UK NEWS

Automation System Suits High-Mix, Low-Volume Production

Mills CNC has introduced its T Series compact automation systems, providing machine tool customers with flexible, high-productivity solutions for low-volume, high-mix manufacturing and 24/7 unattended production.

Comprising the T5, T10 and T20, the systems can be integrated with one or more machine tools to create automated cells with different capacities to suit individual production requirements. Each features a six-axis industrial robot, with payload and reach capabilities, end-of-arm tooling and pneumatic or electronic grippers configurable to the application.

A servo-driven vertical lift system provides space-efficient storage, with the T5, T10 and T20 accommodating five, 10 or 20 vertically stacked, two-way bi-directional drawers respectively. Individual trays within each drawer feature configurable grid plates or sockets for storing raw billets and finished components.

An ergonomic load/unload station with a waist-height transfer hatch enables operators to load workpieces and remove finished parts quickly and safely, without interrupting automated operations. Guarding and safety systems, including a responsive light curtain, further protect operators.

At the heart of every T Series cell is Mills CNC’s proprietary SYNERGi V6 software, accessed through a 17-inch touchscreen HMI. The intuitive interface allows users to manage automation tasks with minimal training and supports rapid setup, production planning, scheduling and modification.

Multi-touch functionality and 3D visualisation simplify programming, while real-time monitoring provides an overview of cell operations. Remote assistance functionality can also alert operators when a production process is complete or has been interrupted.

Mills CNC’s chief technical officer Heath Redman says: “With up to 20 levels of vertical storage in a small footprint, T Series systems enable customers to replenish workpieces or safely remove finished parts without interrupting robot and machining operations. They can transform machine shop performance through continuous production.”

More information www.millscnc.co.uk

Automated Cell Produces Medical Parts From Tough Materials

Subcontract machining firm Kirkstall Precision has strengthened its capabilities for the medical sector with two Japanese-built Brother Speedio M200Xd1-5AX five-axis machining centres, automated by a Tezmaksan workpiece loading, unloading and storage system. UK agent Whitehouse Machine Tools installed the cell in two phases.

For seven years, Kirkstall has focused primarily on medical components. It also produces surgical instruments and implants for the veterinary sector. The company is achieving 15-20% year-on-year growth. The first Speedio was installed in stand-alone mode in mid-2025. It was selected for accuracy, versatility and compactness.

“Accuracy in the medical sector is a given,” says managing director Adam Thornton. “Everything has to be completely correct, so we inspect and report all dimensional tolerances. Opting for a top-quality machine tool like the Brother Speedio was an obvious decision for us.”

Approved to ISO 13485, Kirkstall mainly produces low-volume orthopaedic components from challenging materials including stainless steel, hardened stainless steel, titanium and tough alloys. The M200Xd1-5AX is suited to these applications, while its rotary torque table combines five-axis prismatic machining with turning on a single platform. Compared with larger production centres, the Brother reduces cycle times by 20%.

The first machine proved so successful that Kirkstall installed a second in April 2026 and automated both with a Tezmaksan CubeBOX Blues DR. The system incorporates a six-axis robot and five-level drawer storage, enabling lights-out production and increasing output by up to 50%.

RoboCAM software allows operators to convert 2D CAD drawings into robot instructions without specialist programming knowledge, while operators can load fresh material and unload finished parts as the robot tends both machines.

“Whitehouse Machine Tools has been a collaborative partner throughout,” concludes Thornton. “Investing in top-quality brands like the Brother cell really adds to our strategy.”

More information www.wmtcnc.com

Closing The Circularity Loop With Carbide Recycling

In the face of ever-increasing carbide prices, Walter GB Ltd is urging UK manufacturers to take advantage of its fully managed carbide recycling service. The recycling scheme transforms spent tooling into valuable raw materials while delivering measurable cost and sustainability benefits for customers. The Walter Recycling Service is built on the principle of true circularity. Upon the return of a worn cutter, 100% of the material is reintroduced into the production cycle to manufacture new tools, creating a closed-loop system that conserves finite raw materials, reduces carbon emissions and cuts administrative burden.

More information www.walter-tools.com/en-gb

Circulus Helps Pioneer Gigital Passport Technology

A Glasgow-based circular economy business has helped demonstrate how a new technology could make it easier for products to be repaired, reused and recycled. A six‑month trial led by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), in partnership with Glasgow-based Circulus, successfully tested the use of digital product passports (DPPs) within a real-world remanufacturing environment.

During the trial, NMIS worked closely with Circulus to map how information moves through the company’s operations and identify how product data could be captured and shared more effectively. To test the approach without affecting day-to-day operations, a replica of Circulus’s HIVE business management system was created, allowing the technology to be trialled in an environment that closely mirrored live operations.More information www.nmis.scot

PM Visits Alstom’s Litchurch Lane Factory in Derby

Alstom, a global specialist in smart and sustainable mobility, recently hosted Prime Minister Andy Burnham at its Litchurch Lane Works factory in Derby, where he announced the launch of new technical education routes. The PM met around 100 apprentices and graduates in Alstom’s National Training Academy, providing the backdrop for changes to the UK’s education system.

Litchurch Lane has built trains for 150 years. Without it, the UK would be the only G7 economy unable to design, engineer, build and test trains for its national railway network. Alstom’s £720m annual spend with almost 1300 British suppliers shows how rail procurement can be a core driver of reindustrialising Britain, supporting skills, jobs and economic growth across the country.

More information www.alstom.com