The Fablink Group is a privately-owned company specialising in the manufacture of cabs, pressings and assemblies to a number of global OEMs. To help inspection staff at the company’s Brixworth Technical Centre keep pace with rising production levels, and to improve the company’s measurement capabilities, Fablink researched measuring tools that had both tactile probing and scanning capabilities, as well as offering the generous measuring capacities required to cover such large assemblies.

After witnessing several demonstrations, an order was placed with Faro UK for a 3 m measurement range Quantum-M ScanArm fitted with a FaroBlu Laser Line Probe SD.
Fablink’s head of quality Glenn Wright explains: “As we serve a range of challenging industries where consistent quality and competitive pricing are of paramount importance, it is vital that we remain at the cutting edge of the technologies that support our quality ethos and our continuing pursuit of efficiency improvements.
“It was these factors and an increased workload that recently prompted our search for large-capacity technology that would boost our inspection competencies and further improve efficiency levels,” he adds. “After seeing three scanning systems perform demonstrations, we came to the conclusion that the Faro Quantum-M ScanArm was both the easiest and fastest system to use. We were very impressed with its accuracy, repeatability and the standard of the useable real-time data, alongside its ability to reduce our previous scanning times by up to 75%.
“Although intended for use mainly at our Brixworth site, as the Faro solution is portable and quick to set-up, it is available for use at our other facilities. The Quantum-M has also proved invaluable for the routine inspection and calibration of jigs and fixtures.”
For further information www.faro.com

The in-house fabrication department of ECS Engineering Services has recently completed the manufacture of 49 steel duct cradles destined for the main reactor building at a UK nuclear power plant.

All of the structures were delivered within six months. The duct cradles ranged in size from 1400 to 1800 mm wide. A channel framed structure was mated with plate-work supports to increase strength. This design ensured that the cradles could easily accommodate the sizable stainless-steel ducts which would be installed on top of them at the facility.
For further information www.ecsengineeringservices.com

Welding technology specialist K-TIG has joined the Nuclear AMRC as a tier-two member to develop high-performance fabrication techniques for waste containers and other nuclear applications.

K-TIG has developed a patented keyhole welding technology which can produce welds 10-100 times quicker than conventional tungsten gas arc welding, joining metals up to 16 mm thick in a single pass. The technology is already in operation at some of the world’s largest fabrication businesses, and is also accessible to small and medium-sized manufacturers.
For further information www.namrc.co.uk

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) has expanded its additive manufacturing portfolio by investing in an FDM-based Fortus 450mc 3D printer.

According to the MTC, the addition strengthens its capability to meet more demanding production applications for UK manufacturers and develop innovative solutions geared towards driving increased productivity and profitability.
After announcing an official partnership with Stratasys in 2017, the MTC has been utilising the latest 3D printing technology to support customers’ manufacturing needs and objectives, which include engineering tooling and complex end-use parts. The Fortus 450mc installation complements the MTC’s existing stable of Stratasys PolyJet solutions, which comprises full-colour,
multi-material J-Series 3D printing technology, as well as a large-scale Objet1000.
For further information www.stratasys.com

Expert electrification company, Equipmake, has opened a factory in Snetterton, Norfolk that will design and manufacture its fully integrated electric bus chassis for an increasingly international customer base.

Guest of honour Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, cut the ribbon and officially opened the new facility. Home to Equipmake’s 52-strong workforce, the factory will primarily design and build the EBus electric bus chassis, a fully integrated cost-effective electric chassis that allows bus coachbuilders with no electric vehicle knowledge to become electric bus manufacturers.
For further information https://equipmake.co.uk/