SLM appoints Kingsbury

SLM Solutions Group AG, a German manufacturer of powder-bed metal additive manufacturing (AM) machines, has appointed Kingsbury to sell its products and services in the British and Irish markets with effect from 1 December 2020. The company has more than 600 systems in use globally. Until recently, machines ranged from a single-laser model with a build chamber of 125 mm3, up to a quad-laser version offering a 500 x 280 x 850 mm build envelope. However, in November, a major product launch extended the portfolio to include a 600 mm3 machine with up to 12 lasers.

For further information www.kingsburyuk.com

Robots aid scooter construction

The combination of unique design and a sustainable new production technique are responsible for the first stainless-steel electric scooter made by Swedish innovation company Stilride. With Semcon as its partner, the company is planning to challenge traditional manufacturing techniques and pave the way for new design by deploying robots to fold steel. “By using industrial robotic origami we can fold structures from a flat sheet of metal in completely new ways and create shapes true to the material’s characteristics and geometric nature,” says Tue Beijer, industrial designer at Semcon.

For further information www.stilride.com

Made in Britain membership for Bowers

Metrology specialist, Bowers Group, has attained a Made in Britain accreditation, which has been awarded to both the Bowers and Baty International brands. The Made in Britain stamp not only guarantees consumers that their product was made within the UK, but that it is of high quality, represents value for money, and is safe for users and consumers. It is also an assurance that the companies using the collective mark adhere to the highest possible business standards and follow strict ethical practices throughout their manufacturing processes.

For further information
www.bowersgroup.co.uk

Cutting edge for Whiteley & Sons

A Sheffield-based scissor manufacturer that supplies royalty, Formula One teams, golf courses and bulletproof jacket specialists has invested in three new machines to help it meet an unprecedented rise in sales.

William Whiteley & Sons, which has been trading for more than 260 years, has spent in excess of £80,000 in upgrading its production capability to include state-of-the-art vibratory finishing technology.

Boosted by a capital grant from the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), the latest addition brings automation to the company for the first time, helping it redeploy crucial labour to more value-added work and provide a 30% increase in capacity.

“When it comes to producing scissors and shears, we have some of the best craftsmen and women in the world,” explains company director Jeremy Ward. “We needed to protect those skills by investing in new technology that would automate a labour-intensive, low-skilled process, and that’s why we pressed the button on the capital spend.

“The vibratory finishing machine provides repeatable quality and the option to manufacture through the night,” he continues. “It also gives us the smoothest and most aesthetically pleasing finish possible, which is what customers for our scissors and shears demand. Sales in this arena now account for 30% of turnover and our beautifully crafted products are being used by tailors on Saville Row, by major fashion labels and by the army of people who are turning to crafts during COVID-19.”

William Whiteley & Sons, which employs 15 people and boasts a £1.1m turnover, has been working with the Manufacturing Growth Programme to identify and overcome production bottlenecks.

For further information www.manufacturinggrowthprogramme.co.uk

Total Carbide opts for Micromatic

Master Abrasives has installed a Micromatic Pluto 18 grinding machine at Aylesbury-based Total Carbide, a manufacturer of sintered tungsten-carbide wear parts.

Total Carbide was looking for a cost-effective new machine for its tungsten-carbide measuring probes. The component has a chamfer on the front corner which was ground by interpolation on the company’s previous machine.

Required stock removal on the measuring probe is 0.5 mm on diameter, while surface finish is 0.4 Ra with an outer diameter and length tolerance of ±0.25 mm. The new machine had to accommodate a volume of 2000-3000 pieces per month and it was necessary to have a Fanuc CNC to grind OD, face, chamfer and corner radius features, allowing a smooth transition for operators.

Micromatic’s Pluto-18 is best suited to the production of accurate, small components, and can perform both plunge and traverse grinding operations. Several features of the machine identify its suitability for the batch production of shaft-type components with a maximum wheel outer diameter of 400 mm (50 mm width). For instance, a rigid anti-friction wheel head is utilised for better geometrical accuracies, while an integrated table provides higher rigidity.

The Pluto-18 measures only 1.66 x 2.2 m, which can help to save nearly 30% in space compared with the footprint of a similar hydraulic grinder. Furthermore, the machine’s customised user-friendly graphics aid machine setting and operation.

Master Abrasives can show Micromatic machines in action at its grinding and finishing showroom in the Midlands, along with superfinishing devices, metrology equipment and abrasives.

For further information
www.master-abrasives.co.uk