May 2023
G-Code and conversational – Mazatrol does it all
Industrial machining computer numerical control (CNC) programming language has evolved through many iterations since its inception in the 1950s. Standardised in the early 1960s by the Electronic Industries Alliance as RS-247-D and now known as EIA/ISO machine programming – or G-code – it has become the foundational and most widely used protocol for precision control.
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Get the job done with ceramic abrasives from Grinding Techniques
Ceramic abrasives are one of the latest innovations in grain technology. This high-performing grain features very small fracture planes which allow each grain to constantly re-sharpen as is wears away, providing fast cutting action throughout its usable life. They provide the best longevity and highest cut rate of all abrasives.
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Aerospace in focus: Iscar
The aerospace industry is not only one of the largest consumers of cutting tools but also one of the most important driving factors for cutting tool development. The aerospace industry features continuous efforts aimed at improving aircraft component manufacturing efficiency, increasing flight safety, and reducing potential environmental damage.
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Renishaw celebrates 50 years
This year, global engineering technologies business, Renishaw, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The company, which was founded on 4 April 1973, will mark this significant milestone with a year of global activities including open house events at its largest sites, family days for employees and a ‘50 at 50′ charity initiative which will see £150 000 donated to 50 not-for-profit organisations in the 36 countries where it has offices.
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From scrap to raw material: State-supported Car2Car project develops technologies to improve recycling of end-of-life vehicles
Consortium of science and industry led by the BMW Group is laying the foundations for a circular economy in automotive manufacturing. Wanted: Innovative dismantling and intelligent sorting methods to boost the recovery rate for aluminium, steel, glass, copper and plastic.
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One million robots work in car industry worldwide – new record
Automotive industry is a front runner in automation. The automotive industry has the largest number of robots working in factories around the world: Operational stock hit a new record of about one million units. This represents about one third of the total number installed across all industries.
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E-cars: Particle accelerator proves that manufacturing is more sustainable with lasers with green wavelength
Fraunhofer expert Marc Hummel: “We have now been able to clearly prove for the first time that raw materials can be saved in the welding of high-performance electronics by using lasers with green wavelength.”
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Hoffmann Group to offer Iscar products throughout Europe
From 1 October 2023, the Hoffmann Group will offer the complete tool range of Iscar throughout Europe and supply it from its central warehouse LogisticCity in Nuremberg. The underlying agreement was signed by the Hoffmann SE representing the Hoffmann Group, and Iscar Ltd. in March 2023.
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Flexxbotics adds compatibility for Hurco, Siemens, Heidenhain
FlexxCNC enables machine shops to integrate Universal Robot cobots onto any machine in its shop. Flexxbotics has announced that it has expanded the functionality of its FlexxCNC cobot-to-CNC communications interface to include compatibility with Hurco, Siemens and Heidenhain controllers.
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Okuma to focus on innovation and sustainability in its 125th year
Japanese machine tool manufacturer Okuma is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and will mark the achievement in 2023 with a series of milestones and a focus on innovation and sustainability. The company said it will “continue to use its wealth of experience in the industry to exceed customer expectations” with even more sustainable and efficient solutions at the top of the agenda.
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Tesla is suing a large gas station operator for right to install charging stations
Tesla is suing Tank & Rast, a large gas station operator in Germany, for the right to install charging stations along the Autobahn. Tank & Rast is in a near monopoly position as it holds the concession for almost all Autobahn rest stops in Germany and their filling stations.
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March 2023
Additive Manufacturing: State-of-the-industry rundown
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has continued to mature over the nearly 35 years since being introduced commercially. The aerospace, automotive, defence, energy, transportation, medical, dental and consumer products industries are adopting AM for an impressively wide range of applications.
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Sandvik acquires PMT Premier Machine Tools Limited
Sandvik has acquired 95% of the shares in the Irish based company PMT Premier Machine Tools Limited (“PMT”), a well-established solutions provider to medical customers in Ireland, with full coverage of machines, tools and services. The company will be reported within Seco, a division within Sandvik Manufacturing and Machining Solutions.
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Rolls-Royce is making combustion engines green with hydrogen
Rolls-Royce has conducted successful tests of a 12-cylinder gas variant of the mtu Series 4000 L64 engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel. The tests, carried out by the Power Systems business unit, showed very good characteristics in terms of efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion.
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Ford announce plans to return to F1 from the 2026 season
Ford’s involvement in F1 stretches all the way back to the 1960s and the DFV (Double Four Valve) engine, built in partnership with British engineering firm Cosworth, which took 155 wins from 262 races between 1967 and 1985 (including several variant designs).
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The world of laser technology plays a starring role at Lamiera 2023: Over 40 companies will exhibit
Exhibition space likely to be sold out with 300 exhibitors. A little more than two months are left before the opening of Lamiera, the international trade show centred on sheet metal forming and sheet metal cutting machines and related technologies, scheduled to take place at fieramilano Rho from 10 to 13 May 2023.
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German machine tool industry expecting growth in production in 2023
Manufacturers cautiously optimistic, noting increased effort required in training and development. The VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) is expecting production in the machine tool industry to grow by 9% this year to a volume of EUR 15.5 billion. In nominal terms, this is only 10% below the record result of 2018.
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Nidec completes the acquisition of the shares of Italian machine tool manufacturer Pama and its affiliates
Japanese machine tool manufacturer Nidec Corporation has announced today that it has completed the acquisition of all the shares of Pama S.p.A on February 1, 2023. Accordingly, Pama will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.
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World first, multi-million manufacturing facility opens at the University of Nottingham
The state-of-the-art Omnifactory, a concept factory where different digital technologies are implemented to improve traditional manufacturing practices, was officially opened on Wednesday 1 March 2023 by Brian Holliday, managing director at Siemens Digital Industries and co-Chair of the Made Smarter Commission, with a keynote contribution from George Freeman MP, Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation.
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Studer hosts Motion Meeting Expedition 2023
In his welcoming address at the event’s press conference, CEO Jens Bleher spoke about the company’s roots. “Since then, the pioneer in cylindrical grinding has presented countless technological innovations, a long tradition that is our obligation for the future. After a remarkable final spurt at the end of the year, Studer started 2023 in full momentum, with a large order backlog.”
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China overtakes the United States in robot density
China’s massive investment in industrial robotics has put the country in the top ranking of robot density, surpassing the United States for the first time. The number of operational industrial robots relative to the number of workers hit 322 units per 10 000 employees in the manufacturing industry.
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Unconnected factories face risk as new strategies take hold
Check out this report on how manufacturers in the metals, automotive, rubber and plastics industries can use these smart technologies to gain a market advantage before their competition does. The fourth industrial revolution has begun and businesses need to be ready.
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January 2023
At the parting of the ways: Iscar
Back in the seventies, Iscar introduced Self-Grip, the brand name of the original blockbuster parting tool design concept. According to the design concept of the Self-Grip tool (Fig. 1), a pressed carbide insert was clamped into a tool blade using the blade’s elastic forces without the need for mechanical securing elements. At that time, other manufacturers also attempted to clamp inserts into a parting tool using the same principle.
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The clock is running out on JIT
Supply chain issues have become fixtures in our daily lives. As the pandemic shut down factories, closed ports, and re-routed shipments across the globe, businesses have struggled to meet expectations for rapid product delivery. In response, companies have increased their focus on building more flexible and resilient supply chains. This is true for companies that have relied on just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing.
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Trumpf expands opportunities in medical, aerospace and automated engineering
Trumpf has announced a number of developments to its metal Additive Manufacturing machines intended to create further opportunities in the medical, aerospace and automated engineering sectors. Key changes include the addition of a multi-plate function on the TruPrint 1000, enabling the machine to be used for series production and the expansion of its powder alloys selection.
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Bentley Motors is 3D printing solid gold components for its Mulliner Batur
The 18ct yellow gold parts, including a number of touch points across the dashboard, controls and steering wheel, will feature on just 18 exclusive examples of the car, which has been described as the fastest Bentley to date. All 18 vehicles have already sold to customers for 1.65 million GBP (excluding taxes and options).
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Hexagon invests $100 million in Divergent’s autonomous and sustainable manufacturing
Sweden’s Hexagon AB, a global provider of digital reality solutions combining sensor, software and autonomous technologies, has announced a US$100 million investment in Divergent Technologies Inc., Torrance, California, USA, a developer of Additive Manufacturing technology for the automotive industry.
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November 2022
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Looking for the optimum tool: Iscar
How can we define the manufacturer’s expectations from cutting tool producers? Cutting tool producers are expected to provide optimal cutting tool solutions for a given application. So, how is an optimal cutting tool defined for a specific application? It is obvious that standards must be set to achieve a formidable solution.
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Pferd Abrasives – Innovative solutions for process optimisation
Pferd is an industry leader in the development, production, support and distribution of premium tool solutions for work on surfaces including cutting, grinding, milling, polishing, cleaning and finishing. As a major player in the abrasive industry within South Africa and on the African continent, Pferd is committed to continuous research and development to improve the quality, safety and ergonomics of its high-performance abrasives.
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Babcock awarded a five-year contract to supply high-pressure boiler tubing to a power station
Babcock has been awarded a five-year contract to supply high-pressure boiler tubing to a power station as part of future planned maintenance that will be undertaken at the station. To the layperson, tubing may not be the first thing that comes to mind as an essential part of the thermal power generation process. However, it is the critical component of steam generation plants that rely on steam boilers made up of hundreds of kilometres of tubing to ultimately create power.
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Gibela gearing up to become the world’s fastest train-maker
Gibela produced a staggering six train sets in August and another six in September, the most it has produced since the start of its production in 2018, crowning it one of the fastest locomotive manufacturers in the world. In the past three years, the company has ramped up production, from one train set every two months to producing six train sets in a month, each with unprecedented levels of quality, safety, comfort, speed and reliability.
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Damen Shipyards Cape Town celebrates blessing ceremony for second MMIPV
Blessing ceremony held at Damen Shipyards Cape Town for the second of three Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels. During the event, the vessel was blessed and a bottle of champagne was broken over the bow as is the custom. The South African flag was raised on the vessel and she was cheered by her crew.
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World Robotics Report: All-time high with half a million robots installed in one year
The new World Robotics report published by the International Federation of Robotics, shows an all-time high of 517 385 new industrial robots installed in 2021 in factories around the world. This represents a growth rate of 31% year-on-year and exceeds the pre-pandemic record of robot installation in 2018 by 22%. Today, the stock of operational robots around the globe hits a new record of about 3.5 million units.
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Nikon to acquire SLM Solutions
SLM Solutions Group AG and Nikon Corporation have entered into an Investment Agreement in relation to a voluntary public takeover offer that Nikon intends to launch for all outstanding shares of SLM at a cash consideration of EUR20 per share in a deal worth EUR622 million. SLM Solutions is an integrated solutions provider and metal additive manufacturing partner.
