Each year, CGTech hosts numerous Vericut User Exchange (VUE) meetings around the world for its customers and partners.

In 2017, more than 1600 people attended over 45 VUE events in 15 countries. This year, CGTech has announced three UK VUE events to take place in September and October. The first event will be held on 19 September at the Advanced Forming Research Centre in Renfrewshire. A further two events will then take place at Moyola Precision Engineering, Ireland (26 September) and Williams F1, Oxfordshire (2 October).
For further information www.cgtech.co.uk/about/vue

The Manufacturing Technology Centre is to install cutting-edge equipment that will further advance its additive manufacturing and 3D-printing capabilities.

The MTC near Coventry is to take delivery of a metal binder-jetting printer, which allows for the fast production of complex and detailed components. Supplied by Swedish 3D-printing specialist Digital Metal, the machine is designed for small, highly complex parts, and will be the only one in the UK. DM’s binder-jetting printer will be available to MTC member companies and others interested in testing the technology or taking designs to prototype and pre-production level.
For further information www.the-mtc.org

Women in Engineering students were “blown away” by the advanced technology they saw in action during a visit to Factory 2050 at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

Female engineering students from the University of Sheffield visited the collaborative research facility, which is home to the AMRC’s Integrated Manufacturing Group (IMG).
The students – members of the university’s Women in Engineering Student Society – witnessed first-hand some of the research and innovation projects being conducted by the group into reconfigurable robotics, digitally assisted assembly and machining technologies.
The visit was organised by Serena Linley, the society’s former secretary, to give members
a glimpse into how the technologies they had been learning about were being used to drive innovation and overcome manufacturing solutions for companies.
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

A UK machine tool supplier is predicting a strong second half to 2018 after appointing two directors.

The Engineering Technology Group (ETG), which employs over 100 people at its headquarters in Wellesbourne, has promoted Steve Brown and Martin Price to sales director and operations director respectively to support ambitious growth plans. Bosses at the firm are looking to increase the number of high-end turnkey solutions sold in the UK and believe expansion across the range will help the business target £35m in sales by the end of the year.
For further information www.engtechgroup.com

The new floorplan at the MACH 2018 exhibition in April certainly reaped rewards for Kerf Developments, with the plasma, waterjet and oxy-fuel cutting manufacturer yielding a greater number of sales leads from a more diverse client base than at previous MACH exhibitions.

MACH was the launch-pad event for the new Plasmaster HD (high definition) and the PythonX robotic plasma structural steel fabrication system, and both machines, along with the established RUR and RUM machines, were popular among visitors.
Commenting upon why the show was such a success among a diverse audience, Kerf Developments sales director Craig Walsh says: “The new Plasmaster 3015 was on show at MACH and this machine really excited visitors with its cut quality and flexibility at such an affordable price point. We showed the Plasmaster with the Lincoln Electric Flexcut 125 and the 200HD high-definition plasma unit, with example test pieces to highlight the cut quality and precision available. As a result, we sold two Plasmaster machines with the 200HD plasma unit to a sheet metal company and another to a fabrication business. However, we also had toolmakers and subcontractors showing interest.”
Alongside Kerf Developments’ new Plasmaster was the established RUR2500 and the heavy-duty RUM4500 machine with four cutting heads on a single gantry.
“We received more than 150 serious enquiries at MACH, and with three plasma machines on the stand, the majority of enquiries were for this technology,” says Walsh. “However, we had a significant number of leads from manufacturers interested in our waterjet and oxy-fuel range.”
For further information www.kerfdevelopments.com