EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

£200k robotics and automation training cell

Companies in Telford, Shropshire and Herefordshire are set for a manufacturing boost, with In-Comm Training due to launch a new robotic automation cell. The independent training provider is investing more than £200,000 through the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) and the Marches Education Partnership into creating a dedicated seven-axis robotic training capability that will help firms upskill or reskill workers. Hundreds of individuals will have access to robotic programming, maintenance and automation courses that will give them the skills needed to help their employers take advantage of new opportunities.

For further information www.in-comm.co.uk

Global leap in nuclear welding technology

Completion of the first full-sized SMR (small modular reactor) nuclear vessel demonstrator at Sheffield Forgemasters signals a global leap forward in welding technology. The company is pioneering the industrialisation of local electron-beam welding (LEBW), with complete weld-assembly of the vessel marking a pivotal moment in welding development. It takes less than 24 hours to complete four, thick, nuclear-grade welds, typically requiring a year of work to complete.

With a diameter of 3 m and a wall thickness of 200 mm, the construction of the vessel showcases the reliability and capabilities of LEBW, setting a new standard for the weld-joining of thick-walled components, previously unrivalled in a demonstrator model. Sheffield Forgemasters says it is using LEBW for the first time at this scale, with 100% success and no defects.

For further information www.sheffieldforgemasters.com

More exhibitors and product diversity

The second edition of GrindingHub is set to open to grinding experts from all over the world
on 14-17 May 2024. Over 460 exhibitors from 31 countries will present their latest grinding
technology solutions in Stuttgart, now in four exhibitions halls for the first time.
The event will be about more than just technical products and innovations, as Dr Markus
Heering, managing director of organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association),
reports: “Automation and digitalisation, skills shortages, new customers and markets, and
the promotion of young talent: the industry is facing multiple challenges and opportunities.
As the meeting place for the grinding technology industry, we want to offer the community
a platform for swapping ideas and picking up information. I’m convinced we’ll succeed
thanks to the larger number of exhibitors, the impressive supporting programme, and wider
international and sectoral diversity.
For further information www.grindinghub.de/en

Haimer acquires 25% of WinTool

The Haimer Group is now a 25% shareholder in WinTool AG and has agreed on a strategic
partnership with the TCM Group, which grants Haimer global distribution rights to WinTool
and Toolbase. Prior to the decision to acquire this stake in the company, WinTool and
Toolbase were introduced at Haimer’s own production facilities and tested in continuous
use, proving their worth in a short period of time.
Andreas Haimer, president of Haimer Group, says: “The strategic partnership with TCM and
the investment in WinTool fit perfectly with our strategy: we want to offer our customers
worldwide a coherent system concept with regard to the digitalisation and automation of
tool-room management. This requires easy-to-implement products and intuitive software
solutions.

For further information www.haimer.com

30th birthday for MecWash

MecWash Systems, a specialist in industrial parts washing technology, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Working alongside some of the most prominent names in manufacturing, such as Rolls-Royce, Brompton Bicycle, BAE, Eaton, JCB, Husco, Renishaw and Jaguar Land Rover, MecWash has developed component cleaning systems for the most complex applications. The UK based manufacturer says it has built unique insight and expertise for parts cleaning challenges across a spectrum of industries, including aerospace, automotive, fluid power, defence and medical.

For further information www.mecwash.com