UK NEWS

Allied finds recipe for success in Vollmer

In the past six years, Poole-based Allied Tooling has more than doubled its turnover to over £7m. Central to this expansion has been a company re-branding, the introduction of PCD round tools and saw blades, and becoming the UK’s exclusive AKE saw blade partner.

Allied today supplies and services over 6000 tools and saw blades each month. To help facilitate this output, the 60+ employee manufacturer for the woodworking, kitchen, marine, construction, composite, aerospace, automotive and motorsport sectors, has ramped up its investment in grinding and erosion machines from Vollmer.

The first Vollmer machine arrived in the 1990s and the company has purchased more than 20 Vollmer models over the years. The latest tranche of Vollmer machines commenced when PCD tooling went from being an outsourced solution to a serious addition to the product range. Identifying this industry trend at an early stage, Allied invested in two Vollmer QXD250 disc erosion machines with the H5 28-tool automation solution in June 2018 and a VPulse 500 wire EDM in March 2023.

“While the QXD 250 is perfect for TCT saws up to 320 mm diameter, it also has the flexibility to process all our PCD end mills, drills and cutters,” explains Allied’s managing director Wes Hacker. “The arrival of the QXD reduced our lead times by more than two weeks on bespoke tool solutions.”

The same HC5 28 tool external workpiece storage system is also present on the VPulse 500 machine that arrived in March 2023.

“We purchased the VPulse 500 for its flexibility,” says Hacker. “The new VPulse EDM generator significantly improves productivity and this means we can run a batch of 20+ tools lights-out with exceptional efficiency – further supporting our ambition to compress lead times.”

More information www.vollmer-group.com

EDM specialist reports exhibition success

Sodi-Tech EDM, together with Sodick Europe, had its most successful MACH exhibition ever with an eye-catching display at the Birmingham NEC earlier this year. Committing to its largest-ever MACH stand, Sodick Europe presented six machines, including new models.

Among the MACH debutants was the new VN600Q wire-cut EDM machine and the ALC600G iG+E wire EDM machine with iGroove+ technology. These were accompanied by the AD35L die-sink EDM and the AL60G EDM die-sink machine with Erowa Compact 80 robotic loading system and Zeiss DuraMax measurement and probing system.

Commenting upon the UK’s showpiece manufacturing event, Sodick Europe’s digital marketing manager Bal Dulay said: “MACH was a success far beyond our expectations. This was evident by the huge number of visitors we attracted. Everything from our stand design, prestigious brand and component display cases attracted attendees to view our cutting-edge technologies. With a diverse range of wire and die-sink EDM technology on show, our engineers revelled in the opportunity to discuss many different machines, particularly the patented iGroove+ rotating wire technology.”

Added Dulay: “As a technologically advanced and environmentally aware brand, Sodick has incorporated energy efficiency into every facet of its designs and technologies. With our new smart pulse generators, smart pulse wire, intelligent monitoring circuit, energy-saving pumps, iGroove+ and countless additional innovations, our EDM machines can reduce energy consumption by up to 30% with wire savings of 30% or more. As businesses become more environmentally and energy conscious, our investment in this area really struck a chord with manufacturers visiting MACH. It was also a contributing factor in some of the purchasing decisions made at the show.”

More information www.sodick.eu

NCMT shines spotlight on Makino machines

At the UK’s largest machine tool show earlier this year, NCMT showcased two Makino EDM machines: the U6 H.E.A.T. Extreme wire EDM; and the EDAF3 die-sink model. The MACH 2024 exhibition proved the perfect platform to demonstrate the advantages of these Japanese-designed machines.

In addition to using standard wire from 0.1 to 0.3 mm, NCMT says that investing in the Makino U6 H.E.A.T. Extreme wire EDM makes it optionally possible to run the largest diameter wire (0.4 mm) of any machine on the market. The wire is coated and distinct from the uncoated brass wire common across industry.

The extra wire thickness, together with the use of a second booster generator in the machine, allows two to three times higher productivity and heavier duty machining compared with using a standard 0.25 mm consumable. Thicker wire also allows a slower unspool speed, so there is no increase in wire consumption rate.

Visitors to the NCMT stand could also see Makino’s EDAF3 die-sink EDM with its rigid, precise structure and integral thermal cooling of the Y- and Z-axis cast components to ensure long-term accuracy. Table size is 700 x 500 mm, while the dielectric reservoir is built into the base casting of the machine to improve thermal stability and minimise the machine’s footprint. The working volume is 450 x 350 x 350 mm, while the maximum workpiece weight is 800 kg.

Free access to the working area is courtesy of a programmable drop-tank. Users can extend unattended machining with automatic electrode exchange and automated workpiece delivery and removal options. A high-precision C-axis head is an additional feature. Machine shops can use electrodes weighing up to 75 kg.

More information www.ncmt.co.uk

Andrew Elliott rejoins Ward CNC

Andrew Elliott has rejoined machine tool supplier TW Ward CNC Machinery (Ward CNC) as a permanent employee, operating in the company’s sales department and senior management team. He takes up the new position of manager – new and used machine tool sales. Managing director Simon Whitworth says: “This appointment is a valuable and strategically important one for the company’s future growth and succession planning. Furthermore, Andrew’s experience and key connections across the industry give us confidence of continued success.”

More information www.wardcnc.com

Offshore Wind Partnership

The National Composites Centre (NCC), Bristol Composites Institute (BCI) and Vestas have
established a strategic technology research partnership to anchor the UK’s future wind
industry. This enhanced, sustained collaboration will accelerate turbine blade technology
development necessary to propel the UK’s clean energy superpower ambitions and enable
supply chain resilience. The UK Offshore Wind Industrial Growth Plan estimates the
domestic economic opportunity for the sector to be worth up to £92bn by 2040. Key to
maximising market potential is advanced product and technology development.

More information www.nccuk.com