THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Steady growth in subcontract sector

The latest Contract Manufacturing Index shows that despite underlying volatility, the UK subcontract manufacturing market grew steadily through the second quarter of 2022, registering 13% growth with a particularly sharp rise (42%) in fabrication services. Sourcing specialist Qimtek produces the CMI, which reflects the total purchasing budget for outsourced manufacturing of over 4000 companies looking to place business in any given month.

The baseline for the index is 100, which represents the average size of the subcontract manufacturing market between 2014 and 2018. In the second quarter of 2022, the CMI was 101, compared with 89 for the first quarter of the year. The strongest sector was industrial machinery, which was also the top sector in Q1 and grew by 10% in Q2.
For further information www.qimtek.co.uk

A turn for the better at Goodman

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has supplied Milton Keynes based motorsport subcontractor Goodman Precision Engineering (GPE) with a new multi-tasking Doosan turning centre. The machine, a compact 6” chuck Lynx 2100LY lathe, is equipped with: roller LM guideways; a 15 kW/6000 rpm spindle; a servo-driven turret (12/24 position); the latest Fanuc control featuring 15” touchscreen iHMI; integrated Y axis (±52.5 mm); and driven tooling (3.7 kW/6000 rpm). GPE’s new Lynx 2100LY is the first Doosan machine at the company.

“Machining components to exacting tolerances and superior surface finishes from solid or castings is our forte,” explains GPE director Stephen Reynolds. “While milling remains the company’s primary focus, we recently made the strategic decision to augment our machining capabilities with turning.”

He adds: “Multi-axis and multi-tasking lathes with, for example, Y axes and driven tools, help us machine complex, high-precision parts in one-hit and make us more efficient. Lynx lathes and turning centres are proven and popular. They are reliable, versatile and represent great value. The fact that they are backed by Mills CNC’s after-sales services and technical support only adds to their appeal.”

Since being installed the new Lynx hasn’t missed a beat. It is operating for 16 hours a day, while its ability to machine parts to completion in one set-up means it is more than paying for itself.

As well as being used to machine parts for motorsport customers, the machine has also produced a range of components for ‘diversified’ customers operating in the aerospace, defence and rail sectors, to name but a few.
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk

Dugard is key to success for subcontractor

As a general subcontract manufacturer, Cannock-based Key Precision attended the Southern Manufacturing exhibition earlier this year to investigate new technology that could help drive the business forward. The company found the Dugard stand and the Hanwha range of sliding-head turning centres, and an order soon followed.

The subcontract manufacturing company showed a particular interest in the Dugard Hanwha XD38I, a robust sliding-head machine with a bar capacity that is particularly large for the machine’s footprint.

Greg Jackson, engineering and quality director at Key Precision, says: “We were looking to expand our turning capacity by purchasing something with the flexibility of a sliding-head machine, but the capability of a fixed-head model. It was the relatively small footprint for the size of machine that attracted us to the Hanwha XD381, and the size of bar that we could accommodate.”

Looking at the type of parts the company is manufacturing on its new Dugard Hanwha XD38II sliding-head turning centre, Jackson adds: “At the moment we’re machining parts of over 35 mm diameter, but we’re a typical subcontractor, so we make components for cars, planes, trains and, at present, quite a lot for the agricultural industry. This involves machining harder steels such as EN19 and EN24.”

The rigidity of the new machine is already creating savings at Key Precision.

“We’ve seen tool life savings of 25-35% using the Hanwha XD38II when we produce parts that we’ve cut many times before on other machines,” states Jackson.

Concluding on the installation, he says: “The machine has been working for six full weeks, running day and night and even over the weekends. It hasn’t missed a beat.”
For further information www.dugard.com

Renishaw introduces sustainability team

To reduce its contribution to carbon emissions, Renishaw has invested in a dedicated sustainability team. The newly formed team will use its expertise to ensure Renishaw meets its commitment to net zero by 2050 at the latest, with validation and monitoring of this target by the internationally respected Science Based Target initiative (SBTi).

Managed by Ben Goodare, head of sustainability, the team covers a range of skills that are required to help the company achieve its sustainability goals, including data analysis, project management, reporting, value chain management and lifecycle assessment expertise. Goodare has implemented a carbon management system for all Renishaw global sites to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions. In the past five years, the company has successfully reduced its carbon footprint by 39%.
For further information www.renishaw.com/csr

New AMRC Training Centre advisory board

Bridging the gap between employment and education, as well as influencing future training needs for industry requirements, are key goals of the newly-formed AMRC Training Centre Industry Advisory Board. The IAB was established in 2016 to ensure the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre’s apprentice programmes stays relevant and meets ever-evolving industry needs.

Anne Griggs, head of business development and contracts for the AMRC Training Centre, took up the post as chair at the start of 2022. She wanted to overhaul the board and appoint new members to ensure it is representative of the training centre’s employer base. New members include representation from Rotherham, Sheffield, Doncaster and Barnsley, as well as both an SME, a large employer, and businesses that already employs degree, advanced and welding apprentices.
For further information www.amrctraining.co.uk