Manufacturers are being urged to harness the huge potential of AI without getting lost in the hype. The rallying call emerged from a major gathering of northwest manufacturers and technology experts hosted by Safran Nacelles in Burnley. An honest debate explored the opportunities, barriers and real-world impact of one of the fastest-moving technologies facing industry. 

The event, entitled ‘Smarter Manufacturing: Using AI to Improve Productivity and Performance’, was organised by RTC North, Made Smarter North West and Burnley Council, as part of Burnley Business Week and to mark the recent Make UK’s National Manufacturing Day. 

Almost 50 delegates attended the event, including manufacturers from sectors spanning aerospace, automotive and machinery to plastics and printing, with attendees travelling from across the northwest and as far afield as Yorkshire, London and the southwest. 

Business leaders shared how they are already using AI to save time, cut costs and improve productivity, but also spoke candidly about ‘AI fatigue’, a lack of time and specialist skills, concerns around data and security, and the challenge of keeping pace with the technology. 

The message was to be brave enough to experiment, but sceptical enough to question the results. Businesses were encouraged to start small, focus on genuine problems and keep human judgement firmly in the loop. 

Steve Wilkinson, of innovation and business support consultancy RTC North, said manufacturers should not be put off by the “noise” surrounding AI or feel under pressure to make a giant leap: “There’s a lot of dabbling and playing going on, and that’s a good thing. It’s part of technology adoption. What matters is finding justified, meaningful applications that help people in manufacturing make better decisions faster.” 

Ronan Hafferty, founder of Salford-based Hafferty Interiors, is already putting that approach into practice. With support from Made Smarter North West – the Government-backed programme helping SME manufacturers adopt digital technologies through expert advice, skills development, internships and grant funding – his company has deployed a digital intern to develop an AI strategy and explore applications from quality through to manufacturing. 

“AI has already made a real difference, particularly in design where it has saved us a huge amount of time and cost,” he said. “It’s blowing our minds every week with how quickly it’s developing. But you can’t be lazy with it. You can’t get rid of common sense and the human element.” 

That mix of excitement and healthy scepticism ran throughout the event. Judson Smythe, MD of Blackburn-based MGS Plastics, warned against ignoring AI’s potential or handing over too much control, urging fellow makers to “use AI as a tool, but don’t be the tool that AI is using”. 

Firms struggling to find the specialist skills or time to explore AI were also encouraged to look within their own organisations. Mike Riding, MD of Burnley-based Process Instruments, discovered an unexpected pool of knowledge and enthusiasm among his workforce after setting up an internal group to explore where AI could benefit the business. 

Safran Nacelles – which designs, builds and services jet engine housings known as nacelles for commercial, regional and business airplanes – offered a different perspective from a major manufacturer already well into its digital transformation journey. The 750-strong Burnley operation is exploring AI alongside technologies including manufacturing execution systems, connected machinery, simulation and automated inspection. 

Michelle Hubel, head of digital transformation, said the key for any business was to focus on the fundamentals of good data, the right skills, strong governance and security, and people able to question and verify what the technology produces. She said: “We all think we’ve got good data until we actually start looking at it.” 

A second panel featuring experts from Made Smarter North West, marketing agency Door4, IT and cyber security specialist Seriun and training consultancy The AI Works focused on how manufacturers can move from curiosity to practical applications. 

Mark Edwards of Seriun challenged the idea that AI needs to be sophisticated to make an impact, highlighting real-world examples of simple applications already delivering significant bottom-line gains for businesses. 

“Don’t worry about the stuff that AI can’t fix or can’t help,” he stated. “Use it to fix the things you can today to make your business quicker, faster, better.” 

Kevin Smith, lead technology adoption specialist for Made Smarter North West, urged manufacturers to start with the business problem rather than the technology: “AI doesn’t automate jobs, it automates tasks. Look at what takes up people’s time, what frustrates them and where AI could make a difference. 

