GTMA ARM Briefing

SECTORS

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING

Automot ive • Rai l • Mar ine

MANUFACTURING

Transport cover 18/1/11 18:21

Transport cover 18/1/11 18:21

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ARMOVERVIEW

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Published byGTMAThe National Metalforming Centre,47 Birmingham Road,West Bromwich, B70 6PYWeb: www.gtma.co.uk Email: [email protected]

This publication has been produced for the GTMA by Channel Publications Ltd, 14 John Slessor Court, Camden Row, Bath BA1 5LDTel: 07800 962 473 Email: [email protected] Web: www.channelpublications.co.uk and was printed by Buxton Press.

Contact GTMAIn order to receive a copy of this Manufacturing Executive Briefingplease email your request to GTMA. We do not accept responsibility foromissions or errors. Please note the views expressed in articles by con-tributors and advertisements included in this edition do not necessarilyrepresent those of the GTMA.© 2011 Channel Publications Limited/GTMA

All photos used in this publication are subject to the copyright restrictions of the companies who supplied them and should not beused or reproduced without permission.

Cover photos courtesy and copyright of Sunseeker, Nissan andBombardier. Above right: GTMA offices at the National MetalformingCentre in West Bromwich.

GTMA CEO Foreword 5

Auto, Rail and Marine - Vision for the future 6-8

AUTO

Fighting back to lead the world 10-11

Supply Chain Opportunities 13

The Electric revolution 14

MARINE

New UK strategy to win 15-17

Where the opportunities are 16-17

The Sectors 17

RAIL

A time of change 18-19

30-year technology plan 21

The great escape 21

Manufacturing Resource Centre -

a confidential procurement service 22-23

Supply Chain Programme delivers 24

World class help for buyers 25

CASE STUDIES

Companies at your service 27-39

Emerging Technologies and R&D 41

BUSINESS ZONE

Essential information for ARM 42-49

METROLOGY ZONE

How measurement matters 51-54

A-Z of GTMA metrology companies 55-56

GTMA Benefits 58

Manufacturing supply chain opportunities are ever changing, andnever more so than now. Sustainability demands and technologicaladvances are revolutionising many production sectors – with automotive, rail and marine in the vanguard.

The UK Government has recognised how closely interlinked thesethree Transport sectors can be and, through the newly formedTransport Knowledge Transfer Network (see pages 6-8), is drivingtransfer of skills and experience across the three areas.

For companies in any of the sectors this can mean opportunities fornew business. It means that those with a track record in one sectormay find they can serve the other sectors.

The ARM sector, as we call it, is rapidly changing and the market sizesare huge – rail alone, despite the current UK Government spendingcuts, is set for investments of £35-45 BILLION in the next decade.

Automotive supply chains are about to be pumped up further to meetthe demands of the drive for low carbon vehicles (see pages 10-14)and marine is seeing a new strategy in place to meet the global challenge (pages 15-17).

GTMA and our members in the engineering sector are determined tobe part of the technological revolution described by Transport SecretaryPhilip Hammond on Page 14, and one of the ways we are doing this isthrough our Manufacturing Resource Centre which is a growing andvaluable asset for buyers across industry (pages 22-24).

Each of the sectors covered here have challenges as well as opportu-nities. I hope you find the information in this Executive Briefing useful inhelping your organisation towards greater success.

Julia Moore Chief Executive

CONTENTS THE CHANGINGWORLDSOF AUTOMOTIVE,RAIL AND MARINE...


6

There are both challenges and opportunitiesin the three Transport sectors of Auto, Railand Marine – and for the first time in the UKthe future of the three is being coordinatedat the highest level to cross fertilise innova-tion and expertise across the sectors.

It was in early 2010 that the Government-funded Knowledge Transfer Network organi-sation launched a specific KTN for Transport– to draw up a masterplan strategy to bringmuch closer working between the three –which we are referring to collectively as ARM.

The message is clear for suppliers in thethree sectors: Work together to win.

The rewards for success for ARM supplierswill be great, with the sheer market sizesmaking even a low market penetration worth-while. As it is, the combined spends in theUK on manufacturing in these sectors will bemany £billions in the next decade.

Innovation and sustainability are the two keywords highlighted consistently in a reportfrom the new Transport KTN called 'BuildingSustainable Transport Systems'. It says thefuture vision and direction for UK Transportneeds to concentrate on these four issues:

• Increased use of innovative manufacturingprocesses and tools to raise company

productivity and output in UK and exportmarkets.

• Mass hybridisation of vehicle technologiesto reduce CO2 emissions.

• Closer working between the ARM trans-port sectors and trade bodies, for exam-ple in master planning and on climatepositive schemes.

• More use of technology to plan and man-age transport systems and to make surecapacity can feed demand.

TKTN's role is to bring together the rail,road, and marine sectors to deliver theseprogrammes with an integrated strategy.

FOUR CORE PROGRAMMESThe Network has four core programmescovering:

Cross sector collaborative initiativesinvolving the big three sector bodies –SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers andTraders) for auto, MILC (Marine IndustryLeadership Council) for marine, and RIA(Railways Industry Association) for rail (alsosee pages 10-14, 15-17, 18-21).

Harnessing Data - this is a programme todevelop a transport intelligence infrastructure

including information and data capture sys-tems for use in transport modelling and tohelp in active transport management.

Energy Management and Storage – forexample batteries to help reduce emissions.

Supply Chain Innovation – with theemphasis on creating an innovative climate.

There are both common issues and differ-ences across the ARM sectors. For example,a presentation by Dr Peter Speers of Cenex– the UK’s first centre of excellence for lowcarbon and fuel cell technologies and thecompany charged with advising the TKNT onthis – identified mobile energy storage as akey “enabler” in the technology roadmap forall three ARM sectors. But his roadmap com-parison showed major differences:

Automotive• Decarbonisation is a crucial driver of vehi-

cle technology (driven by EU targets)• Progression will come through hybrid, full

electric to (possibly) hydrogen and fuel celltechnologies

• Energy storage is cited as a fundamentalenabler.

Rail• 60% CO2 reduction target by 2050 (not

regulated)

ARMOVERVIEW

VISION FOR THE FUTURE AUTO, RAIL AND MARINE MUST WORK TOGETHER


• Electrification is a key technology• Cost is a greater driver than

decarbonisation• Battery technology is one of many cited

enablers.

Marine• 28% CO2 reduction target by 2020 (not

currently regulated)• Cost is a greater driver than

decarboniastion• Diversification of energy sources is cited

as a requirement• Little detail of enabling technologies.

The relative positions of the individual supplychains also differ with the UK having a thrivingautomotive assembly and automotive power-train manufacturing industry (over one millionvehicles and 2-3 million engines a year) and,crucially, retaining powertrain R&D backed upby design engineering consultancies.

Rail, while about to enter a period of stronginvestment (see pages 18-21) has muchmore limited volumes, but with some trac-tion opportunities in overhaul; marine hasstrengths in leisure and defence, with limitedpropulsion, and relatively limited volumes.

AGENDA FOR ACTIONAn investigation into energy storage oppor-tunities for ARM sectors is taking place to

develop an agenda for action with the focusnot only on batteries but also on superca-pacitors and flywheels. This will involve notonly technology developers (academia andindustry) and ARM end users but alsoInnovation funding support groups, KTN etc.

