EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

SLM Solutions partners DTI

SLM Solutions, a metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology provider, is entering what it describes as a game-changing collaboration with the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) to scale up the industrialisation of AM. The partnership will develop new parameters for SLM machines and the NXG XII 600.With its recently acquired SLM280 2.0, DTI is developing faster process parameters for 316Lstainless steel and CuCr1Zrcopper alloy to support cost-effective production, taking advantage of SLM Solutions’ open architecture. The material development collaboration will create new application opportunities.
For further information www.slm-solutions.com

Refreshed Manufacturing Action Plan for AMRC Cymru

AMRC Cymru played host to the Economy Minister for Wales, Vaughan Gething at the launch of a refreshed Manufacturing Action Plan for Wales to embrace the fourth industrial revolution and support transformation of the manufacturing sector.The plan will support the Welsh manufacturing sector through a ‘perfect storm’ caused by a turbulent global economy, labour shortages, energy price rises and supply chain difficulties to help ensure it remains a leading manufacturing nation with a more prosperous, equal and greener economy. AMRC Cymru is part of the University of Sheffield AMRC.
For further information www.bit.ly/426xY9P

Manufacturing collective launches MANifesto

Eight manufacturing SMEs have responded to the lack of a coherent industrial strategy in the UK by launching their own MANifesto.The Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN), which comprises of seven subcontract manufacturers and an engineering design agency, has responded to the Government’s faltering strategic vision for industry by delivering its own blueprint for making the country globally competitive.

Bosses believe the four pillars of ‘Investment’, ‘People’, ‘International Trade’ and ‘Sustainability & Net Zero’ should lead the overarching approach and form the guiding principles for individual businesses inside the collective.MAN is now calling on the powers in Whitehall to facilitate growth by providing tailored support and removing some of the bureaucratic barriers currently in place.
For further informationwww.bit.ly/3B0gVdC

Order book growth prompts new division

Francis Brown Engineering has established a dedicated pressure vessels division to reflect growing demand for its specialist fabrication capabilities.The Stockton-on-Tees company has seen an increase in orders for bespoke pressure vessels across multiple sectors, ranging from chemicals and oil and gas, to hydrogen storage. The business recently delivered a vertical column pressure vessel for a major client in the oil and gas industry that measured 20 m in length and weighed over 15 tonnes.

CEO Jamie Brown says: “We’ve built upon our extensive fabrication and welding capabilities to develop a strong track record for delivery of storage pressure vessels to newly emerging hydrogen industries across the UK and Europe. As a result, we’ve established a dedicated pressure vessels division to reflect their growing importance to the business as we further strengthen our position in these new and existing sectors.”
For further information www.francisbrown.co.uk

Driving productivity with generative AI

Siemens and Microsoft are harnessing the collaborative power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to help industrial companies drive innovation and efficiency across the design, engineering, manufacturing and operational lifecycle of products. To enhance cross-functional collaboration, the companies are integrating Siemens Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management (PLM) with Microsoft’s collaboration platform Teams and the language models in Azure OpenAI Service.

At theHannover Messe exhibition in Germany last month the two technology leaders demonstrated how generative AI can enhance factory automation and operations through AI-powered software development, problem reporting and visual quality inspection.Scott Guthrie, executive vice president, Cloud + AI at Microsoft, says: “With Siemens, we are bringing the power of AI to more industrial organisations, enabling them to simplify workflows, overcome silos and collaborate in more inclusive ways to accelerate customer-centric innovation.”
For further information www.microsoft.com www.siemens.com