Editor’s Pick

Vision Precision invests in driven-tool lathe

Nottinghamshire-based Vision Precision Engineering has complemented its two XYZ
machining centres, which include an XYZ 710 featuring a 4 th axis, with a new XYZ TC 320 LTY
driven-tool lathe. The machine will better help the company keep pace with rising demand
for its services. Prominent among existing orders is the machining of parts for coffee
machines in Costa Coffee stores.
“The ability to produce milled and drilled features on our turned parts was taking up
capacity on our XYZ 710, so it made sense to purchase a machine that could produce our
parts in one hit – hence the arrival of the TC 320 LTY,” explains managing director Ian
Gibson.

With the machine’s hardened box ways, Y and C axes, and driven-tool capability, Vision
Precision set about getting the most from its latest purchase. Indeed, the company is now
quoting for work previously beyond its reach, partly due to the maximum turned diameter
of 320 mm and maximum turning length of 550 mm. In addition, with a bar capacity of 78
mm, Vision can produce more parts from bar rather than billets. Thanks to its investment in
a bar-feed, lights-out machining has become a regular occurrence.
“The machine just seems to tackle everything we throw at it, and the material removal rates
are phenomenal,” states Gibson. “From 20 mm depths of cut when turning, to drilling a 70
mm diameter hole with a modular drill in super duplex material, I think we can justify our
nickname for the machine as ‘The Beast’. It’s a well-built lathe with great power and it holds
the tolerances we demand of it all day, every day.”
More information www.xyzmachinetools.com

MTL completes £10m facility

MTL Advanced, a UK-based engineering and manufacturing company, has completed a new 6225 m² factory adjacent to its existing 27871 m² unit in Rotherham. The expansion represents a £10m investment towards the future growth of the business, driven by the award of a long-term multi-million-pound contract in partnership with a key customer. Production will begin next month.

As part of the investment, MTL has enhanced its manufacturing capabilities with the acquisition of several new machine for this new ‘factory of the future’. Among the arrivals is a large-format LVD press brake, two Doosan horizontal machining centres with automatic pallet changers and seven Yaskawa robot welding centres.

More information www.mtladv.com

MACH 2026 space filling up fast

The ballots for MACH 2026 have concluded and the floor plan is filling up rapidly. With strong on-site sales, MACH 2026 is already well over 50% occupied. The organiser is now encouraging further potential exhibitors to book early to secure a prime location on the floorplan and spread the cost over several months with flexible payment options.

At the last show in 2024, exhibitors reported a £200m in sales directly attributable to the event. With over 26,000 attendees at MACH 2024, exhibitors tapped into an audience eager to discover the latest advancements. In fact, 93% of exhibitors generated significant leads, highlighting the potential for 2026 participants to forge lasting connections and increase their reach.

More information www.machexhibition.com

ENORMOUS ACCURL PRESS BRAKE BUILDS ON SUCCESS AT AYRSHIRE METALS

Ayrshire Metals Ltd, a leading manufacturer of cold-rolled sections for the construction
industry, has invested in a 14 m long, 640 ton ACCURL 6+1 axis tandem press brake from
Axe & Status. Featuring a wide range of advanced features, the new ACCURL press brake is
raising productivity, quality and traceability to new levels at this progressive and ambitious
manufacturing business.
The Ayrshire Group can trace its origins back to the 1800s, when it was largely a
manufacturer of ships on the west coast of Scotland. The company has come a long way
since then and is now a leading manufacturer of cold-rolled sections at its 6.5-acre owner-
occupied site in Daventry, Northamptonshire. The ISO9001 and CE/CA accredited company,
which also has a subsidiary sales and technical office in Munich, Germany, manufactures
most of its product range from S450 zinc-coated galvanised steel.
Five main product groups comprise the vast majority of manufacturing output. While
traditional business at Ayrshire Metals is purlins/rails, the company also manufactures
mezzanine floors, load-bearing steel framing systems and proprietary products like its
AyrFrame™ lightweight, high-strength modular system and SwagBeam™ portal frame
building system.
Until recently, Ayrshire Metals relied on a press brake that had been running since 1996.
With machine reliability levels falling, the company decided it was time to invest in a new
resource. Indeed, the new press brake is part of a five-year planned investment programme
at Ayrshire Metals.
“Rather than replace like-for-like, we wanted a slightly bigger press brake to provide more
capacity in both length and thickness,” explains managing director Scott Reilly. “We looked
at three potential suppliers, but the responsiveness of Axe & Status caught our attention.
Not only was their communication very clear from the outset, but Axe & Status also grasped
the urgency of our situation as it wasn’t economic to keep repairing our existing press brake.
Another major influence on our purchase decision was the value for money offered by the
ACCURL press brake against competitor machines.”
The ACCURL tandem CNC press brake from Axe & Status arrived in June 2024, with machine
operatives at Ayrshire Metals immediately commencing a programme of training.
“As you can image, the new ACCURL is very different to our existing 28-year-old press
brake,” says Reilly. “It’s akin to moving from a DOS operating system to Windows, such is
the contrast. We can now use the DELEM DA66T 2D graphical/3D visualisation touchscreen

