Healthy order book at LK

LK Metrology, a UK CMM manufacturer is reporting strong ongoing business performance three years after becoming a fully independent company again following its change of ownership in 2018. In 2021, LK Metrology, which has its headquarters in Derbyshire will celebrate its 58th year of trading.

The new proprietor, Angelo Muscarella, who also runs Italian firm ASF Metrology, is keen to share the progress that LK has made: “We’re delighted to find ourselves entering our fourth year of operation in April 2021 with a healthy order book. Revenue met budget in the last financial year and we even made a profit, despite incredibly difficult trading conditions due to the pandemic. Machine service and upgrade activities actually performed ahead of budget every month since July 2020.”

For further information www.lkmetrology.com

Large investment at Barton Cold-Form

Barton Cold-Form, an expert in cold-forging technology since the 1932 and part of the UK manufacturing division of Optimas Solutions – has completed machinery and technology upgrades totalling over $3.6m. Operating from a 55,000 sq ft facility in Droitwich, the investment is allowing the manufacturer to substantially increase capability, capacity and solidify its market position in the production of highly engineered, bespoke fastening solutions.

The company’s capacity list has been bolstered with the addition of Nedschroef NH518L and NH515 five-die cold formers, a Smart NG W40 SEMS thread roller and a Smart NP 24-DD pointing machine. Notably, the Nedschroef cold-heading machines enable Barton to produce fasteners with an increased range of dimensions (6-175 mm length, 2-18 mm diameter) and in even greater volumes, yielding upwards of 7000 fasteners per hour.

For further information www.optimas.com

New investment follows repair success

Within six months, Schuler Service repaired two machines damaged in a fire at the plant of Mühlhoff Umformtechnik in Uedem, Germany. Now, part production on a new 2000-tonne press from the Schuler TSD series can also start on time at the automotive supplier. In the record-breaking time of just 12 months, Schuler delivered the line, assembled it at the customer’s site, and provided quick commissioning to keep downtime to a minimum.

As the drive components with long delivery times were already in transit, Schuler was able to shorten the time to commissioning by a quarter of a year – and this despite the fact that experts on site had to contend with challenges such as the foundation, which was designed for the previous and significantly smaller 800-tonne line.

“With our decades of experience in press construction and the necessary flexibility, we always succeed in overcoming these challenges,” says Schuler managing director Frank Klingemann.

“We had been discussing such an investment for some time,” adds Christian Pennekamp, production and project manager at Mühlhoff. “When we could no longer manufacture from one day to the next, this future-oriented step was implemented.”

The firm’s courage has paid off: orders have already been received for the largest system to date and the run on the system “continues to be great”, reports Matthias Stockmans, head of sales and development.

Mühlhoff managing directors Markus Wermers and Pascal Hagemann also attach high importance to the latest technologies. The line features some solutions from Schuler’s ‘Digital Suite’ for process monitoring and predictive maintenance.

For further information
www.schulergroup.com

Diamond tools for hard materials

Horn is releasing an expanded range of CVD (chemical vapour deposition) diamond-tipped tooling for the cost-effective drilling and countersinking of sintered carbides and ceramics of hardness up to 3000 Hv. According the company, the tools enable short throughput times, high surface quality, low costs and more flexibility within the production process, as well as long tool life.

The DDHM tool system allows rigorous machining processes to take place on conventional milling and turning centres, eliminating the need to invest in expensive new machinery or resort to costly, time-consuming grinding and eroding processes. Due to their ability to machine carbide punches and dies efficiently, the cutters are particularly suitable for use in the tool- and die-making sector. However, they also offer production advantages in the medical, aerospace and automotive industries.

The CVD-D-tipped drills are suitable for producing holes in solid material to a maximum depth of 10xD. Each tool is of two-edged design and is available in diameters ranging from 2 to 10 mm. All versions feature internal channels for cooling with air. For chamfering and countersinking, Horn offers CVD-D end mills with diameters of 3 and 6 mm, and with flank angles of 15, 30 and 45°. The 3 mm version has five teeth, while the 6 mm variant has six.

For further information
www.phorn.co.uk

Citizen hires five

To satisfy the needs of its widening customer base, Citizen Machinery UK has taken on five new employees. The company’s managing director Edward James says: “It is essential we keep our headcount commensurate with the increasing level of business to ensure our long-term success. This is especially important for our UK operation, as we are also the distribution hub for Citizen machines going into France, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia, the Middle East and Africa. The most recent recruit is Aaron Lewis, who joined from a work-holding equipment supplier, where he was a design/project engineer.

For further information
www.citizenmachinery.co.uk