THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

New Era of Physical AI for Industrial Robots

Factory robot and automation system specialist FANUC is formally partnering with NVIDIA to bring physical AI into mainstream manufacturing as part of a move to shape the next generation of smart factories. Under the agreement, FANUC robots will be integrated with NVIDIA’s advanced AI computing stack, including on-robot systems like NVIDIA Jetson and simulation platforms such as NVIDIA Isaac Sim.

For its part, FANUC has released support for the open-source robotics platform ROS 2, which allows programming via Python, lowering the barrier to building AI-driven robotics applications on top of FANUC’s industrial hardware. The partnership will also enable the creation of high-fidelity digital twins, where simulation can be used for training, testing and optimisation before committing to investment.

More information www.fanuc.eu

£210m machine shop set for construction

Sheffield Forgemasters has awarded a major machine shop construction project, valued at £210m, to McLaughlin & Harvey.The machine shop will sit on a 16-acre brownfield site at Weedon Street, adjacent to Sheffield Forgemasters’Brightside Lane facilities, where a 30,000 m² building will house 24 new machines, including some of the world’s largest vertical turning lathes.

McLaughlin & Harvey has already completed enabling works and is underway with piling for the building superstructure, machine foundations, and installation of site-wide drainage and storm-water attenuation tanks. Craig Fisher, programme director (recapitalisation) at Sheffield Forgemasters, says: “The machine shop main works contract will create one of Europe’s most advanced machining facilities for the defence sector.”

More information www.sheffieldforgemasters.com

Tooling supplier expands sales team in Scotland

Cutting tool supplier TaeguTec UK has named Alan Ryden as its new technical sales engineer for Scotland. The appointment represents a significant investment in building stronger customer relationships and accelerating growth across Scotland.Ryden brings over 30 years of engineering experience to TaeguTec, combining hands-on technical expertise with commercial knowledge. A time-served mechanical engineer, he has worked with TaeguTec products for 15 years, having joined ABT Machine Tools & Tooling in 2010. Progressing to managing director, Ryden ranABT until November 2024.

More information www.taegutec.com

Metrology giant names president of global sales

Metrology specialist Optical Gaging Products (OGP) has appointed Panos Angelopoulos as president ofglobal sales, succeeding R. Stephen Flynn, who is retiring after 31 years with the company. Angelopoulos brings to OGP over three decades of experience in executive leadership roles within industrial and commercial manufacturing. He begins his tenure with OGP at a pivotal time in the company’s 80-year history, as OGP’s tradition of technological advancements continues with the next evolution of its SmartScope 3D multi-sensor dimensional measuring machine featuring the patented IntelliCentric-M optical system.

More information www.ogpnet.com

Stratasys Supercharges Airbus Production

Powered by Stratasys additive manufacturing (AM) technology, Airbus is now producing more than 25,000 flight-ready 3D-printed parts annually, transforming how aircraft are built and maintained across its global fleet. Evolving from its first part, a spare crew seat component, Airbus has embraced AM, taking it to new heights with more than 200,000 certified Stratasys polymer parts now in active service.

Recent data shows that the implementation of Stratasys’ 3D printed parts utilised in the Airbus A350 resulted in a 43% weight reduction, the elimination of the minimum order quantity requirement, and an 85% reduction in lead time. Airbus has parts printed for the A320, A350 and A400M models using Stratasys ULTEM 9085 material on multiple Stratasys industrial-grade FDM printers.

More information www.bit.ly/4iTItq9