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Taiwan machine tool manufacturers fear pessimistic market
TIMTOS 2023 will take place from 6 to 11 March 2023. At the recent Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders’ Association general member meeting held in October 2022 leading machine tool supplier Hiwin Group’s President Cho Yung-tsai pointed out that although the market demand in mainland China has slowed down recently, the orders received in Europe, America, Japan and other regions all showed considerable growth.
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IMS Software, ModuleWorks, Mastercam collaborate on G-Code simulation
IMS Software, ModuleWorks and Mastercam have collaborated on the development of IMSce for Mastercam. The software solution extends the Mastercam machine simulation with G-code parsing and verification for diverse machine tools and controllers. IMSce for Mastercam combines IMS G-code emulation with the ModuleWorks simulation and post processing technology to provide a G-code parsing solution.
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Fraunhofer IWS develops laser-based surface cleaning process
The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (IWS) in Dresden, Germany, has developed LIGHTblast technology, a laser-based surface cleaning process that serves as an alternative to sand blasting. This technology now is being transferred to the semiconductor manufacturing and automotive supply industries.
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September 2022
Grinding Techniques delivers on wheel shape grinding media since 1981
The precision grinding industry is a vast and complex environment, that demands premium grinding media to deliver optimum performance and results. With a range of different applications that require unique and specific results, several wheel shape derivatives are available.
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Mastered holemaking: Iscar
Iscar’s invention of the Multi-Master tool line has had a significant impact on the world of cutting tools at the turn of the last century. The three-pronged principle of the Multi-Master family was based on the face contact between a carbide head and tool, centring the head by use of a short taper, and securing the head in the tool body by use of a threaded connection.
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Paramount Group launches Marauder Mark 2 armoured vehicle
Latest advancements to one of the world’s most unstoppable vehicle’s include updated driver ergonomics systems, universal hull adaptability and increased speed of production. In a move that will set a new benchmark in the global armoured vehicle market, Paramount Group, the global aerospace and technology business, has launched its Marauder Mark 2.
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Toyota resumes production at its Durban plant
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has announced that its Prospecton Plant in Durban has resumed operations after production was halted due to damages caused by floods in the facility. The announcement was made at a “reopening ceremony” attended by members of the media, TSAM top brass as well as the newly elected Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
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Cobot increases efficiency in tool wear measurement
At the Institute for Machine Tools (IfW) at the University of Stuttgart, a Compact Cobot relieves employees of the task of measuring tool wear. The system consists of a UR10e from Universal Robots and an optical 3D measuring sensor from Bruker Alicona. It enables measurements directly in the machine tool, eliminating the need to clamp and unclamp the tool.
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Ford’s high-resolution headlights provide a new kind of augmented reality
Ford’s new augmented reality high-resolution headlight technology is demonstrating its ability to project information for drivers directly onto the road ahead. The lights can show symbols for highway signs and driving conditions without drawing the driver’s eyes from the road.
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German machine tool builders’ orders rise
Year-over-year demand has improved during the first half of 2022, but sales and deliveries confirm that one of the world’s largest sources of machine tools is caught in the uncertainty of supply-chain gaps, inflation, and global tension. German manufacturers reported that new orders for machine tools increased 24% year-over-year during the second quarter of 2022, and 34% year-over-year for the first six months of 2022.
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Titanium 3D printing from Trumpf improves bicycle manufacturing
Manufacturer Trumpf has produced lightweight and stable components for mountain bikes that can be manufactured cost-effectively using its metal 3D printing technology. The 3D printed parts include high-performance brake callipers with an integrated cooling structure, as well as brake levers and pedals.
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BMW and Toyota partner on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
BMW and Toyota’s long-term partnership will soon result in the pair’s first jointly-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The plan is to launch them as soon as 2025. BMW already has a hydrogen-powered X5 concept in the pipeline with plans to start small-scale production this year. This isn’t the first time the pair have teamed up. You might’ve heard of the BMW Z4 or the Toyota Supra.
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Stratasys’ acquisition of Covestro Additive Manufacturing shakes up the 3D printing materials market
The 3D printing materials market, forecast by IDTechEx to hit US$29.5 billion by 2033, was once dominated by printer manufacturers. These printer manufacturers, utilising proprietary materials on their printers, were the main source of 3D printing materials for end-users.
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Divergent Technologies additively manufactures rear subframe for Aston Martin DBR22 design concept vehicle
Aston Martin has unveiled its spectacular DBR22: A V12-engined two-seater coach-built design concept, celebrating the marque’s extraordinary bloodline of open-cockpit sports racers. The creation of the DBR22 design concept is the latest in a long line of projects expertly handled by in-house bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin.
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Renishaw additive manufacturing used for British Cycling Team at Commonwealth Games
Renishaw has used its expertise in additive manufacturing to contribute metal parts to the new track bike for the Great British Cycling Team (GBCT). The team raced in Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games, where a total of 30 medals were won by the home nations.
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Hexagon and Esab to help manufacturers optimise robotic welding processes
Renishaw has used its expertise in additive manufacturing to contribute metal parts to the new track bike for the Great British Cycling Team (GBCT). The team raced in Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games, where a total of 30 medals were won by the home nations.
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July 2022
Tool craft for aircraft
In machining aerospace components, the main challenges relate to component materials. Titanium, high-temperature superalloys (HTSA), and creep-resisting steel are difficult to cut and machining is a real bottleneck in the whole aircraft supply chain. Poor machinability of these materials results in low cutting speeds, which significantly reduces productivity and shortens tool life. Both these factors are directly connected with cutting tools.
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MSG Systems appointed as ABB value provider
South African machine builder and systems integrator MSG Systems has officially been appointed as a value provider for ABB Robotic Systems. The ABB value provider programme is a global channel partner programme for system integrators. Authorised members of the programme are called ABB value providers.
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Prasa awards General-Overhaul contract to maintain train-sets to five contractors
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has announced the awarding of the five-year General-Overhaul contract that will now allow for the heavy maintenance and repairs of train-sets which will help clear the backlog. “Under the General Overhaul programme, about 380 to 400 coaches will undergo heavy maintenance and rehabilitation work every year for the next five years,” the Prasa statement said recently.
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UK High Commission announces electric vehicle skills investment in South Africa
The UK has announced R3.7 million (£190 000) in funding for new skills development across South Africa for jobs in the fast-growing electric vehicle sector. The UK High Commission said the new support will fund research to ensure South African students are developing the highly sought-after skills in the electric vehicle sector, as well as new online training content and support for lecturers.
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Renishaw announces investment of over £50 million for UK manufacturing site
Global engineering company, Renishaw, is to invest over £50 million at its Miskin site in South Wales to increase manufacturing capacity and to help meet its net zero emissions targets. This will see 37 000m² of additional low carbon buildings created at the 193-acre site to the west of Cardiff, consisting of two new production halls and an employee welfare facility.
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Manufacturers urged to bolster inventories as supply chain disruption mounts
Manufacturers across a variety of sectors are being urged to consider fattening their inventories as quickly as possible in order to mitigate a prolonged disruption to global supply chains. The advice comes from supply chain risk and performance management specialist, Achilles, whose latest report on the resilience of global supply chains, indicates high risks are evident across almost all sectors and geographies.
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BMW reports success in metal 3D printing in standard production of cars
A project consortium funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and led by the BMW Group was launched three years ago, with small and mid-sized enterprises, large companies and research institutes. The common goal was to revolutionise metal 3D printing in standard production of cars.
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Grob and United Grinding Group enter the AM market
German machine tool manufacturer Grob has entered the additive manufacturing (AM) market after launching the GMP300, which it says provides its customers with a production system for the manufacturing of near-net-shape components. The new Liquid Metal Printing (LMP) system premiered with its first-time presentation at the Grob in-house exhibition in April 2022, where it was announced the move into the fast-growing sector.
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May 2022
Distributed artificial intelligence in metalworking
From homicidal supercomputer Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey to The Terminator’s Skynet, artificial intelligence (AI) hasn’t always had the best representation in popular culture. In industry, however, AI and machine learning technologies have become widely adopted as a way to optimise processes. Here, Nevzat Ertan, Global Manager for Digital Machining Architecture at Sandvik Coromant examines the future of AI and distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) in metalworking.
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Grinding Techniques offers surface grinding expertise
Surface grinding is an abrasive grinding process that makes use of various grinding media to grind either metallic or non-metallic workpieces to achieve a perfectly flat or parallel surface with a specific surface finish. Types of grinding media used for this application, include grinding wheels, cup stones, and segments.
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The philosophy of technology: Substitutive or Additive?
With the advancement in 3D printing technologies and the considerable progress in 3D printing materials, additive manufacturing has become a complete hi-tech method for producing various parts. The introduction of 3D printing in prototype production has substantially improved product development.
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Mazak to open a brand-new European Technology Centre in Milan, Italy
Established more than a century ago in Japan, Mazak is a gold standard in the industry when it comes to cutting equipment. Buying a machine from the Japanese manufacturer means relying on the most innovative and advanced technology delivered by customer-oriented experts.
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Chiron enhance automation offering with acquisition of Greidenweis Maschinenbau
The Chiron Group SE has acquired Greidenweis Maschinenbau, a specialist in automation systems for the automotive industry. As a result, the Chiron Group portfolio will now be offered with more automotive assembly and automation systems than ever before.
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LK Metrology and Wenzel Technologies enter into a strategic partnership
LK Metrology and Wenzel Technologies have entered into a strategic partnership with immediate effect. In addition to a joint technological cooperation, Wenzel Technologies will sell LK’s innovative, high-performance coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and other metrological products in southern Germany.
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DMG MORI achieves record figures in 1st quarter
Chairman of the Executive Board Christian Thönes: “We had an excellent start to the year and even achieved new record figures for order intake, EBIT, EBIT margin and free cash flow in the first quarter. The current financial year again presents us with major challenges. The war in Ukraine, the lockdown in parts of China, global supply and material shortages, high raw material and energy costs.”
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Hoffmann Group and Haimer partner for end mills and tool presetters
Hoffmann will distribute selected product lines such as the Haimer Mill as a manufacturer’s brand and will count on Haimer’s Safe-Lock pull-out protection and the modular milling head system Duo-Lock. Recently, both companies signed a corresponding license agreement.
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Wind meets wall
The Norwegian company Wind Catching Systems is literally putting up a wall against the trend of ever-larger rotors on wind turbines, a “wall” as tall as the Eiffel Tower with 126 small 1-MW turbines intended to supply enough offshore electric power for 80 000 households.
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Hexagon acquires Innovatia Accelerator
For an industrial organisation to truly automate the full scope of its operations, from processes and equipment to worker performance, the operational content and procedures of its assets must be digital and connected. Innovatia Accelerator’s flagship solution, AcceleratorKMS, is an AI-based infield knowledge management platform that expedites the digital transformation of paper-based, high-risk operational procedures and work processes.
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BMW Group acquires stake in process automation and digital twin enabler
The BMW Group has acquired a stake in its partner Kinexon. The two companies have been working together for several years in order to advance the comprehensive digitalisation of the BMW Group production network. The premium carmaker announced that it has now acquired a minority stake in the innovative, Munich-based software company.
