Sheffield-based Special Quality Alloys is a specialist in forged products, bar and machined components made from nickel-based alloys, duplex, super duplex, stainless steels and carbon and alloy grades principally for the oil and gas, power generation, aerospace and general engineering industries around the world. The company holds approvals that include IS0 9001 and ISO 14001, as well as numerous end-user accreditations.

Part of the Special Steel Group, Special Quality Alloys was requested to produce a total of 35,000 bars that needed cutting to size from billets, forming part of a single individual project. The company had previously purchased a number of sawing machines from Prosaw, but this special rapid-sawing application was so intensive that three new saws were required in order to meet demand.
Firstly, Prosaw supplied a Mega BS330HAS heavy-duty automatic bandsaw, which has been fully employed cutting the billets seven days a week since installation. This machine has been followed by two further bandsaws from Prosaw, a Mega H-460A heavy-duty, automatic twin-column bandsaw and a second Mega 330HAS. All three saws are said to make fast work of cutting the high Rockwell hardness nickel steel billets.
Dean Matthews, operations director at Special Quality Alloys expressed his satisfaction with the service given to this project by Prosaw, as well as the performance of the bandsaws, stating: “These saws have proved themselves to be very reliable and capable in efficiently and accurately handling a very challenging material. Reliability reduces the frequency of any servicing that might be required, which in turn reduces both downtime and costs.” Editor’s note: MTI is printing this story to replace the Prosaw press release that appeared in the 20 November issue in error, which was a historical article not reflecting the current extensive in-house sawing capabilities of Special Quality Alloys.
For further information www.prosaw.co.uk

University of Huddersfield experts are helping Otley-based Craftsman Tools introduce advanced technology and manufacturing systems that will enable the company to break into new global markets and quadruple its turnover.

Now, Craftsman Tools aims to diversify from subcontract machining and increase its focus on designing and manufacturing its own products, particularly toolholders.
The company’s goal is to boost turnover in this sector from £1.2m to £4m within five years. Increased productivity, flexibility and efficiencies need to be achieved, which will demand a systems engineering approach and automated manufacture. Key issues raised by the new strategy are to be addressed by a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) – financially backed by Government body Innovate UK – formed between Craftsman and the University of Huddersfield.
For further information www.hud.ac.uk

On 8 March 2018, GOM UK will host a ‘3D Metrology for Casting and Foundry Processes’ workshop in Coventry. The event is part of an international workshop series, taking place over 42 locations from Asia to America, between January and April 2018. The global GOM network established the series of events to transfer process-related insights and knowledge to design engineers, pattern, die and mould makers, as well as specialists from quality assurance and production.

The free workshop is an industrial meeting platform for exchanging knowledge and sharing experiences. In 29 different countries, GOM and selected speakers will show how full-field surface measurements guarantee faster first article inspection and targeted tool correction, thereby reducing production lead times. For production-related quality control, both the measurements and entire evaluation process can be automated. In addition, GOM will introduce the latest developments in 3D metrology systems and inspection software.
For further information www.gom-workshop.com

XYZ Machine Tools has recruited Graham Cherry to the newly created role of premium product sales manager, where the prime focus for his machine tool sales experience will be on the recently introduced XYZ UMC-5X gantry-style five-axis machining centre and other premium products as they are added to the XYZ range. Cherry’s background includes 10 years of shop-floor experience, including an apprenticeship, backed up by 29 years in sales,
25 of which were in the machine-tool industry, working for leading industry names.

“My time on the shop floor, followed by four years in cutting-tool sales gave me the knowledge to make the progression to machine-tool sales, where I developed into a specialist in the sales of premium, multi-axis, precision machine tools,” says Cherry. “The opportunity to join XYZ as it moves further into the premium sector with the UMC-5X is one that I’m relishing, and one that I see being very successful.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

Dugard is the new exclusive agent throughout the UK and Ireland for Kiwa Machinery. Based in Nabari, Japan, Kiwa manufactures horizontal machining centres which feature a tool changer and multi-pallet system that is upgradable from a two-pallet, 120-tool machine to a six- or eight-pallet machine with 220 tools. This gives customers the necessary flexibility to meet any future expansion needs without having to buy a completely new machine.

Featuring rapid traverse speeds (up to 80 m/min on the KH-400 model) as well as direct drive (up to 15,000 rpm) and built-in (up to 20,000 rpm) spindle options, Kiwa machines feature a patented hybrid slideway design that combines roller and boxways. A compact footprint is another attribute, at just 1.6m wide for a HMC with 500 x 500 x 500 mm travels (Kiwa KH-4100) in the X, Y and Z axes.
For further information www.dugard.com