Editor’s Pick

18th edition of SteelFab set to open

The 18th edition of SteelFab will open its doors at the Expo Centre in Sharjah next week (9-12 January). This international exhibition for metalworking, metal manufacturing and steel fabrication will build on the last event in 2022 when the 12,000 sq m show floor hosted 150 exhibitors from 25 countries. In total, over 6000 visitors from 42 countries were in attendance.

Demand for manufacturing equipment derives from the Gulf region’s steel production sector, with sheet metal fabrication as its largest segment. The sector manufactured 3.3 million tons of steel in 2020 with a value of around US$3.1bn. At SteelFab 2023, special focus areas will include machine tools, tube and pipe machinery, and welding and cutting. The complementary SteelFab Conference will see global leaders, experts and suppliers discuss key challenges and opportunities for the global steel industry.
For further information www.steelfabme.com

ATA acquires cutting tool firm ITC

ATA, an Irish precision engineering multinational, has acquired UK-based cutting tool manufacturer and distributor Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), as well as Dutch manufacturer Van Hoorn Carbide. Along with ATA’s existing operations in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and the US, the transactions bring the group’s pro-forma 2022 revenue to circa €100m and its global headcount to circa 500.

The transactions significantly enhance ATA’s reach and expertise in the carbide round tool market, the largest segment of the more than $20bn global cutting tool arena. Ralph
Van Hoorn, managing director of Van Hoorn Carbide, and Peter Graves, managing director of ITC, will continue in their current roles and join the ATA senior management team.
For further information www.atagroup.com

Toolmaker punches above its weight with Dugard

Since its inception in 1970, AW Precision has grown and evolved continuously to become one of the leading manufacturers of punch and die products in the UK and Europe. The Rugby-based company is undertaking a course of investment, with the latest capital asset to arrive being its second Chevalier SMART-B818 III surface grinding centre from Dugard.

Discussing the business and the reason for the Dugard investment, Andy Whitworth from AW Precision says: “We produce punches and dies for the automotive stamping market. We bought the Chevalier machine as we have to produce location flats on a lot of our products. We also produce blade punches for radiator manufacturers, for which the Chevalier is ideal.”

Speaking about the requirements of those components, he adds: “The location flat has to be accurate because it locates the part in the press tool. So, if that location is out, there’s going to be a big smash in the press tool. If you can imagine that the tool is working at 150 to 180 strokes per minute, or maybe even faster; that is going to make a big bang when it goes wrong. As a result, we have to achieve very tight tolerances, down to 10 µm and often better. Such demanding tolerance and surface finish requirements can also depend upon the grinding wheel. To help, the Chevalier machine has automated wheel dressing, which means we can do lights-out machining while maintaining consistent quality, surface finish and tight tolerances with much-improved productivity.

“I would absolutely recommend this machine to companies using manual grinders,” he concludes. “The Chevalier from Dugard is a real workhorse for us.”
For further information www.dugard.com

Show-stopping year at Advanced Manufacturing

The UK’s largest annual gathering of engineering and manufacturing professionals, Advanced Engineering, returned to the Birmingham NEC last month for its 13th edition. Companies at the forefront of UK industry showcased their cutting-edge technologies, and experts united to discover the latest innovations. Attendees also enjoyed talks from leading industry figures, including representatives from Siemens, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Make UK, Rolls-Royce and Airbus.

Some 409 exhibitors attended the event, with 85% already rebooking for next year. Once again, the show was co-located with Lab Innovations, which also achieved record breaking re-booking rates. This year, over 8800 people attended Advanced Engineering, 27% more than in 2021. This number included representatives from blue-chip OEMs such as Aston Martin, BAE Systems, Boeing, McLaren, Microsoft, Nissan and Toyota. The 2023 event will take place on 1-2 November.
For further information www.advancedengineeringuk.com

Halter and Mitutoyo join forces

Robotic machine tool tending cells manufactured by Halter CNC Automation, which are sold in the UK by 1st Machine Tool Accessories, are now available with the integration of a co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM) from Mitutoyo. It follows the automation company’s philosophy of extending its robot cells with additional functionalities.

Mitutoyo CMMs are well suited to incorporation into Halter cells, although it is possible to supply almost any make of measuring machine to suit a customer’s preference. Alternatively, 1st MTA can network an existing CMM on the shop floor. All installations are configurable for 100% or sample inspection.

On the Halter stand at the recent AMB 2022 machine tool show in Stuttgart, a Halter Universal Premium 25 LoadAssistant was seen automatically loading billets into a CNC lathe and unloading turned components. Using the same FANUC M-20iD robot with double gripper, the parts were transported to a Mitutoyo MiStar 555 CMM for inspection. Measurement data was continuously fed back to the lathe control so that offsets could be applied if component dimensions started to drift out of tolerance.

Catherine Kelly, general manager at 1st MTA, says: “Halter’s compact robot cells can tend any make of lathe or machining centre, regardless of age or type of control. They are ideal for subcontractors producing a mix of small to medium-size batches, as a system can be changed over in less than five minutes. Most users worldwide, including a couple of dozen in the UK, report ROI of between five and 18 months. With the addition of integrated metrology, payback should be even quicker and we’re very pleased to be able to offer the new CMM option.”
For further information www.1mta.com