A new specialist technology centre for laser machine users based in Sweden is due to open this month. The new Nordic Laser Technology Centre (NLTC) has been developed in partnership with Yamazaki Mazak’s two official distributors in the Nordic region, Ravema AB in Sweden and Norway, and the Wihuri Group, which operates in Finland.

Mazak’s new collaboration will allow each partner and its customers to benefit from shared resources and expertise, along with a state-of-the-art facility for demonstrations, virtual demonstrations, test cutting and training. In addition, a range of product solutions will be on display, including laser machines, sheet metal software, measuring systems, and automation systems.

For further information www.mazakeu.co.uk

In 2010, West Sussex based Cox Powertrain began its mission to deliver a new concept in ultra-lightweight diesel outboards. This process was the genesis of the CXO300. Since then, Cox has successfully raised over £120m of private investment in order to turn the outboard from a dream into a reality.

Cox Powertrain has invested £6.7m in a world-class production facility, with all components procured from a range of manufacturers. For instance, Delta Tooling (Horsham) produces the CXO300’s drive shafts using a machine tool acquired by Cox Powertrain.

Cox Powertrain’s head of DFM & manufacture Colin Stapley scrutinised several CNC universal cylindrical grinding machines with input from Gary Childs, the managing director of Delta Tooling. Stapley decided that the Studer Favorit was the ideal solution to meet the demanding dimensional and surface finish tolerances.

“With the assistance of Peter Harding, the owner of UK Studer agent, Advanced Grinding Supplies, Colin and I were able to precisely specify the Favorit to exactly meet Cox Powertrain’s demanding needs. Peter worked closely with us in areas such as developing the grinding process and ensuring the use of the correct wheels; he also helped organise the machine’s trouble-free installation and operator training.

“The machine is now in regular use and the quality of the drive shafts adheres to their challenging dimensional and surface finish specifications,” he continues. “In addition, the productive machine is helping us to satisfy ever-increasing demand.”

Stapley adds: “The decision to purchase a Studer Favorit and install it at the premises of Delta Tooling has proven to be a successful one.”

For further information
www.adgrind.co.uk

A Black Country manufacturer that supplies critical components to iconic buildings, train stations, sport stadiums and power stations is celebrating a big birthday in style. Hague Fasteners, which produces non-standard fasteners and bespoke bolts, turned 50 years old last week and marked the big anniversary by investing more than £100,000 into a new three-axis CNC lathe to help it deliver more complex parts and increased capacity.

The new XYZ CT 65 LTY is already playing its part in the delivery of contracts for the oil and gas sector, with the company hoping the additional turnover will help it move towards its target of £2m sales by the end of the year.

Managing director Jon Hague says: “The new three-axis CNC lathe is a perfect way to celebrate five decades in business and puts a marker in the sand for the technology we’re trying to embed into our future capabilities.”

Hague Fasteners has been manufacturing in the Black Country for the past five decades, its most recent move being to an 8500 sq ft factory in Willenhall in 2017. From here, the company produces specialist fasteners, headed bolts, studs, nuts and milled components in high-integrity materials and critical nickel alloys. Hague Fasteners can produce parts ranging in size from 2 to 250 mm in diameter.

Company owner Claire Hague says: “We also wanted to do something in our 50th year that left a lasting positive legacy, so we made the commitment to become carbon neutral by 2024.

This has seen us create the ‘Hague Forest’, where we will endeavour to plant and grow 200 trees every year in Haiti, Kenya and Madagascar to offset the 75 tonnes of CO2 we create manufacturing specialist fasteners for use across the globe.”

For further information
www.haguefasteners.co.uk

As part of its continued investment strategy, Velden Engineering has ordered a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150 twin-spindle, three-turret turning centre from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG). With delivery planned for next month, the new addition to the plant list will complement existing Nakamura-Tome turning centres at Velden Engineering.

Based in Bolton, the foundations of the company were formed as a partnership in 1973, and when the company acquired another business in 1984, the name Velden Engineering was born. Velden rapidly reached 50 employees and over 100 by 1990, and was the first UK job shop to achieve ISO9001 in 1987.

Today, the subcontract manufacturer offers a complete range of services including CNC machining, laser cutting, waterjet machining, sheet metalwork, assembly, product build, busbar production, design and development and more.

In 2012, the company acquired its first Nakamura-Tome turning centre, a WT100 compact twin-spindle, twin-turret machine. A year later Velden took delivery of a larger Nakamura-Tome WT150II twin-spindle, twin-turret turning centre with an upper turret Y axis after winning a new contract. A second WT150II arrived in 2017, followed more recently by a third.

“Many of the enquiries we’re starting to receive now are for parts in higher volumes with increased complexity,” says plant manager Lee Valentine. “As a three-turret machine, all with Y-axis capabilities, the Nakamura NTY3-150 opens up a greater opportunity to do even more simultaneous machining and will deliver even faster cycle times. This is possible through the use of special tooling on what will be very price-sensitive parts. The additional cost of the Nakamura NTY3-150 will be offset by allowing us to be even more competitive on certain packages of work and will therefore enable us to win a lot of new business.”

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

Orders received by the German machine tool industry in the third quarter of 2021 were 69% up on the previous year’s figure. Orders from Germany rose by 67%, while foreign orders were 71% higher than in the previous year. Of particular note, orders received by German machine tool manufacturers increased by 61% in the first three quarters of the year.

“The levels of orders on hand are good, although supply bottlenecks and sharp rises in the price of raw materials and components are increasingly holding back business,” says Dr Wilfried Schäfer, executive director of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association). “Orders are expected to continue rising in the coming months. They are being driven by catch-up effects that will continue for quite some time.”

For further information www.vdw.de