The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre has made a £2.3m investment in a new radial forge as it seeks to enhance the competitiveness of the UK manufacturing.   The AFRC has purchased a radial forge from Austrian machining company, GFM GmbH, which it describes as being the only machine of its kind available in the UK for R&D and demonstration purposes.   Senior manufacturing engineer at the AFRC, Dr Alastair Conway explained: “Having access to this machine could be a real step-change for ... Read more

Additive manufacturing has made an enormous difference to manufacturers. Almost all the world’s largest industrial organisations have invested heavily in the technology, with machine and equipment vendors. The cost has significantly dropped over the past five years, while additive’s capabilities and real-world use-cases have boomed.   When businesses were asked if they use any element of additive manufacturing or 3D printing, more than two-thirds (69%) said yes, and the range of benefits they derived from it is impressive.   The flexibility additive now brings was ... Read more

Organisations which have introduced advanced automation into their workplace are seeing revenue growth, job creation and greater employee satisfaction, according to a new global survey.   By 2018, almost half of companies (46) said they would need greater automation to handle the volume of tasks being generated. By 2020, nearly nine in 10 companies (86%) are expecting to hit breaking point. More than three-quarters (78%) said data from mobile devices and the Internet of Things was compounding the issue.   Intelligent automation – such as artificial ... Read more

Almost two-thirds (65%) of UK manufacturing business Invested in automation over the past 12 months, according to the latest Annual Manufacturing Report. The report also reveals the majority of those executives surveyed represent companies which are already undertaking a move to Industry 4.0 (23%) or were planning to do so (62%). More than half (51 %) of those investing in automation expect to redeploy existing staff to perform more profitable roles within the organisation.   Manufacturers are leading the way when it comes ... Read more

The new owners of the UK’s last aluminium smelter plan to make vehicle components on the site in a move that could create hundreds of jobs.  Companies created by GFG Alliance took over the running of the Lochaber Smelter near Fort William last year. The new project would involve the creation of a steel rolling mill and facilities for making components such alloy wheels.  It could add 600 jobs to the 170 already involved with the yard. The auto-components manufacturing plant forms ... Read more

MANUFACTURING   The newly appointed managing director of the Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology training hub has challenged employers to help him create a ‘Marches Engineering Powerhouse’.  Based in Bridgnorth (Shropshire), the 36,000 sqft Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMI) was unveiled in December 2016 and has the ambitious target of reaching and training 2,020 learners by 2020’.   Its managing director, Matt Snelson believes that Industry has to stop ‘cannibalising’ the skills pool and instead invest in developing the next-generation of engineers ... Read more