Supply chain support and longer-term assistance are top of the wish list for UK manufacturing SMEs if they are to make the most of the post-pandemic recovery and the long-anticipated UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Over 75% of the 335 firms questioned by the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) in its latest report indicated that supply chain improvement would make them more profitable, while grants to help them buy new equipment and invest in new technologies to support digitalisation would make the biggest difference to ongoing performance.

The survey – the largest ever undertaken on the future of industrial business support – showed that management teams wanted access to specialist external advice and funding to drive profitability (68%), increase sales (62%) and boost productivity (58%). Some 75% felt that leadership and management training would be beneficial, while 83% wanted business support delivery from experts with significant industry experience.

For further information
www.manufacturinggrowthprogramme.co.uk

Bystronic UK enjoyed a successful bending workshop earlier this month. The two-day event focused on supporting existing press-brake operators by expanding their knowledge and increasing their skills with machines and tooling. Demonstrations and interactive presentations covered all aspects of bending technology, from improving set-up times, to automation and programming, and a big focus on tooling and tooling maintenance.

The visitors were able to learn from Bystronic global bending expert Gerrit Gerritsen, who has over 35 years’ experience. Bystronic UK is now planning another event: the company’s open house will take place on 4-8 April and will showcase all of the latest Bystronic technology. Visit the company’s website to book a place.

For further information
www.bystronic.co.uk

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has introduced full IP54 protection for its latest range of Absolute Arm models, together with other usability improvements and compatibility with the HxGN SFx asset management service. From ultra-high-accuracy probing with the Absolute Arm Compact to high-productivity 3D laser scanning with the Absolute Arm 7-Axis and Absolute Scanner AS1, every new Absolute Arm model will be fully equipped for the demands of measuring and monitoring in the most challenging measurement environments.

According to Hexagon, an IP54 protection rating is a market first for portable measuring arms and comes alongside a further environment-related improvement that sees the system’s maximum operating temperature increased to 45°C. Together with the Absolute Arm’s portability and versatility, these updates complete a package that is suitable for the demands of the hot and dusty environments in which metrology-grade inspection is used all over the world.

“In the past few years we’ve seen a migration in where our arms are being used,” explains Anthony Vianna, product director – portable measuring arms. “Whereas once most arms would sit in a nice clean metrology room, today we see them used on shop floors, in foundries and close to machining centres. That’s why this update to the Absolute Arm is so important – we want our customers to go into those environments with total confidence that they can measure anywhere.”

Also arriving with this update are improvements to the functionality of the Absolute Arm wrist display, now upgraded to a touchscreen, and the RDS software that drives it. These are changes intended to further enhance the ease of on-the-ground measurement processes by bringing more functionality to the point of measurement and reducing trips back and forth between the arm and its control computer.

For further information www.hexagonmi.com

AMRC North West will help businesses unlock productivity and sustainability gains and keep the UK’s advanced manufacturing sector ‘ahead of the pack’, the Industry Minister said as he opened the new £20m applied research and development facility in Lancashire. Lee Rowley, Minister for Industry at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), added that AMRC North West is a key innovation asset for the region and beyond.

The applied research centre, which sits at the heart of the Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone in Preston, has been built using a £20m grant from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Growth Deal and extends the University of Sheffield’s AMRC footprint across the north. It was opened by the Industry Minister accompanied by Koen Lamberts, president and vice-chancellor at the University of Sheffield, and Debbie Francis, chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

For further information
www.amrc.co.uk

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is to host a two-day conference that will drive the uptake of robotics and automation across UK manufacturing and address the widening productivity gap. ‘Robotics and Automation – A New Perspective’ will take place on 4-5 May and enable delegates from a range of industries to share insights into the transformational benefits of cutting-edge robotic technologies in development at the MTC.
Mike Wilson, MTC chief automation officer, says: “The UK lags behind many industrialised nations in its adoption of robotics – currently 24th in the world. Such a slow uptake is undoubtedly holding industry back. This conference aims to change that and instil confidence in manufacturers seeking transformation. Pioneers of robotics will be on hand to highlight successful projects that have reaped the benefits of intelligent automation, and help people make the right decisions.”

For further information www.bit.ly/3KHWVQ0