The latest revision of the Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) – HNC in Mechanical Engineering for England has emphasised the need for educational institutions to collaborate with industry specialists. These partnerships ensure that students gain industry-relevant knowledge and practical skills aligned with real-world expectations. When Gateshead College began revising its quality control modules, finding the right partner became a critical step in shaping the future of its engineering curriculum.

Gateshead College faced the challenge of identifying a partner capable of delivering cutting-edge quality control solutions and hands-on training, while enhancing the overall learning experience for students. The ideal partner would not only supply state-of-the-art technology but also support the programme with industry expertise, ease of implementation and cost efficiency.

After evaluating several options, Gateshead College chose Aberlink. This decision was based on Aberlink’s reputation for delivering high-quality, easy-to-use CMMs and its commitment to supporting education. The college invested in two Aberlink systems: a Fulcrum manual CMM, designed for first- and second-year students to develop foundational skills; and an
Extol CNC CMM, allowing students to progress on to more advanced, automated measurement techniques later in their course. This two-tiered approach ensures that students gain a comprehensive understanding of quality control processes, preparing them for careers in engineering and manufacturing.

Aberlink also plays an active role in enhancing the educational experience by hosting tailored training sessions for students, both at Gateshead College’s modern engineering facility and at Aberlink’s office in South Shields. By sharing industry insights and expertise, our CMMs ensure the curriculum remains aligned with current and future engineering trends.

More information www.aberlink.com

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has launched the 2025 TubeInspect system, a non-contact optical quality inspection solution that delivers reliable measurement results in seconds and helps manufacturers streamline tube and wire workflows. Building on mature metrology device and software heritage, the next-generation solution integrates advanced optical measurement with effortless workflow automation, setting a new benchmark for production efficiency and a rapid return on investment (ROI). 

Outdated inspection methods using mechanical gauges and manual corrections not only slow production but also introduce inconsistencies that impact quality and cause waste in key sectors like e-mobility. Hexagon’s 2025 TubeInspect has been engineered to overcome these challenges, providing high-speed optical measurement, seamless process integration with Hexagon’s BendingStudio XT software, automated workflows, and easy and flexible deployment.

The 2025 TubeInspect is engineered to transform how tube and wire quality is managed on the shop floor, unlocking operational efficiencies in multiple industry applications from automotive exhaust and brake line inspection to the quality control of safety-critical aerospace and energy plant components. Manufacturers of electric and hybrid vehicle parts such as motor hairpins and busbars can deploy the turnkey system to ensure high-performance and precise production standards, helping to maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving market. 

“With 2025 TubeInspect, we’ve enhanced both the speed and accuracy of tube and wire manufacturing processes in any production environment, and integrated our BendingStudio XT software,” says Dr Christoph Dold, Hexagon’s senior product manager. “It doesn’t matter what bending machine you have – with our solution you can achieve perfect parts in just a few correction loops, delivering quality and productivity. We’re seeing rapid ROI for existing customers, and for those that are still struggling with more manual processes and generic quality inspection technologies, it can be transformational.” 

More information www.bit.ly/4kvpSBj

With a stand packed with the latest technology, visitors to Carfulan Group at Southern Manufacturing last month had the opportunity to see first-hand how its range of solutions can enhance efficiency, accuracy and productivity in manufacturing processes. The exhibition provided a platform for live demonstrations of multi-sensor metrology, tool presetting, 3D printing and shop-floor measurement solutions.

Among the highlights was the demonstration of OGP UK‘s CNC 200, a multi-sensor metrology system that can achieve rapid and precise part inspection. SYS Systems presented the latest advancements in Stratasys additive manufacturing, including the F370 CR 3D printer, and demonstrated how 3D printing is transforming production capabilities across various industries.

Meanwhile, Zoller UK‘s smile 420 tool presetter also drew attention, along with the zidCode 4.0 system for fast and reliable tool data transfer. ViciVision UK‘s M306 optical measuring system impressed attendees with its non-contact, high-speed measurement capabilities for turned parts, as well as the touch-screen Metrios shopfloor measurement device. Additionally, Prolink UK showcased its data control software packages, alongside its Discus auto-ballooning software. 

Lewis Hearne, Carfulan Group marketing manager, said: “Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2025 has been a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our full suite of advanced manufacturing solutions. We’ve engaged with businesses looking to elevate their production processes and the response has been incredibly positive. Seeing first-hand how our technology can make a tangible difference is what these events are all about.”

As manufacturing continues to evolve, Carfulan Group says it remains at the forefront, delivering solutions that empower businesses to achieve greater precision, efficiency and competitiveness.

More information www.carfulan.com

A UK manufacturer of bespoke bearings and one of the biggest stockholders and distributors of plain bearings and sintered parts in Europe, Abingdon-based Bowman International, has upgraded the process of inspecting its products with the purchase of a new Altera 10.7.5 CMM built by LK Metrology.

Standard, bought-in products at Bowman generally only need first article inspection before batch delivery to a customer, so the daily workload on the CMM is relatively light. Conversely, bespoke bearings produced in-house normally sees the company check five to ensure consistency. This single business area therefore consumes a significant proportion of CMM capacity. Sometimes, when carrying out capability studies, 25 to 50 components require measurement. In one exceptional case, a customer requested 100% inspection of 100 Oilite safety-critical, self-lubricating bronze bearings.

Unlike on the company’s previous CMM, which only deployed touch-trigger probes, a notable difference with the new LK inspection platform is its SP25M scanning probe in addition to a variety of conventional probes, all for deployment on a PH10M Plus motorised indexing head. To enable tactile scanning as well as data analysis and reporting, LK supplied its own CAMIO 2024 R1 multi-sensor software and three-axis scanning module interfaced to the company’s NMC300 controller.

Owen White, Bowman’s quality manager, says: “On one of our 20 mm diameter bearings, for example, we used to measure 12 points around the top and bottom of the ID. We now capture more than 100 points in a shorter time, which gives us a much better idea of not only the part’s accuracy but also the overall form of the bore.”

More information www.lkmetrology.com