Dr Speers believes the case of energy stor-age can be a good test case to see how thethree sectors work together.

Strengths in this area include world leadingexpertise in the UK in research is new mate-rials, an active SME sector (BMS, flywheels)and the UK niche vehicle uptake andNissan's battery manufacture.

But there are weaknesses including that thereare no high volume mainstream, cross-sectortechnology providers and a reliance onimported technology (notably Chinese cells).The task now is to disseminate UK capabilitiesin the automotive sector into rail and marineand to promote more action by those sectors

to meet UK, European and global needs.

TKTN will be seeking to exploit in ARM (ledby Auto) and there will be a key role fordesign engineering consultancies in acceler-ating technology transfer to rail and marine.

As the individual sector overviews in this publication show, each of the sectors alsohave their own supply chain initiatives, andare setting their own technology and sustain-ability strategies. Some overlap in importantareas.

In fact many companies who are accreditedin other sectors – with aerospace an obviousexample – are well placed to fill the manygaps in the ARM supply chains.

Transport Knowledge Transfer Networkhttps://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/transportktn

www.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk

ARMOVERVIEW

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Three sectors – automotive, marine and rail– with one aim: to transfer technologiesacross the supply chains. Mobile energystorage will be important in all three sectorswith knowledge gained in automotive beingtransferred into the UK's rail and marinesupply chain. Photo, right, courtesy Renault.Pictures above from Nissan, Network Railand Sunseeker. Opposite from Nissan,Bombardier and Rolls-Royce.


Innovative thinking in the supply chains willbe crucial in developing sustainable growthfor suppliers across the auto, rail and marinesectors.

This was one of the main findings of a pre-liminary study to investigate key issues andchallenges in supply chains carried out forthe new Transport KTN by Technology andBusiness Consultant Dr Vassilios Albanis andSteve Dore, CEO of International InnovationServices (IIS).

The report showed that rewards are veryhigh for innovators, but that many companiesare held back by weaknesses in their innova-tion processes. Innovation decisions wereoften 'ad hoc' and without any formal organi-sation with many having little chance of iden-tifying breakthroughs and picking winners.About 44% had difficulties in prototyping –

an area in which many GTMA members areable to help.

The aim of TKTN is to promote an innova-tion culture and among the sectors that willhelp in this is the automotive sector wheredesign engineering is just one area wherethere has been huge success. Breakthrough

ARMOVERVIEW

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Image from Zytek - UK design engineers are worldleaders in innovation and an example to suppliersacross the ARM sectors.

INNOVATION IS CRUCIALTO WIN ACROSS ALL SECTORS

ACTION NEEDED TO CHANGE INDUSTRY APPROACH

The TKTN has set up various sub-groups todrive progress. It welcomes new members –overview and details on these weblinks:

Intelligent Transport Systems: ITS bringstogether and integrates various technologiesand systems engineering concepts to develop and improve transport.https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/intelligent-transport-systems

Low Carbon: The Group is taking forwardthe KTN’s low carbon automotive work asan integral part of UK transport.https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/low-carbon

Energy Storage and Management:Enabling technologies include battery chem-istry, novel materials, flywheel technology and capacitors

https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/82711

Internal Combustion Engine andDrivetrain: The internal combustion engineoffers the most effective short-term route toCO2 reduction. Critical may be leverage ofUK expertise in motor sport. https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/internal-combustion-engine-ice

Lightweight Structures: Lightweight tech-nologies will strongly influence vehicle manu-facturing and longer-term developments willinclude composite and ‘smart’ materials.https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/lightweight-structures

Power Electronics and ElectricMachines: Power electronics are a keytechnology for hybrids and represent 20%of the material costs.

https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/82766Technology Roadmap: Being developed bySMMT Foresight Vehicle to identify technologyand research themes for road transport.https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/technology-roadmap

Other links include:Harnessing Data For Transporthttps://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/harnessing-dataTransport Modellinghttps://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/transport-modellingTrip Efficiencyhttps://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/trip-efficiency Cooperative Vehicle InfrastructureSystemshttps://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/coopera-tive-vehicle-infrastructure-systems

technologies, says the report, equals£££££'s growth.

The TKTN is now taking on board recom-mendations from the report which were to:

• Provide supply chain innovation auditbenchmarks

• Deliver appropriate processes, show howand tools

• Platform for collaborative development.

GTMA will be active in promoting innovationactions to its members and the wider engi-neering supply chain through its websiteand its publication GTMA News – if youwould like to be placed on the websitenewsletter or News distribution list (free)please contact GTMA at [email protected]

www.gtma.co.uk


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The UK automotive sector is bouncing backafter one of the biggest one-year declines inits history, when turnover slumped 25% in ayear and the number of vehicles produceddropped by a third.

That was in 2008/2009 but as 2011 dawneda very different story was emerging withvehicle numbers rising and a strong focuson a new, technology-led recovery. And withit is a new era of opportunities for compa-nies in the supply chain.

So certain is the UK Government that UK-based suppliers have a lot to offer globalautomotive producers that it hosted a spe-cial event at the British Embassy in Paris inSeptember 2010 with 70 of the top interna-tional auto manufacturers and suppliers.

There Business Minister Mark Prisk told thisaudience of global decision makers that theyshould take a fresh look at the UK automo-tive supply chain – especially in terms ofengineering expertise, skilled workers, inno-vation and cutting edge design. The UK, healso told them, is taking action to lead in lowcarbon automotive technologies.

His upbeat 'state of the sector' pitch cameless than a year after the launch of theUnited Kingdom Automotive Council, a bodyestablished as a key recommendation of theindustry-led New Automotive Innovation andGrowth Team (NAIGT) which reported in Mayof that year (see page 44). The AutomotiveCouncil is co-chaired by the BusinessSecretary Vince Cable and Richard Parry-Jones (who was chairman of NAIGT).

The Council is spearheading a radical overhaulof automotive and has two high-level strands –a Supply Chain Group (chaired by Bill Parfitt,GMUK) and a Technology Group (chaired byJerry Hardcastle, Nissan). The intention is to

build on the strengths of the existing UK auto-motive sector for a new world.

POSITION OF STRENGTHIt starts from a position of strength: Elevenof the world’s volume vehicle manufacturershave a base in the UK, supported by 19 ofthe world’s top 20 suppliers. There are par-ticular strengths in premium vehicles andadvanced powertrain, from low carbon inter-nal combustion engines to innovative electricdrive trains.

On the low carbon front the UK leads inEurope. It has:

• The first production facility in Europe for amass market hybrid vehicle

• The first hybrid engine manufacturing plantoutside of Japan

• The first mass market pure electric carplant in Europe, and

• A major electric battery plant.

The Automotive Council is developing itsstrategy to ensure the UK leads the globalauto industry in the transition from conven-tional to low carbon vehicle technologiesand the focus is to build a supply chain thatcan compete globally. Industry leaders pointout that the sector is heavily regulated andthere will be a lot more environmental piecesof legislation coming into force in the nextfew years. The hope is that UK supply chainexperience in low carbon will attract otherauto investors.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITYMark Prisk said in Paris: “Many automotivecompanies have already found that the UKcan offer a sound business investment oppor-tunity. It’s a message that the AutomotiveCouncil and the Government, as a full partnerin the Council, wants to spread further.”