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Germany and China dominate global machinery exports
At least one in three machines from China is likely to come from companies with foreign participation. The strong economic recovery in key sales markets gave a major boost to machinery exports from Germany in 2021. However, it was not enough to recapture the title of world export champion, with Chinese competitors further extending their lead.
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Wire & Tube 2022 preparations in full swing
Düsseldorf, Germany 20 To 24 June 2022. As the No.1 international trade fairs for their industries, Wire & Tube have global appeal and require particularly long lead times. Traditionally, two thirds of all exhibiting companies travel to Düsseldorf from abroad every two years. Trade visitors from over 80 countries meet at the Düsseldorf Fairgrounds at peak times.
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March 2022
Ford releases open-source CAD files for 3D printing truck accessories
Car manufacturer Ford has officially released a set of CAD files enabling customers to 3D print their own accessories for their Maverick pickup truck. The files are for the pickup’s Ford Integrated Tether System (FITS) which is a series of slots at the rear of the centre console and the under-seat storage bins that can be customised with a wide variety of accessories, such as cup holders and phone mounts.
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Why a Chinese city’s lockdown triggered a surge in aluminium prices
Why did the outbreak in Baise spark fears around the world about the key metal? Located near the border with Vietnam, Baise is nicknamed the ‘aluminium capital of southern China’. Home to around 3.5 million people, Baise is a hub for aluminium mining and production. It produces about 2.2 million tons of the commodity per year – more than 80 per cent of the output in the resource-rich Guangxi region.
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Hexagon acquires ETQ quality management system software platform
Hexagon AB, a global leader in digital reality solutions combining sensor, software and autonomous technologies, has announced the acquisition of ETQ, a leading provider of SaaS-based QMS (quality management system), EHS (environment, health and safety) and compliance management software. Customers have long relied on ETQ’s future-ready, truly multi-tenant QMS solution, ETQ Reliance.
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How big data makes production precise and sustainable at Audi
What is the recipe for an efficient production, from all points of view? Measuring every single vehicle body and a careful analysis of enormous amounts of data. This is the strategy developed by the Audi Production Lab for the body shop in Ingolstadt. For every Audi that leaves the production line, the vehicle body gap dimensions are perfectly uniform. This can largely be attributed to the work of engineer Ralf Hofmeister and his colleagues Dirk Zitterell and Rudolf Reinhard from the Audi Production Lab.
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German machine tool industry recovers and surges ahead for 2022
Orders received by the German machine tool industry in the fourth quarter of 2021 were 51 per cent up on the previous year’s figure. Orders from Germany rose by 62 per cent. Foreign orders were 46 per cent higher than in the previous year. In 2021 as a whole, the level of orders received by German manufacturers rose by 58 per cent. Domestic orders were 51 per cent higher than in the previous year, foreign orders 62 per cent.
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Top five robot trends in 2022. The International Federation Of Robotics reports
The operational stock of industrial robots hit a new record of about 3 million units worldwide – increasing by 13% on average each year (2015-2020). The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) analyses the top five trends shaping robotics and automation around the globe. “Transformation for robotic automation is picking up speed across traditional and new industries,” said Milton Guerry, president of the IFR.
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Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG changes name to Trumpf SE + Co. KG
Celebrates 50th anniversary of being in the laser industry. Trumpf has announced that it is changing the legal form of the holding managing company. From now on Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG will operate under the name Trumpf SE + Co. KG. The previous shareholder structure will remain in place even after the change in legal form. Trumpf continues to be a company owned by the Leibinger family.
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Open Mind acquires majority stake in MES manufacturer Hummingbird
Open Mind Technologies AG and Hummingbird Systems GmbH have been cooperating since 2020. Now, the hyperMILL® CAD/CAM suite manufacturer has acquired 51 per cent of the MES manufacturer. With this move, Open Mind expands its portfolio of networked, digitised manufacturing solutions. Even before acquiring Hummingbird, the CAD/CAM system had already been seamlessly integrated into the manufacturing execution system.
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January 2022
To hold effectively
Toolholders were designed for mounting cutting tools reliably. They also facilitate the torque transmission from a machine spindle to a rotating tool. It has been a long time since we have heard of any significant changes in toolholding, which may suggest we are behind in innovation. Indeed, well-established tool clamping principles, the need for wide interchangeability and unification, and normalised designs of machine tool adaptations have resulted in well-defined standards.
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3D printing eyes the future of prosthetics
Researchers at Fraunhofer Technology have made breakthroughs in 3D printing prosthetic eyes and have supplied their 3D printed eye to the first patient. Fraunhofer researchers have developed several new technologies that improve the current manual production of individual prosthetic devices. The technology utilises software called Cuttlefish:Eye that can create a 3D scan of the eye socket along with a colour-calibrated photo of the healthy eye to create a 3D replica.
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Sandvik Coromant acquires ICAM and Dimensional Control Systems
Sandvik Coromant has signed an agreement to acquire Canada-based ICAM Technologies Corporation, a provider of solutions that translate CAM data into optimised coding for CNC machining operations. ICAM reportedly sells to globally renowned companies in the aerospace, defence, general engineering and automotive industries. The company will report to Sandvik Coromant, a division within Sandvik Manufacturing and Machining Solutions.
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Robot density nearly doubles globally in five years
Japan is the world’s predominant industrial robot manufacturer. The use of industrial robots in factories around the world is accelerating at a high rate: 126 robots per 10 000 employees is the new average of global robot density in the manufacturing industries – nearly double the number five years ago (2015: 66 units). This is according to the 2021 World Robot Statistics, issued by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
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VDM appoints new Chairman
Franz-Xaver Bernhard has been unanimously elected the new chairman by the executive board of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) and the Machine Tool and Manufacturing Systems Association within the VDMA, Frankfurt am Main, at its autumn meeting. In accordance with the VDW bylaws, he will succeed Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Prokop from 1 January 2022, who will step down from his position at the end of his second term of office after six years.
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3D Systems predicts AM will transform manufacturing workflows and supply chains in 2022
Throughout 2021, 3D Systems reported it witnessed the increasing adoption of Additive Manufacturing solutions, as organisations explored its suitability for a broader range of uses. This included industrial applications such as exotic machine components for rocketry, automobiles, and semiconductor capital equipment, as well as in healthcare for patient-specific medical devices and tools that can elevate the patient experience.
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November 2021
Super effectiveness is required for machining superalloys
Superalloys – metal alloys, which reflect their complex alloyed structure, have become one of the main engineering materials for a long time. They feature extremely high elevated temperature strength, and therefore often are referred to as high-temperature superalloys (HTSA) or heat-resistant superalloys (HRSA).
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EMO Milano 2021 declared a success with over 60 000 visitors from 91 countries visiting the exhibition
Promoted by CECIMO, the European Association of Machine Tool Industries, and organised by the operational structures of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the Italian machine tools, robots and automation systems Manufacturers’ Association, EMO Milano 2021 registered more than 60 000 visitors coming from 91 countries.
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Nissan unveils Intelligent Factory
Nissan has unveiled a production line at its Tochigi Plant, Japan featuring the Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative. This unique initiative supports the manufacture of next-generation vehicles using innovative technologies and contributes to the realisation of carbon neutrality. Nissan also announced a roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 at its production plants around the world.
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United Grinding partners with Titans of CNC for manufacturing education
United Grinding has partnered with Titans of CNC, the well-known global manufacturing education provider, to support specialised education for precision grinding in the manufacturing industry. The partnership includes the development of a grinding academy, designed to teach individuals new to the industry the basics of grinding in an easily digestible, digital format.
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Jaguar Land Rover brings toolmaking in-house with £1.7 million move
Jaguar Land Rover has started manufacturing its own press tools in-house for the first time following a £1.7 million investment at its Halewood plant. The company previously outsourced the production of its press tools. The company says this new move will allow it to drive efficiency and quality, as well as give employees the opportunity to learn new skills while building and operating these tools.
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Robot orders increase 67% in Q2 2021 over same period in 2020
Robot orders in the second quarter of 2021 were up 67% over the same period in 2020, showing a return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic demand for automation as manufacturers and other North American companies return to business. According to the Association for Advancing Automation, North American companies ordered 9 853 robots valued at $501 million in Q2 2021, up from 5 196 sold in Q2 2020, the peak of the pandemic.
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Wohlers Associates publishes report on post-processing of AM and 3D printed parts
The publication details many time consuming and often expensive steps in post-processing parts made by additive manufacturing (AM). Examples include support material removal, the finishing of surfaces, colouring and coating and heat treatment. Organisations involved with AM have vast amounts of post-processing knowledge and experience, yet little systematic documentation is available.
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Nidec buys Mitsubishi machine tool business and expertise
With the recent acquisition of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool, Nidec Corporation has added the company’s ability to design, manufacture, and sell machine tools, cutting tools, and related products to its already impressive portfolio. The Japanese motors and drives manufacturer Nidec has acquired the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool company, which designs and manufactures machine tools, cutting tools and related products.
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UMATI demonstrate global machine tool data connectivity at EMO Milan
At the EMO Milano 2021 exhibition umati connected more than 50 machines from all over the world, almost half of them remotely using the updated umati dashboard. Connected via the standardised OPC UA for Machine Tools interface the presentation was part of an international programme which the VDW staged to promote the world language of production.
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September 2021
BIEMH will come back stronger from 13th to 17th June 2022
Within a context of dynamism and the first signs of recovery, BIEMH-International Machine-Tool Biennial Exhibition is getting ready to return to Bilbao Exhibition Centre from 13th to 17th June 2022 with its usual essence, but reinforced. The event is an international benchmark and one of the leading industrial meetings in Europe.
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Fanuc produces 750 000th robot
Fanuc Corporation, one of the world’s most prominent suppliers of automation technology, continues to expand its market-leading position with the production of its 750 000th industrial robot, which is more than any other manufacturer in this segment. At present, Fanuc produces around 8 000 industrial robots every month at its factories in Japan, although monthly capacity is available up to 11 000 units.
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Aeva and Nikon to bring 4D LiDAR to metrology markets
Aeva, a leader in next-generation sensing and perception systems, has announced a strategic collaboration with Nikon Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of metrology and inspection equipment for the industrial automation and metrology markets. The companies will focus on bringing Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR with unique micron-level measurement capability.
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Beneficial modularity
Modular systems have succeeded in finding their way into the lives of many people, from LEGO construction toys to IKEA’s modular furniture. In metalworking, typical examples of these systems are unit-built machines and modular fixtures. As for cutting tools, modular structures have proven their efficiency in this area as well, and various tool manufacturers have developed their own modular products.
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South Africa’s trade surplus swells to R57 billion thanks to commodities boom
June’s trade surplus expanded to R57 billion from about R54 billion recorded in May, data from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) show. The trade balance exceeds market expectations, with the Bureau of Economic Research’s consensus for a surplus of R55 billion, while Investec expected a surplus of R48.6 billion.
