Mazak fun at Drayton Manor

To celebrate the company’s 100-year anniversary, Yamazaki Mazak UK hosted a day of festivities and fun for all of its Worcestershire employees and their families at Drayton Manor Theme Park.

In total, over 1,000 people were treated to a day out. Adults and children alike enjoyed themselves on the rollercoaster and rides, and helped themselves to an organised buffet as a thank you for all their efforts in helping Mazak reach this major milestone. Mazak’s European headquarters and manufacturing site, based in Worcester, produces more than 1000 machine tools every year.
Richard Smith, European group managing director at Yamazaki Mazak, says: “Despite its size and global manufacturing capability, Mazak remains a family business both in terms of its ownership and culture. A family day out at Drayton Manor Theme Park was the perfect way for us to celebrate our
centenary together.”
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

MTC opening in Liverpool

The MTC, which has its headquarters in Coventry, is to open a manufacturing technology centre in Liverpool to support growth and innovation in the region. Housing a staff of more than 60, the facility at Liverpool Science Park (LSP), which sits within Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool), will be one of the biggest lettings on the site in more than five years.

Associate director for strategic development at the MTC, Dr Charlie Whitford, says: “We’re excited to be expanding our footprint in Liverpool, and broadening our services and support for the wider northwest by supporting skills, productivity and growth in the region. We are looking forward to continuing our work with Liverpool John Moores, as well as working with the University of Liverpool and other regional stakeholders to help manufacturers in the area stay competitive. We can also help manufacturers improve product development, tap into new technologies and translate academic research into innovative solutions for industry.”
For further information www.the-mtc.org

Rhodes to highlight expertise

A specialist in bespoke composite and metal-forming machinery, Rhodes Interform, will be showcasing its expertise in superplastic forming and diffusion bonding at the Advanced Engineering Show (Birmingham NEC, 30-31 October), where the company will be found on stand L50 in hall 3A.

SPFDB Press at BAE SYSTEMS MAI Samlesbury

Rhodes Interform designs, manufactures and installs titanium and aluminium forming cells for aerospace and automotive manufacturers worldwide. This capability recently included designing and manufacturing a composite forming facility at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (ARMC). The composite forming press is being used as part of a facility to help UK companies stay at the leading edge of composite development.
Composite machinery from Rhodes Interform is used to manufacture structural components for production road cars, as well as flight-critical components for a variety of aircraft. The company also offers a range of cold-forming technologies for specialist metal-forming applications across a number of sectors.
“The Advanced Engineering show is a platform for us to demonstrate our composite and metal-forming capabilities,” says Mark Ridgway OBE, CEO of Group Rhodes. “Our team will be discussing how they can help manufacturers to meet their equipment requirements, using our expertise gained from almost 200 years in the metal-forming industry. We’ll also be explaining about the servicing packages we offer to minimise downtime, and maximise the longevity and performance of the equipment.”
All Rhodes Interform’s machinery is supported worldwide by an aftermarket spares and service team.
For further information www.grouprhodes.co.uk

Prima Power and Gasparini in co-op

Prima Power has signed an agreement with Gasparini for the distribution of products in the latter’s range with Prima Power branding and colours.

Thanks to the collaboration, Prima Power expands the range of its press brakes, combining the models of the servo-electric eP series, produced in the Prima Power plant at Cologna Veneta, with the new family of hP hydraulic press brakes.
The hP range comprises 10 medium-large format models covering a range from 270 to 650 tonnes. At the base of the agreement there is a real industrial project, valid at a global level, whereby hP press brakes are not only marketed but also assisted by the Prima Power network.
Hydraulic press brakes are suitable for the agricultural and earthmoving sectors, as characterised by high-thickness components. The adaptive crowning and reflex system is also said to make this press brake the most accurate machine in its category. As a result, it is possible to compensate for any deflections of the frame, which are inevitable during the bending process, thanks to sensors and control systems that guarantee the repeatability of the angle, whatever the material and thickness.
The DSP laser safety system protects the operator from the danger of being crushed between the upper and lower tool. What’s more, hP series machines can be connected in tandem, or integrated into automated lines or robotic cells.
Available options include front supports, a bending follower for large sized or very heavy sheet metal, a wireless digital gauge for automatic correction of the bending parameters, a flattening table for increased productivity and simplified operations, and the Laser Check bend angle measurement and correction system.
For further information www.primapower.com

Tricorn opens for business in north

Production control software specialist Tricorn is launching a second UK office at this year’s Northern Manufacturing exhibition in Manchester on 2-3 October.

Tricorn, which provides production control software for manufacturing SMEs, will be exhibiting at the show for the first time. The new office will be based at Daresbury Innovation Park, in Cheshire, and include a team equipped to service new clients, including sales, marketing and support staff. Tricorn will be promoting the launch on Stand D32.
For further information https://www.tricorn.tech/