New equipment at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) will put the UK at the forefront of future hybrid and electric propulsion. The AMRC is now home to an open-access rotor spin test capability, the first of its kind in the UK, for high-performance electrical machines and rotating machinery. 

The equipment’s arrival has been made possible by funding from UKRI’s Driving the Electric Revolution (DER) challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and secured by UK-based Driving the Electric Revolution Industrial Centres (DER-IC) manufacturing innovation network, to support the industry in developing the technology needed to reach net zero. 

Some £1.2m of this funding has been allocated to help establish a world-class spin testing capability to support the design, manufacture and validation of electrical machine rotors and other rotating components. The Schenck Centrio 100 test system, installed at the AMRC’s flagship Factory 2050 facility, part of the DER-IC network, will allow component-level testing at speed and elevated temperatures to simulate in-service conditions. 

Together with the other capabilities at the AMRC, it will enable the ability to manufacture, test and iterate design and processes for high-performance electrical machines and rotating machinery. Professor Mike Capaldi, chair of DER-IC says: “Due to the lack of a UK-based open-access facility for high-speed rotor spin testing and certification, UK manufacturers are often compelled to offshore essential testing such as product certification – facing long lead-times and limited availability. This reduces the overall access to testing during process and product development making advanced rotor testing rare despite the benefits and cost savings it could yield. The installation of this equipment is a significant milestone in our mission to grow UK manufacturing in PEMD to power net zero.”

More information www.der-ic.org.uk

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