THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Vision Engineering Group names new MD

Microscope, 3D inspection and metrology specialist Vision Engineering is appointing Sam Crossley as the company’s newmanaging director, a role that will draw upon his extensive global leadership and financial experience.Previously a member of the senior leadership team at Rotork, which employs over 3700 employees in 39 countries, Crossley has comprehensive market knowledge in the oil and gas, petrochemical, mining and automation markets. Current managing director Mark Curtis will continue to head the board as CEO, focusing on strategic development and wider group growth opportunities.
For further information www.visioneng.com

World Machinery to stage open house event

World Machinery is hosting an open day at its Bridgnorth headquarters in Shropshire on 19-20 July. The company will use the event to showcase the latest Bodor fibre laser cutting technology, including a 30 kW, 3000 x 1500 mm P3 model. World Machinery will also promote a Bodor T230A tube laser cutter for round, square and rectangular tube, as well as a Bodor i7 compact fibre laser cutter with 6 kW resonator. Several press brakes will also be on show, including a GHBend 1132ES pump-control model (110 T x 3200 mm) and a GH-3512 up-stroking machine with double side quick-release clamp as standard.
For further information www.worldmc.co.uk

CMZ increases lathe production capacity

CNC lathe manufacturer CMZ has taken a step forward in its growth strategy: setting up its new ‘Precitor’ plant. With the target of manufacturing 850 machines a year, the company has invested around €8m in extending its current machining plant in Elorrio, Spain.The new Precitor plant will be working at 100% capacity by the second half of 2023. Notably, the extension of the plant will help the group to increase the manufacture of cylindrical parts by 55% compared with the existing plant. At the same time, closure of the current plant at Elorrio is planned for mid-2023.
For further information www.cmz.co.uk

Mazak hosts Primary STEM Challenge Final

Yamazaki Mazak hosted over 80 primary school students from across Worcestershire as they showcased their skills and ideas in the 2023 Primary STEM Challenge Final. While the judges deliberated, all the students who took part in the final had a guided tour of Mazak’s European Technology Centre, which also included the opportunity to help program some of Mazak’s latest machine tools. Teams from Nunnery Wood Primary School and Eldersfield Lawn CofE Primary School were eventually crowned winners.

Max Jones, people development manager at Yamazaki Mazak UK, says: “Fostering the next generation of engineering talent is central to the Mazak philosophy. While we have multiple entry points for school and university leavers, as well as experienced engineers and career-changers alike, activities such as the Primary STEM Challenge are a brilliant way of enlightening young minds to the rewarding opportunities a career in engineering can deliver.”
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

ITC unveils Big Kaiser Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through

Run-out can be relatively low on some hydraulic chuck systems, and diminish further after intensive use. However, it is now possible to take advantage of a significant improvement in this situation with the Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through, which in now part of the Big Kaiser HDC series of hydraulic chucks available in the UK from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC).

Hydraulic chucks compress an internal membrane in the holder body to apply uniform pressure around the cutting tool that optimises concentricity and minimises run-out. Clamping with the Big Kaiser Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through chuck series is easy, fast and safe, making it simple to change tools in the machine. With no heat-shrink clamping machines required, users can extend the life of the tool holder indefinitely, saving money and reducing the environmental impact of holder replacement when compared with shrink-fit counterparts. The through-coolant chuck provides precise clamping in the 4 to 12mm diameter range with the accurate Big Capto interface.

Giampaolo Roccatello, chief sales andmarketing officer for Europe at Big Kaiser, says: “Our jet-through hydraulic chucks are ideal for applications that would benefit from improved coolant delivery. By directing coolant to the cutting edge, you can improve surface finish and extend tool life.”

The chuck is suitable for all small to large machine shops that undertake precision milling where the lowest possible run-out is required. It combines a sleek contour and through-coolant capability to deliver significant improvements for the end user. Big Kaiser’s Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through is available for Big Capto C5 and C6 machine spindles, as well as the BBT 30/40/50, BDV40 and HSK 63 spindle interfaces.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk