UK NEWS

First cohort graduates from AME

An initiative to develop industry-ready engineers has seen its first cohort of students graduate. The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), a joint collaboration between Coventry University and Unipart Manufacturing, held a special ceremony in the cathedral grounds to mark three years since its launch.

Seven graduates picked up their BEng degrees: Alicia Prior, Daniel Davey, Daryl Eastgate, Daryl Obe, David Mordi, Joe Howe and Nick Hugill. They have all secured employment, five of them for firms in the automotive, motorsport and metals sectors.
For further information www.ame.co.uk

Another record year for Hurco

Sales growth of more than 22% in 2017 compared with the previous 12 months propelled Hurco Europe to another record year and a turnover of £23m. The company sold close to 300 Hurco machining centres and lathes into the UK and Ireland, 38% of which went to first-time users of the company’s machine tools. In addition, under a long-standing agency agreement, the company delivered six German-built Roeders machining centres into the same markets, all but one in five-axis configuration and two with advanced automation.

In parallel with the upturn in business, the number of employees at Hurco Europe has grown to 50, more than a third of whom are service engineers. The number of applications engineers has increased to six, reflecting the level of support that is being provided to the firm’s expanding customer base. One explanation for the company’s growth is a 40% increase in the number of five-axis machining centres sold.
For further information www.hurco.co.uk

Vollmer grows UK team

Vollmer, the cutting tool and saw blade sharpening specialist, has expanded its UK team to enhance both the service and sales operations of the business.

The manufacturer of precision grinding and erosion machine tools has employed Shaun Hill as its latest addition to the service department, while longstanding service engineer Kieran Rosling has moved into the technical sales department. As a youthful engineer, Hill has hit the ground running with Vollmer technology and is already proving a welcome addition to the team.
For further information www.vollmer-group.com

Bandsaws prove to be a Mega success

Sheffield-based Special Quality Alloys is a specialist in forged products, bar and machined components made from nickel-based alloys, duplex, super duplex, stainless steels and carbon and alloy grades principally for the oil and gas, power generation, aerospace and general engineering industries around the world. The company holds approvals that include IS0 9001 and ISO 14001, as well as numerous end-user accreditations.

Part of the Special Steel Group, Special Quality Alloys was requested to produce a total of 35,000 bars that needed cutting to size from billets, forming part of a single individual project. The company had previously purchased a number of sawing machines from Prosaw, but this special rapid-sawing application was so intensive that three new saws were required in order to meet demand.
Firstly, Prosaw supplied a Mega BS330HAS heavy-duty automatic bandsaw, which has been fully employed cutting the billets seven days a week since installation. This machine has been followed by two further bandsaws from Prosaw, a Mega H-460A heavy-duty, automatic twin-column bandsaw and a second Mega 330HAS. All three saws are said to make fast work of cutting the high Rockwell hardness nickel steel billets.
Dean Matthews, operations director at Special Quality Alloys expressed his satisfaction with the service given to this project by Prosaw, as well as the performance of the bandsaws, stating: “These saws have proved themselves to be very reliable and capable in efficiently and accurately handling a very challenging material. Reliability reduces the frequency of any servicing that might be required, which in turn reduces both downtime and costs.” Editor’s note: MTI is printing this story to replace the Prosaw press release that appeared in the 20 November issue in error, which was a historical article not reflecting the current extensive in-house sawing capabilities of Special Quality Alloys.
For further information www.prosaw.co.uk

AMRC names latest tier 1 member

An additional company has been appointed as a tier 1 partner by the AMRC in Rotherham. The new member is Geo Kingsbury, whose managing director Richard Kingsbury now sits on the research centre’s board of directors. As a precursor to the appointment, Geo Kingsbury has donated an £800,000 Multigrind CB purchased from one of its German principals, Haas Schleifmaschinen, for which it acts as sole sales and service agent in the UK and Ireland.

The machine will extend the AMRC’s grinding capabilities, as it offers the flexibility of cylindrical, gear and thread grinding on a single platform.
For further information www.geokingsbury.com