The other part of the equation is increasingUK suppliers into existing automotive pro-duction plants, a point stressed by RichardParry-Jones: “We have a very competitive,

ARMAUTO SECTOR

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FIGHTING BACK TOBE A WORLD LEADERAUTOMOTIVE COUNCIL SPEARHEADS DRIVE FOR GLOBAL LEAD

A U T O


strong and diverse vehicle industry andcompanies from around the world areachieving their goals by taking full advantageof the UK's world class universities, innova-tive companies and strong skill base.

“For companies already investing in the UK,there are significant opportunities to increaselocal sourcing. The Automotive Council UKis working to help them realise these oppor-tunities fast."

SUPPLY CHAIN GROUPIn fact one of the areas the Supply ChainGroup has been tasked with is to build aconsensus on the challenges facing the UKsupply chain and to develop the conditionsto encourage further investment in the UKautomotive industry.

The primary focus of the group is to improvethe core competitiveness of the UKsupply chain and protect the interests of theUK automotive manufacturing sector, specifi-cally covering R&D, design engineering, pow-ertrain and component assembly. Since itsfirst meeting in December 2009, the Councilhas been working to enhance the dialoguebetween original equipment manufacturers(OEMs) and Tier 1 on future business.

TECHNOLGOY GROUPThe Supply Chain Group liaises closely withthe Technology Group which is:

• developing the technology roadmaps forlow carbon vehicles and fuels

• exploiting opportunities to promote the UKas a strong candidate to develop theseand other technologies

• developing a stronger supply base throughjoint research on focused areas driven by acommon agenda and by promoting collab-oration

• identifying opportunities to provide a com-pelling investment proposition for automo-tive R&D to come to the UK.

A key player in the industry is the SMMT(Society of Motor Manufacturers andTraders) which is working closely with theAutomotive Council and has produced a UKautomotive supply chain report which identi-fies supply gaps in the UK automotive industry(see page 13). The report also looks intoways vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 sup-pliers can increase their levels of UK sourcing.

In fact the sector is due for a massiveincrease in production levels having seenturnover drop from £52.5bn in 2008 to£39.8bn in 2009. The industry expects pro-duction to be back to 2008 levels by 2014.

Automotive remains the UK's No 1 manufac-turing export sector (2009: £23.8bn) witharound 180,000 employees in 3300 uniqueautomotive businesses; and a further200,000 employees in the wider economysupplying essential parts and services(excluding auto retail/servicing which has halfa million more!).

As well as mainstream and commercial thereare thriving niche vehicle markets, the world'smost successful motorsport sector, worldclass design engineers, and a thriving highvalue and luxury brand base (from AstonMartin and Bentley to Lotus and Rolls Royce).

GTMA has over 100 members active in thesector and regularly meets with buyers , andour Manufacturing Resource Centre (seepages 22-25) is primed to work with theindustry to fill supply chain gaps with fullyaccredited engineering companies.

www.automotivecouncil.co.uk

ARMAUTO SECTOR

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Opposite: A cut-out of the Nissan Leaf electric car,due to be produced at the company's Sunderlandplant from early 2013 with batteries supplied froma new plant there.

The UK is focusing strongly on the transformationneeded to move from conventional to low carbonvehicles and aims to be a world leader. Amongother successes is the Auris Hybrid (left, top) in

production at Toyota's Deeside facility, and Tatahas announced trials at its Coventry factory of anall electric vehicle. The UK is also strong in nichemarkets – including Formula 1 (photo fromRenault) and specialist vehicles such as thisMorgan Aero Supersport (above) which is pro-duced by the Morgan Motor Company in MalvernLink, Worcs.


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A study implemented by the AutomotiveCouncil's Supply Chain Group has foundthat many automotive manufacturers in theUK have “a genuine wish to increase UKsourcing.” Ian Henry, a Director in AutoAnalysis which was commissioned to do theresearch, has told GTMA members thatmost vehicle manufacturers “actually gaveus a list of components they wanted tosource in the UK.”

He told the GTMA's annual conference therewere two key reasons auto producers want-ed to increase UK sourcing: First, they want-ed to reduce logistics costs and strain,especially from Far East suppliers; Secondthey wanted to reduce exchange rates risks.Several VMs want to spend the sterling they earn in the UK: “The more we sell here,the more we will need to spend in the UK.”

Total purchasing spend by UK vehicle manu-facturers (VMs) is about £30bn but it is esti-mated UK sourcing at Tier 1 level is about£8bn and only about £3bn is actually spentwith UK Tier 2s/3s.

There are a range of contributory reasons forthis low level spend including cheaper sup-ply points outside the UK with greatereconomies of scale; directed sourcing whereVMs tell Tier 1s which Tier 2s and 3s to use;and decision-makers based outside the UK.

The UK, he said, has done very well to winso many new vehicle projects, but the indus-try as a whole has not always been able toexploit these opportunities.

Supply side gaps existing in new and oldtechnolgies in the automotive industryinclude:

Castings and forgings, alloy wheels, alterna-tors and starter motors, brake components,fasteners, plastic mouldings, stampings,sheet steel, transmission components,

wiring, advanced air-conditioning, ECUs ingeneral and safety (especially airbags).

New, low carbon technology will require a newsupply chain, not just for batteries, but also for: Electric motors, reducers, inverters, pluswiring, plastic and metal components whichcould be supplied from existing suppliers. TheNissan battery plant should mean majoropportunities throughout the supply chain.

Ian Henry said there is no doubt that VMshave become lean in recent years – but theycannot do all the engineering on their own:“They will need people like the GTMA mem-bers more and more.”

But while the study for the SMMT revealed awish to source more components in the UK,

the reality was that many decision-makersare based outside the UK and the key towinning is to increase international focus. “Itis not too late,” he said.

GTMA CEO Julia Moore said: “The studyfindings are very welcome. We carried out astudy ourselves on the Real Cost of Toolingwhen purchased from the Far East and itmade the same points. There are hiddencosts and often what appears to be a lowcost option turns out to be anything but.We are trying to work with the auto industrythrough our Manufacturing Resource Centreto fill the supply side gaps identified here.”

www.smmt.co.ukwww.gtma.co.ukwww.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk

ARMAUTO SECTOR

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SUPPLY CHAIN OPPORTUNITES- WHAT THEY WANT TO BUY

Main photo shows the UK's highest resolution 3DPower Wall at the £5 million state-of-the-artPremiem Vehicle Customer InterfaceTechnologies (PVCIT) Centre of Excellence at theUniversity of Warwick. Facilities like these helpattract international automotive companies to theUK. Also pictured is GTMA member Delcam'sPowerMILL simulation of a finished die used tocheck surface quality. The client was KobeAluminium Automotive Products' facility inKentucky, USA.


ARMAUTO SECTOR

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Plug-in stations are now being set up around the UK. The Nissan Leaf 100% electric vehicle,above, is due to go into production at its Sunderland factory in 2013.

ELECTRIC REVOLUTION HASSUPPLIER OPPORTUNITIESMany opportunities for suppliers in the auto sector will centre on supply chainneeds borne from what Transport Secretary Philip Hammond calls the “technologi-cal revolution that will transform the way we see motoring in the 21st century.”

