UK NEWS

Subcon 2018 opens this week

The organiser of Subcon (5-7 June, Birmingham NEC) has revealed that it is preparing for a bumper year with over 400 exhibitors confirmed and some 4,500 visitors expected, which would be a new record.

This year, visitors will enjoy two shows – Subcon and a brand new sister event, The Engineer Expo.
“There is going to be so much to talk about this year: from our research into the ignorance around Industry 4.0 and the importance of increasing the number of women in manufacturing and engineering leadership roles, to the presentations across our stages and discussions among the stands of more than 400 exhibitors,” says Subcon event director Gordon Kirk. “This year’s event is set to be our best yet and will give visitors and suppliers an opportunity to interact with every facet of the UK manufacturing and engineering community, maintain their competitive edge, and shape how the industry is seen from the outside.”
For further information www.subconshow.co.uk

College invests in future with Colchester

Colchester Machine Tool Solutions (formerly 600 UK) has installed a range of manual lathes, mills, drills and saws into Coleg Cambria in Wales to meet the training needs of high-profile construction and aerospace employers in the region.

Nick Lyon, assistant principal at Coleg Cambria, says: “We’ve had a great relationship with 600 UK over many years and the equipment has always been high quality and, most importantly, my learners enjoy using the machines.”
The order comprised of 14 Harrison M300 lathes, six Clausing 3VS milling machines, three Clausing pillar drills and a Clausing bandsaw. One of the students at Coleg Cambria gave a general overview, saying: “I came to Coleg Cambria with no machining experience, but the machines are very easy to use. The dials and gauges are well marked and intuitive, and it makes the education process easier to understand how things work. You can easily switch from imperial to metric and this simplifies the learning process even further.”
For further information www.colchester.co.uk

Tornos secures orders at MACH 2018

MACH 2018, held at the Birmingham NEC last month, got off to a flier for Tornos with two verbal orders for the Swiss GT26 from day one being signed and confirmed on day two.

This was rapidly followed by an order for a CT20 with a number of additional enquiries turning into firm orders in the two weeks after the show.
With the SwissNano micro-turning solution and the robust GT32 on the stand, the diversity of turning solutions certainly appealed to show visitors. This was indicative of the orders received, with the heavy duty GT26 being chosen by a medical specialist for its ergonomic and modular configuration on a robust platform. The GT range also allows B-axis machining and the option of simultaneous five-axis machining. According to Tornos, the smaller, second-generation CT20 turning centre was selected for its ability to work with or without a guide bush, while offering more tools in counter spindle operations and the ability to run with a choice of mineral or soluble oil. Selected by a medical and scientific subcontractor, the CT20 has undoubtedly been a machine of interest since its launch.
The SwissNano machine that appeared on the stand is said to be unlike any other machine in the marketplace, and its ability to offer precision machining of turned parts below 4 mm impressed a number of MACH visitors.
Commenting upon the show, UK account manager David Dunn, says: “Winning orders and picking up leads at the show really demonstrates why the show is a ‘must-attend’ event for the industry. The lead generation from MACH is extremely diverse, with interest from a complete spectrum of industry sectors, geographical locations and application requirements.”
For further information www.tornos.com

Typhoon CNC turning centres unveiled

At last month’s MACH 2018 exhibition at the Birmingham NEC, Colchester Machine Tool Solutions (formerly 600 UK), launched its new range of Typhoon CNC turning centres. Both the linear and box-way Typhoon models were showcased at the event.

The latest Typhoon series introduces Colchester’s next generation in CNC turning, following on from the Tornado range. Colchester offers Typhoon models as a choice of either quick, low-friction linear (L series) or heavy-duty boxway (B series) turning centres. All are available with variations of two-axis, C-axis, sub-spindle and Y-axis functions in a range of bar capacities to suit all turning applications.
Typhoon CNC turning centres are fitted with the latest Fanuc Oi-TF control system with Manual Guide i, and are all manufactured with a one-piece cast-iron base featuring a 30° slant-bed design that gives a low centre of gravity and a better ergonomic design, maximising precision cutting, regardless of component complexity.
Typhoon models are available with numerous options for customers to get the best from any of their complex machine tool requirements.
Paul Rushworth, sales director of Colchester Machine Tool Solutions says: “We have looked long and hard at our next generation of turning centres and the Typhoon range gives us everything and more.”
For further information www.colchester.co.uk

Heptron going global with renewable energy systems

Heptron Manufacturing, a specialist in innovative flywheel-based energy storage systems, is looking to license its patented technology around the world, a move that had led to new investment in machine tools.

“We initially put machining out to subcontract, but as things developed, we were constantly facing delays in production, so the decision was taken to invest in our own machining capacity,” says managing director Gary Murphy. “An ex-colleague of ours is a service engineer with XYZ Machine Tools, so we talked to him and then got the area sales manager in for a chat. He sat us down, looked at what we needed and suggested a solution, the result being the arrival of an SLX 1630 ProTurn lathe and an XYZ 1000LR vertical machining centre.”
XYZ says that the SLX 1630 ProTurn lathe is proving a popular choice for those companies making the transition from manual to CNC turning. The machine makes use of the latest ProtoTrak SLX control system that ensures even one-off and small batches are produced with high efficiency.
The simplicity of the conversational programming means that even those with limited or no CNC experience can be producing complex components in a matter of hours of the machine being installed, says the company. Regarding the specification of the SLX 1630, a 400 mm swing over bed, 760 mm between centre distance and 54 mm spindle bore is combined with a 5.75 kW spindle offering a speed range of 150-2500 rpm, to create a versatile package for prototype and small batch production.
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com