With the acquisition of its long-standing software partner Comara GmbH, tooling expert Walter is reinforcing its decision to strive for further growth in the digital sector.

As Walter AG president Mirko Merlo, states: “This is a key strategic step towards expanding our digital portfolio and further developing our company towards Industry 4.0.” Acquiring Comara constitutes the next logical step
in Walter’s development from product to process partner, he adds, and now to digital process partner. Comara will remain an autonomous operation with separate products and its own retail arm.
For further information www.walter-tools.com

The EWF and CECIMO have joined efforts to accelerate the adoption and utilisation of leading-edge additive manufacturing (AM) technologies.

This partnership will focus on the development of areas of mutual interest and close collaboration on all relevant EU projects
CECIMO and EWF will henceforth work together to support Europe’s industry through this change by finding mutually relevant opportunities and exchanging information on activities such as qualification and advocacy in AM or on AM-specific EU project proposals. The organisations will also focus on creating joint working groups that will develop relevant activities on areas of mutual interest.
For further information www.cecimo.eu

What opportunities are hiding behind Industry 4.0? Where do the current challenges lie in the international marketplace? What significance do medium sized companies have?

The Minister for Economic Affairs for Baden-Württemberg, Dr Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, shed some light on these questions among others during a seminar at gripping systems and clamping technology specialist Schunk’s premises in Lauffen, Germany. After the seminar, the minister was invited to witness the capabilities of high-tech components from Schunk at close quarters – from fully automated production up to direct collaboration between humans and robots.
For further information www.schunk.com

Hypertherm, a manufacturer of industrial cutting systems and software, has won an important intellectual property court case in China. A repeated Chinese counterfeiter was brought to court for manufacturing and selling counterfeit Hypertherm consumables.

After thorough investigation, the court ruled in favour of Hypertherm and sentenced the main suspect to three years in prison. His accomplice was sentenced to serve one year. Both will also have to pay fines of $25,000 and $7500 respectively. Examples of protected Hypertherm trademarks include Hypertherm, Powermax, HPR, FlushCut, HyAccess and ProNest.
For further information www.hypertherm.com

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has officially inaugurated its new rotor blade factory in Tangier, an event chaired by Morocco’s Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and Digital Economy, Moulay Hafid El Alamy, and Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa.

The first plant of its type in the region, the facility will produce B63-10 blades with a length of 63 m for export to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as for local projects. Employing 600 people, the 37,500 sq m plant is ready to produce other blade models in the future, which could reach up to 75 m. The company’s blades are based on licensed technologies and made of composite materials.
For further information www.gamesacorp.com