After a year of high business growth, Ward CNC is ramping up its staff levels with several key additions to the team.

The latest employees are being announced to underpin the current growth trajectory, but also to support the company’s ‘More Than Machines’ philosophy, which is dedicated to further enhancing its commitment to customer service, from initial introduction and application requirements, through to sales, delivery, installation, training, spares, consumables and technical support.
A key appointment sees Ward CNC appoint Richard Hunter Rowe (pictured) as its head of sales operations. Joining the company in January, Rowe is a member of the senior management team and his role is to devise national sales strategies and operational support plans. He will ensure the sales team is positioned to deliver growth objectives and fiscal budgets, as well as shaping future strategic objectives.
For further information www.wardcnc.com

The Yamazaki Mazak Museum of Machine Tools in Minokamo, Japan, is now open to visitors. Displaying machines of the 18th century, right through to the modern age of connectivity and automation, among the highlights is an automatic production line that uses IoT technology to manufacture components.

The museum exhibits portray the status of machine tools as ‘mother machines’ that produce the parts required to keep vital equipment operational in highly important industries such as aerospace, medical and automotive. These educational exhibits include several traditional machine tools in working condition, as well as other objects of interest, such as cars, aircraft and a steam train. Each exhibit has been painstakingly restored in co-operation with manufacturers from all over the world.
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

Southern Manufacturing 2020, held at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre last month, witnessed a 9% increase in attendance to set an all-time record.

A total of 9256 people visited the three-day show. Companies from all over the UK, continental Europe and further afield took part, showcasing a range of industrial products and technologies.
As one of the earliest major exhibitions of the year, Southern Manufacturing provides an interesting weather vane for the mood of UK industry, and particularly so this year, coming hard on the heels of Brexit. The show will return to Farnborough on 9-11 February 2021, and over 70% of stand space has already been reserved.
For further information www.industrysouth.co.uk

After the 2019 launch of the manual Swift Klamp HSK work-holding system for use on machining centres, 1st Machine Tool Accessories has introduced a new robotic loading and unloading arrangement based on the same principle.

The automatic system, which maximises spindle uptime, uses a deeper clamping head to accommodate the low pressure (35 bar) hydraulics, and a mounting plate with dedicated adapter to suit three-, four- or five-axis vertical or horizontal machining centres. Pneumatic detection of correct seating of the head ensures accurate machining and the elimination of scrap, while air blow from the underside prevents swarf from entering the mechanism during exchange.
Just as with the manual Swift Klamp system, the automated variant is available in HSK-A40, HSK-A63 and HSK-A100 sizes. Depending on the equipment, skills and requirements that a potential customer may have, a package is configured by 1st MTA that could include: a workpiece stocker; a six-axis industrial robot with gripper; the Swift Klamp work-holding system with head, multiple work holders, control unit and pump; an engineered interface to the machine tool comprising electrical control circuitry and plumbing of the hydraulic and pneumatic channels through the table; and a tombstone if necessary.
The Swift Klamp system per se uses a rigid HSK face-and-taper interface, normally used for holding cutting tools, to provide a high-precision, secure, low-interference, quick-change method for clamping workpieces. Sitting on top of the interface are multiple options for holding the workpiece, including a vice, flange clamps and side clamps. Alternatively, a dovetail interface with compact clamping surface allows enhanced tool access. Billets must be pre-milled with a slot to match the holder profile using a solid-carbide cutter provided specifically for the purpose.
For further information www.1mta.com

Open Mind will provide manufacturers with an opportunity to witness the advances achieved in the latest release (Version 2020.1) of hyperMILL on Stand 440 in Hall 17.

HyperMILL 2020.1 introduces a raft of newly developed features that include enhancements to everything from slot-rib probing, 3D optimised roughing, 3D profile finishing, and 3D and five-axis corner rest machining, through to five-axis blade tangent milling, additive manufacturing and automatic contour feature splitting. In addition, Open Mind has incorporated further improvements to the settings wizard and toolpath display, as well as the five-axis tube finishing and five-axis contouring functions.
Major features added to the latest 2020.1 release arrive via the NC code-based hyperMILL virtual machining simulation solution, the digital-twin concept and the hyperMILL automation centre. Creating a fusion between the virtual and real world, hyperMILL virtual machining creates a virtual representation of the actual machine tool. In the modern manufacturing environment, the ability to create a virtual representation or digital twin of a machine is becoming increasingly important. By using hyperMILL’s virtual machining it is possible to design a more efficient and safer set-up, says Open Mind.
For further information www.openmind-tech.com