He was speaking as mass market electric cars moved a step closer with theannouncement at the end of 2010 of £24million to further develop the UK's lowcarbon vehicle capability.

The money was for another six projects – which with business investment total£52million – under the Technology Strategy Board's wider actions to promoteLCVs. The projects include development of new engines for plug-in versions ofNissan, Lotus and Jaguar Land Rover cars, a lightweight electric bin wagon,development of lightweight materials for vehicle weight reduction, and new tech-nologies using thermal energy to improve vehicle performance.

At the same time the Government confirmed Plug-In Car Grants launched onJanuary 1, 2011, where motorists receive up to £5000 to buy electric, plug-inhybrid or hydrogen fuelled cars. A national recharging network of Plugged-In-Places is also being set up.

The opportunities for suppliers has been highlighted by Professor Neville Jackson,Chairman of the Government's Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership action group,which is taking the lead in accelerating the move to LCVs and cleaner fuels.

In the 2010 Low Carbon Automotive Directory the Professor, who is also GroupTechnology Director, Ricardo UK, highlighted developments now taking place in fuelefficient combustion engines, vehicle innovations, electrification of drivetrains, includ-ing all electric and plug-in hybrids “in a wide variety of combinations and products.”He went on: “These new technologies drive the demand for new supply chains,providing opportunities for new entrants to the automotive sector.”

The UK's strengths in automotive, particularly in advanced combustion engines, newand lightweight materials, innovative niche vehicles and products, engineering servic-es and motorsport, give the nation a “leading edge capability to deliver the technolo-gy and products needed for the new and emerging “green market,” he said.

Also see Business Zone page 45. www.lowcvp.org.uk


Even those at the top of the UK marineindustry say it is a sector which is not widelyrecognised as strategic to the UK economy.Yet it is a sector with worldwide capabilitiesin design and advanced manufacturing andgenerates revenues of £7.6 billion a year.

Now, faced with growing global competitionand changing demands, industry leadersand the Government are drawing up aStrategic Framework for the future withwide-ranging implications for all those in thesupply chain.

The development of the UK MarineIndustries Strategic Framework has been ledby the Marine Industries Leadership Council(MILC) - a forum for the industries’ keystakeholders including marine businesses(through their trade associations), cus-tomers, sector skills councils, trade unions,Government and the devolved administra-tions in Scotland and Wales.

In it MILC has laid down the key issues fac-ing the sector - and where the best opportunities are (see pages 16-17).

MARINE RENEWABLES The framework covers all suppliers in thenaval, commercial, leisure and marinerenewable sectors (but not broader marineactivities in oil and gas extraction, shippingor ports). It says sales revenues of £7.6bninclude almost £4bn of exports and the sec-tors employ around 105,000 people.

Also, said Ian Lucas, Minister for Business,and Regulatory Reform, and Alan Johnson,Managing Director BAE Systems SurfaceShips (co-chairmen of the MILC), in a jointforeword to the Framework's first report: “Wemake a vital contribution to tackling climatechange by leading the world in the develop-

ment of marine renewable technology.”

But there was this warning: “As global com-petition intensifies and others improve theircapabilities, the UK marine industries cannotafford to be complacent. Governments andbusinesses in Norway, Canada, Germanyand France have come together to developshared strategies.

“Emerging economies too – such as Brazil,India, China and Vietnam – are recognisingtheir marine industries as strategically impor-tant and are making substantial investments.Unless the UK adopts a similar collaborativeand strategic approach, we risk losing mar-ket share to more ambitious nations…Wecannot afford to stand still.”

LONG TERM STRATEGYThe Framework is developing a long termstrategy which prioritises the most rewardingmarkets and technologies with sustainablegrowth. It has identified many issues andopportunities which are common to each ofthe marine sectors and says greater collabo-ration across the industries will be key toexploiting these opportunities.

MILC used this product life cycle as a frame-

work for action to illustrate some of theseshared issues and opportunities:

INNOVATE AND DEVELOP• Build on international reputation of UK uni-

versities in teaching and research to offerexcellent career opportunities and meetthe needs of marine industries’ companies.

• Encourage inspirational leadership andemployee engagement to increase efficien-cy and productivity.

• Coordinate marine research for theTechnology Strategy Board and ResearchCouncils.

• Work with world class and worldwide insti-tutions to foster technical capabilities forglobe customers.

ARMMARINE SECTOR

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MARINE: TIME TO ACT TO WININ GLOBAL MARKET PLACENEW UK STRATEGY IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES

M A R I N E

continued overleaf

Images courtesy Sunseeker and BAE systems -leaders in the leisure and navel sectors respectively.


DESIGN AND DEVELOP• Exploit UK’s ability to develop novel whole

ship designs (e.g. luxury yachts, fast pas-senger craft, naval ships) for home andexport markets.

• Implement an operationally effective longterm framework using tools such as leanmanufacturing, enterprise resource plan-ning and six sigma.

• Support high value jobs with focus on highvalue added projects where UK has worldbeating expertise.

SERVICE AND OPERATE• Coordinate shipbuilding programmes to

smooth workflows and ensure continueduse of facilities and personnel.

• Embrace business models that blend leas-ing and service

• Respond to cost and safety driven oppor-tunities for automation, autonomy andremote systems.

DISPOSE AND RECYCLE• Exploit UK Government strategic approach

to environmentally sound recycling ofGovernment owned vessels.

• Pursue opportunities created by the Hong

Kong Convention for Safe andEnvironmentally Sound Recycling of Ships(2009), recognising the large fluctuations inthe global merchant ship recycling market

• Collaborate with composite waste produc-ers, and remove old leisure craft from theenvironment and market.

SIX WORK GROUPSThe Strategic Framework has set up sixworking groups:

Strategy WG: Analyse global market oppor-tunities and develop a long term strategy forpriority markets, products, services, knowl-edge and technologies. (Overall leadershipof this WG: MILC)

Image WG: Develop a communication planto raise awareness of the sector's value;encourage young people to enter the sector;promote sustainability and the developmentof environmentally friendly design, manufac-turing and products. (Leadership: MILC)

Knowledge & Skills WG: Promote longterm career opportunities in marine. (Chairedby SEMTA)

Technology and Innovation WG: Develop atechnology and innovation roadmap; Identifythe key players; reduce barriers to innova-tion; benchmark the marine innovation levelsagainst other technology sectors (eg aero-space and motorsport) to identify transfer-able technologies and set challenging tar-gets for future performance; align industryand academic research. (Co-chaired by theSociety of Maritime Industries/Shipbuildersand Shiprepairers Association).

Sustainability, Environment & RegulationWG: Develop internationally-commercial,sustainable ship recycling and positivelyinfluence new legislation; highlight impendinglegislative changes and its opportunities toUK marine companies. (Chaired by theBritish Marine Federation).

International Trade and Export WG:Promote the industries overseas with UKTrade and Investment and develop a UKmarine industries brand. (Chaired by theMarine Sector Advisory Group to UKTI).

Marine Industries Leadership Council:www.maritimeindustries.org/milc/

ARMMARINE SECTOR

16

Greater innovation, improving productivityand more focus on international customerswill be key to the continued competitivenessof UK companies in the global marine relat-ed market estimated to be worth £2 trillionand forecast to grow.

