Belman Engineering has grown from a subcontract machining service provider to the Formula One industry into a multi-service business. The company offers fast turnaround five-axis CNC machining for metallic and composite components from its sites in Milton Keynes and Birmingham.

To squeeze every ounce of productivity out of the machines while reducing its costs, Belman has invested in cutting tools from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC). The relationship started when the company, which operates 24/7, employed Craig Smith as its new head of production. Smith had worked with ITC in several previous roles and his experience of the service, support and, of course, the product quality opened the door for local ITC representative Gary Bambrick to visit and assess the situation.

Smith says: “When Gary visited, his initial assessment was that ITC could reduce our annual tooling costs from £100,000 per year to £60,000. This ambitious aim would be achieved through a number of different strategies.”

Over a period of time, Bambrick applied a variety of cutting tools, such as the ITC series of 4081 four-flute coated end mills, the 3081 three-flute series, and the 4032, 2172, 2071, 4121 and 2302 ranges that encompass square, ball nose and radius tools in a variety of diameters. A number of these ranges have also been supplied as uncoated, coated and diamond coated in the case of the 4121 and 2302 series. Yielding productivity gains, as well as an ability to reduce tooling inventory for Belman Engineering, the cost reductions soon became apparent. Indeed, despite the ambitious aim to reduce tooling costs from £100,000 to £60,000, ITC has surpassed this saving and is continually striving to create additional cost reductions and productivity improvements for Belman Engineering.

For further information
www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Sandvik Coromant has launched two micro-drill families for precision machining. CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry and CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry support industries that demand small parts, such as medical, automotive, electronics and aerospace. Designed to cover a variety of workpiece materials, CoroDrill 462 and 862 are available in new geometries to offer a wide range of cutting diameters and lengths.

The drills have been specially adapted to overcome the challenges of micro drilling. For instance, it is critical to have quality coolant to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole drilling with micro tools. Both CoroDrill 462 and 862 can easily drill hole depths of up to 9xD when using external coolant. A through-coolant option is also available for drilling diameters of 1 mm and above, and hole depths of up to 16xD. Not only does the effective use of coolant help the tools to drill deeper holes, but it also extends tool life and reduces the risk of chip jamming.

Suitable for drilling both blind and through holes, the drill is capable of machining a variety of materials, including ISO P, M, K, N, S, O and H. Drill depths up to 6xD are available.

CoroDrill 862 is for making holes from 1 to 3 mm in diameter in all materials when used with internal coolant. In addition to conventional drilling, CoroDrill 862 supports a variety of other drilling activities, including cross holes, stack drilling and drilling convex and concave surfaces.

Although available as off-the-shelf solid carbide tools, both the CoroDrill 462 and 862 are available for customisation. Furthermore, customers have the option of purchasing CoroDrill 862 with a PCD vein cutting edge.

For further information
www.sandvik.coromant.com

As the sole UK and Ireland agent for the Victor range of CNC machine tools, the GM Group is currently extending its warehousing facilities in Oldham to support business growth. Set for completion in spring 2022, the new facility will expand the warehousing space from its existing 16,000 to over 30,000 sq ft. The extra space will house more machine tools, as well as pre-owned machinery, a training area, new open-plan office facilities, a new reception area and meeting rooms. This expansion adds to existing facilities in Bolton.

GM director Nicola Howard says: “From a customer service perspective, the extension will enable us to further reduce lead times, with the ability to hold more new and used stock machines. Additionally, customers will be able to visit the new showroom to witness demonstrations of the very latest machine tool technology. The extension will be serviced by a new 21.5 m span, 20-tonne Street overhead crane with a distance of over 9.8 m under the hook.”

For further information www.gm-cnc.com

Mills CNC Automation has supplied Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), an independent and not-for-profit research and training organisation, with a SYNERGi automation system. The new, large-capacity SYNERGi Premier is now in situ at IMR’s Technology Centre in Mullinger, Country Westmeath, where it partners with a Doosan Puma 2600 II multi-tasking lathe, acquired by IMR from Mills in August 2020, to create a flexible automated manufacturing cell.

IMR’s new SYNERGi will help the organisation de-mystify, de-risk and deliver new and emerging technologies that enable industry (across Ireland) to compete and succeed at the cutting edge of advanced manufacturing. The SYNERGi Premier system is a rigid, robust and large-capacity automation system comprising a Fanuc six-axis Industrial robot (25 kg payload) with Schunk three-jaw grippers, a five-drawer part-loading and unloading station, and laser floor scanner technology.

For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

A new specialist technology centre for laser machine users based in Sweden is due to open this month. The new Nordic Laser Technology Centre (NLTC) has been developed in partnership with Yamazaki Mazak’s two official distributors in the Nordic region, Ravema AB in Sweden and Norway, and the Wihuri Group, which operates in Finland.

Mazak’s new collaboration will allow each partner and its customers to benefit from shared resources and expertise, along with a state-of-the-art facility for demonstrations, virtual demonstrations, test cutting and training. In addition, a range of product solutions will be on display, including laser machines, sheet metal software, measuring systems, and automation systems.

For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk