Hurco Europe reported strong results from Mach 2026, with orders worth more than £1.5 million taken on the stand and over 200 quotations now being prepared. Automated production cells, 5-axis machining solutions and driven-tool turning centres drew particular interest, underlining demand for smarter, more accessible CNC automation.

Grindinghub 2026 has underlined its role as a key international meeting place for grinding technology. With around 11,000 visitors, 462 exhibitors and strong interest in investment, the Stuttgart trade fair highlighted practical solutions, digital applications and the next step for the format: Grindinghub Americas 2027.

Automated tool grinding and compact metrology took centre stage at Walter’s AMB presentation. The new Helitronic Fusion combines grinding with integrated workpiece and tool automation, while the Helicheck Compact measures standard and macro tools.

Italian machine tool orders ended 2025 on a weak note, with a sharp drop in the fourth quarter exposing continued fragility in global demand and only limited relief at home. While annual order intake remained slightly positive, Ucimu warns that geopolitical uncertainty, stalled trade agreements and delayed investment incentives are weighing heavily on the industry’s outlook.

The “Grinder of the Year” competition at Grinding Hub put young talent in grinding technology in the spotlight. Fabio Schoppet won the two-day live contest in Stuttgart, where the finalists demonstrated not only technical skill but also the role of modern tool grinding in securing the next generation of skilled workers.

From hybrid machine tools to AI-driven robotics and automated post-processing, additive manufacturing is entering a new phase of industrial maturity. A look at current technologies shows how AM is becoming a reliable, scalable element of modern production.

Several machine tools from Yamazaki Mazak were used as part of the recent World Skills UK National Finals, which saw young competitors go head-to-head to program and machine a complex workpiece under strict time conditions.

A standard wireless controller may seem far removed from the factory floor. Ency Software’s work on Ency Hyper shows why tactile, analog input can still matter when programming industrial robots and cobots.

35.Bi-Mu is gearing up for its return to Fieramilano Rho on 13–16 October, with exhibitor registrations rising and a refreshed Tuesday-to-Friday schedule tailored to B2B visitors.

A hydraulic expansion tool holder with dual-contact technology helped improve stability, reduce vibration and shorten setup times during trochoidal milling tests in demanding nitriding steel, demonstrating the impact of optimised tool holding on machining performance.