct GVA of £4m in its first 10 years.

For further information www.dorsetlep.co.uk