MILC (see main story) says some parts ofthe UK marine industries are already globallysuccessful (e.g. leisure craft, marine systemsand equipment) and has highlighted otherareas which are driving change. Theseinclude:

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTSignificant new business opportunities will

come for companies offering solutions thatinclude innovative approaches to shipdesign, manufacture and disposal to meetship recycling legislation and the expectedglobal growth in waterborne transport (inlandand short sea) to help tackle climate change.

Demand for more sustainable vessels is alsobeing stimulated by measures developed inthe International Maritime Organization’sEnergy Efficiency Design Index and ShipEnergy Management Plan; and rises in fuelprices will create demand for more efficientvessels. Together, these factors mean signifi-cant market opportunities for environmental-ly-sound ship design, retrofitting, production

WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE…FROM MARINE EQUIPMENT TO RENEWABLES

continued from previous page


of marine equipment, engines and disposal.

THROUGH LIFE SUPPORTMarine customers increasingly buy ongoingservice support from suppliers, rather thanjust the ship or equipment – this is known as‘through life support’. The UK has experi-ence which can be taken global in areasincluding ship leasing in the commercialmarket; emerging leasing and contractingmodels in the naval sector; and growingcharter and shared ownership services forleisure boats.

INCREASED AUTOMATIONIncreasing international demand for greater

automation in vessel manufacture will bringopportunities for UK companies withadvanced technological and systems inte-gration capabilities. Demand for these skillsalso covers marine maintenance.

MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGYThe UK is currently the largest market foroffshore wind energy in the world and theexpansion of tidal, wave and offshore windenergy generation offers major new businessopportunities. Among the winners will becompanies who focus on diversification ofdesign and manufacture into the provision ofdevices for the renewables sector – and thisis one of the reasons renewables is now a

ARMMARINE SECTOR

17

THE LEISURE SECTORAbout 4,200 companies (mainly SMEs)employing around 34,300 people and earn-ing £3.16bn of revenue a year including£1.25bn from exports. Includes globally-recognised motor and sailing yacht manu-facturers and associated supply networks,equipment manufacturers, marinas and holi-day companies. Latest figures availableshowed 14% growth in the last four years;international activity up 13.6%; and superyacht activity up 15.3% from previous year(Source: British Marine Federation)

THE NAVAL SECTORNaval is made up of a small number of largecompanies supported by a strategicsupply chain including many SMEs. It direct-ly employs 24,000 and earns around £3bnof revenue per year. The sector’s portfolio

includes warships, submarines and highvalue systems and equipment. More thanhalf the turnover is in systems and equip-ment, with a high level of exports. The keyissues for this sector are sustaining capabili-ty against a reduced Royal Navy fleet andmore widely spaced new build programmes.

THE COMMERCIAL SECTORCommercial is made up of merchant ship-building, maintenance, repair and conver-sion; marine equipment, systems and servic-es; ship recycling; and design, developmentand research. The sector has an annualturnover of around £1.6bn and employsaround 36,000. UK companies have beeneffective in growing market share in the FarEast and see further opportunities there. Thekey opportunities for growth in this sectorare ship repair and conversion. (Source: The

Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association/Society of Maritime Industries).

MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGYThis emerging sector turns wind, wave andtidal energy at sea into electricity. The UKalone is forecast to invest up to £75bn in off-shore wind farms by 2020, offering busi-ness opportunities for many aspects of themarine industries; including through theexploitation of the transfer of technology andknow how. (Source: British Wind EnergyAssociation/BIS/the Carbon Trust).

Photos courtesy three UK global leaders servingthe marine sector – above, from left, Sunseeker,BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce. Innovation is keyto future success and all three have a record ofdeveloping leading-edge products. Opposite page,submarine photo from BAE Systems.

major new GTMA sector for action.

Other winners will be companies specialisingin the design, manufacture and support ofthe vessels needed to install and service off-shore systems; and companies in marinebased service industries around the coast.

SAFETYThe need to improve safety is driving opportunities for those with technology andequipment developments in autonomy,remote operation, and reduced mainte-nance. The UK has strong maritime safetyexpertise including specialist ship designservices.


“This is a time of challenge and change forour railways – no doubt about that.” Withthese words Britain's new Transport MinisterPhilip Hammond summed up his view of thesector in his first ever speech to the NationalRail Conference in Liverpool in the summerof 2010.

Since then there have been a raft ofannouncements including over £35 billion ofinvestment and a series of initiatives oneverything from supply chain excellence totechnology roadmaps. And more is to comein an industry which is putting in place a 30year plan for growth...

A radical shake-up of the railways is trans-forming the industry and heralding a decadeand more of opportunities for companies whorise to the challenges of increased productivi-ty, the introduction of new technologies and abottom line focus on value for money.

At the heart of the vision for the industry isHigh Speed rail and a network that is, said theMinister, “truly UK-wide with seamless links toHeathrow, and connections to Europe.”

He also told the National Rail conference: “Iam confident that high speed rail can bedelivered in an affordable way and that wecan build a domestic supply chain to supportthe project over the 30-plus years of its life.”

DEMAND IS KEY ISSUEHis reference to building a domestic supplychain has been backed since then byannouncements of around £35-40bn of railinvestments, including commitment toCrossrail, Thameslink, electrification, newrolling stock and even £2bn to be spent onstation upgrades (see 'Rail - the great escape'- page 21).

These early announcements have given the

sector – and especially those in the supplychain – a major boost. They address one ofthe key issues that has held back the UK railindustry over recent years which is inconsis-tency in demand and uncertainty aboutfuture plans. This has put strains on themanufacturing supply chain, particularly inmaintaining the skills base when demand fell.

Jeremy Candfield, Director General of theRailway Industry Association (RIA), whichrepresents over 150 companies in the sec-tor, put it bluntly: Supplier MDs, he said,were being paid to use their professionalexperience to make judgement calls againstuncertainty.

The effect was that buyers were also suffer-ing because until there was consistentdemand suppliers could not offer best valuefor money to their clients - “irregular andunpredictable ordering inhibits investmentand training...and forces inefficient use ofresources and waste."

He told the same conference where theMinister made his 'challenge and change'speech that much is already in place to pre-pare the supply chain for future growth –

among these is a much closer relationshipbetween RIA and London Underground, citynetworks such as Metro and, of course,Network Rail (NR), which has an annualbudget of over £4.5 billion.

Appropriately the conference was called'Working Together' and Mr Candfield high-lighted the growing dialogue between NRand the RIA – including about 90 meetingswith RIA Special Interest and TechnicalInterest Groups over the last two years.

These covered everything from electrificationtechnical issues to vehicle-track interfaces.Add to that over 50 one-to-one meetings atsenior level and a series of workshops onspecific issues and it becomes clear that thisis an industry determined to change.

INDUSTRY WORKSHOPSKey RIA/NR workshops have dealt withimproving and implementation of the RIA'sValue Improvement Programme, consulta-tion on business strategy, the SCMMM sup-ply chain initiative (see above, right) and OLEcompetencies and standards including jointdevelopment of common training modulesfor the industry.

ARMRAIL SECTOR

18

HIGH SPEED CHALLENGE IN A TIME OF CHANGE£35 BILLION OF SUPPLIER NEEDS

R A I L


This even led to the RIA initiative, on behalf ofthe whole industry including NR, which led tothe setting up of a National Skills Academyfor Railway Engineering due to be rolled out in 2011.