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NewCo acquires Consolidated Steel Industries Proprietary Limited (CSI)
The Competition Commission has conditionally approved the proposed merger whereby NewCo intends to acquire CSI. NewCo is a private company and is wholly owned by Rockwood Private Equity Proprietary Limited (Rockwood). The shares in Rockwood are held by four individuals. Neither NewCo nor Rockwood have any shareholding by historically disadvantaged persons (HDIs), nor do they have other BEE credentials.
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Twiga unveils new armoured personnel carrier
After creating the Mamba-based Nyoka armoured personnel carrier (APC) and 82mm Mortar and R107 Rocket Weapon Platforms (WPs), Twiga Services and Logistics has launched the larger Nyati APC, which is now in production. Twiga says the Nyati is a well-protected 4×4 that uses modern main components while keeping unit costs low.
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Automotive vehicle production more than doubles, but exports not keeping up
The automotive industry is facing supply chain challenges due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as “fragile” consumer confidence affecting passenger car and bakkie sales. Automotive business council Naamsa recently issued the second-quarter review of business conditions for the motor vehicle manufacturing industry.
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Lack of raw materials, rising transport costs and recruitment worries set to stall SME manufacturing recovery warns latest barometer
The Manufacturing Barometer, which is run by SWMAS (South West Manufacturing Advisory Service) and supported by the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), reveals that nearly all of the 260 respondents (96%) are struggling with price changes within their supply chain.
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Hardinge acquires J.G. Weisser GmbH & Co
Premium German machine manufacturer and solution provider adds to Hardinge’s portfolio of precision machining products. Hardinge and J.G. Weisser GmbH & Co. KG (“Weisser”), have entered into a definitive agreement under which Hardinge will acquire Weisser, enhancing Hardinge’s turning and milling platform with an attractive portfolio of products and technologies.
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July 2021
Growing AM industry shows its true mettle in COVID-19 pandemic
When supply chains were severely disrupted in the early days of the pandemic, AM providers stepped in, demonstrating the responsiveness and value of the technology. Over the past decade, additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has continued to grow and solidify its place within private industry, academia, and government.
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Stainless competence
Stainless steel has long been one of the main engineering materials. Products made of stainless steel are common everywhere – in turbomachinery, cookware, aerospace engineering, surgery, oil and gas and in the food industries. Such a wide use of stainless steel is explained by the most important property of this material – its resistance to corrosion.
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Volvo Cars is first car maker to explore fossil-free steel with SSAB
Volvo Cars is teaming up with Swedish steel maker SSAB to jointly explore the development of fossil-free, high-quality steel for use in the automotive industry. The collaboration makes Volvo Cars the first car maker to work with SSAB and its HYBRIT initiative, the steel industry’s most ambitious and advanced projects in fossil-free steel development.
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BMW unveils new tungsten recycling programme, 60% CO2 emissions cut
The BMW Group is making raw materials considered to be so-called conflict minerals a special focus of its sustainability strategy. This includes ores where mining or trading is often associated with violations of environmental and social standards. Tungsten is an example of this. Once considered an irritating by-product of tin mining, since it “ate up” the tin ore, it took a few hundred years for carbide’s unique properties to be recognised.
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Bystronic AG starts trading on the Swiss stock exchange
Bystronic AG started trading on the Swiss Stock Exchange from 3 May in what it said was a historic day for the company. At the Annual General Meeting on 21 April, shareholders approved the change of name from Conzzeta AG to Bystronic AG and it trade under the name BYS. The change of name is the result of the strategic transformation focusing on the sheet metal processing segment (Bystronic) and the divestment of all other business operations announced by Conzzeta in late 2019.
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Hainbuch acquires Vischer & Bolli Automation
Hainbuch has acquired Lindau-based Vischer & Bolli Automation expanding its range of workpiece clamping devices in the stationary field. By acquiring the German manufacturer of high-precision workpiece clamping equipment, the company said it has not only expanded its expertise in the field of automation, but now offers an even wider range of stationary workpiece clamping devices including the zero-point clamping system for a quick change-over for 5-axis clamping.
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Digital platform launches first service to compare prices on robots
Until today, there has been no easy way to compare prices on industrial robots and related services and products, but global robotics hub HowToRobot.com is now solving this issue. The hub is launching a service for companies with robots to get offers on anything from components to maintenance, robot programming, and training. With several offers to hand, businesses can for the first time compare prices in an easy way.
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Fanuc to supply Ford plant in Cologne with 500 robots
Automation specialist and industrial robot manufacturer Fanuc has received another major order in the field of e-mobility. Scheduled for delivery in 2022, the company will supply the Cologne, Germany plant of Ford with around 500 robots to assist in the construction of electric car bodies. The Ford manufacturing facility in Cologne is currently undergoing transition into the Ford Cologne Electrification Center, a development and production site for electric vehicles.
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Mercedes-Benz to use green steel in vehicles to reduce its carbon footprint
Mercedes-Benz AG is the first car manufacturer to take an equity stake in Swedish start-up H2 Green Steel (H2GS) as a way to introduce CO2 free steel into series production. Together with its steel suppliers, the company is retooling its supply chain to focus on the prevention and reduction of CO2 emissions rather than compensation. The partnership with HSGS is another step towards CO2 neutrality, which Mercedes-Benz is pursuing as part of Ambition 2039.
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May 2021
Applying Logiq to drilling
Iscar’s recently launched Logiq campaign introduced new families of cutting tools targeted to address challenges in metalworking, from increasing efficiency and developing cost-beneficial small-size tool solutions to reducing machining vibrations. One of the issues confronting Iscar’s specialists was how to increase productivity in drilling? A significant breakthrough calls for another concept.
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Multi-billion rand ‘mega project’ sparks major pollution concerns
A multi-billion rand industrial project planned for Limpopo has raised concerns of catastrophic pollution and environmental damage. Reuters reported that the Musina-Makhado Energy-Metallurgical Special Economic Zone (EMSEZ) will consist of a cluster of 20 steel and other metalworking plants which are fuelled by a coal-fired power station.
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Tesla slams German bureaucracy, offers reform proposals
Tesla aims to produce 500 000 electric vehicles a year at its first European giga factory just outside of Berlin, which is slated to begin operations in July this year. Electric carmaker Tesla has said it was irritated by administrative delays to the construction of its new giga factory outside Berlin, and put forward its own reform proposals.
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GrindingHub exhibition launched – focus on grinding
The first edition of the new leading trade fair and the centre for grinding technology, GrindingHub, will be held from 17 to 20 May 2022 in Stuttgart, Germany. A new event focusing on grinding technology is scheduled to be run every two years by the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), Frankfurt am Main, in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart and the “Machine Tools and Manufacturing Technology” industry sector of Swissmem (Association of the Swiss Mechanical, Electrical and Metal Industries) as promotional supporter.
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Gleason-Hurth Tooling celebrates 125 years of gear technology
April 3, 2021 marked the 125th anniversary of Gleason-Hurth Tooling GmbH, and a proud legacy of innovation dating back to when mechanic and tinkerer Carl Hurth founded his first workshop on Munich’s Viktualienmarkt. Today, Gleason-Hurth Tooling GmbH is an important part of global leader Gleason Corporation, producing advanced workholding and precision tools for the world’s gear manufacturing industries.
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Walter and Vargus join forces in Romania
Joint venture for the production of tool holders. Walter AG, headquartered in Tuebingen, Germany, and Vargus Ltd, headquartered in Nahariya, Israel, have established the joint venture VWR Cutting Tools S.R.L. The two precision tool manufacturers each hold equal shares in the new business. A joint production company that manufactures tool holders will be established at the Vargus production site Ploiesti near Bukarest, Romania.
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From manufacturing on earth to searching for life on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover uses product made at Kennametal’s Langford site. When NASA’s six-wheeled Perseverance rover touched down on the red soil of Mars, ground control teams in California leapt to their feet in unbridled enthusiasm. But they weren’t the only ones bursting with joy. North of the border on Vancouver Island, Canada a team of mechanical engineers and metal workers were overwhelmed with their work landing on the red planet.
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Global steel demand recovering in 2021
The World Steel Association forecasts that global steel demand will rise 5.8% this year to 1.87 billion metric tons, then a further 2.7% to 1.92 billion metric tons in 2022. Demand from automotive and construction sectors offer the best prospects for growth. These predictions follow a year of slightly declining (-0.2%) demand in 2020, with major consuming industries like automotive and construction beset by pandemic-related restrictions and supply-chain disruptions.
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March 2021
Ford and its suppliers invest R20.13 billion in South Africa
A total of R20.13 billion is to be invested in South Africa by the Ford Motor Company and its suppliers for the production of the new Ranger and a bakkie for Volkswagen at Ford’s assembly plant in Silverton in Pretoria and the adjacent Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Andrea Cavallaro, director of operations at Ford’s International Markets Group, said the investment will create 1 200 jobs.
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3DExperience World 2021: Dassault Systèmes to launch new SolidWorks offers from mid-2021
What was previously called SolidWorks World is now 3DExperience World, a name change that will take some time for SolidWorks devotees to adjust to but shows that Dassault Systèmes signalled a desire to transform SolidWorks from a largely independent subsidiary revolving around a single product into an integrated part of the larger ecosystem. Gian Paolo Bassi, SolidWorks CEO, Dassault Systèmes, said, “Any intent to transition SolidWorks to completely a cloud-based product?
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Dormer Pramet completes acquisition of Miranda Tools
Dormer Pramet has completed the previously announced acquisition of Miranda Tools, a manufacturer of high-speed steel (HSS) cutting tools in India. With a corporate base in Mumbai and several manufacturing facilities in the state of Gujarat, Miranda is one of the leading domestic brands of drills, taps, milling cutters, tool bits and saws. Following six months of activity to finalise the acquisition, more than 580 employees will now become part of Dormer Pramet.
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Japan machine tool orders up 9.7 per cent in January
Machine tool orders received by Japanese machine manufacturers in January 2021 rose 9.7 per cent from a year before to 88.6 billion yen, industry data have shown. The increase mainly reflected brisk orders from China, which apparently overcame the impacts of the coronavirus epidemic ahead of other countries. Orders from abroad jumped 21.6 per cent to 62.2 billion yen.
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Mitsubishi Electric revises corporate philosophy system as it celebrates 100th anniversary
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced that on the occasion of its 100th anniversary this February 1, it has revised its corporate philosophy system to update the Group’s reason for existence as well as the core values and attitude that all employees are asked to embrace and cherish in serving customers and society as a whole. Mitsubishi Electric is profoundly grateful to many stakeholders who have supported the Group over the decades.
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The Logic of development
In machining, a cutting tool is an element of a technological system that shapes a part by material removal. The system comprises a machine tool, a workholding fixture and a tool holding device. Shaping a part is performed by various machining processes that use different cutting strategies. The progress made in machining tools resulted in modern machines that enable combined and whole process operations; processes that were separated in the past.
