Mazak apprentices interview seniors

National Apprenticeship Week 2020 earlier this month was celebrated by Yamazaki Mazak with an innovative twist, by allowing the company’s current crop of young engineering talent to turn the tables on senior management and interview them on their own careers in the manufacturing industry.

Mazak currently employs 48 apprentices and has trained in excess of 200 in recent years. In honour of NAW, the company invited a selection of its current class of 47 apprentices to put their own questions to a selection of senior staff, including Alan Mucklow, managing director UK & Ireland sales division.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

XYZ names area sales manager for Poland

XYZ Machine Tools’ drive to increase sales across mainland Europe has taken its next step with the appointment of Marcin Drozd as a directly employed area sales manager for the company’s range of ProtoTRAK-controlled and CNC machine tools.

The appointment is the first phase of a longer-term project in Poland that will see XYZ Machine Tools extend its direct presence with additional sales, service and applications support personnel.
Says Howard Bamforth, the company’s export sales director: “The potential for our products across Europe is significant, and while we’ve had success in certain countries working through distribution, the time is right to maximise the potential business. Directly employing a sales manager in Poland is the initial stage of that process. Marcin brings to the role extensive experience of our product range, particularly the ProtoTRAK control system, which we see as one of the key products for developing sales in the region.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Anticipation builds for GrindTec

The GrindTec 2020 exhibition is set to take place in Augsburg, Germany on 18-21 March and, for the first time, MTI magazine will be among the exhibitors.

The last edition of the biennial show in 2018, attracted 19,100 visitors, up 6.4% against the 2016 event. Around 38% visited from countries other than Germany. In addition, some 645 exhibitors from 30 countries attended in 2018, a rise of 11.8%.
GrindTec is major international exhibition on grinding technology. However, beyond purely grinding, the focus of 2020 exhibitors will also be on topics such as Industry 4.0 and electromobility. The quality of GrindTec visitors has always been praised by exhibitors, with the outstanding characteristic cited as decision-making competence. At the 2018 show, 64% of visitors were sole decision-makers or directly involved in the decision-making process.
For further information www.grindtec.de/en

Cutting tools showcased on ITC stand

Southern Manufacturing will be the first opportunity for UK manufacturers to see the latest cutting tool launches from Industrial Tooling Corporation (Stand H250).

Representing Widia in the UK, application experts from ITC will be on-hand to discuss tools such as the newly developed VSM890-12 face and shoulder milling series. The VSM890-12 is hailed as one of the very few eight-edged, double-sided cutters with genuine 90° milling capability, and is able to perform operations such as face milling, shoulder milling, Z-axis plunging, contour plunging and 100% radial engagement slotting on a complete range of materials.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Nibe invests in two press brakes

Markaryd-based Nibe, which manufactures Contura fireplaces and Premodul chimneys, has recently invested in two press brakes from SafanDarley, an E-brake Ultra E130-3100 and an E-brake Econic E40-1600, supplied by local agent Din Maskin.

“When we decided to invest in new press brakes, we wanted machines that would provide stability in the manufacturing process, give consistent results and allow us to use the same tools as before,” says Patrik Ahlin, production group manager at Nibe. “ The machines also needed to be ergonomically designed, where the operator wouldn’t need to handle heavy tools. This is exactly what SafanDarley’s press brakes offered.”
Stefan Kovac, the press brake operator who was involved in test-running SafanDarley’s machines ahead of the investment, adds: “I’m delighted with the machines as they run quietly and smoothly. The tool set-up has worked well for the majority of our parts.”
According to Fredrik Carlsson, product manager for SafanDarley at Din Maskin, the servo electric press brake has low maintenance and running costs, and is quiet in operation. Since the machine does not use hydraulic oil, servicing is also minimal, and the lack of a hydraulic system means even higher precision and more consistent bending results.
Ahlin also emphasises the ‘green’ aspect, since Nibe is very active in its environmental work. The company is always trying out new ways to reduce its energy consumption and it is therefore important that its manufacturing is modern, resource-saving and efficient.
Herman Nordqvist, production engineer for welding and brake pressing, says that another important aspect was ease of set-up, since newly developed fireplace models are launched regularly and therefore new parts need to be produced.
“Here at Nibe, we work together closely in the development process to ensure we only get better,” concludes Ahlin.
For further information www.safandarley.com