At the same time NR has introduced theSupplier Engagement Triangle whichincludes much more information beingpassed to suppliers – an initiative stronglywelcomed by RIA.

The Triangle has three stages:Transformationis at the top of the triangle covering stream-lined control, clearer remits, better planningand standard designs; Level 2 coversCommercial Discipline, including relaunch ofthe NR Supply Chain Charter and supportfor innovation; and Level 3 covers Assetsand Major Programmes. This includes sup-plier work groups and market briefings.

This, and other supplier activities, is layingthe foundations to help build the domesticsupply chain the Minister spoke about.

His big investment announcements sincethen are creating the consistency of demandneeded by suppliers but importantly he hasalso addressed some of the key issues fac-ing the train operators.

This includes a new deal on the length offranchises - which the Association of TrainOperating Companies (ATOC) has longargued need to be longer and smarter sothey can focus more on quality, deliver bettervalue for money and tackle overcrowdingmore quickly. They say it also gives morescope to innovate and attract private sectorinvestment. In December 2010 it wasannounced franchises will now typically beat least 15 years to meet these needs.

There were other announcements to preparethe ground for the decades of growth –among them the go-ahead for 2100 newcarriages which will help the train operatorstackle overcrowding.

But with all the investment comes a chal-lenge to bring greater value for money to thetable - and central to this is the Rail Value forMoney Study led by Chairman Sir RoyMcNulty who in an interim report issued inDecember identified potential savings of upto £1 billion – which can be achieved with-out cutting services.

The key to making the savings is closerworking and alignment of incentivesbetween TOCs and NR – and “strong lead-ership across the industry.”

Sir Roy's final report - which is jointly spon-sored by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR)- will be delivered in April 2011 but on see-

ing the interim findings the Governmentimmediately set up a high-level group withindustry leaders to examine the options.

Bill Emery, ORR Chief Executive, said: “Theinterim Value for Money report indicatesthere is scope to significantly reduce costsacross the entire rail industry, over andabove the cost efficiencies the regulator isdriving from Network Rail. Roy's final reportwill play an important role in shaping thefuture of Britain's railways.”

The last two or three months have seenpossibly more announcements impacting onthe rail sector than in the previous two tothree years combined – and one of the chal-lenges for the UK manufacturing base is toensure it wins the orders that will result.

This publication is one of several initiativesGTMA is taking to make its members awareof the issues and the needs of emergingmarkets – our Supply Chain Programmes(see pages 24-25) will help match buyerswith accredited suppliers and we are now indiscussions with rail industry leaders to helptransfer the skills and experience manyGTMA companies have in engineering intothe needs of the rail industry.

ARMRAIL SECTOR

19

Level 1 – Ad HocProcesses are

unstructured and ill-defined even within functions.

Level 2 – DefinedBasic processes are

defined and managed within functions.

Level 3 – LinkedAll processes defined and

managed at a functional level. Cross-functional

coordination has been initiated.

Level 4 – IntegratedAdvanced process mgmt

in place. NR, vendors suppliers cooperate

across processes

Level 5 – ExtendedAdvanced processes are

optimised by all parties as trust, mutual dependency and collaboration exists.

The Five States of Maturity (above) of the RIA'sSupplier Chain Management Maturity Model(SCMMM) which was signed off by the ICIG, representing all the lead players in the UK railindustry, including Network Rail.

Images showing high speed trains fromBombardier (opposite) and Siemens, left, alongwith the company's 3D laboratory used to developnew supertrains. The two are bidding for newrolling stock for the UK system.


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The Government has announced hugeinvestment programmes in UK rail since itswide-ranging spending review in October2010. As such it can be called the depart-ment of the great escape with TransportSecretary Philip Hammond having madethese £multi-billion commitments:

High Speed rail – subject to consultation,some £750 million is earmarked over theperiod of the spending review, but the totalcosts for HS2 are around £15-17bn. Theproject is seen as providing a “step changein Britain's transport infrastructure” dramati-cally reducing journey times on routes toBritain's major cities. Initial costings are for360kph trains. First step is a consultation onthe proposed London-West Midland routedue to start early 2011.

Crossrail – costing around £14bn, Crossrailwill run 118km from Maidenhead andHeathrow through 21.5km of new twin boretunnels through central London. When it

opens in 2017 there will be seven newunderground stations. Work began on thefirst (Canary Wharf) in May 2010.

Thameslink – the project will go ahead “inits entirety” at a total capital cost of around£6bn. The scheme tackles overcrowding onsome of the UK's busiest routes, increasingcapacity north-south and through London.Work on the first stage will see new longertrains on Bedford-Brighton by December2011, and scheme completion in 2018.

Electrification - £900m of rail electrificationprojects by 2016 on lines between Londonand Didcot, Newbury and Oxford; andbetween Liverpool, Manchester, Preston andBlackpool. This is as well as electrification oflines from Bristol and Cardiff announced inJuly. Other electrification schemes (egMidlands line) are being considered.

Rail carriages - more than 2,100 new railcarriages by 2019. Some 1800 carriages are

for Crossrail and Thameslink. Bombardier andSiemens are in a bidding competition for 1200with an announcement due in Spring 2011.

Intercity rolling stock - a new fleet of'Intercity 125s' trains on the Great Westernand East Coast main lines. Two optionswere being considered as we went to Press:one was for a mix of electric trains and'hybrid' trains from Agility Trains (Hitachi andJohn Laing); and the other was a proposalfor a fleet of new all-electric trains to be cou-pled to new diesel locomotives where theoverhead electric power lines end.

Network improvements – projects on theMidland Main Line and East Coast Main Linebringing improvements for the Midlands,Yorkshire, North East and Scotland.

Major stations - £2.1bn to upgrade sta-tions including London Kings Cross,Birmingham New Street, Reading andGatwick Airport stations

ARMRAIL SECTOR

21

RAIL - THE GREAT ESCAPE

The rail industry is consulting with all the keysector players to set a technology agendafor the next 30 years.

The consultation was launched in October2010 by the Technical Strategy Advisory Group (TSAG), a cross-industry expert bodyfacilitated by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). It includesNetwork Rail, train and freight operating companies, rolling stock companies, suppli-ers, research institutions, Department forTransport, Office of Rail Regulation,TransportScotland and RSSB itself.

At the heart of the thinking is the 30-year aspi-ration which TSAG has set to guide its work –

the so-called 4Cs (see panel) seeking mas-sive improvements over time in Cost,Capacity, Carbon emissions and Customersatisfaction.

The on-line consultation began with its publi-cation ‘Shaping the 30-year Rail TechnicalStrategy’ which takes stock of where theindustry is, and seeks wide engagement informing and developing the strategy. Thenext Rail Technology Strategy is due forpublication in 2012.

The technology challenges resonate withboth the government spending review and Sir Roy McNulty's Value for Money review(see pages 18-19) and support the

industry’s Planning Ahead process .

The 4Cs bar has been set deliberately highbecause TSAG wants to inspire ambitiousthinking now, to secure a sustainable futureand long term value for money.

