Spain – Now available from the exclusive UK and Eire agent, Warwick Machine Tools, the new range of ONA AV wire EDM machines is part of the Spanish company’s strategic plan to improve current product competitiveness with the introduction of high performance ‘Premium’ machines that was initially established with the recent launch of the highly capable QX die sink CNC EDM range.

UK - Machining tool steel die nests is a complex operation at the best of times. A particularly intricate job used to be a loss-making operation for a UK-based toolmaking firm. But now the purchase of a 5-axis machine is said to save enough time to make the process profitable.

Tool and mould-making is a key factor in industrial manufacturing. In addition to machining processes, spark erosion is also used, the electrodes of which are very complex to manufacture. Researchers are now developing a simpler method for this.

A company specialising in industrial rubber injection moulds and cold runner blocks for the automotive sector uses WorkNC to create 3+2 axis toolpath programs across a range of eight CNC machine tools as well as Workplan to consolidate information ranging from sales orders to invoices.

As 3D printers become larger, faster, and more accurate, their manufacturers face the next challenge: How do we bring additive manufacturing into an industrial manufacturing chain?

Germany – Additive manufacturing is booming with worldwide sales in 2016 forecast to increase by around 30% to more than US$7bn. An industry pioneer is Concept Laser of Lichtenfels, Germany. The company continues to lead today, now with its vision of the “AM Factory of Tomorrow”.

The German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW) and Messe Erfurt want to meld, step-by-step, their exhibitions, which are Metav and Rapid-Tech and Fab-Con 3D, journalist Walter Frick reports.

Utilising Stratasys’ PolyJet technology, Unilever 3D prints injection mould tools to create prototype parts in final material. It reportedly slashed lead times for prototype parts by 40%

Hermle offers an alternative process to laser sintering in the shape of the MPA technology. This involves a form of thermal injection, in which powder particles are accelerated to very high speeds using a carrier gas and directed onto the substrate with a nozzle.

Belgium – The combination of a laser scanner and co-ordinate measuring machine has proved to be the answer to the challenge a UK-based diecasting company was facing in bringing its products to market faster and reducing development costs.