Huddersfield-based Meltham Carbide Precision has become one of the latest to invest in a Rollomatic CNC peel-grinding machine, which can be acquired in the UK from Advanced Grinding Solutions. Meltham is a specialist manufacturer of plug gauges and components such as punches, mould and core pins, and blank carbide rods for the cutting-tool industry.

Owner-manager Eric Charlesworth had been aware of Rollomatic tool grinders for some time, and had identified a need for grinding his parts to a higher precision and reducing manufacturing times, and in particular removing the need to transfer parts across several different machines to arrive at the finished result.
Having received a demonstration of a Rollomatic machine, Meltham was attracted by to its pinch and peel grinding method, which ensures that the grinding operation is always carried out immediately adjacent to where the component is supported. This capability allows parts with a very large length to diameter ratio to be machined easily, with component lengths of up to 400 times diameter being ground without deflection issues and with diameters controlled to under 0.002 mm.
Just one example of how the machine has improved efficiency is in manufacturing a set of 10 carbide punches of 6.35 mm diameter by 110 mm long with a point, radius and three different diameters carrying 5 μm tolerances.
“This would have taken us a full day to manufacture previously, but now, on the Rollomatic we need just 15 minutes to set up and around 2 hours to grind,” says Charlesworth. “The surface finish is also much better, and the lengths and diameters are all well within tolerance.”
For further information www.advancedgrindingsolutions.co.uk

Ambulance builder O&H Vehicle Technology has been subject to a management buy-out from current private-equity owners Endless LLP.

Now at the helm is managing director Oliver North, with the support of businessman Ken Davy. North and Davy are no strangers to the emergency services market, after successfully growing their previous company, firefighting equipment supplier North Fire, to market leader status prior to sale in 2014. O&H has been owned by Endless LLP since 2016. Endless has provided O&H with essential financial support throughout the most challenging phase of the firm’s 32 years.
For further information www.ohvtech.com

Kevin Jones has been appointed by Kyal Machine Tools as its new UK sales manager.

Joining the business at the start of September, Jones hit the ground running with an immediate trip to the EMO exhibition in Hanover to investigate the latest innovations from Kyal principals such as WFL Technologies, Weiler, Hembrug and Willemin Macodel. With over 35 years’ industry experience, Jones started his career as a shop-floor apprentice and progressed through several machine shops prior to moving into applications engineering with a well-known machine-tool builder. He then moved into machine-tool sales.
For further information www.kyalmachinetools.co.uk

Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) has joined forces with the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in a year-long campaign to connect the city’s burgeoning digital and creative community to the region’s diverse manufacturing sector.

A year-long programme of informal meets, part of the AMRC’s fast expanding Digital Meet Manufacturing initiative, will be hosted by STP, where some of the region’s most innovative digital companies
are developing software and programs for a variety of platforms.
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

Scottish engineering specialist Vert Rotors has appointed a new chief executive as the company enters a commercially-focused phase to bring its patented technology to market.

Manufacturing veteran Phil Harris has joined Edinburgh-based Vert from Clear Surgical, a medical device company based in Glasgow. He replaces Vert founder Olly Dmitriev, who set up the company in 2013 to develop a new type of compressor technology that is compact and quieter than traditional twin-screw devices, and capable of continuous running.
For further information www.vertrotors.com