‘Shaping the 30-year Rail Technical Strategy’and all relevant information about the con-sultation and how to take part is on theTSAG website:

www.futurerailway.org/Pages/consultation.aspx

or email: [email protected]

RAIL TECHNOLOGY STRATEGYFOR NEXT 30 YEARSCONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY TO SET AGENDA


GTMA has made a strategic decision tobecome a sector-focussed organisationwith buyer needs at the top of its agenda.The strategy has its foundations in SectorNetworks of member companies where thefocus is on identifying specific and detailedneeds of buyers – and then putting in placeprogrammes to meet those needs. Nowthis has been developed into aManufacturing Resource Centre for buyerswhere clusters of proven companies can bemade available to strengthen OEM and theentire supplier linkage.

GTMA's Manufacturing Resource Centrecontinues to develop opportunities for bothBuyer and Supplier.

The continued development of the MRC hasseen the introduction of further services tothe manufacturer. Due to the success of thefree of charge procurement service, lMRChas extended this facility to an additionalthree sectors, namely: Rail, Marine andEnergy including Renewables such as windand wave power.

This addition brings an active involvementwith eight key sectors that include:Aerospace, Automotive, Defence, Medicaland Oil & Gas

The MRC procurement service offers thebuyer peace of mind in finding the right sup-plier that is qualified as process competentand supply chain efficient. Offering a fastand efficient service, it offers these advan-tages:

• Confidentiality at the time of placing anenquiry

• Communication with potential suppliers tocheck shopfloor capacity at the time ofplacing an order

• Confirmation that quotation times will bemet

• A project management facility ensuringreporting milestones and lead times aremet

• Complete supply chains “Built” from first tofinal tier

• MRC enjoys a fine reputation with OEMand Tier 1 partners in all key sectors.

It is a service that goes further than theGTMA directory of companies (producedboth as a hard copy and on the GTMA web-site), and so is a resource that saves timewith resultant financial benefits as it can pro-vide project managed, qualified sector expe-rienced suppliers.

For further information, please visit:www.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk/buyer-supply-network.html

During 2010, MRC introduced the followingnew services to manufacturing:

PROFESSIONAL SERVICESMRC offers a bespoke Professional Services

facility to provide tangible business develop-ment assistance to the manufacturing sector.

With many years practical experience in pro-viding complete turnkey business solutionsto all tiers within the manufacturing supplychain, we work with MRC qualified partnersthat are specialists in their chosen profes-sions.

MRC also focuses on SME development,providing a "Fresh pair of eyes" to issuesthat prohibit both growth and profitability.Initial Needs Analysis work is quickly com-pleted by MRC personnel, followed by ourrecommendations and an Action Plan to suityour time-line needs.For OEM and Tier 1 companies, MRC offersa working partnership with managementsthat are seeking to enhance "Bottom line"opportunities via enhanced manufacturingprocesses, supply chain competencies andsales and marketing development.

For more information, please visit:www.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk/professional-services.html

MRCSUPPORT

22

FOCUS IS ON THE KEY SECTORSTO BRING SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONSAUTO, RAIL AND MARINE ON THE AGENDA

Photos courtesy Renishaw – the GTMA member is a world leader in engineering technologies with nofewer than 13 Queen's Awards for technical achievement, exports and enterprise in innovation.


MRC ENGINEERING SUPPORTThe manufacture of products throughout theengineering supply chain can sometimesrequire specialist assistance to ensure thatthe highest Quality, Cost and Delivery stan-dards are met.

MRC offers a comprehensive range of specialists that provide practical manufactur-ing process solutions and sector skills gainedfrom experience within their own businesses.

This support facility also focuses on techno-logical innovation within process and materi-als, striving to assist the engineering com-munity in the development of competitive-ness via process excellence.

Help can be as straight foreward as a reas-suring telephone call to in-depth support ona project to find manufacturing solutions.

For further information, please visit:www.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk/engineering-support.html

MRC SECTOR ASSOCIATION PARTNERSMRC builds strong links to theManufacturing Sector by forming relation-ships with trade associations in key sectors.This facility provides a developing platform ofbusiness, emerging technology opportunitiesand expertise across engineering supplychains. Among these, of course, are auto-motive, rail and marine.

To be part of this network, please visit:www.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk/sector-partners.html

The Manufacturing Resource Centre (MRC)provides a supply chain driven facility acrossthe entire engineering supplier linkage. It is aservice which has seen a significant rise indemand, which, in turn, has led to the availability of new services to MRC partnercompanies.

Whilst MRC majors on working with keysector OEM and Tier 1s, procurement andprofessional services continue to take onprojects across the entire manufacturingsector.

Current key sector involvement:

• Aerospace• Automotive• Energy• Marine• Medical• Oil & Gas• Packaging• Rail

MRC offers a confidential procurement serv-ice on a free of charge basis that provides aunique benefit to manufacturing buyers.

The Buyer: Supplier Network, unlike tradedirectories, forward GTMA member compa-nies that are qualified as supply chain effi-

cient and process competent, via the GTMASupply Chain Programme.

Capacity availability is checked at the time ofenquiry and company contact details are for-warded that have the relevant experienceand - where required - accreditations.

Where required MRC also offers a projectmanagement facility for the life of the order,when work is placed with GTMA membercompanies.

The benefits of the service:

• Time and Cost savings• Ensured confidentiality• Fast and efficient enquiry turnaround• A prompt quotation service• Accredited suppliers with relevant sector

experience• Active project management

Potential suppliers are available across theentire engineering supply chain from:Machine Tool manufacturers/distributors,Metrology, Software, Press and MouldToolmakers, Plastic Moulders, PrecisionMachinists, Heat treatment and MetalFinishing.

www.manufacturingresourcecentre.co.uk

MRCSUPPORT

23

MANUFACTURING RESOURCE CENTRECONFIDENTIAL PROCUREMENT SERVICE

Photo courtesy Rolls-Royce, one of the biggestmarine sector OEMs. GTMA is developing newrelationships with industry leaders in ARM sectorsto better understand supply chain needs.


Enquiries placed with the ManufacturingResource Centre (MRC) and GTMA have acommonality for supplier performance needsthat is demanded by the buyer. For key sec-tors, this is often linked with quality accredi-tation requirements. However, in this com-petitive global marketplace, supply chain effi-ciency is paramount in order to secure sus-tainable business.

GTMA is on hand to assist member compa-nies develop the necessary competenciesand enhance profitability opportunities viathe GTMA Supply Chain Programme.

Evolved from the GTMA BusinessDevelopment Training Programme (BDTP),the Supply Chain Programme (SCP) hasbeen developed to work in line with key sec-tor accreditations such as SC21 for theAerospace sector. The programme offers indepth assistance in the following disciplines:

• Supply Chain Development• Internal Supply Chain relationships• Manufacturing Process competency• Change Management• Business and Strategy planning• Management mentoring for business

growth and profitability• Sales and Marketing proficiency

The programme remit is to provide develop-ment opportunities in a time efficient manner,via a series of short diagnostics that willanalyse and recognise areas of strength anddevelopment needs within each discipline.Thereafter, agreed time-lined Action Plans willbe implemented that will allow the smoothrunning of the business, whilst further devel-oping the necessary competencies.

To allow flexibility, the programme is deliv-ered in modules so that the member may

choose which discipline is the most relevantto their requirements. It is delivered byGTMA personnel in total confidence onmember company premises.

An overview of the SCP modules:

SUPPLY CHAIN DEVELOPMENTAnalyses performance and further developssupply chain awareness and competenciesfrom across the supply chain - from cus-tomer to all suppliers.