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January 2021
SVI Engineering launches new South African designed armoured vehicle
South African armoured product specialist SVI Engineering has launched a new armoured vehicle that aims to provide a more cost-effective solution for those seeking protection from both ballistic and general riot threats. Built around the Toyota Land Cruiser 79-series chassis and engine, the new Max 3 is available in both civilian and military configurations.
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VWSA celebrates over 4 million vehicles manufactured in Uitenhage
Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has celebrated a momentous milestone with over 4 million vehicles having been manufactured at its Uitenhage, Eastern Cape plant. The first of these vehicles was manufactured 72 years prior in November 1948, when the premises still belonged to South African Motor Assemblers and Distributors (SAMAD).
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Localisation ‘Supermarket’ starts to get impetus
SAAM 2035 has set a target to increase local content from 39% to 60% and to transform and deepen the automotive supply chain. The Localisation Supermarket – both a physical showcase and online catalogue of automotive components that are currently imported and for which Tier 1 suppliers are seeking local alternatives – is giving impetus to the South African Automotive Masterplan’s (SAAM) targets to transform the automotive supply chain.
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EMAG acquires Scherer Feinbau
For over 40 years, Scherer has developed efficient production solutions for the automotive, aerospace, mechanical engineering and casting industries from metal cutting machining to parts handling and automation. Scherer has specialised in vertical CNC lathes for workpieces with turning diameters of between 160mm and 550mm and shaft turning centers for workpieces with turning diameters of between 250mm and 350mm.
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Norway becomes first country where electric car sales outsell combustion cars
In 2020, 54.3% of new cars sold in the country were pure electric, compared with 6.6% in the UK. Norway has become the first country in the world where the majority of new car sales are pure-electric cars, spurred on largely by demand for Volkswagen Group EVs. In 2020, 54.3% of all new cars sold in Norway were fully electric, up from 42.1% in 2019.
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DMG MORI selects Sigma Labs as preferred melt pool monitoring system for Lasertec SLM machines
DMG Mori has selected Sigma Labs as the preferred melt pool monitoring system for their Lasertec SLM machines, as part of a worldwide agreement. Engineering teams from both companies worked extensively to test the integrated solution to ensure that it meets the demanding needs of industrial manufacturers utilising DMG MORI’s family of metal 3D printers.
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Thermwood builds massive metalworking machine to increase LSAM production
Thermwood has designed, fabricated and put into operation the largest machine it has ever built. The metalworking machine, dubbed internally as the M400, weighs 51 tons and is mounted on a special isolated, double steel reinforced concrete pad. It has a 5m wide and 11.5m long floor level steel table that by itself weighs 10 tons. The massive steel gantry, mounted on parallel walls, moves on four steel rails.
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November 2020 crude steel production
World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 158.3 million tons (Mt) in November 2020, a 6.6% increase compared to November 2019. Due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of November’s figures are estimates that may be revised with the next month’s production update. In Asia, China produced 87.7 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, an increase of 8% compared to November 2019.
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Aston Martin returns to Formula One after Le Mans success
The Aston Martin name is back in Grand Prix racing for the first time in six decades. The Aston Martin Formula One Team will make its race debut in Melbourne, Australia, in November 2021, marking a return to top-flight single-seater competition for the luxury carmaker. The British car manufacturer has enjoyed great success in sportscar racing in recent years.
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BMW targets industrial-scale additive manufacturing
BMW is taking the next step in the systematic integration of additive manufacturing as it aims to scale it up to industrial levels. The car giant says it will establish the process in various areas – primarily vehicle development and production – to positive economic effect. BMW benefits fully from the advantages of the technology.
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Corona leaving deep scars on the machine tool industry
Orders received by the German machine tool industry in the third quarter of 2020 were 29% down on the same period last year. Orders from within Germany fell by 26%. 30% fewer orders were received from abroad. In the period from January to September, orders fell by 33%. Domestic orders were 27% down on the previous year. There was a 36% reduction in the level of orders from abroad.
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Metav 2020 reloaded is now Metav digital: VDW launches new trade fair concept
“If anything good has come out of this difficult time, it is the stimulation of creativity,” stated Dr Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the VDW, (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) at the Metav 2020 reloaded Preview in December 2020. The press conference was originally intended to pave the way for the Metav 2020 reloaded fair, which was scheduled to take place in March 2021. But the trade fair has now been completely reinvented as “Metav digital”. It will be held from 23 to 26 March 2021.
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November 2020
Steel production trends to look out for to sustain the manufacturing industry
The manufacturing industry has been hard hit by the consequences of COVID-19, as reported in recent GDP reports, stating the sector suffered a 74,9% financial downturn. This sector-wide drop – including iron, steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery – has contributed a total of 11% to the overall 51% decline.
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Rheinmetall Denel Munition awarded 60mm mortar contract
An international customer has contracted with Rheinmetall for an array of cutting-edge mortar ammunition. South African arms manufacturer Rheinmetall Denel Munition, a Rheinmetall subsidiary, will supply the customer with conventional 60mm, long-range 60mm and advanced 60mm patrol mortar ammunition. Under the agreement, this longstanding customer will take delivery of the products by the end of 2021. The order is worth a figure in the mid-single-digit million euro range.
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Record 2.7 million robots work in factories around the globe
The new World Robotics 2020 Industrial Robots report shows a record of 2.7 million industrial robots operating in factories around the world, an increase of 12%. Sales of new robots remain on a high level with 373 000 units shipped globally in 2019. This is 12% less compared to 2018, but still the 3rd highest sales volume ever recorded. “The stock of industrial robots operating in factories around the world today marks the highest level in history,” says Milton Guerry.
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Adidas shoe features a robot produced upper and 3D printed midsole
A proof-of-concept running shoe from Adidas features an industry-first textile upper and a 3D printed, lattice-style midsole with tunable cushioning properties. According to an Adidas video: Futurecraft.Strung “3D allows us to input athlete data in the precision placement of each thread in any direction we choose.” Special software lets engineers build and test different structures before sending the chosen design to the Strung robot.
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DMG MORI advances its green credentials to the maximum. All machines to be produced carbon-neutrally from January 2021
As of January next year, DMG MORI says it will manufacture all its machines in a completely climate-neutral manner – from raw materials to delivery. This adds to the fact that the company’s products already provide the highest energy efficiency on customers’ premises, it adds.
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EMO 2021 scheduled for October 2021 in Milan, Italy
EMO Milano 2021, one of the largest machine tool exhibitions in the world, will be held in Milan, Italy, from 4 to 9 October 2021. The date was announced during a virtual press conference. With Italy both a major supplier and consumer of machine tools and manufacturing equipment, holding the show is as important to Italy as it is to the attendees, according to Marco Saladini, Trade Commissioner-Chicago of the Italian Trade Agency.
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Sandvik acquires Vericut developer CGTech
Sandvik has signed a deal to acquire Vericut developers CGTech, enhancing Sandvik’s ability to provide full machining solutions and increase its value proposition. CGTech will join Sandvik Coromant, a division within Sandvik Machining Solutions. The product offering includes Vericut, a machining simulation and optimisation software, which is machine tool manufacturer and cutting tool neutral and works stand alone or in conjunction with all major CAM suppliers.
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CAMWorks adds Wire EDM tech from CIMTechnology
CAMWorks has signed up a partnership with CIMTechnology, a leading provider of Wire EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) software gaining CAMWorks users exclusive access to it. CIMTechnology have specialised in Wire EDM for more than 30 years, with its technology previously sold through OEM partners as stand-alone systems or as technology added to current programming systems.
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Doosan Machine Tools partners with Titans of CNC
Doosan Machine Tools has entered a new strategic partnership with Titans of CNC. As part of this partnership, Doosan Machine Tools will become the exclusive premier machine tool builder partner for Titans of CNC. Titans of CNC is focused on being the top global manufacturing education provider and over the past few years has reshaped the way manufacturing education is approached and delivered.
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Trumpf sheet metal parts gets new business model
The Trumpf Group and Munich Re are entering into a strategic partnership to create a ‘pay-per-part’ model for sheet metal laser cutters. The goal is to enable customers to use a full-service laser machine without having to buy or lease any equipment, with the offering including access to a fully automatic laser cutting machine, a storage system, Trumpf’s production know-how, and the necessary service components, as well as equipment maintenance and the required raw materials.
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September 2020
Transnet looks to localise the manufacture and supply of rail to reindustrialise the economy
As part of its strategy to localise rail manufacturing, Transnet SOC Ltd. has issued a Request for Information (RFI) relating to the local manufacture and supply of rails. The objective of the RFI is to assess the current market’s capabilities and capacity to manufacture, as well as determine the timelines and investments required to meet Transnet’s demand that is projected at approximately 77 000 tons per annum over the next twenty (20) years.
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NEASA has withdrawn its urgent application in the Gauteng High Court to stop the implementation of a 10% import tariff and custom duties on coated flat-rolled products
“Early in August 2020 NEASA filed an urgent application in the Gauteng High Court to prevent Government from introducing more tariffs on nine new product codes, some of which are not even manufactured in South Africa,” said NEASA CE Gerhard Papenfus.
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AMSA declares force majeure after Newcastle furnace breakdown
ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has temporarily shut down its Newcastle Works blast furnace after the unit suffered thermal damage and broke down. As a result, the firm has declared force majeure. The unit’s repairs will take an estimated three weeks, a spokesperson for the steelmaker said. “Every effort is being made to resolve the problem quickly and to restart production as soon as possible to limit the impact on customers,” the spokesperson says.
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Transnet signs R400 million deal with Mozambican operator
State-owned rail engineering company Transnet Engineering (TE) and Mozambican state-owned railway operator Caminhos De Ferros De Mocambique (CFM) have signed a rolling stock supply agreement valued at more than R400 million. Under the terms of the agreement, TE will supply 300 freight wagons to CFM. The wagons will be manufactured at the TE Bloemfontein centre, creating local supply opportunities.
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CIMdata publishes global CAM market analysis report
CIMdata, Inc., the leading global PLM strategic management consulting and research firm, has announced the release of the 2020 CIMdata CAM Market Analysis Report (MAR), the 28th annual study of the global Computer-Aided Machining (CAM) market. CIMdata estimates that based on end-user payments, the worldwide CAM software and related services market grew by 3.9% in the calendar year 2019.
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Chiron Group acquires Mecatis SA, a specialist in small, high-precision machining centers
The Chiron Group acquired Mecatis SA with headquarters in Isérables, Valais, Switzerland. Mecatis is a specialist for small, high-precision machining centers, which are used in the watchmaking, medical, jewellery and micro engineering industry. Mecatis, established in 2007, designs, builds and maintains machining centers for the high-speed cutting of micro-technical components.
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Take a break from the virtual and visit the Italian trade show 32.BI-MU
Exhibition is scheduled to take place from 14 to 17 October 2020 in Milan, Italy. Take a break from the virtual and go in person to the 32nd edition of the BI-MU trade show. Over 550 companies have confirmed their presence at this Italian trade show for machine tools, robotics and automation. It is scheduled for 14 to 17 October 2020 in the exhibition centre of Fieramilano Rho in Milan, Italy.
