There are very few places feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic more than the aerospace industry. As soon as travel restrictions were announced – it was the aerospace sector that felt the impact before all else. As a global industry that is annually valued in the region of US$900bn, aerospac...

By Andy Silcox, CEng MIMechE Research Director, University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru

For those of us from the punched tape fed CNC generation, the idea of using technology like AR headsets in day-to-day manufacturing operations may seem like a step too far t...

Based in Hohenlinden near Munich, Herrmann CNC-Drehtechnik GmbH has made a name for itself as a preferred supplier in the aerospace industry. Numerous aerospace OEMs rely on the precision and quality of the Bavarian machining specialist. To ensure the required quality, the machining experts at Herrm...

What are barrel tools?

The original barrel tool has been in existence for decades and its uses are very limited. Shaped like a barrel with two equal flute radii and used to produce slots with curved walls, the barrel tool never rose to prominence until more recent times.

With the ever-increasing...

Building a house begins with the foundation, its longevity depends on the foundation strength. With cutting tools, this foundation is the material. There are various cutting materials such as cemented carbide, PCD, HSS, ceramics and more. Each type contains different grades. Through history, the int...

Working closely with companies like Rolls-Royce, Collins Aerospace, Safran, Bombardier, ITP Aero, Marshall and Incora, XCEL Aerospace is a subcontract manufacturer with an aerospace pedigree that few in the supply chain can match. Offering services from CNC machining, fabrication, assembly, additive...

NILES-SIMMONS developed the ‘Closed-Door Machining’ concept to meet the ever-increasing requirements of manufacturing complex, high-precision parts for the aviation industry. The complete machining concept allows machining in one continuous process within one machine without operator interventio...

The humble beginnings of Vision Engineering date back to 1958 when Jaguar Racing Team mechanic Rob Freeman developed a borescope for internal inspection of race engine components without the need for disassembly. He subsequently formed the Woking-based company to pursue his interest in optics applie...

Coronavirus (Covid-19) has thrown industry into unchartered territory with many machine shops running reduced capacity, idling some machines or completely closing the doors to the business. But what about your machine tools? Here, ROCOL gives engineers some tips on what to do from both a coolant and...

In my last article in the May issue, I described the difference between accuracy and precision as laid out in the ‘Vocabulary of Measurement’. I also explained the concept of the true value. If you missed that article it is free to read online and this article builds on the concepts I discussed ...