Germany – Stainless steel is difficult to machine and thereby rapidly wears out special tools. In case of an end mill, a special nano coating as well as cutting edge geometry with unequal helix angles provide an optimal chip removal thereby ensuring lesser wear and tear and enhanced process reliability.

Taiwanese entrepreneur Jimmy Chu and Italy’s Jobs have created a force in high-performance milling. Our Publisher Ken Fouhy reports that acquisitions and growth could boost FFG Europe sales to €200 million, and its first machines developed with FFG's Asian brands will debut at EMO.

At EMO Hannover 2017, Jongen has presented a number of new products. Highlights were the newly developed face milling cutters Jongen Uni-Mill A20 and the milling programme Jongen Uni-Mill FP 70.

For a UK producer of carbon-fibre reinforced parts, adding CAD/CAM programs and a 5-axis machining unit has helped drive profits, reduced production time and expanded the business into even more sectors.

Israel – With the launch of several products, Iscar has expanded its range of hole cutting tools. The Sumocham drilling heads, for instance, are said to slash machining cycle times, requiring only half the number of tools for a given drilling operation.

The supplier said it has added a range of enhancements to its Electrode solution for the design, machining and inspection of electrodes, and has extended the range of EDM equipment supported by the software.

The Micro Lube minimal quantity lubrication system from Advanced Carbide Tooling Ltd uses a plant-based oil and offers both reduced machining costs and improved processing results, according to its supplier.

Machine tool crashes can destroy the tool and damage the machine as well as, in certain circumstances, expensive workpieces. German researchers are using radar to recognise imminent collisions and eliminate them.

Cost pressure and fierce global competition are nothing new to toolmakers. Still, the industry is constantly changing and 2018 comes with other problems than those of 2008. What does 2018 have in store for tooling and moulding?

UK - Renishaw's Head of Communications Chris Pockett puts it in a nutshell: "We are always restless, always investing in the future." The precision engineering company has been experiencing serious growth over the last few years and on 21 July revealed some of its innovative products which will make their European trade show debut at EMO 2015 in Milan.