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Automate or die |
20/02/2010
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| Stirling Paatz is managing director and joint founder of Totnes-based robot integrator Barr & Paatz. He implores those in the UK to consider automating, for the sake of continued business |
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Software versus hardware |
12/01/2010
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| Business Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson is UK manufacturing industry's new friend, or so it would appear, but he still needs to understand that metalcutting and metalforming remain relevant UK activities, judged by a recent report. |
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Will EU see the light? |
06/01/2010
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| The Confederation of British Metalformers (CBM) is putting the EU in the dock; or, rather, the CBM's members feel they may find themselves there, following more EU legislation. Andrew Allcock explains |
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Aerospace –important, changing |
04/01/2010
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| This month we highlight the investment made by Canadian global aerospace firm Magellan at one of its UK sites, Wrexham. Its new wing spar machining cell is claimed to offer the most cost-competitive spar machining capability world wide. A demonstration of how the UK can successfully compete in the
... Read more |
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And now some good news |
29/12/2009
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| Will the recession and credit crunch deliver a new business approach? The CBI says that it will, in a recent report. Andrew Allcock looks at the report and suggests it looks like good news for UK sub-contractors |
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Exports – take-off awaited |
24/12/2009
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| Engineering group EAMA has been measuring business sentiment and is armed for further discussions with government. Exports still need a boost, explains EAMA chairman Martin Walder |
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Something for nothing |
01/12/2009
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| R&D tax credits are only for companies that actually design products, not those that just cut or form metal, right? Wrong. |
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Common ground |
13/11/2009
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| Professor John Robinson inadvertently revealed more about engineering and engineers during his recent one-hour stint on a plinth in Trafalgar Square than did his main theme, Machinery suggests |
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EMO – green with a vengeance |
01/11/2009
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| Visitors to manufacturing technology show EMO, held last October in Milan, were treated to environmental messages from many quarters. |
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Crime prevention |
07/10/2009
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| July saw a 90-minute debate on manufacturing take place in the House of Commons. It was proposed by Patrick McFadden, Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (MP: Wolverhampton South East, Labour), who stated that "one of my principal points today is to counter the
... Read more |
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Getting the best from wind |
20/08/2009
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| While there's a rush to develop larger wind turbine farms and wind turbines, it can't be assumed that we are already getting the most out of what we've got, Machinery argues |
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Supply chain developments |
18/08/2009
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| Our cover feature reveals the opportunities available to UK manufacturers, OEMs and sub-contractors, resulting from a huge research project (ITER) that is expected to be the launchpad for commercially viable electricity generation via nuclear fusion. That's fusion not fission (current technology).
... Read more |
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Economic reality intrudes |
01/08/2009
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| The current Machinery Safety Directive is to be replaced at the end of the year, with no transition period. Machinery found out more, including an unforeseen problem of the day |
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Building for the future |
20/07/2009
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| With the AMRC, AFRC and MTC, the UK will have a set of world-class facilities dedicated to pushing the boundaries |
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The XYZ of CNC |
17/07/2009
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| There are still companies out there yet to make their first step into CNC. XYZ is onto this and is taking steps to convert those yet to be convinced, as Mike Corbett, manager, applications and training, explains |
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More ‘traditional’ voice required? |
14/07/2009
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| It has taken a while for Machinery to chase down details of Europe's Manufuture technology platform, as they pan out in the UK. The output from the activity has included a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA), published in 2006, which: "defines a consensus vision of the research and innovation needs of
... Read more |
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Finish what you start |
19/06/2009
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| 'Building Britain's Future - New industry, new jobs' – that was the name of a strategy unveiled by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson on 20 April (www.berr.gov.uk/files/file51023.pdf). |
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Dead calm at WindSupply |
19/06/2009
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| David Middleton, CEO, The Business Council for Sustainable Development – United Kingdom, reveals the hot air behind the government's green rhetoric |
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Bespoke benefits revisited |
29/04/2009
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| Michael Hawthornthwaite of Manchester-based software developer Acid Computer Services argues that SMEs should reconsider bespoke software to gain extra benefits |
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An open door, at last ? |
07/04/2009
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| Last month, The Times published an article entitled: 'It's a fabrication that Britain doesn't make things any more', penned by Philip Whyte. |
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Make skills a big deal |
11/03/2009
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| Okay. The World Skills event (colloquially the ‘skills olympics’), to be held in London one year ahead of the 2012 Games – also in the capital, of course – isn’t going to generate the news copy that its follow-on activity is. But if the engineering community isn’t going to make a big deal out of
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Revolutionary times |
11/03/2009
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| Everything that isn't created by nature is probably only one or two steps away from a machine tool, says Peter Hall, managing director of Haas Automation Europe.
Notwithstanding the current market problems, I believe that there is a strong future for manufacturing, and hence for machine tool
... Read more |
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Setting a new agenda |
27/02/2009
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| BLM GROUP UK managing director Paul Lake offers his suggestions for government action to boost manufacturing and guarantee for the long-term wealth |
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Engineering our future |
22/01/2009
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| This recession is different to any previous economic threat we’ve faced; this one is global and instead of blue-collar workers bearing the brunt, the impact is firmly being felt by the white collar, financial and service sectors. However, I feel because of the sound management decisions made by
... Read more |
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No funny money future |
21/01/2009
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| With the City currently unable to 'invent' money, it will fall to manufacturing to help the economy. It too needs support to be in a position to play this role. |
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