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Tech Soft 3D and OPEN MIND collaborate on CAM solutions
Tech Soft 3D, a leading provider of engineering software development toolkits, and OPEN MIND, a leading developer of CAD/CAM software solutions worldwide, have announced that HOOPS Exchange, the industry’s fast and accurate CAD data access and reuse technology for manufacturing and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) workflows, will be integrated into hyperMILL and hyperCAD-S to ensure that all CAD and PMI data is transferred seamlessly between applications.
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JIMTOF 2020 goes online
The Japan Machine Tool Builders’ Association and Tokyo Big Sight Inc. have decided to hold the JIMTOF 2020 exhibition online on the website for 12 days from 16 to 27 November 2020. JIMTOF 2020, which was scheduled to be held in December of this year, was cancelled, but it has been decided to hold an online exhibition in response to the need for new-product announcements and opportunities for business talks, say the organisers.
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Machine tool orders gloomy
Orders received by the German machine tool industry in the second quarter of 2020 were 46 per cent down on the same period last year. In the process orders from Germany fell by 36 per cent. 51 per cent fewer orders were received from abroad. In the first half of 2020, the level of orders fell by 35 per cent. Domestic orders were 28 per cent lower than in the previous year. The level of orders from abroad was reduced by 39 per cent.
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DMG MORI results show decline in demand for machine tools
DMG MORI might have been bullish and positive when they sent out a press release with the headline of: DMG MORI with positive results in the first half year 2020, but in fact if you look at their figures you can see that they, like many others are down on sales, revenues and everything else. The whole industry is reporting lower earnings and it is nothing to be ashamed of – many are in the same boat.
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Hannover Messe Hermes award goes to Trumpf
The company’s award-winning product supports the use of all location technologies, bundling position data to enable targeted optimisation of process flows. Machine tool manufacturer Trumpf has won this year’s Hermes award, one of the most coveted prizes in the international industry, for its open location standard product omlox. The award ceremony took place on July 14 during the Hannover Messe Digital Days.
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July 2020
EcoCooling: A dry, clean and environmentally friendly method developed to lubricate metal workpieces
Dry cooling method to replace polluting metalworking fluids. Expensive metalworking fluids are no longer needed to cool and lubricate workpieces and cutting tools in the machine tool industry. Instead, there is now a proven green and clean method, EcoCooling, that uses only ionised and cooled air and has none of the environmental hazards and costs related to oil-based fluids.
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Africa Aerospace and Defence show postponed to 2022
The exhibition, long seen as Africa’s premier aerospace and defence event, was set down for 16 to 20 September 2020 at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Centurion. The traditional weekend airshow was set to include large parts of the SA Air Force (SAAF) inventory as part of the commemoration of the force’s centenary. The show has been “deferred” to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Rheinmetall wins munitions plant engineering contract
Rheinmetall Group subsidiary Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) has won a 13 million euro plant engineering contract. The contract encompasses modernisation of an existing production facility belonging to an established, longstanding customer. Due to begin shortly, the project is to be complete in 2021. Given its highly developed capabilities in plant engineering, the South Africa-based company enables customers and partners in over thirty countries around the world.
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Perdekraal East Wind Farm achieves milestone
Construction of Perdekraal East Wind Farm has achieved a major milestone after a locally manufactured transformer arrived to be used on the project. The main transformer was transported by road from Pretoria. The 500MVA mega transformer was manufactured in South Africa as were the turbines used in the wind farm, a move that seeks to enhance local content percentage on the project.
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AMSA seeks safeguards on steel imports amid demand concerns
Clarifies details of safeguard application for structural steel products. ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has approached the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac) for safeguards on imports of structural steel products amid concerns over poor demand and rising steel imports. An AMSA spokesperson said that the safeguards would not only apply to the company, but to the entire local steel industry.
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Technology is key at Ford
Ford’s Silverton Assembly Plant uses an advanced Fits Gate system on its assembly line in Pretoria to measure the gap and flushness between all sheet metal components of the Ranger and Everest. Handheld laser measurement gauges are used by operators on either side of the vehicle who move from the front to the back measuring the bonnet, doors and tailgate.
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IMTS 2020 cancelled because of COVID-19
IMTS 2020, which had been scheduled to be held in Chicago in September 2020, has been cancelled because of the pandemic virus Coronavirus (COVID-19). The state of Illinois has imposed health and safety requirements for holding conventions, including the availability of a vaccine for COVID-19 or an effective treatment protocol. The state has said it has a five-phase plan for reopening its economy.
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Mikron aligns capacity and structures to changed market circumstances
Mikron is now specifying the capacity adjustments announced in its media release of April 17, 2020. Following the huge slump in demand for capital goods in the automotive industry, a trend that has been further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mikron is reducing capacity and simplifying Group structures.
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Aluminium World Trade Fair postponed
Now to be held from 18 to 20 May 2021. Aluminium, the world’s leading trade fair for the aluminium industry, which was to take place in Düsseldorf from 6 to 8 October 2020, has been postponed to 18 to 20 May 2021 due to the serious consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The accompanying Aluminium Conference will also be postponed into the next year.
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May 2020
Mazak opens museum dedicated to machine tools
The Yamazaki Mazak Corporation is celebrating the far-reaching impact machine tools have on everyday life with the opening of the Yamazaki Mazak Museum of Machine Tools in Minokamo, Japan. Opened to the public at the end of 2019 to mark the company’s 100th anniversary, the museum showcases the intrinsic link between Mazak’s history and the evolution of the technology.
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Umati – on its way to becoming the global language of production
Mechanical and plant engineering sector propelling industry towards Industry 4.0. Machine tools and the individual mix of machines, equipment, robots and systems can exist in a common ecosystem, which is ideal for producing plug-and-play solutions. The VDMA and VDW are joining forces to promote the use and dissemination of OPC UA standards throughout the mechanical engineering sector under the Umati label.
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Prima Industrie introduces Prima@Home streaming service
Prima Industrie S.p.A. has launched Prima@Home streaming platform to help connect with customers during the current pandemic situations. The streaming platform is designed to offer a complete range of services including live formats such as events, demos, webinars, presentations and training courses, live video demonstrations of the Group’s products, and the ‘on demand’ streaming of a wide variety of content.
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Chiron enters AM with new metal 3D printer
The Chiron Group, a global manufacturer of CNC equipment, has made its first foray into the world of additive manufacturing with the development of its first 3D printer, the AM Cube, a laser metal deposition (LMD) system. Designed for manufacturing large and complex components, the AM Cube expands upon the company’s existing core competencies that focus on metal machining and automation.
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Heraeus Amloy and Trumpf explore new opportunities for 3D printing of amorphous metals
Heraeus Amloy, a division of Heraeus, Hanau, Germany, and Trumpf, Ditzingen, Germany, have joined together to collaborate on the Additive Manufacturing of amorphous metals, also known as metallic glasses. The aim of the collaboration is to establish the Additive Manufacturing of amorphous parts as a standard production method on the shop floor by improving process and cost efficiencies.
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New METAV date set: International fair for metalworking technologies to be held next year
METAV 2020 is postponed until March 2021. It will now be held from 23 to 26 March 2021. “We are delighted to have agreed a new date together with our partner, Messe Düsseldorf, so quickly,” says Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the METAV organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association). METAV 2020 was originally scheduled to take place from 10 to 13 March this year.
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MACH exhibition rescheduled to take place in January 2021
The Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), which owns and runs the MACH exhibition on behalf of the industry, has taken the decision to reschedule MACH from April 2020 to January 2021. Given the spread of the Coronavirus, the MTA has decided that, in order to minimise the risks to visitors and exhibitors and to provide the best possible platform for both exhibitors and visitors, the event will now take place from 25 to 28 January 2021.
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New date for wire and Tube Düsseldorf
The world’s leading international trade fairs for the wire, cable, tube and pipe industry, wire and Tube, will take place from 7 to 11 December 2020 at Düsseldorf Fairgrounds, Germany. This is Messe Düsseldorf’s timely response to the postponement of the industry highlights announced at the end of February. It was agreed in consultation with all partners involved in order to counteract the increasingly dynamic developments regarding the possible spread of the Coronavirus.
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BIEMH postponed to November 2020 over Coronavirus concerns
The International Machine Tool Exhibition, or BIEMH, has been postponed from its original dates in May to November 23 to 27, 2020. The decision to postpone the Spanish event was in response to the World Health Organisation’s declaration of a public health emergency with the spread of the coronavirus internationally. The postponement also applies to the ADDIT3D, BeDigital, IMIC and Workinn events, which were planned to be held in parallel with BIEMH.
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JIMTOF 2020 cancelled
Reasons for the cancellation stem from the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to 2021. The organisers of JIMTOF 2020, the Japan Machine Tool Builders’ Association (JMTBA) and Tokyo Big Sight Inc., have announced that this year’s JIMTOF exhibition has been cancelled and will resume in 2022. Tokyo Big Sight is the exhibition venue to be used for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and Paralympics Games and JIMTOF 2022.
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March 2020
Denel announces exit from Aerostructures Manufacturing business
The process of exiting the greater part of Denel’s Aerostructures Manufacturing Business is now at an advanced stage with major steps put in place to minimise the impact on job losses within the company. This follows the mutual agreement by Denel and its customers to transfer the manufacturing of aircraft parts to alternative suppliers as the business was no longer sustainable for Denel.
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AMSA acquires South Africa’s only producer of heavy sections of long steel
The Competition Tribunal has unconditionally approved steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal South Africa’s (AMSA’s) acquisition of the manufacturing and production of the structural steel and rail business of Highveld Structural Mill (HSM), a subsidiary of Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium. HSM, in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, is the only company capable of producing heavy sections of long steel in South Africa.
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Trumpf Hüttinger acquires microwave tech firm HBH
Trumpf Hüttinger, laser and machine company Trumpf’s high-tech division, has acquired HBH Microwave, based in Stutensee, Germany. This acquisition adds semiconductor-based, solid-state microwave generators to Trumpf Hüttinger’s technology portfolio. These devices are used in industrial heating, drying, and plasma applications, as well as in communications and radar technology.
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32.BI-MU from 14 to 17 October 2020 at fieramilano RHO, Milan, Italy
From 14 to 17 October 2020, fieramilano Rho will be the stage for the 32nd edition of BI-MU, the most important Italian exhibition dedicated to the industry of metal forming and metal cutting machine tools, additive and digital manufacturing, robots and automation, enabling technologies and subcontracting. It is the only trade show in Italy related to the sector that has a real international appeal.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) monitors machine tool drives
Researchers developed a system for automated monitoring of ball screw drives in machine tools. In mechanical engineering, timely maintenance and replacement of defective components in machine tools is an important part of the manufacturing process. For ball screw drives, such as those used in lathes to precisely guide the production of cylindrical components, wear is determined manually.
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Ford 3D printed development helps to thwart thieves
As car security systems become ever more advanced, thieves are targeting car parts instead, including alloy wheels. Ford engineers have used 3D printing technology to develop next-generation locking wheel nuts. Together with additive-manufacturing specialist EOS, Ford has created locking nuts with contours that are based on the driver’s voice. Like an iris scan or a fingerprint, a person’s voice can be used as a unique biometric identification.
