Qimtek

With disruption driven by COVID-19 continuing to overwhelm business across the globe, the need for end-to-end supply chain visibility and management has never been so urgent says by Richard Seel, Managing Director, delaware North America.

 It has become increasingly clear that if businesses across the manufacturing space want to manage disruption and adapt to new demands quickly, they need to have a good understanding of, and visibility over, their supply chain, in order to de-risk their operations.

The designated High-Performing lines of standard components, from the global manufacturing group Elesa, are focused on the exceptional requirements of specific niche industries. In the case of these metal and visually detectable lines, they are designed to be especially easy to detect and remove in the unlikely event that fragments might be accidentally broken off or dislodged and thus fall into a food or pharmaceutical processor.

The Newry-based Exact Group, which specialises in precision engineering and composite finishing, has become the first ever company in Ireland go straight to a Silver Award on the SC21 Aerospace Supply Chain Programme, SC2.

The usual route is to start with the accreditation of a Bronze award, before progressing to Silver.

The Newry company is sponsored through the programme by Collins Aerospace (formerly B/E Aerospace), a unit of Raytheon Technologies.

Subcontractor Unicut Precision has turned three-quarters of its manufacturing capacity over to ventilator component production.

The company is now stranger to producing large quantities of components, shipping a million items to customers in a typical month. The company operates 22 Cincom sliding-head lathes and eight Miyano fixed-head turning centres and an Index MS40 six-spindle bar automatic, in addition to other metalcutting plant.

The Laser Cutting Co (TLCC) has taken delivery of a new TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 7000 at its Sheffield facility. This customer-focused supplier of high-quality subcontract laser cutting services will use the machine, which is currently being commissioned, to achieve further growth as part of its progressive five-year plan. Moreover, with TLCC already producing flat sheet-metal ventilator parts as part of the fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic, the new TruLaser Tube is helping the company bid competitively for tube-based parts needed for the same purpose.

Subcon has now been postponed until January 26 -28, 2021 and will run alongside MACH 2021 at the NEC, Birmingham.

MA Exhibitions Limited, which owns and runs Subcon, The Engineer Expo and The Manufacturing Management Show, have taken the decision to reschedule the event from September 28 -30 to January 26 -28, 2021.

The shows will now run in Halls 7 & 8 at the NEC Birmingham, running alongside MACH 2021 as well as Air Tech, Fluid Power & Systems, Drives & Controls, Plant & Asset Management and Smart Industry Expo.

Mackart Additive, which specialises in the mechanical component design and 3D additive manufacturing, turned a consultant’s idea into a life-saving ventilator valve.

In early March, the government announced it was looking for businesses with the capability to support in the supply of ventilators and ventilator components, as part of its plan to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, now sweeping the UK.

A streamlined and more accurate quoting process is ensuring a faster and more professional response to customers at Bedford CNC.

Street artist Plastic Jesus is working with job shop Laser Gnomes and PET material from Goodfellow to fabricate face shields for hospital staff

Plastic Jesus is a Los Angeles-based street artist best known for his bold “Stop Making Stupid People Famous” stencil art and biting Academy Award-themed installations. These days, however, he’s turning his attention to the urgent need hospital medical staff have for personal protective equipment (PPE), including face shields.

The Lee Spring engineering team are aware there are many devices and equipment mechanisms that require a light touch – delicacy rather than power is the main requirement – coupled of course to consistent reliability and longevity in service with pressures in the single digit psi range.

The Lee Spring Lite Pressure™ range of compression springs is a high-performance response to that need for applications such as relief/check valves, pistons, motor brushes and controls, displays, syringes, control flanges, toys and dispensers.

Black Country foundry, Midland Pressure Diecasting (MPD) is creating 10 new jobs to supply increased orders for critical components destined for the NHS, the MoD and Homeland Security in the United States.

MPD was identified as a key supplier at the very start of the Covid-19 pandemic and has proactively responded by boosting its workforce in a number of strategic positions, including electrical maintenance, fabrication, CNC operation and die casting.

Aro PR and Marketing is launching a pro bono PR service to celebrate the work of engineering, science and composites businesses helping to fight Covid19.

The service is a one-off campaign, which includes writing a news release and distributing it to Aro’s network of media contacts.

Managing Director Billy McKenna said Aro had been humbled by the tech industry doing its bit to help during the pandemic and the team had been scratching its heads as to how it could help in a meaningful way.