NEWS


Hone-All bags bronze award


Light work


White light scanning equipment from


Leicestershire-based Phase Vision has helped save costs and time in the reverse engineering of a key aerospace component. Tower Tool Company – also based in Leicestershire – is a specialist engineering toolmaker commissioned by Meggitt Polymer Solutions to reverse engineer a new tool to produce a component for a helicopter from a CAD model of the component.


Once the tool was designed,


Peter Hogg of BAE Systems (right), presents the SC21 Bronze Award to Hone-All Precision’s Andrea Rodney and Wayne Wilson


The recent Farnborough Airshow provided the ideal platform for the presentation by Peter Hogg, director of procurement strategy, BAE Systems, of the SC21 Bronze Award to Hone-All Precision. The award was received at the show by quality manager, Wayne Wilson and director Andrea Rodney.


Although there are currently


626 UK-based aerospace industry suppliers signed up to the SC21 supply chain initiative, Bronze level status has only been achieved by some thirty UK companies to date, with Hone-All Precision being number 25 on the list and having the distinction of achieving the Bronze Award milestone in the shortest timescale.


SC21, which is backed by A|D|S – the trade body formed by the merger of, among others, the Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA) and the Society of British Aerospace


Companies (SBAC) – is a crucial element in the UK aerospace industry’s drive to remove duplication and improve efficiency within the supply chain.


In his role as chairman of the SC21 task force Mr Hogg heads a team comprising the top 16 major suppliers to the UK aerospace industry. He commented: “While SC21 is a relatively recent introduction it is already resulting in performance improvements, better delivery, better quality, and reduced overheads and cost because suppliers only have to face a particular problem once within a multiple customer base. This is good news for our major customer – the Government and MoD – and for the UK economy as a whole.”


Acknowledging that SC21 presents a significant challenge, especially to SMEs taking an independent route to


qualification, Mrs Rodney will be Hot summer


Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has reported that sales in July 2010 topped £3.3 million – equating to 33 machine tools being sold in the month.


According to managing


director, Nick Frampton, the July figures 'represent the best ever July sales results in Mills' history’ and follow hard on the heels of a successful June 2010 when 21 machines were sold. “These really are excellent results, and reflect the confidence and more positive outlook many UK manufacturers are feeling and experiencing at this moment in time,” he


observed. “In what can be a traditionally quieter period for machine tool sales, I believe our July figures can also be attributed to the recent MACH exhibition where well over 100 serious sales enquiries and leads were generated.” A cursory look at the


machines sold by Mills in July reveal success across the board with everything from 2-axis Lynx and Puma lathes, VMCs (with both Fanuc and Heidenhain controls), and multi-axis mill/turn machines being well


represented in the sales figures. Particularly pleasing was the sales performance of the new range of Doosan Puma lathes which were launched into the UK


8 August 2010 • Production Engineering Solutions


at MACH. “We sold five new Puma lathes in July and the interest generated by the Puma 2100, Puma 2600 and Puma 3100 models we exhibited at MACH has been excellent,” Mr Frampton confirmed.


“The next quarter for Mills is important. We have launched a number of new models and have a number of new initiatives in the pipeline that I'm confident will offer customers even better value for money and strengthen our market position still further.”


>MILLS CNC www.millscnc.co.uk


taking part in the Open Forum Programme that accompanies the Aero Engineering 2010 exhibition scheduled for 29-30 September 2010 at the NEC, Birmingham.


“I intend to take this opportunity to offer encouragement and


reassurance to other SMEs that the objectives set by SC21 are achievable, given a clear agenda for change and a determination to devote the time and resource necessary for a successful outcome,” she concluded. “The incentive for every participant taking part in this supply chain improvement programme is that successful implementation of SC21 provides incontrovertible evidence of an individual supplier’s determination to be truly world class.”


>HONE-ALL www.hone-all.co.uk


Inside knowledge


SKF has been working with British racing car


manufacturer Ginetta to help develop and manufacture the UK’s first multi-platform road and race car.


SKF’s knowledge in


automotive applications, global technical support and product range were just two of the reasons the company won the contract to provide specialised products and support services for the new Ginetta G40. As well as supplying wheel bearing units, SKF worked closely with Ginetta to provide technical support, including CAD modelling, right from the beginning of the project. Since being established in 1958, Ginetta has grown to become a major player on the motorsport scene both in the UK and abroad. The Yorkshire- based company’s three single make championships are renowned for their entertaining and close racing, which provides opportunities from the novice through to professional level. The new G40 completes the Ginetta ladder of motorsport for


competitors from 14 years of age through to those with the experience to compete at the 24 hour Le Mans races, with progression via Ginetta G40, Ginetta G50, Ginetta G50Z, Ginetta-Zytek LMP2 and Ginetta- Zytek LMP1.


The G40 provides young drivers with the opportunity to race cars for the first time on the UK’s leading circuits. Weighing in at only 850kg, the lightweight, rear wheel drive car is powered by a restricted 1,800cc engine and teaches car control and race craft.


Ginetta selected SKF’s innovative HUB3 wheel bearing units for the G40 to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, while increasing functionality and durability. The wheel end system features two flanges – one for mounting to the wheel and brake rotor assembly, and one for fixing to the suspension – to enable significant improvements in performance, while simplifying corner design. The fully integrated design also features the orbital rolling technique, so that the bearings


can be installed in both driven and non-driven wheels on vehicles. Additionally, these units are greased and sealed for life to ensure consistent and reliable operation, while eliminating the need for maintenance. Ginetta’s design engineer, Marcos Lameirao, expressed full satisfaction with the products and technical support offered by SKF and declared: “SKF was an obvious choice due to the quality, competitive pricing and easy access to CAD models. In times of such tight budgets and deadlines we knew we could rely on them to deliver in a timely and cost- effective fashion.” Paolo Andolfi, manager at SKF Racing, added; “This contract strengthens further SKF’s position as a key engineering partner to the racing industry. Our strong knowledge in automotive applications, product range and quality meant we were well placed to win the order.”


>SKF (UK) www.skf.co.uk


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Tower Tool needed to verify its accuracy against the existing CAD model and key to this was developing an accurate representation of the new tool, for which Tower Tool investigated a number of methods. The use of a CMM was discounted because of the inability to measure more than one point at a time, meaning it would have taken days or even weeks to develop an accurate CAD representation. Laser scanning was also considered and while speed was not an issue, there were concerns over the accuracy of the results produced.


However, by employing the Phase Vision Quartz range of white light scanners, speed and accuracy were combined, delivering a set of readings within a few minutes which created an accurate CAD model of the new tool to be produced. An inspection report was then produced to show compliance to the requirements of the original CAD representation. Myles Ball of Tower Tool commented: “While the cost of the component was not enormous – about £500 – accuracy was key as it was to be used in a state-of-the-art aerospace application. We couldn’t afford to wait for


accurate readings from a CMM and weren’t convinced by laser scanning either. However the Phase Vision equipment delivered on both speed and accuracy and allowed us to prove that our new tool was in line with the CAD requirements.” Ralph Weir of Phase Vision added: “This application shows clearly the advantages of white light scanning over other measurement techniques, particularly when speed is of the essence and accuracy cannot be compromised.”


>PHASE VISION www.phasevision.com


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