Work-Holding Upgrade Doubles Productivity

At the Elland, West Yorkshire factory of Archway Engineering, which manufactures drilling equipment for site investigation, mineral exploration, water well construction and environmental monitoring, a Leadwell V-50L three-axis vertical machining centre performs some of the shop floor’s more arduous machining operations. Remarkably, the company has seen a doubling of component productivity on this machine simply by changing the method of workpiece clamping.

The transformation is courtesy of investment in three US-made Chick OneLOKs from sole UK agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories. One of the units remains permanently at one end of the machine’s 1420 x 610 mm table, where it has been clocked into a known position to within 10 µm across the 152 mm face of the clamp’s fixed hard jaw. The other two OneLOKs are removable to make room to mount a 4th-axis indexer, but they are quick to set up again relative to the permanently-positioned clamp by means of a parallel bar.

During frequent small-batch runs, it is a simple matter to secure three parts side by side, write a sub-program to machine the workpiece in the permanent One LOK, probe the position of the parts in the other two clamps, repeat the sub-program twice at the appropriate offsets, and run the complete cycle in one go.

Danielle Toner, production manager at Archway Engineering, says: “The quicker set-up times using the Chick OneLOKs and the faster machining cycles that their secure clamping allow means we can produce a typical short batch of parts on the Leadwell in two days, compared with up to one week previously.Overall, our investment in Chick work-holding solutions has been a fantastic success and the advice and service provided by 1st Machine Tool Accessories have been first class.”

More information www.1mta.com

Mazak hosts STEM Challenge final

Yamazaki Mazak hosted more than 80 Worcestershire primary school students from 46 schools last month as they put their design skills and ideas to the test in the Primary STEM Challenge final. The STEM Challenge is an initiative designed to engage primary school students in hands-on activities and projects that promote interest and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Organised by STEMworks UK, this year’s brief was developed in partnership with Worcestershire Highways and focused on improving crossings at busy roads for pedestrians and cyclists. 

More information www.mazakeu.co.uk 

Tube mill at Corby

A new steel tube-making machine is taking shape at Tata Steel’s Corby works as part of its site-wide £30m development programme. The tube mill, designed and built by Italian engineering company Mair Research, is already arriving in sections at the Northamptonshire site. Tata’s new ‘combination’ tube mill, which will replace an old cold-formed tube mill and 6-inch tube mill, is due for commissioning in October this year. It is the latest piece in the puzzle to transform Corby into a world-class and net-zero steel tube-making facility.

The site is already benefitting from a new integrated warehouse facility

More information www.tatasteeleurope.com

Renishaw supports SEND students

To help special educational needs and disability (SEND) students in Gloucestershire access equal employment opportunities and develop career skills, Renishaw recently assisted Gloucestershire Careers Hub with hosting interview days. Over 130 students from local SEND schools attended the two-day event, which involved job interview practice. Rebecca Bound, early careers STEM outreach manager at Renishaw, says: “By taking part in a range of activities, we hope to introduce SEND students to various opportunities in engineering and showcase how it’s possible to nurture their abilities in a work environment.”

More information www.renishaw.com/stem-outreach

First NMITE cohort enters workplace

The New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has reached a significant milestone with its first students entering the workplace. Among the first to complete one of NMITE’s innovative degrees are individuals who have secured impressive and prestigious positions in industry, showcasing the effectiveness of NMITE’s unique educational approach.

NMITE set out with a mission to revolutionise engineering education and took in its first students in September 2021. Located in Hereford, the institute offers forward-thinking integrated engineering degrees. NMITE’s curriculum is hands-on and project-based, ensuring students gain real-world experience from day one. 

More information www.nmite.ac.uk