control to draw the required profile at the press brake without having to create a program
manually. The difference is night and day.”
The ACCURL has also increased production capability at Ayrshire Metals. The company is
today able to bend lengths up to 14 m, compared with 12.6 m previously. In addition,
whereas its existing press brake is on the limit when bending metal at 3 mm thick, Ayrshire
Metals can now form sheet up to 4mm thick across material up to 14 m long. For shorter
lengths it is possible to bend much thicker material.
“We’re hoping this extra capability will allow us to access new markets. At the moment, we
focus solely on construction products for buildings, but starting from 2025 we want to
explore sectors outside of our traditional comfort zone.”
All products at Ayrshire Metals are made to order. The company holds no stock and there is
no minimum order.
Says Reilly: “While we make our high-running products on a rolling mill, the ACCURL gives us
the flexibility to manufacture bespoke items. Compared with our existing press brake, we
now enjoy more productivity and far greater reliability. Moreover, our uptime is 100%
compared with around 70% previously. Speed of response is vital in the construction sector
and we’ve seen a big boost in machine availability and OEE (overall equipment
effectiveness).”
Ayrshire Metals runs two shifts (day and night). Depending on workload, the company has
the option to run its ACCURL press brake around the clock if necessary.
“The construction market is very price-sensitive, both here in the UK and in mainland
Europe, where we export around 50% of production. There’s very little loyalty. So any
advantage in productivity and/or efficiency will help us remain competitive and potentially
improve our margin, which is vital for the future of the business.”
The 14 m, 640 ton ACCURL servo-hydraulic tandem press brake at Ayrshire Metals features a
throat depth of 750 mm and Y1, Y2, X, R, Z1 and Z2 axes. The company can switch quickly
between tandem or single-mode operation at any time, and transfer bending programs
between the two presses. Among many notable features is high dynamic Y-axis control for
over 30% higher productivity. Further features include LAZERSAFE light guard systems, Wila
crowning, quick-release clamping, a LAZERSAFE LZS-XL system with tandem adaptor system,
CE and CSA-certified LAZERSAFE-embedded IRIS block laser, and AP01-AP02 sheet followers.
Ayrshire Metals also has two licenses of ACCURL’s DELEM TL offline software, one at each of
its technical offices in the UK and Germany. The company can seamlessly send fully
simulated and tested data files between facilities. It is now implementing full networking in
support of direct file transfer to the press brake.
“Skills remain a big issue,” states Reilly. “A major advantage with our ACCURL press brake is
the ease of training operators. If you can draw a profile, you can program the machine. It
was a big selling point.”

Generating annual turnover in the region of £20m with 60 employees in the UK and a
further 20 in Germany, Ayrshire Metals wants to build on its success with further growth.
And the best way to meet this ambition is through investment.
“We’ve been around for many years and it’s easy to carry on as normal,” says Reilly.
“However, you sometimes need to take a step back and see what new manufacturing
technologies are available. It’s about improving our capabilities and efficiencies to provide
customers with the best value possible. With our ACCURL press brake we are more
productive, more accurate and have much better traceability. All of these factors benefit
our customers.”
With features such as the ACCURL Hybrid Servo ECO function and IE3 class high-efficiency
motor, the environment will also benefit.
“It’s too early to say, but we’re expecting a sizeable percentage reduction in energy
consumption. We’ve started our journey to net zero, so any carbon footprint reductions are
very welcome.”
ACCURL tandem press brakes from Axe & Status are available up to 6000 tons capacity and
24 m in length, with support from comprehensive warranty and service packages. A three-
year arrangement is in place with Ayrshire Metals, for example.
More information www.axestatus.com

1st MTA offers Breuning IRCO automation

Under an exclusive partnership agreement, 1st Machine Tool Accessories (1st MTA) is introducing the UK and Irish markets to the extensive range of bar feeders, load/unload systems and custom solutions manufactured by German automation specialist Breuning IRCO. The equipment is suitable for automating CNC sliding-head and fixed-head turning centres, including multi-tasking lathes, as well as mill-turn machining centres, rotary transfer machines and special purpose machine tools.

The strategic collaboration introduces a new era of standard and tailor-made automation solutions for CNC machine tools, including short and long bar feeders, workpiece handling systems and hybrid automation arrangements, helping manufacturers to enhance productivity, efficiency and profitability. As a result of the new partnership, 1st MTA is able to provide users with local expertise and consultation, as well as installation services and ongoing after-sales support.

Modular product design allows for fully bespoke solutions that fit individual customer requirements. Notable is the advanced vibration damping built into the barfeeds, which improves the reliability of feed and positioning, as well as machining stability. This factor is especially important when turning long or heavy bars, or indeed any bar at high speed.

The accurate alignment of stock with the machine tool and precise synchronisation of barfeed and machine ensures smooth operation, efficient production and process control. Stock feeding is consistent, resulting in high-quality components, few machining errors, and minimal scrap and material wastage. Added benefits include longer-lasting tools that save cost, and the absence of vibration to extend the machine’s operational life.

The barfeeds can handle a wide range of material sizes from 3 to 104 mm in diameter, and up to 6 m in length (optionally 10 m). More information www.1mta.com