“Then start small, get some quick wins and build confidence and skills,” he added. “Keep people at the heart of it and make sure you’re solving a genuine business problem. The opportunity is huge, but ultimately AI has to deliver value for your business.” 

The event concluded with a guided tour of Safran Nacelles’ Burnley manufacturing operations, giving delegates an opportunity to see its sheet-metal and nacelle production, and learn more about the aerospace manufacturer’s own digital transformation journey. 

More information www.madesmarter.uk

For a company that has built its reputation entirely on software, ordering a Starrag Heckert X50 five-axis machining centre might seem like a change of direction. For TTL, a Buckinghamshire specialist in adaptive machining and digital manufacturing, it is the logical next step for a business whose customers now trust it with projects where components can be worth six figures apiece. 

Founded in 1987 and based near Aylesbury, TTL has spent almost 40 years solving the problems between a CAD model and a finished part. It develops customised CAD/CAM/CNC solutions built around Siemens technology, specialising in adaptive machining, digital twins and in-process control for aerospace, defence, nuclear, medical and precision manufacturers worldwide. Around 85% of its customers are outside the UK. 

TTL has been owned by the Starrag/Tornos Group for more than 15 years, but operates as a standalone business unit with its own structure and IT systems. 

“TTL is an independent business unit which deals solely with software, and our solutions are all around Siemens NX and dealing with adaptive machining,” explains Simon Rogers, vice president at TTL. 

In December, the company will take delivery of a Starrag Heckert X50 five-axis horizontal mill/turn centre, the sixth machine at its Haddenham facility and the first TTL has bought from its parent group. 

Adds Rogers: “Jet engine components, repairing HPC blades, repairing blisks: that’s something we’re deeply embedded in, so we needed to invest in the best technology available. Our choice was a machine from the Starrag Group. It wasn’t purchased because we’re part of the Starrag Group. It was acquired on its technical attributes and the fact that a lot of our global customer base has invested in Starrag technology.” 

The driver is the changing value and complexity of the components that TTL’s customers are asking it to process. Automating the repair of a single blade is one business case; an integrated bladed rotor (IBR), or blisk, is another. 

“A complex integrated bladed rotor or blisk component, could be $50,000 to $150,000,” reveals Paul Whistance, finance director at TTL. “To automate the repair of those components with our technology and the Starrag Heckert X50 is a significant commercial advantage.” 

A major factor in the purchasing decision was a multi-machine adaptive machining requirement for a major US defence programme, on which TTL is working alongside Starrag as its process and software partner. The programme has made a significant long-term investment in the Heckert X50, so having the same machine at Haddenham allows TTL to develop, prove and optimise customer processes locally rather than at sites around the world. 

TTL’s five existing machines are small to medium-sized five-axis platforms, acquired from outside the group to suit lower value repair work. The business also runs a mixture of CNC control systems. As components have become more valuable and complex, however, that installed base has reached its limits. 

“We’ve historically opted for non-group machines because our customers required a lower-cost, entry-level multi-axis machine,” says Rogers. “A $500 part repair is a different business case from remanufacturing or manufacturing higher-value components. This is where our interest in Starrag machines has sparked.” 

The Heckert X50 is a horizontal machining centre with a trunnion table, providing short force paths, high structural rigidity and complete five-sided machining from a single set-up, alongside turning capability. For TTL, the trunnion arrangement is particularly important. 

“Have a trunnion gives us the ability to move components, which is huge for us in terms of dynamic capability,” he says. “The speed at which we can keep the tool tip in contact with a component, such as an aerofoil, is significantly improved. Additionally, the diameters we can reach are nearly twice those of other platforms on site.” 

The machine also provides considerably greater component height, opening up the mid-sized casings TTL previously could not accommodate, including the flanges and ports involved in casing remanufacture. 

“It has an 18,000 rpm motor spindle, five-axis milling and turning capability, the ability to mount an angle head, and the security of hybrid bearings. The machine also offers very high precision, incredible resonance control and unparalleled dynamics. That’s why we selected it.” 

