Industrial products supplier Eriks has completed a £21m infrastructure investment, headlined by a state-of-the-art fulfilment centre to improve its product range along with the speed and accuracy of supply. ERIKS’ new Fulfilment Centre of Expertise (FCE) in Oldbury is now fully operational with its 11,000 sq m warehouse space backed by one of the most advanced warehouse management systems anywhere in Europe. It has 21 vertical lifts, more than 400 m of high-speed conveyors, sophisticated scanning and weighing systems for every order, and Industry 4.0 configured IT infrastructure with real-time monitoring.
For further information www.eriks.co.uk

As a design, development, test and production facility for additively manufactured (AM) products, Alloyed Ltd recently encountered challenges with its supporting EDM machining processes. The Stone-based business therefore turned to the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) and its Mitsubishi EDM range of machines.

With a complete suite of Renishaw metal additive machines, one area that was causing a bottleneck at Alloyed was an unreliable wire EDM machine used for removing parts from base plates following 3D printing. With the company’s existing EDM machine, issues included constant wire breakages and the resultant manual re-threading, unreliable wire performance, water tank leakages, and a G-code programming CNC interface that was difficult to operate and integrate with other technologies on-site.

The search for a new EDM solution was already underway when Dr Stephen McCain, machine and systems manager at Alloyed, got engaged in the process. “With an opportunity to manufacture titanium 64 AM parts on a production scale, we started asking subcontract manufacturers with wire EDM capacity to see if they could cut details on the thin-walled parts, as well as cut them from the base blocks,” he says. “Speaking to subcontractors with a wide array of EDM technology who were floundering with the intricacies of the part, we quickly realised what machines were incapable of meeting our needs. We found the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) and their Mitsubishi EDM solutions; their experts provided us with a solution to meet all of our needs.”

The Mitsubishi MV2400S Type II wire EDM was identified as the perfect choice for the business. It incorporates Mitsubishi’s intuitive AD series CADCAM system – a feature that has instantly slashed programming times. Alloyed claims that programming each job is now more than 75% faster than the previous wire EDM machine.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

An integral element of NPTC Group of Colleges’ investment programme to upgrade the capacity and capabilities of its two engineering departments (at Neath College and Newtown College) has been realised with a number of recent investments in new, high-performance manual machines from MACH Machine Tools.

MACH Machine Tools, part of the Vigilance Group, has, since 2012, supplied NPTC Group of Colleges (formerly Neath Port Talbot College and Coleg Powys) with over 30 new manual machines. The machines, comprising 17 MACH VS-1 and VS-1SP turret-type milling machines, 15 MACH L-1340 manual lathes and four MACH SB30 geared-head drilling machines (as well as a number of MACH double-ended grinders, MACH bandsaws and MACH linishing machines), have been delivered in phases, and installed over the 10-year period.

The latest arrivals, a significant investment package featuring seven MACH VS-1SP mills, nine MACH L-1340 lathes and two MACH SB30 drills, were installed at Neath and Newtown Campus facilities in March 2021. These machines deliver practical, relevant and Industry-required machining knowledge and skills to the colleges’ full-time and part-time engineering students. Notably, the investment also reflects NPTC’s commitment to create world-class engineering workshops at both campuses, and to help it raise its profile and further differentiate its course provision and learning pathways with key audiences that include young people, local and regional employers and the wider community.

While the 30+ machine tool investment is significant for NPTC and one that certainly reinforces its ‘Centre of Engineering Excellence’ status, it is also equally significant for MACH Machine Tools, and supports the company’s position as a proven technology provider to schools, colleges and universities.

The two engineering workshops at Neath and Newtown Colleges, through their recent MACH machine tool acquisitions, have become best-in-class reference sites for the company, where its considerable range of high-performance manual machines can be showcased to large and small engineering companies and component manufacturers in Wales.

Says David Andrew, CEO, Vigilance Group: “NPTC Group of Colleges is one of the largest further education providers in Wales. The engineering course provision – ranging from Level 1, 2 and 3 mechanical engineering full-time courses, through to its part-time HNC programmes of study – is popular with young people and adults alike. It is also well respected and highly regarded by local and regional employers who rely on NPTC to deliver the off-the-job training elements of their respective apprenticeship programmes.”

There is, and always has been, much debate in the UK – at national, regional and local levels – about making careers in engineering, and manufacturing in general, more attractive and appealing to young people. Running parallel to these discussions is a recognition, made more acute by the impact and effects of the pandemic – and by the ramifications of Brexit – that UK manufacturing needs to become more resilient, more productive and more competitive. However, a major stumbling block to achieving these objectives remains the perennial skills shortage issue, experienced by many, if not most, manufacturers and engineering companies in particular.