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Metalworking fluids experts Quaker Chemical Corporation and Houghton International combine operations
Quaker Chemical Corporation and Houghton International have combined to create Quaker Houghton, a global leader in industrial process fluids to the primary metals and metalworking markets. The combined US$1.6 billion revenue company employs 4 000 associates serving 15 000 customers worldwide. Quaker was founded in 1918 and Houghton in 1865.
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BAE Systems and Renishaw to develop 3D printing capability for the defence and aerospace sector
BAE Systems and Renishaw have signed an agreement to work together on the development of additive manufacturing (AM) capability for the defence and aerospace sector. The collaboration is designed to help improve performance, reduce costs and speed up manufacturing processes on future combat aircraft.
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German machine tool industry facing major challenges in 2020
A difficult international situation, a virus and trouble in different industries, it will not be an easy year for the machine tool industry. Find out why 2020 still holds a lot of potential. The VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) is expecting production output to fall by 18% in 2020. The past year, by contrast, turned out much better than anticipated.
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Luigi Galdabini appointed General Commissioner for EMO Milano 2021
Luigi Galdabini is the General Commissioner for EMO Milano 2021, the world machine tool exhibition, which will be hosted at the Exhibition Centre of fieramilano Rho from 4 to 9 October 2021. Luigi Galdabini will have the task of supervising the organisation of EMO Milano 2021, also participating in the promotion of the event through a roadshow of press conferences.
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3D printing market continues to grow at a record pace, report says
According to the latest report by Amsterdam-based online manufacturing platform 3D Hubs, North America and Europe are the clear leaders in online 3D printing, representing together more than 95% of the global demand. US businesses account for nearly 50% of the global online 3D printing demand, while UK firms are the most avid 3D printing users in Europe, accounting for more than 12% of global online 3D printing.
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January 2020
Nikon and DMG MORI cooperate to provide innovative machine tool solutions
Nikon Corporation and DMG MORI have concluded a memorandum of understanding for a comprehensive business alliance. This business alliance will boost the establishment of Nikon’s material processing business by utilising the knowledge of DMG MORI as a leading machine tool company. The two companies will also cooperate to develop more advanced DMG MORI machine tools by applying Nikon’s measurement and camera related technologies.
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Hurco partners with BMO Automation
Hurco has announced it is partnering with BMO Automation to provide manufacturers with a tested automation solution that requires minimal integration and increased productivity without disruption. BMO has been in the automation and digitisation business for the machining industry since 2008. “Our customers tell us that finding qualified machinists is the primary impediment to their company’s growth.”
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31 BIEMH 2020 – Spain’s international machine tool exhibition
Bilbao Exhibition Centre, Bilbao, Spain from 25 to 29 May 2020. The organising team of BIEMH, Spain’s international machine tool exhibition, has presented the new campaign image for the event, which will be held from the 25th to the 29th of May 2020. The content of the image, both graphic and written, focusses on the value of BIEMH as an advanced manufacturing fair that can showcase ‘the technology that will change the world’, as their claim affirms.
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METAV 2020 showing advances in 3D printing products and solutions
There has been a great deal of hype surrounding the benefits of additive manufacturing for several years now. Numerous companies have invested in machines and have been trying out the innovative manufacturing process. Such trials often represent a cost-intensive learning process, but the focus is now increasingly on achieving verifiable successes. The following practical applications show that the technology is gaining more and more ground in the machining production environment.
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The largest manufacturing technology show in Korea – SIMTOS 2020 – to be held at KINTEX from March 31 to April 4, 2020
SIMTOS 2020 (Seoul International Manufacturing Technology Show 2020), Korea’s biggest manufacturing technology exhibition hosted by the Korea Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association(KOMMA), will be held at KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Centre) in Korea from March 31 to April 4 in 2020 under the slogan of “Capture the Future: 4th Industrial Revolution”.
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Chiron Group opens digital machine tool plant
Greenfield investment was the largest from Chiron in more than 100 years. With a maximum annual production capacity of 400 high-precision machining centers, the nearly 14 000 m² Chiron Precision Factory in Neuhausen, Germany, is currently the most modern machine factory in Europe. Costing more than €34.5 million and completed in just 15 months, the greenfield building is the largest single investment in almost 100 years of Chiron’s corporate history.
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MACH 2020 scheduled for April 2020
The UK’s national manufacturing show, MACH 2020, might still be four months away, but anticipation is building fast and the event is already set to be one of the industry’s highlights of the year. MACH is the longest-running manufacturing and engineering exhibition in the UK, showcasing the largest variety of manufacturing technology solutions in the country, all under one roof. It will take place at the NEC in Birmingham between 20 and 24 April 2020.
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Schneeberger appointed new CECIMO President
The CECIMO General Assembly has elected Dr Hans-Martin Schneeberger as President for a period of two years. His term will focus on the setting of global standards and the uptake of artificial intelligence (AI). Succeeding Dr Roland Feichtl, Dr Hans-Martin Schneeberger has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading the European association, which represents more than a third of the world’s machine-tool production.
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Okuma and Dr Kaiser Diamantwerkzeuge jointly develop grinding system
Okuma and German grinding expert Dr Kaiser Diamantwerkzeuge GmbH, have jointly developed a grinding system that is said to offer a number of advanced wheel dressing functions. Dr Kaiser and Okuma can look back on a successful co-operation having previously created a special app to determine optimal dressing parameters. Now, Dr Kaiser has developed a vitrified CBN grinding wheel, a dressing spindle system and the related dressing tools for an Okuma GP25W x65 CNC grinding machine.
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November 2019
DMG MORI gains digital know-how with stake in up2parts
With a strategic stake in the Bavarian software company up2parts, which specialises in artificial intelligence (AI), DMG MORI plans to acquire important know-how in the field of digitised manufacturing processes. up2parts’ AI-based geometric workpiece analysis makes it easy and quick to generate work plans and price calculations for individual components.
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Blaser Swisslube at EMO 2019 with the latest technologies and Titan Gilroy
Blaser Swisslube’s brand ambassador Titan Gilroy of TITANS of CNC: Academy was the centre of attraction on the company’s stand at EMO Hannover 2019. Titan Gilroy is recognised for his free e-learning platform TITANS of CNC: Academy. Titan and his team have managed to educate machine operators, students and many more about CAD, CAM and CNC.
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Chasis manufacturer KLT acquires Brits plant, eyes East London expansion
Chassis manufacturer, the KLT Group, has acquired the AVMY Steel Science pressing, welding, assembly and e-coating plant, in Brits, in the North West province, in an investment valued at roughly R30 million. The move forms part of the Indian group’s production expansion and diversification programme in South Africa, with more on the cards for 2021.
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Aveng asset disposal process advances
Following the strategic review concluded in 2018 and as part of the non-core disposal process, Aveng has now announced that, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Aveng Africa (Pty) Ltd, it has entered into a binding term sheet, with Laula Consortium (Pty) Ltd., for the sale of the Grinaker-LTA Mechanical and Electrical Business (M&E Business), subject to certain conditions precedent. Laula is a black-owned company.
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Taiwan machine tool industry needs upgrading to remain competitive
Taiwan needs to step up its investment in machine tool industry upgrades amid increased competition from China and South Korea that is bringing about a qualitative change in the sector, according to an industry expert. Eric Chuo, founder of Hiwin Technologies Corp., made the case for Taiwan to boost its machine tool manufacturing prowess through three approaches.
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China’s Estun Automation acquires Germany’s Carl Cloos Welding Technology
Nanjing Estun Automation Technology Co. has announced that it has acquired Carl Cloos Schweißtechnik GmbH, or Carl Cloos Welding Technology, for €196 million (US $216.44 million). The Estun Group said it hopes to become a world-leading robotics company. Haiger, Germany-based Cloos Group was founded in 1919 and develops, manufactures, and delivers robotic welding systems.
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Airbus: 39 000 aircraft needed globally in next 20 years
The world’s passenger and freighter aircraft fleet will more than double from today’s 23 000 to almost 48 000 in the next 20 years, according to Airbus. Until 2038 the aerospace giant predicts a 4.3% annual growth in air traffic, resulting in 39 210 new aircraft needed and 8 470 remaining from today.
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September 2019
Okuma president Yoshimaro Hanaki recognised for his long-time contribution to the growth of the machine tool industry
Yoshimaro Hanaki, president and CEO of Okuma Corporation, has been awarded a Japanese medal of honour entitled: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. This award honours and recognises Hanaki’s long-time contribution to the growth of the machine tool industry and the benefits that Okuma’s activities have brought to society.
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Bloodhound set for high-speed tests
The Bloodhound LSR car is set to undergo high-speed tests on a dry lake bed race track in South Africa in October 2019, in preparation for a land speed record attempt in late 2020. Following the successful 200mph UK runway trials at Cornwall Airport Newquay in October 2017, the team, which is based at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College on the Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park, will be targeting 500mph.
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hyperMILL signs a cooperative agreement with CFturbo
Open Mind Technologies AG has now announced a cooperative agreement with CFturbo to provide a complete design-to-manufacture workflow process to produce turbo machines such as pumps, compressors, turbines, fans and blowers. CFturbo is acknowledged as an industry leader in the turbo machinery sector with its design software that takes businesses from conceptual design through to complete 3D model.
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Sandvik acquires 30% stake in Italy’s Beam IT
Sandvik has acquired a significant stake in Italian metal additive manufacturing (AM) firm Beam IT to strengthen the company’s offer in metal additive manufacturing. “The investment is also in line with Sandvik’s strategic ambition to become a leading solution provider for the wider component manufacturing industry,” the news release says.
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Cheap imports, ongoing challenges in the steel industry as well as a weak South African economy hit ArcelorMittal South Africa’s performance
ArcelorMittal South Africa’s operating profit decreased from a profit of R1 224 million in June 2018, the first half-year profit in almost a decade, to a loss of R222 million. This was largely as a result of lower sales prices and volumes, higher electricity, rail and port tariffs, and sharp increases in primary raw material prices, notably iron ore.
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Ford’s expansion unleashes new potential for South Africa
Company says it is to add 1 200 jobs from August and introduce a third shift at the vehicle assembly plant in Silverton to the west of Pretoria. Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) will employ 1 200 new employees from August 2019 to meet the growing international and local demand for the New Ranger, Ranger Raptor and Everest models.
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July 2019
Elkana CNC Services appointed agents for Chiron CNC vertical milling and turning machining centers
Elkana CNC Services has announced that they have been appointed the agents to look after the sales, service and maintenance of the Chiron brand of machines in South Africa. The Chiron Group, headquartered in Tuttlingen, is a global company specialising in CNC controlled vertical machining and turning centers.
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Macsteel collects two awards in recognition of significant advances in supplier development
It took two awards at the Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards, which recognise and celebrate businesses committed to building a better South Africa via inclusive and transformed supply chains. Macsteel won the Small Supplier and Local Manufacturing Award in acknowledgement of companies who have developed an ecosystem of small suppliers, manufacturers or value-add services and products from the local industry.
