EDITORIAL ROUNDUP

Manufacturing energy toolkit

The High Value Manufacturing Catapult is helping SMEs slash energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions with its new Manufacturing Energy Toolkit.A pilot by the innovation centre at WMG industrial (part of the HVM Catapult) resulted in SMEs saving on average 21% of their energy costs, achieving as much as 90% energy savings on a single machine. The toolkit is a guided assessment or road-mapping process undertaken by HVM Catapult experts. The aim is to build a full understanding of an SME’s energy usage and energy sources in production, as well as potential efficiency-boosting solutions.
For further information www.bit.ly/48FMWHG

Renishaw expands team

Renishaw has appointed a new non-executive director. Last month, Professor Karen Holford CBE joined the board of directors of the FTSE 250 company, where she will contribute over 43 years of expertise in the engineering sector. Holford, who is chief executive and vice-chancellor at Cranfield University, will also join Renishaw’s audit, nomination and remuneration committees. As well as her extensive engineering, technical management and governance experience, she has previously helped to address a lack of diversity in organisations by challenging perceptions and working with underrepresented groups.
For further information www.renishaw.com

Unison buys wire bending machine builder

Unison Ltd, the UK-based inventor of all-electric tube manipulation, has acquired Dorking-based wire and small tube bending machinery maker, Pneuform, for an undisclosed sum.
The acquisition paves the way for Unison to become a key provider of machinery to the international wire bending and coil forming sectors.

“We’ve known the team at Pneuform for many years and are hugely impressed by their product range, extensive knowledge of wire-forming technologies and high levels of customer care,” says Unison’sjoint managing director Alan Pickering. “In welcoming Pneuform to the Unison family, we look forward to enhancing their machine tool range with our advanced, user-friendly control systems and simulation software.”
For further information https://pneuform.com

FANUC produces 1 millionth robot

Factory automation expert FANUC is celebrating a milestone achievement with the production of its one millionth industrial robot. The company, which supplies customers worldwide with a range of CNC systems, robots and machine tools, deployed its first robot back in 1974. Today, thousands of robots build new robots at FANUC’s headquarters in Japan, one of the most automated factories on the planet.

“Demand for our robots is currently at an all-time high,” says Marco Ghirardello, president and CEO of FANUC Europe. “Applications are expanding and we expect demand to continue growing significantly in the future. In order to support the automation needs of our customers, we will strive to improve further our quality, performance and supply capabilities.”
For further information www.fanuc.eu

Instantquoting for CNC machining services

Quickparts, a global parts manufacturing service provider, is relaunching its manufacturing customer portal, QuickQuote, now with expanded capabilities that include an instant quote service for CNC machining projects. The inclusion of an instant quote CNC machining service complementsQuickparts’ 3D printing instant quote service and request-for-quote (RfQ) service for all of the company’s other manufacturing technologies. Quickparts says the development marks a significant milestone in its commitment to providing limitless manufacturing services to its diverse range of customers.
For further information https://quickquote.quickparts.com