Europe - Europe’s tool and mould makers are facing fierce competition caused by increasing cost pressures and globalisation; which, on the other hand, also offers opportunities to tap into new markets and embrace new technologies. Let’s see what 2017 holds for the industry.

It is the fourth year of their cooperation, and for this year Porsche and DMG Mori plan the third championship title in a row. DMG Mori partners with the Porsche LMP1 Team in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Motor spindles are an essential part of machining centres. The correct spindle enables users to master a wide range of applications, from delicate finishing operations to heavy-duty roughing. Last year, Swiss spindle-manufacturer Step-Tec has presented its product portfolio at EMO 2017 in Hanover.

At the EMO trade fair in Hanover, LMT Tools is expanding its product portfolio with a number of innovations for milling, threading and gear cutting. Users from the automotive, aerospace, energy technology, ­mechanical engineering, medical technology and mould and die-making industries receive new solutions to increase productivity in their individual machining applications.

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.

MHT GmbH Merz & Haag from Schramberg in the Black Forest offers a self-developed medium distributor that is said to make milling faster, better and cheaper.

A German manufacturer of components for the electronics industry found that a change-over from copper to graphite electrodes also rearranged the process for mould production.

They say only a poor workman blames his tools, but selecting the proper ones isn’t always that easy. Cutting tool suppler Seco Tools (UK) Ltd offers a few tips for die and mould shops.

Production at subsidiaries serves a wide range of machining applications.

In contrast to high-speed milling, electrical discharge machining (EDM) is nowadays often considered a complementary technology for mould making. ILMA Plastica, an Italian manufacturer of injection tools, is using both techniques to improve its efficiency.