NEWS FANUC to showcase new mill/turn option at MACH 2024


Industrial automation specialist FANUC UK will showcase a range of real-world robotic innova- tions at MACH 2024, which takes place at the NEC Birmingham, on April 15-19. It innovations will include an affordable mu- ti-axis turning and machining solution aimed at helping manufacturers in the aerospace, auto- motive, utilities and energy supply chains reduce cycle times, cut costs, save space and boost pro- duction efficiency. As well as EDM wire cutting, aerospace cobot


drilling and educational solutions, the centrepiece of the FANUC stand will be an advanced RO- BODRILL machine, equipped with a 24k spindle and mounted with a Nikken two-axis high speed


rotary table, featuring a built-in direct drive motor that achieves 1500rpm. In operation throughout the entire five days of the show, the demonstration cell will produce finished scroll compressor aluminium housings, showcasing live to visitors the cost-saving and performance benefits to be gained from combin- ing machining and turning processes. Oliver Selby, head of UK sales at FANUC UK,


said: “FANUC and Nikken have worked together to create a combined machining/turning cell with an extended range of functionality, offered at a fraction of the cost of machines with similar ca- pabilities.


“At the heart of the solution is our D21Li-


B5ADV Plus ROBODRILL, which is a three-axis machine in its core configuration. The Nikken table adds a further two axes, allowing users to turn and machine components on the same unit.”


Global manufacturing may point to recovery for Irish factories


A recent uptick in a global index of manufacturing – to the highest level since mid- 2022 – has spurred expectations the sector has reached a turning point after a broad consumer shift away from purchases of goods in favour of services.


That could in turn mean good news for


Irish factories because an outsized proportion of all Irish goods are destined for world markets thanks to the US pharma and medical equipment manufacturers based in Ireland. The AIB purchasing managers’ index for Irish


manufacturing in January showed some sort of pickup, but conditions had contracted from December. “We believe that manufacturing activity has troughed and should improve on the back of resilient global growth and the arrival of central bank rate cuts in 2024,” Goldman Sachs


economists said in a research note. Economists at Danske Bank said: “The


Covid pandemic created big swings in the manufacturing cycle, with the pendulum swinging from a huge boost in goods demand


to a subsequent bust. “We now believe the pendulum is starting to swing back, supported by a turn in the inventory cycle and a moderate improvement in goods demand.”


Record interest fuels successful show for Altus


Altus Group said it has returned from the highly anticipated 2024 Southern Manufacturing & Electronics exhibition, held in Farnborough, with notable success. Building upon last year’s achievements, Altus expanded its presence, showcasing


eight key processes and the latest innovations in electronics manufacturing. The highlighted technologies included the Koh Young Zenith Alpha HS+


AOI inspection solution for automated optical inspection. Altus also displayed the versatile KSMART software for collecting, analysing and optimising PCBA processes to improve quality and efficiency. Joe Booth, chief executive of Altus Group, said: “We were pleased to showcase our expanded range of innovations in electronics production equipment at this year’s Southern Manufacturing exhibition. “The exceptional engagement we received shows the increasing demand for advanced solutions as electronics manufacturers seek to improve quality, efficiency and automation in their production processes. “The team look forward to many productive customer conversations and potential new partnerships moving through the rest of the year.”


8 February 2024 Irish Manufacturing www.irish-manufacturing.com


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