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Siemens acquires Esteq
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire assets of Esteq, a distributor of product lifecycle management, product design and simulation, and manufacturing operations software and services. Esteq is headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa, and has locations across the region serving the aerospace and defence, transportation, consumer products, energy, electronics, machinery, mining and minerals, and oil and gas industries.
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Ford South Africa’s growth strategy targets crucial exports
Ford focuses on crucial bakkie and SUV exports. A struggling economy, political uncertainty, fragile consumer confidence, mounting pressure on disposable income, and diminished purchasing power as a result of higher interest rates and fuel price hikes, have all taken their toll on domestic new vehicle sales in South Africa. However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the automotive sector.
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OPINION: 3D ready to give manufacturing sector a complete makeover
Unlike some may think, 3D printing is not just an innovative technology for rapid prototyping, modelling and manufacturing of specialised one-off products. It is an essential building block of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) that has the ability to alter the way in which manufacturing and consumption are connected.
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Fanuc to build new plant to harness 5G and self-driving demand
Japanese industrial robot maker Fanuc plans to spend 3.5 billion yen ($28.3 million) on a new plant it hopes will help it capture business opportunities related to 5G smartphones and self-driving cars. The company intends to increase production of what is known as nano-level processing equipment, in an effort to meet demand for moulds for high-precision camera lenses used in the phones and vehicles.
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Sandvik creates first 3D printed diamond composite
Sandvik Additive Manufacturing has created the first ever 3D printed diamond composite for a wide range of industrial uses. The newly developed process means that this super-hard material can now be 3D printed in highly complex shapes without the need for further machining. Although a composite, most of Sandvik’s material is diamond.
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FutureAM project discovers superalloys for additive manufacturing
A team of engineers has been refining laser powder buildup welding over decades to allow more materials to be applied in additive manufacturing. Engineers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (Fraunhofer IWS; Dresden, Germany) have refined laser powder buildup welding over decades to allow more materials to be applied in additive manufacturing.
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Renishaw and Wenzel collaborate on shopfloor coordinate measurement solutions
Renishaw’s Equator gauging system is to be controlled with Wenzel’s WM Quartis metrology software for programming and evaluation purposes. The move comes as part of a co-operation deal between the two companies and will be incorporated into the Wenzel product portfolio.
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May 2019
Denel looking to stop manufacture of A400M components
Denel and Airbus have reached a mutual agreement to transfer the manufacturing of aircraft parts for the A400M military airlifter out of Denel, subject to fulfilling applicable legal prescripts. As part of its turnaround strategy, Denel is looking to halt production of historically loss-making A400M components for Airbus.
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Area plan of EMO Hannover 2019
Club of Metalworking card allows you free public transport within Hannover. Even though the floor planning for EMO Hannover 2019 is still in full swing, the trade fair’s organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) has already published the first details.
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Components demand a good sign for South Africa’s automotive industry
Growth is set to be bigger after 2021 when government policy demanding more than 50% local content kicks in. Promising growth in demand by vehicle manufacturers for South African made automotive components cannot hide underlying challenges faced by the local components industry, says Dave Furlonger writing about a report in Business Day.
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Metal-cutting machines are a long way from being ripe for the scrap heap
EMO Hannover 2019 will show how smart technologies meet the production requirements of electro-mobility. The mobility concept for individual transportation will in the relatively near future be a combination of progressively downsized internal combustion engines and electric drives, say some, while others predict that electro-mobility will secure jobs or even create new ones.
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Disruptive technologies offer major opportunities and headaches for manufacturers
New study finds some manufacturers are ready to leverage cutting edge technologies while others fall behind. New research finds that manufacturing leaders are worried about disruptive technologies – robotics, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, and analytics – and yet few are doing much about it.
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Nissan to manufacture Navara pickup in South Africa
Nissan has announced a R3 billion investment in its facility in Rosslyn, Pretoria to prepare the plant for production of the next generation Nissan Navara pickup. The move expands the role of the plant as a Light Commercial Vehicle manufacturing hub for Nissan. The Navara will join the popular NP200 and NP300 models, which are already built at Rosslyn and sold in the domestic market.
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Toyota receives NAACAM award
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has announced that it received a recognition award for being the most supportive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in promoting the objectives of the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) Show.
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Mazak celebrates 10th anniversary of European technology centre
Yamazaki Mazak will celebrate a decade of success for its European Technology Centre (ETC) in 2019. The facility, which is located at its European Manufacturing Plant in Worcester, UK first opened its doors in 2009, and has since hosted in excess of 33 000 visitors.
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Wohlers report 2019 on additive manufacturing now available
Takes a look at significant growth in 3D printing materials segment. The Wohlers Report 2019 has been released for those wanting to gain a special view of additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing worldwide. Wohlers Associates feels that this report has been more carefully and thoroughly researched and written than any other.
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Bloodhound project back on track for world-record
The Bloodhound LSR project has been officially re-launched, with a new base, a new livery and a new owner vowing to let it “off the leash”. The British car made its first appearance since the project went into administration outside new headquarters at SGS Berkeley Green University Technical College (UTC) on the Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park.
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AM capabilities shown by Renishaw collaboration
Gloucestershire-based Renishaw has collaborated with two advanced-technology companies to demonstrate the advantages of additive manufacturing (AM) in the production of spinal implants. Its work with Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and nTopology shows how streamlined the transition from design to AM can be when working with the right partners.
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Gleason to acquire Faessler honing business
Gleason Corporation has announced the signing of a definitive agreement with Daetwyler Industries AG and MDC Max Daetwyler AG to acquire all assets of Daetwyler’s Faessler gear-honing business. Under the Faessler brand, Daetwyler has been producing gear-honing machines, related work-holding and tools for the high-precision hard finishing of gears.
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March 2019
Sandvik Coromant plant recognised as advanced Industry 4.0 site
The World Economic Forum has officially recognised the Sandvik Coromant production unit in Gimo, Sweden as an advanced Industry 4.0 facility. Gimo has been selected as a “lighthouse” site, namely one that comprehensively deploys a wide range of Industry 4.0 technologies and uses cases at scale, while keeping humans and sustainability at the heart of innovation.
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DMG Mori AG reports record figures for 2018
Germany-headquartered DMG Mori AG, part of Japan-headquartered machine tool giant DMG Mori Co, reports record figures for order intake, sales revenues, EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) and free cash flow. Order intake rose by 8% to €2 975.6 million, with sales increasing by 13% to €2 655.1 million. EBIT went up by 21% to €217.1 million – an EBIT margin of 8.2% – and free cash flow improved by €11.8 million to €154.2 million.
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Mazak Integrex AG series has won ‘One of the Best Products in Japan in 2018’ award
The Mazak Integrex AG series, integrating multi-tasking machines with gear cutting, has won the One of the Best Products in Japan in 2018 awards. This is the 61st time the awards have been held and they are organised by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Ltd, one of the leading industrial newspapers in Japan.
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Record-breaking year for the Italian machine tool industry
Based on the ISTAT data processing by UCIMU, in the first eight months of the year (latest available survey), the main destination countries for the Made in Italy products of the sector were the following: Germany 246 million euro (+11.6%); China 237 million euro (+7.1%); United States 223 million euro (+9.5%); Poland 143 million euro (+49.8%) and France 135 million euro (-4.6%).
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Lamiera – Italy’s metal forming exhibition takes place in Milan from 15 to 18 May 2019
The exhibition area of Lamiera is growing and expanding. The international exhibition dedicated to sheet metal machines and to innovative technologies related to the sector, will take place at Fiera Milano Rho in Milan, Italy from 15 to 18 May 2019. In addition to the traditional halls 13 and 15, pavilion 18 will also be occupied and has been named the Innovation Hall.
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Airbus terminating A380 programme in 2021
Emirates announced it will only take 14 more A380s instead of the 53 it had on firm order. The order is revised and now includes 40 A330-900s and 30 A350-900s, according to a new heads of agreement. “As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years. This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021,” Airbus CEO Tom Enders said.
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VWSA to reach record production this year, says Schäfer
Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) should this year produce a record number of vehicles at its Uitenhage plant, in the Eastern Cape, says CEO Thomas Schäfer. He says the local arm of the German car manufacturer should produce 161 900 vehicles, of which 108 000 are scheduled to be exported. VWSA produced 126 413 vehicles in 2018, and exported around 75 900 units.
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Paramount Group secures contract with United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its next generation armoured vehicle
Paramount Group, the South African-based global defence and aerospace company, has unveiled its next generation armoured personnel carrier, and announced it has received a contract from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at IDEX 2019, the largest defence and security Expo in the Middle East.
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Ford’s Silverton vehicle assembly plant in Pretoria has started production of the refreshed 2019 Ford Ranger
“Following the investment of over R3 billion in our local operations and extensive upgrades to our plants over the past 18 months, we are delighted to see the first of the new Ford Ranger models coming off our production line,” said Neale Hill, Managing Director, Ford Motor Company Sub-Saharan Africa Region.
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January 2019
New motor industry plan aims to boost local content to 60 per cent
South Africa is likely to adopt new plans for the country’s car industry in December, which aim to increase the local content of assembled cars to 60 per cent by 2035 from around 38 per cent now, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies has said. The new plan, which will come into effect in 2021, seeks to provide stability for one of the country’s main manufacturing sectors, where carmakers have invested billions upgrading factories to supply the export market.
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Trumpf acquires laser diode division of Philips
Trumpf has announced that it has acquired 100 per cent of Photonics GmbH from Philips, headquartered in Ulm, Germany. This opens up a new market segment for Trumpf in addition to its existing business with high-power diode lasers and expands its product portfolio. Laser diodes from Philips Photonics are used, for example, in smartphones, in digital data transmission, and in sensors for autonomous driving.
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Sandvik acquires US based Dura-Mill
Sandvik Coromant, a division within Sandvik Machining Solutions, has reached an agreement to acquire the privately owned US-based company Dura-Mill Inc., a manufacturer of precision solid carbide end mills. The acquisition enhances an already strong position and product offering in North America and primarily within the Aerospace segment.
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DMG MORI AG takes 30% stake in Indian software firm having additive manufacturing focus
DMG MORI AG, the €2.3 billion turnover German part of €3.3 billion turnover Japanese-German machine tool giant DMG MORI, has taken a 30% stake in Indian additive manufacturing software firm Intech. Already supplying software for use with DMG MORI’s Lasertec SLM series, the Indian firm develops software to support additive manufacturing and incorporates machine learning and artificial intelligence elements.
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Gibela delivers its first South African-built commuter train to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)
The train was dispatched from Gibela’s new train manufacturing complex at Dunnottar, in Ekurhuleni, in December 2018 travelling to Prasa’s Wolmerton depot, north of Pretoria. Gibela’s CEO, Thierry Darthout says the train has taken 14 months to complete, with production beginning in September 2017.
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