UK NEWS

Heavy-duty turning centres lighten the load

Now available in the UK and Ireland from official importer, sales distributor and sales agent, TDT Technology, is the Feeler range of FTC turning centres and slant-bed CNC turning centres. Aimed at machine shops tasked with heavy-duty machining operations, the machines are designed to offer a competitive cost-to-performance ratio.

The Feeler FTC range comprises three models, the FTC-10, FTC-20 and FTC-30. Between them, the machines cover a swing-over-bed of 520 to 600 mm diameter, a standard turning diameter of 180 to 310 mm, a maximum turning diameter of 240 to 450 mm, and a maximum turning length of 255 to 621 mm. All three feature a spindle equipped with precision, dual-direction, angular-contact thrust ball bearings, while a special heat-dissipation headstock design eliminates elevated temperatures from the spindle bearings, prolonging life and promoting reliability.
TDT says that machines in the Feeler FTC series of slant-bed CNC turning centres are designed for rigidity, efficiency and versatility. Kicking off the range is the FTC-300, which features a 6000 rpm spindle, 6” chuck and 52 mm diameter bar capacity. Moving up, the FTC-350, 350L, 350XL, 350LY (Y axis) and 350SLY (twin spindle) offer a 4500 rpm spindle, 8” chuck and 52 mm diameter bar capacity (66 mm option). All feature a 30° slant bed.
For an even more robust structure, the FTC-450 and 450MC (C axis and driven tools) provide a 45° slant bed, a maximum turning diameter of 450 mm and a maximum turning length of 650 mm. Finally, for the range’s highest power and rigidity, the FTC-640 and 640L again feature a 45° slant bed, which is matched with a 15” hydraulic chuck, 117.5 mm bar capacity, 22/26 kW spindle motor and A2-11 heavy-duty spindle.
For further information www.tdt-technology.co.uk

Attendance climbs

The organisers of Advanced Engineering 2017, which was held at the Birmingham NEC last month say that the exhibition’s final attendance figure was 15% higher than in 2016.

Furthermore, success at the show has sparked a booking frenzy for the 2018 edition, with stand reservations 35% higher than at the same point the year before. The show consisted of five co-locating zones: Aero Engineering; Composites Engineering; Automotive Engineering; Performance Metals Engineering; and Connected Manufacturing. These will be joined by Nuclear Engineering at the 2018 exhibition (31 Oct to 1 Nov).
For further information www.advancedengineeringuk.com

Damehood for metrology expert

The University of Huddersfield’s Professor Xiangqian Jiang – known to her colleagues as Jane – has received a Damehood conferred on her in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

University of Huddersfied, Director of the Future Metrology Hub, Professor Jane Jiang.
11.09.17

The Chinese-born scientist, a world-leading researcher in the field of metrology, was formally created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The honour was conferred for Dame Jane’s services to engineering and manufacturing. Today she is the director of the £40m Future Metrology Hub located within the university’s Centre for Precision Technologies.
For further information https://research.hud.ac.uk

MACH visitor registration now live

With just a few months to go before the doors open to MACH 2018 at the NEC in Birmingham, the team behind the exhibition has announced that visitor registration is now live.

MACH 2018 takes place on 9-13 April and will be located in a new home on the atrium side of the NEC, in Halls 17, 18, 19, 20, 6 and 7. This is the first move of the show since relocating to the NEC when it first opened in 1976 and reflects the changing technologies that the show covers. Visitors are invited to register early for their entrance pass and fast-track entry pack on the MACH website.
For further information www.machexhibition.com

XYZ awarded safety accreditation

XYZ Machine Tools has been awarded accreditation from third-party accreditation scheme Alcumus SafeContractor for its excellence in health and safety in the workplace, an award which is used and recognised by SMEs and FTSE 100 companies across UK. In gaining the award, XYZ Machine Tools had to prove that it met Alcumus SafeContractor’s rigorous standards in health and safety management.

Gemma Archibald, director of Alcumus SafeContractor, says: “More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that XYZ Machine Tools has done. SafeContractor plays a vital role in helping clients to meet their compliance needs, while working with their contractors as they progress through the accreditation process.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com