THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Mazak enjoys ‘packed’ open house

Yamazaki Mazak’s investment in its UK manufacturing facilities was one of the main draws behind a strong attendance at its recent annual open house.The event, themed ‘building for your future’, linked the increase in capacity at the company’s European Manufacturing Plant in Worcester with its ability to now offer significantly shorter lead times on key machines.In total the open house received over 700 visitors over the four days.

Jason Butler, sales director for Yamazaki Mazak UK, says the strong attendance proved Mazak’s strategy in the UK: “I’m very pleased, we had a packed European Technology Centre over each day with plenty of potential new customers visiting us for the first time. That says to me our message of continued investment in Worcester, which has led to increased production capacity and very short lead times on key machines, is really resonating with UK manufacturers.”
For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

MACH Machine Tools goes top of the class

MACH Machine Tools, part of the Vigilance Group and a supplier of CNC and manual machine tools and machine shop equipment to UK and Irish component manufacturers and UK educational institutions and training providers, has recently supplied NETA Trainingin Stockton-on-Tees with three new CNC machine tools.The machines, all ordered at the same time, are equipped with the DynaPath control and comprise two MACH MDT-1 turret-type milling machines and a MACH MDL 1600 lathe.

Says Sean Johnston, NETA’s director:“Our MACH machine tools have helped elevate our status as an engineering training specialist with local and regional employers, schools and young people and the wider community. They have enabled us to further differentiate our offering in what is a competitive local training environment.”

NETA took the decision to invest in MACH machine tools for a number of reasons. Although initially considering a couple of machine tool manufacturers, a meeting between NETA representatives and MACH Machine Tools at the MACH 2022 exhibition meant a machine tool investment package comprising two mills and a lathe began to take shape.

“We liked the approach of MACH Machine Tools,”recalls Johnston. “In addition, we appreciated the build quality of the machines and, once the power and flexibility of the DynaPath control system was explained to us in more detail, we were convinced it was the right way to go.We were also particularly impressed with the control system’s 24/7 remote diagnostic capabilities. These factors, combined with the aftersales service and support, the competitive price, themachine’s availability, and the company’s desire to create a meaningful partnership, helped seal the deal.”
For further information www.machmt.co.uk

Adams slides into three-axis machining

Although a predominantly sliding-head turning machine shop, Adams Engineering (Ilkeston) Ltd has just purchased a Dugard 1000XP three-axis machining centre. Initially founded in the 1950s and run as a single-cam auto machine shop for decades, the business has more recently been taken over by Scott Burrow. Since the takeover, the company moved to new and larger premises three years ago and continued its machine acquisition trail.

Discussing why Adams Engineering has invested in three-axis machining, Burrow says: “Our first venture into milling was down to one of our customers. They kept pressing us to do milling work, so eventually we took the plunge. With the first machine we bought, we were initially just drilling and tapping prismatic parts and putting steps in plates.”

As word got around that the company was undertaking milling work, more enquiries flowed in.

“Due to rising enquiries we bought a larger machine, the Dugard 1000XP three-axis machining centre,” explains Burrow.

The ISO9001-accredited company wanted a machine with a sizeable capacity and a robust platform, which is exactly what the Dugard 1000XP delivers. As standard, the machine has X, Y and Z-axis travel of 1050 x 540 x 560mm to accommodate large parts. It also offers a 27kW BT40 spindle motor, a cartridge belt drive spindle and pre-tensioned twin-nut ballscrews.

“We just thought, why not go big.Today, we are doing work that takes up almost all the entire bed.”

The Dugard 1000XP has X, Y and Z-axis rapid feed rates of 44, 44 and 25m/min, with a cutting feed rate of 20m/min credit to the Mitsubishi CNC control system. Positional accuracy is 0.01mm, while repeatability is ±0.003 mm.
For further information www.dugard.com

Recycling initiative supports circular economy

Metal cutting expert Sandvik Coromant, together with the wider Sandvik Group, is launching an upgraded tool recycling scheme. Building on the success of its existing buy-back programme, the new scheme will make the process of repurposing worn carbide tools easier for customers, while also boosting material circularity across the supply chain.With the scheme, customers can sell their worn-out tools to Sandvik Coromant, which then extracts and reuses the materials in the production of new cutting tools. It is possible to recycle up to 95% of a used carbide insert. Rollout to all customers will take place by 2025.
For further information www.sandvik.coromant.com

Renewable electricity for Renishaw UK

To further help meet its ambition of achievingnet zero by 2050, Renishaw has signed a two-year contact with the world’s first green energy company, Ecotricity, which will now supply the company’s main UK sites with 100% renewable electricity.As part of its ambitious climate transition plan, Renishaw aims to reduce emissions relating to its business activities and purchased energy – Scopes 1 and 2 – to net zero by 2028.

Renishaw’s partnership with Ecotricity is the latest move towards exclusively using green energy across the world, with company sites in India, Japan, Mexico and the US among those already running on 100% renewable electricity. The global businessself-generates 11% of its electricity consumption and most of the electricity itacquires is certified renewable.By the end of 2024, 100% of what Renishaw purchases globally will meet its sustainability requirements.
For further information www.renishaw.com