EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Apprentices meet Emma Wiggs Challenge

Design concepts to help people with disabilities, developed by apprentices at engineering training centre Oxfordshire Advanced Skills, were revealed at the final of the Emma Wiggs Challenge. Double Paralympic champion Emma Wiggs MBE, who launched the competition earlier this year, was one of the judges who assessed the entries, which aimed to show how design engineering can be used to improve life for people with disabilities.

The winning entry was a low-level pull cord assistance device (LLPCAD) designed by Owen Mayers, to tackle the critical safety issue of unreliable and inaccessible emergency pull cords in disabled toilets. Owen’s solution is a cost-effective device, designed for easy installation or retrofitting in most locations. The highly commended finalist was the Scooter Buddy, a cost-effective, portable product that is suitable for storagein a chair bag or rucksack, designed by the team of Ryan Budd, Matt Chambers and Ben Hibberd.
For further information www.bit.ly/468SpFD

MSP to showcase automated CNC machining

Metrology specialist MSP will stage an automated CNC machining showcase on 5 July (09:30-16:00) at Biesse Group UK in Daventry. The event will include on-machine demonstrations, one-to-one workshops and opportunities to gain expert advice for CNC machining processes. The on-machine demonstrations will challenge manual production processes using automation. MSP will showcase five-axis CNC machine tool capability checking, automated probe set-up and calibration, and micron-accurate part alignments in 75% less time. New and existing users are welcome.
Register at www.bit.ly/3paM244

£270m Navy radar contract

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded BAE Systems a 10-year contract worth £270m to support the Royal Navy’s three main radar systems: Artisan, Sampson and Long Range Radar (LRR).Every major Royal Navy ship from Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers to Type 45 destroyers feature at least one of these systems, which BAE Systems designs and manufactures.The support contract and joint investment secures around 400 highly-skilled British jobs and underpins BAE Systems’ radar business in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth in Hampshire, Great Baddow in Essex and Hillend near Edinburgh.
For further information www.baesystems.com

Britten-Norman re-shoring aircraft production

UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman is planning to increase production rates and repatriate aircraft production to its historic home in Bembridge, Isle of Wight. The move is a major change for the British SME, which has been manufacturing its aircraft in Eastern Europe since the late 1960s.Britten-Norman will invest in new jigs and tooling to create two additional production lines, andintroduce new sustainable energy initiatives.

In the coming months, the company will embark on a recruitment campaign, further boosting job creation in the UK’s Solent Local Enterprise Partnership area. The focus will include aircraft fitters and technicians, production engineering and supply chain roles. In addition, the expansion will create new traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities on the Isle of Wight and in south Hampshire.
For further information www.britten-norman.com

Trotec opens laser showroom in Edinburgh

Following its move from Stirling earlier this year, laser technology specialist Trotec has opened a 153 sq m demonstration unit in Newbridge, Edinburgh. The new facility provides a larger space to accommodate a wider range of the company’s laser cutters, engravers, marking systems and materials. Demonstrations at the showroom offer an opportunity for business owners and equipment specifiers to receive tailored advice and inspiration. The first laser demonstration days will take place this week (26-28 June), with regular availability for appointments thereafter.
For further information www.troteclaser.com