Techgrave, which provides bespoke industrial engraving and tool making to a diverse range of customers, has invested heavily in CNC engraving, laser, reverse engineering, CADCAM and, most recently, its tool-room capabilities.

The latest investment has seen the arrival of an XYZ MiniMill 560 HD vertical machining centre, an XYZ SLX355 ProTurn lathe, an XYZ KMX 1500 turret mill and an XYZ surface grinder from XYZ Machine Tools.
“The XYZ machines give us total control over manufacture of die and press-tool blanks, collars, and die holders, along with the knowledge that we can guarantee 100% conformity across our entire manufacturing process,” says co-founder Dillon Evitts. “When we budgeted for the machines, we were happy that producing our own work would cover their costs, so had no desire to fill any spare capacity. However, as word got out, we began to receive inquiries from existing customers for tool-room work.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

In response to the ongoing global health crisis caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, Siemens is making its Additive Manufacturing (AM) Network, as well as its 3D printers, available to the global medical community to speed the design and production of medical components.

The AM Network connects users, designers and 3D-print service providers to enable faster and less complicated production of spare parts for machines like ventilators. Siemens’ AM network is available globally and covers the entire value chain.
For further information www.siemens.com

XYZ Machine Tools is making use of the current quieter period to provide as much support to customers as possible, especially if they find themselves having to redeploy staff to cope with instances of self-isolation.

The offer includes free training, subject to the availability of XYZ’s applications team. XYZ customers can contact the company on 01823 674200 to discuss any additional training requirements or programming assistance, on either the ProtoTRAK or Siemens control system.
“We are living through extraordinary circumstances but, in time, some level of normality will return and the team at XYZ Machine Tools will be in place to help customers ramp up production,” says Nigel Atherton, managing director. “At that time, we will be here with machines in stock ready to help. Until then, we will endeavour to support our customers in other ways.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Dyson has secured an order from the Government to manufacture 10,000 ventilators as the UK steps up its fight against COVID-19.

In a statement to staff seen by Reuters, James Dyson said that since receiving a call from Boris Johnson, the company had refocused resources, working with Cambridge-based TTP (The Technology Partnership), to design an entirely new ventilator, the CoVent (photo: Dyson). The race is now on to get it into production.
“We have received an initial order of 10,000 units from the Government, which we will supply on an open-book basis. This is clearly a time of grave international crisis, I will therefore donate 5000 units to the international effort, 1000 of which will go to the UK.” He added that Dyson and TTP will be working with the MHRA and the Government to ensure that the product and manufacturing process is approved.
For further information www.dyson.co.uk

Additive manufacturing (AM) expert Renishaw is collaborating with Simufact to enhance the success of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) builds through accurate simulation and streamlined AM preparation.

The collaboration includes the integration of Renishaw’s QuantAM build preparation software into Simufact Additive 2020. Also, the two companies are working together on improving the simulation of complex material metallurgies found in the process to enable the successful prediction and compensation of stress and distortion during printing operations.
Included within Simufact Additive 2020 is an integrated Renishaw QuantAM API for build job preparation and export, which provides the user with an error-free data transmission from Simufact Additive directly to Renishaw systems. This functionality also improves productivity because the entire work process, from design to printed part, is possible within the software. QuantAM API now enables multi-laser build file preparation for Renishaw’s RenAM 500Q quad-laser machine.
For further information www.renishaw.com