EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Group Rhodes expands in its 200th year

Group Rhodes, a Wakefield-based OEM providing metal forming and composite forming solutions, has significantly expanded its workforce across all four divisions over the past six months to meet the needs of customers. The move includes six new employees for Group Rhodes, four for its Rhodes Interform division, four for BJD Crushers, and two for its Craven Fawcett business. Most of the new appointments are within the company’s manufacturing and machining operations. Group Rhodes has recently announced major new domestic contracts with companies such as Ibstock, Zentia and Cascade Manufacturing.

More www.grouprhodes.co.uk

Industry leaders head aerospace consortium

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division and Boeing have formed the Rotor Dynamics Consortium (RDC) in collaboration with some of the biggest names in the aircraft and aerospace engine industries. The RDC will define, drive and standardise rotor dynamics modelling and simulation requirements, with the goal of enabling airframe and aerospace engine manufacturers to overcome the engineering challenges of more sustainable and efficient propulsion systems in a safe way.

The consortium will build on finite element methods embedded throughout design, validation and safety certification workflows to apply next-generation multi-physics simulations. Notably, RDC members will meet to discuss and formulate strategies on the best application of MSC Nastran, considered the most accurate digital alternative to expensive physical testing.

More information www.hexagon.com

Ultrasonic welds on 3D prints

Telsonic UK is collaborating with the Nottingham office of Stratasys, performing a series of interesting 3D-printed polypropylene ultrasonic weld trials. A Stratasys H350 produced parts for the tests. Initial abstract trials were conducted with Telsonic’s 35kHz Handystar Energy handgun system to check the ultrasonic weldability of the material using various techniques. The success of these tests led to further investigation, guided this time by Telsonic UK, with new trial parts having features that reflect real world application shapes and weld preparation features for automotive ultrasonic welded joints.

More information www.bit.ly/3xu8Gso

NMIS bolsters board

The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is strengthening its non-executive board with the appointment of highly experienced and influential industry leaders Neil Logan and Allan Cook CBE. The duo bring extensive leadership in engineering, manufacturing and digital entrepreneurship to the board. Their expertise will support the leadership team and help NMIS to continue delivering transformative impact across the manufacturing community in Scotland and beyond. The University of Strathclyde operates NMIS, which is part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult.

For further information www.nmis.scot

EcoVadis Silver rating for Ceratizit

EcoVadis, which describes itself as the world’s largest and most reliable provider of corporate sustainability ratings, has certified tooling specialist Ceratizit with a ‘Silver’ sustainability rating for its commitment to environmental, social and ethical causes. Ceratizit is pursuing ambitious goals with its sustainability strategy, already realising the first milestones. Moving forward, one of the company’s main targets is to be CO2-neutral by 2025 via a 35% reduction in emissions. By 2040, Ceratizit will look to achieve its strictest goal for cutting greenhouse gases: reducing emissions by 90% to net zero.

More information www.ceratizit.com