TTL’s work typically falls into two areas. The first is new-part manufacture from castings and forgings, where the challenge is best-fit alignment in six degrees of freedom. The second is MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul), where a component may no longer match the model from which it was originally manufactured. 

“Components in service are obviously not the shape they once were,” explains Rogers. “This is where we have to adjust for deviation or shape change caused by stress or heat deformation using an automatic measurement workflow that can scan and utilise probing data.” 

By measuring the component, TTL can automatically calculate a new CAD model, generate revised tool paths and post-processor code, simulate the process, and produce new G code. The ultimate objective is to eliminate manual finishing. 

“Very simply, you can machine so far and then you have to stop; otherwise you’re going to scrap the component. So you have to leave some stock, and that means high blends or high stock levels. Then you need a manual hand blending or die-grinding process, and that can lead to RSI [repetitive strain injury]. The health and safety challenges present a particular risk with Inconel or titanium polishing and grinding processes. 

“We have some customers that have applied the technology and no longer need hand finishing processes for their product to get back into service. This is a significant benefit.” 

The X50 is the smallest machine in the Heckert X series, which makes it a good fit for TTL’s development and turnkey operation rather than a conventional subcontract machining environment. 

“We have a geographical limit with our building, so we typically use small to medium-sized machines,” he says. “The X50 is a large machine for our facility, and it allows us to handle a medium-sized gas turbine component as it has a big swing with certain configurations. When it comes to a customer programme, we can align very quickly with an X70 or an X90 for the larger component types.” 

That scalability is important because processes proven on the X50 at Haddenham can be transferred to larger machines in the same family at customer sites. The machine will also provide a test bed for machining hard metals. 

“It’s a decision not made just by TTL; it’s a decision made by customers,” he states. “We like to follow what the end users choose. They’ve chosen Starrag for reasons based on cutting trials, assessments and specifications, and I agree with them in this case.” 

The order also reflects a broader shift in TTL’s relationship with its parent group.  

“Five years ago, 95%+ of our business was outside of the Starrag Group, now it’s 50%.” 

Adds Rogers: “We use our skills, our experience and our engineering knowledge to solve problems that others cannot solve. By having access to these machines locally, we can increase the capability both for us and the wider group, taking business to the next level.” 

More information www.starrag.com 

The outbreak of a devastating fire in April 2025 could have spelt curtains for Western Pegasus, a Birmingham-based precision engineering company specialising in high-accuracy and customised spline gauges, master gears and spline-related inspection gauging. 

Instead, through the leadership and dogged determination of company president Andy Wincel, the dedication of its 40-strong workforce, immediate financial support from its bank and strong business partnerships – most notably with United Machining – the company was back up and running within three months. 

United Machining, a manufacturer and supplier of EDM, milling, additive manufacturing and laser texturing machine tools – as well as automation, software and tooling systems – recently supplied Western Pegasus with three new AgieCharmilles wire EDM machines. 

The machines, a CUT 2000 and two CUT 1000 models, are now in situ at Western Pegasus’ new Kitts Green facility. The company relocated there following the major fire, which destroyed its original Tyseley plant of 40 years. 

The three machines, funded in part through an £850,000 overdraft facility followed by a £1.2m funding package from HSBC UK, have replaced AgieCharmilles EDM machines rendered unusable by the Easter Sunday fire. 

“Supporting Western Pegasus through such challenging times has been a highly rewarding experience,” says Steve Eames, relationship manager at HSBC UK. “We acted quickly to support the company’s recovery, and the resilience shown by the team was remarkable. It’s fantastic to see the business thriving.” 

Western Pegasus has built strong relationships with United Machining, previously GF Machining Solutions, over many years, with the company investing regularly in high-end wire EDM technology to increase capacity and capability. 

Says Wincel: “These machines are renowned for delivering consistent and repeatable high accuracies and superior surface finishes, making them our technology of choice.” 

The gauge and gear inspection equipment manufactured by Western Pegasus is specified globally by the automotive, aerospace, marine and agricultural industries. The equipment measures the dimensional accuracy and geometric tolerances of gear teeth, including tooth profiles, pitch deviations, thickness and size, lead and helix angles, and runout. 

