The benefits of magnesium

Birmingham City University’s annual Magnesium Symposium returns for its second year after a positive response from industry in 2017.

Magnesium Symposyum

Academics, engineers and industry leaders will be heading to Birmingham for a conference that will get participants thinking about magnesium differently. At 1.8 g/cm³, magnesium is the lightest of all structural materials, the eighth most abundant chemical element in the Earth’s crust and is 100% recyclable. On 23 October, Birmingham City University will showcase magnesium as an alternative material, especially for the automotive and aerospace industries in terms of light weighting, fuel efficiency and the circular economy.
For further information https://is.gd/nukusi

Live machining demonstrations from Vero

Two brands from Vero Software will be driving a variety of CNC machine tools for live machining demonstrations at the forthcoming ‘Inspiration through Innovation’ event at the headquarters of Seco Tools UK in Alcester on 9-10 October.

Edgecam will be programming two Mazak machines, as well as DMG Mori and Matsuura machines, with WorkNC running a Hermle model during the two-day event. Alongside the live demonstrations, Edgecam and WorkNC will also be showcasing their latest software releases in a new area inside Seco’s design and planning facility.
For further information www.verosoftware.com

Mazak charity campaign raises £1400

Yamazaki Mazak UK has raised £1441 for Cancer Research UK following a series of dedicated charity events that took place throughout August.

The machine tool manufacturer, which is located in Worcester and employs over 900 people, held the company’s biggest ever cake sale at its European headquarters at the start of the month. Over 600 cakes were sold over two days, all of which were donated by two of Mazak’s corporate catering partners, Brookes Catering and Elior.
The company also ran a wide-reaching raffle for employees and their families, with prizes ranging from £100 Amazon vouchers and a mountain bike to an ‘Afternoon Tea for Two’ and an overnight stay at the Worcester Whitehouse Hotel. However, the charity initiatives were not limited to Mazak’s Worcester site. On Saturday 11 August, Mazak’s senior marketing executive Milko Hadzhigenov climbed Mount Snowdon in just 4.5 hours, to support the fund raising efforts. Mazak’s charity page will remain live for a further three months; to make a donation, please visit the web address below.
For further information https://is.gd/ezamac

Tidyco invests £150,000 in new machinery

Derby-based Tidyco, a supplier of hydraulic and pneumatic products to the UK rail industry for over 40 years, has invested £150,000 in state-of-the-art tube-bending machinery. The CNC tube-bending machine includes a programmable robotic measuring arm coupled with machine-to-machine (M2M) technology. Tidyco says that the investment will allow it to rationalise outsourcing activity so as to provide cost-effective solutions to its client portfolio.

The expansion contributes towards Tidyco’s commitment to smart manufacturing, addressing topical industry 4.0 subject matters.
Importantly, the company fully supports the Government-fuelled Industrial Strategy and Midlands Engine initiative whereby the family-owned business believes that ongoing investment will contribute towards manufacturing growth throughout the region. The new tube bender was part-funded by the University of Derby’s Invest to Grow initiative, with equipment being procured from Addison Saws and other local suppliers. Former Mayor of Derby, John Whitby, officially opened the manufacturing plant expansion.
Phil Mason, production director at Tidyco, says: “As a business, Tidyco is committed to a long-term growth strategy whereby continuing investment in additional manufacturing equipment forms part of overall critical success factors. The addition of a tube-bending facility will enable the company to supply customers with products in a much faster, accurate and cost-effective manner, while empowering new and existing staff working with our quality-control procedures. Ultimately, the investment further bolsters opportunities regarding new market penetration.”
Additional tube-bending capabilities include: a tube shaper measuring arm; full reverse engineering functionality; proficiency in bending most tubes from 8 to 50 mm; and STEP file conversion.
For further information www.tidyco.co.uk

XYZ at TCT

At the TCT Show (NEC, 25-27 September) XYZ Machine Tools will have on display the HP Jet Fusion 3D 4210 printing solution along with its associated processing and fast-cooling station.

Displayed on stand N47, this combination can print at up to 4500 cm3 per hour, with 100% of any excess material being recycled and re-useable. The machine can be configured for continuous production printing, eliminating in many cases the costs associated with injection mould tools. Apart from the processing speed, another attraction of the HP Multi Jet Fusion technology is its ease of use, says XYZ.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com