EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Mitutoyo delegation visits strategic partner

Mitutoyo Japan’s headquarters and its main distribution partners visited Sariki (part of Grupo Unceta) in Spain recently to celebrate their long-standing strategic alliance in Europe. Around 65 visitors from Japan, including the senior management of Mitutoyo Corporation, visited Sariki in Elgoibar, Guipúzcoa, as part of a high-level event that demonstrated the strategic importance of Grupo Unceta for Mitutoyo.

Mitutoyo says Sariki’s state-of-the-art solution centre is unique in terms of its two-fold strategic role. The facility operates as a dimensional metrology outsourcing centre for companies in many different sectors. And at the same time it is a showroom, where customers can validate Mitutoyo’s solutions on their own parts before committing to investing in equipment.

More information www.mitutoyo.eu

Charmilles laser wins Green Impact Award 2025

United Machining, through its laser brand Charmilles, won the Green Impact Award at this year’s CECIMO Machine Tools Innovation (MTI) event for its LASER S 500U laser texturing machine. The award recognises the machine’s sustainable and innovative 3D shaping technology, which delivers improved accuracy, repeatability, efficiency and reliability, while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and eliminating the use of consumables in micro-machining applications. The annual MTI Awards celebrate global excellence in machine tool innovation, sustainability and competitiveness.

More information www.gfms.com

Mazak open house draws over 500 visitors

Over 500 manufacturing professionals visited Yamazaki Mazak’s open house in Worcester last month as the machine tool builder recorded strong interest in its latest UK-made models, such as the Integrex j-200 NEO multi-tasking turn-mill machine and the next-generation CV5 five-axis machining centre. The three-day event included over 19 live-cutting demonstrations. Visitors were also invited to take part in dedicated ‘Technology Tours’.

Alan Mucklow, UK managing director, said: “My key takeaway is that there’s strong appetite for investment and that manufacturers are ready to turn to technology as they seek higher productivity. This sentiment has been backed up by a high level of post-event interest, especially in our UK-made machines. This feedback vindicates our strategic decision to enhance further the capability and range of models manufactured here in Worcester.”

More information www.mazak.com

Blade tech testing

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has signed an agreement with wind engineering specialist Bladena to test blade reinforcement technology in an attempt to extend the operational life of offshore wind turbines. The full-scale testing programme at ORE Catapult’s National Renewable Energy Centre in Blyth will use an 88-m blade to carry out unique full-scale torsional load tests – the first of its kind conducted by ORE Catapult and understood to be an industry first. It will show how Bladena’s reinforcement technology performs under the twisting forces it could experience out at sea.

More information https://ore.catapult.org.uk/

Textures now available

Protolabs is introducing new textured surfaces for prototyping and series production.From the automotive and aerospace industries to medical technology, the new service provides more control of surface texture when 3D printing, opening the possibility to create leather-like structures or geometric patterns. The leather-like surface structure in particular opens new application possibilities – especially in the automotive industry. Additively manufactured leather structures could therefore soon become a sustainable and more animal-friendly alternative to conventional leather.

More information www.protolabs.com