Explains Steve Welch, senior engineering lecturer Neath & Port Talbot College (NPTC Group): “We operate in a competitive environment where young people have a number of choices open to them at 16, 17, 18 and beyond. We clearly want, and need, to be attracting top talent into manufacturing and engineering on a macro level and, because we are an integral and important element of the education and training supply chain, we need to attract highly motivated and dedicated students on to our courses.

“It’s the same situation for local engineering and manufacturing companies in the region who, to ensure their long-term growth and prosperity, need access and the ability to recruit skilled staff,” he continues. “Critical to the decisions of young people, students and manufacturing companies, are the training facilities we have at our disposal.”

Upgrading the engineering workshop resources and capabilities at its Neath and Newtown college campus facilities is a never-ending process: a journey as opposed to a destination, so to speak. NPTC began its upgrade programme in 2012 and it has gathered pace ever since.

“We are committed to continuous improvement and have robust and proven procurement systems and processes in place, that ensure we meet our new technology investment objectives,” says Welch.

NPTC’s most recent investment package was made following the completion of an in-depth process where a number of machine tool suppliers were invited to tender for the new machine tool supply contract. MACH Machine Tools’ tender submission was successful for a number of reasons, including: quality, price and availability; the level of service and support available, including delivery and installation; and the strong and established partnership that exists between NPTC and MACH Machine Tools.

Explains Welch: “We have a good relationship with MACH Machine Tools that stretches back 10 years. With the latest tender, MACH Machine Tools submitted a competitive and favourable tender that represented real value and included a number of advantages that the other suppliers could not match.

“Continuing the investment in MACH machine tools means that all students have access to, and are taught on, the same, high-performance machines – a real benefit from both a teaching and learning perspective,” he continues. “In summary, MACH Machine Tools was able to, deliver, install and commission the new machine tools quickly and efficiently. And, it was this straightforward, efficient and seamless process from a single source supplier that really helped seal the deal.”

MACH VS-1 and VS-1SP turret-type milling machines have a small footprint and are equipped with large-capacity worktables and powerful spindles. They are built to exacting quality standards and deliver high accuracies, fast processing speeds, reliability and value, says MACH Machine Tools.

The MACH L-1340 lathes at the NPTC Group are compact machines equipped with quick-change tool posts and tailstocks, and feature anti-vibration and stress relieved beds, backlash eliminators and two-axis DROs. MACH SB30 geared-head drills feature height adjustable tables, powerful spindles and are renowned for their smooth and quit operation, reports the company.

Concludes Welch: “We are delighted with our latest MACH machines. They look the part and, as expected, they do the business too. Our relationship with MACH Machine Tools continues to go from strength to strength. Not only has the company supplied us with class-leading, competitively-priced equipment, it has also become actively involved in the wider operation of our engineering departments – supplying us with MACH-branded workwear for students and sponsoring our apprentice awards programme. It’s a true partnership.”
For further information www.machmt.co.uk

As part of its continued growth strategy, Rainford Precision has expanded its team with the addition of a new technical sales and applications engineer. Jaison Toon will be responsible for sales and customer support in the Midlands and North regions of the UK, promoting the portfolio of Rainford Precision products and services. Serving an apprenticeship in the mid-1980s as a machinist and rapidly progressing to manage machine shops before entering sales and application engineering in the late 1990s, Toon has more than 30 years of expertise in the manufacturing sector.
For further information www.rainfordprecision.com

The aerospace industry has certainly encountered a turbulent period throughout the pandemic. However, for tier-one aerospace suppliers that have invested in flexible multi-tasking machine tools, the hiatus has had less of an impact on business. This is certainly the case for Merc Aerospace, which demonstrated pre- and post-pandemic investment in Nakamura-Tome turning centres from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).

Prior to the pandemic, Barrowford-based Merc Aerospace made a conscious effort to incorporate more ‘one-hit’ machining technology into its facility. The company initially replaced five older machine tools with two Nakamura WT150II models as part of its commitment to lean manufacturing, reducing lead times for customers that include Airbus, AgustaWestland, BAE Systems and Bombardier. This sustained investment drive increased orders and subsequently turnover, with the 50-employee company reducing costs, set-ups and lead times, while improving throughput.