Accuracy is non-negotiable, with gear tooth flanges and profiles requiring tolerances better than ±2 µm. This is why Western Pegasus has continued to invest in AgieCharmilles wire EDM technology. Featuring technologies including Intelligent Spark Protection (ISPS), iWire, the Uniqua iHMI interface and Automatic Wire Change (AWC), the machines combine high precision with fast processing speeds, flexibility and reliability. 

Armed with advanced machine tool technology, proven manufacturing processes and an experienced workforce, Western Pegasus was geared up for further growth. Then the fire started in an adjacent factory. 

“One of the most advanced wire EDM facilities in the UK was destroyed,” declares Wincel. 

The situation was made even more difficult by the fact that the fire broke out on Easter Sunday, disrupting communications, while Wincel was thousands of miles away at home in Australia. 

“You wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy,” he says. “Dealing with loss adjusters, assessors and insurance claims is one thing, but when you add a workforce understandably wondering whether they still have jobs, as well as customers asking about the status of their work, the situation was fraught, to put it mildly. 

“We lost a lot. Our servers and IT equipment went up in smoke. Our machine tools and ancillary technologies were severely compromised. All our records, documentation and work in progress were gone too.” 

Despite the devastation, Wincel decided not to call it quits and instead began planning the rebirth of Western Pegasus. A warehouse facility he had previously acquired at Kitts Green, around 16 miles from the damaged Tyseley factory, was selected as the company’s new home. 

“We wanted to become operational as soon as possible,” he remarks. “However, it was important that we did things methodically and clinically.” 

The transformation was substantial. As well as assessing and removing what equipment could be salvaged from the old site, the Kitts Green premises required complete modernisation. The work included cleaning and clearing the building, upgrading electrics and plumbing, installing new floors and a roof, creating offices and toilets, designing a temperature-controlled machine shop and constructing an accredited inspection laboratory. It was a monumental undertaking, made even more challenging by the tight timescale. 

“I contacted United Machining UK’s managing director, Martin Spencer, to see if he could assist us in acquiring a number of advanced wire EDM machines in double-quick time.” 

Western Pegasus had previously acquired 10 AgieCharmilles wire EDM machines and two System 3R automation systems from United Machining. The fire had left the equipment unfit for purpose. 

“United Machining was our first port of call and fortunately the company mobilised its resources to help us out.” 

Adds Spencer: “First and foremost, we wanted to help. Western Pegasus is a loyal customer and we believed that Andy and his team, with the right support, could turn it around and make a success of things. 

“Having spoken to Andy about his immediate requirements, we identified the type and number of new AgieCharmilles wire EDM machines needed to restart machining operations: a CUT 2000 and two CUT 1000 models.” 

However, there was a problem. Machines such as the CUT 1000 and CUT 2000 are built to order rather than held in stock. The urgency of Western Pegasus’ situation therefore triggered an international response, with AgieCharmilles’ manufacturing facility in Zandone, Switzerland, marshalling its resources to build the three replacement machines in record time. 

“It was a real collaborative effort,” says Spencer. “It demonstrated how United Machining is able and willing to pull out all the stops for its customers.” 

Starting in June, the three wire EDM machines were delivered and installed individually at Western Pegasus’ new facility over a period of just six weeks. This rapid response enabled production to resume while the wider relocation and building programme continued. 

“When you’re up against it, you really find out who your partners are,” says Wincel. “United Machining pulled out all the stops for us. They helped us clear the old site, arrange safe storage of equipment, identify where and how we could acquire three new machines, and organise delivery and installation around our building schedule. 

“They also provided expert applications and logistics advice and support, enabling us to hit the ground running. The fire completely took out our manufacturing operations, but in just 10 weeks we were back in business. We simply could not have achieved this without United Machining and its suppliers. That’s what a real partnership is all about.” 

More information www.gfms.com/uk