Merc Aerospace took delivery of its first Nakamura-Tome WT150 IIF twin-spindle, twin-turret turning centre in October 2017, immediately replacing two existing machines while improving productivity in the process. A second WT150 IIF arrived in March 2018.

Like any diligent business that recognises it had hit a ‘sweet spot’ with its machine tool investment strategy, the next step was to build on that approach. The company subsequently took delivery of a twin-spindle, triple-turret Nakamura NTY3-150 multi-axis turning centre in April 2019. With the aerospace industry returning to pre-pandemic levels and Merc positioned well to support its customers, the company invested in a Nakamura AS200LMSY sub-spindle turning centre in 2021 and another in May 2022.

Discussing the investment strategy, Merc Aerospace managing director Richard Meade says: “Historically, we had invested ad hoc in our machine shop and the turning centres on our shop floor were a representation of numerous high-end brands. We developed a strategy for investment and knew the Nakamura brand had an outstanding reputation. We looked at several Nakamura machines and the WT150 IIF was the perfect fit. Typically, we machine relatively complex parts from exotic materials that range from 5-off to 100s, and our set-ups could be an hour to days. The WT150 IIF machines changed all that.”

Describing the WT150 IIF as ‘the perfect utility’ machine, Meade adds: “The twin-spindle, twin-turret configuration has been a game changer. It has increased flexibility and throughput, and one Nakamura proved 30% more productive than the two machines it replaced. Additionally, we had a range of sliding-head lathes that are better suited to higher production runs, rather than the batches we run in the hundreds. The Nakamuras wiped out our sliding-head machines as the sliders were restricted to diameters well below 50 mm, while the set-up and changeover times were excessive for our batch sizes.”

With the WT150 IIF machines making such an impact at Merc, the company took the next step and opted for a Nakamura NTY3-150, a twin-spindle machine with three tooling turrets that can engage simultaneously. Primarily machining fuel injection and gas turbine components, the ability to deploy three tool turrets at the same time has made a tremendous impact on operations. In one of many instances, the NTY3-150 reduced cycle times from 1 hour 10 minutes on a previous twin-spindle machine to just 35 minutes.

With the passing of the pandemic, business has picked up rapidly at Merc Aerospace with turnover and workload increasing significantly in a short period. With a swelling order book, the company needed to invest in more machines.

“With the WT150 IIF and NTY3-150 making such a huge impact in our turning department, we naturally turned to ETG and the Nakamura machines once again when we needed more capacity,” says Meade. “Already having a great blend of capable Nakamura machines, we needed machines with even shorter set-ups that could react to the fluctuation in workload and component types that every machine shop encounters. The AS200-LMSY is an extremely nimble machine that can react quickly to our diverse demands. We do a lot of in-service spares work for BAE Systems, producing low-volume, fast-turnaround parts for the Hawk, Harrier and Tornado. The AS200 is perfect for this work, so we followed the first machine with a second earlier this year.”

Providing an overview of the Nakamura machines, Meade says: “The guys on the shop floor say the Nakamuras are the best machines they’ve ever worked with; that in itself is a testament to the user-friendly, intuitive user interface and the construction of the machine. From a build quality perspective, there is virtually no warm-up cycle, unlike our other machine tools. The rigidity and build quality is far superior to other brands on our shop floor and this is also reflected in the Nakamuras requiring less preventative maintenance than other machines and the fact that we rarely need to call out ETG engineers.”

Looking at the technology behind the Nakamura machines, the Smart X CNC control panel and software technology is making a considerable impact at Merc Aerospace. The system incorporates features like the 3D Smart Pro AI to analyse tool paths and cutting conditions, the Thermo Navigator for thermal growth compensation, and the NT Machine Simulation and Collision Guard. Additionally, the interface incorporates Industry 4.0 technology with factory visualisation, layout, a list of connected machines and machine status.

Looking to the future, Meade says: “The Nakamura machines feature outstanding build quality, while the flexibility and capability are second to none. Additionally, the Smart X interface has a complete Industry 4.0 suite, so we can adopt numerous technologies as the business evolves. We’re looking at retrofitting the oscillating cutting cycles on the machines to break chips and prevent swarf from wrapping around the tools or re-cutting, as this will extend our unattended running times. We’ve also adopted Renishaw in-process probing on the NTY3-150 and both AS200 machines. This is giving our operators more confidence to leave the machines running for long periods unattended. With technology such as in-process probing and IoT technology, we can further extend the potential of the Nakamura machines in the future.”
For further information www.engtechgroup.com