INTERNAL SUPPLY CHAIN RELATIONSHIPSEvaluates internal supply chain “Flow” fromdepartments, analysing relationshipsbetween departments pertaining to quality,cost and delivery competencies.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS COMPETENCYAnalyses the complete manufacturingprocess from order to invoice, to assess anddevelop performance in line with customerneeds. This module also looks at profitabilitydevelopment.

CHANGE MANAGEMENTThis module considers the effect on thecom-

pany when considering necessary changesto the organisation. Ranging from diversifica-tion of core business to acquisition of plant,this module considers the following process-es: Adapting to change, controlling change,and effecting change.

BUSINESS AND STRATEGY PLANNINGEvaluating how the company plans for thefuture in key business areas such as:Sustainability of existing business, develop-ing new business, capital equipment require-ments, finance needs and personnelrequirements.

MANAGEMENT MENTORING FOR BUSINESS GROWTH AND PROFITABILITYOften on a one to one basis, this moduleanalyses the management role with a viewto further developing the decision makingprocess to enhance company growth andprofitability.

This module evaluates the total sales systemfrom back office administration to sales plan-ning, calling and prospecting.

www.gtma.co.uk

NETWORKDEVELOPMENT

24

SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAMME RECOGNISES BUYER NEEDSDEVELOPING THE RIGHT COMPETENCIES

Photo courtesy Planit Software: the high standardsof companies like Planit, a leading supplier ofCAD/CAM software, are spread through the GTMAmembership by the supply chain programme.


NETWORKSUPPLY CHAIN

25

Design

Project Management, Component Design

Mould Tools

Injection, Compression, Blow Moulding,

Thermoforming, Vacuum Forming,

Multi-Shot

Press Tools

Progression, Transfer, Panel Tooling and

Blanking

Standard Parts

Mould Tools and Press Tool Components

Tool Trials

Pressing/Stamping and Moulding, Try-Out

Facilities

Rapid Prototyping

Low volume manufacture including SLA, SLS

Patternmaking

including Model Making

Jigs & Fixtures

including for Assembly, Measuring,

Machining

Design Services

Tool Design, Product Design, Jig & Fixture

Design

Machine Tools

including Milling, Turning, Grinding, EDM

Cutting Tools

including Milling, Reaming, Drilling

Precision Machining

including Milling, Turning, Grinding, EDM

Materials

including Tool Steels, Copper, Wire

Tool & Workholding Equipment

including Mandrels, Rotary Tables, Diving

Heads

Surface Treatment

including Heat Treatment, Ion Implantation,

Cryogenic Treatment

Metrology Equipment & Services

including Dimensional Gauges, Calibration

Services, UKAS, Laboratories, CMMs, Profile

Projectors

Production

Component Production including Moulding,

Pressing/Stamping, Machined Parts

Software Systems

including CAD/CAM, Project Management,

Scheduling, Scanning, Digitising

Contact: Alan Fairweather, GTMAAutomotive, Rail and Marine Network. Email: [email protected]

WHERE YOU CAN FIND HELP…

The Manufacturing Resource Centre and Buyer:Supplier Network can help find companies with the right competencies in these sectors:

Buyers want world class companies andGTMA has known it for a long time. Morethan a decade ago it launched a uniqueself-assessment tool for its members toachieve new standards of continuousimprovement. It is now widely recognisedas one of the best in industry.

The GTMA World Class Profiles have beendeveloped with specialist industry partners,and former Minister Alan Johnsondescribed them as “a must for companiesthat want to succeed and grow.”

Five current Profiles cover:Toolmaking; Precision Machining;

Rapid Prototyping; Metrology(Measurement); Tooling Technology

Each Profile follows the same approach,allowing members to assess themselves ona range of criteria across key resourceareas. For Toolmaking, for example, thereare six areas: Management, Facilities,Procedures, Experience, Organisation,Customer Service.

Within each segment are statements ofBest Practice or benchmarks which can becompared with the actual practices of thetoolmaker. In The Toolmaking Profile 39areas are covered from Performance

Management and Manufacturing to CustomerSatisfaction.

The whole process begins with a self-assess-ment which allows companies to benchmarktheir performance against best practiceactions by awarding marks in each of the 39areas. GTMA sets high standards and WorldClass needs 90% or more in every area.

The World Class Profiles are widely recog-nised for their common sense approach toachieving continual improvement. So muchso that many companies use GTMA WorldClass Profiles as part of their internationaltoolmaking selection process.

WORLD CLASS PROJECT IS A ‘MUST’ FOR INDUSTRY


3D Lasertec 32Alicona 33Alphacam from Planit 35Blum-Novotest 36-37Bowers Metrology 29CRDM 38Delcam 27DE-STA-CO 28Dutton Simulation 31Erodex 35Mahr 38Piccadilly Precision and Spline Gauges 37Proto Labs 30-31Renishaw 36-37Solartron Metrology 32Starrett Precision Optical 33Trac 37 Verisurf Software 28-29Yamazaki Mazak 30-31

Delcam’s FeatureCAM feature-based CAMsystem has speeded the production of prototype housings for marine electronicssystems at the Navico development facilityin Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The market leader in marine electronics for therecreational boating segment, Navico was created from a combination of two of themost important names in marine electronics,Simrad Yachting and Lowrance Electronics.The Brunswick New Technologies’ marineelectronics division was added in March 2007and the combined company develops a widerange of marine electronics for small leisureboats through to professional vessels. Thishigh level of development demands a lot ofprototypes and tooling.

With FeatureCAM, the Tulsa team overcamechallenges in designing and machining a prototype case for a marine GPS electronicssystem. The aluminium part was designed inNew Zealand and as well as its complexity,especially the fins needed to dissipate heataway, the part had to be machined both insideand outside. The part file was sent as aSolidWorks model to the location in Tulsa,where it was imported into FeatureCAM. Thesoftware from GTMA member Delcam provid-ed all the tools needed to develop the proto-type.

“We used the 2D spiral milling capability quitea bit. In order to get all the part surfaces toblend perfectly, we probably used every 3D

strategy that FeatureCAM offers,” saidmachine-shop head Rick Von De Veld. Total programming and machining time wasabout four weeks, including the machining of aplastic prototype to find and eliminate possibleproblems. With conventional CAM software itis estimated it would have taken twice as longto assure its manufacturability.

FeatureCAM's speed was one of the reasonsNovico chose FeatureCAM. “Because we doso many programs, we wanted an easy to useyet capable package to help us with every-thing from simple parts to more complex components,” said Mr. Von De Veld.

For further information on Delcam’sFeatureCAM software, please contact: PeterDickin, Marketing Manager on 44 (0)121 6831081 or Email: [email protected]

www.delcam.com

DELCAM

CASE STUDIES

FEATURED COMPANIES

FeatureCAMtastic!SOFTWARE GIVES FASTER PROTOTYPES IN MARINE SECTOR

Photo, top, courtesy Nissan shows its productionfacility in Sunderland where it will manufacture theall-electric Leaf vehicle. Train image is fromBombardier, one of the main UK manufacturers inthe rail sector.

Delcam’s FeatureCAM made it quicker and easier for Navico to machine prototypes like this aluminiumhousing; and Delcam’s PowerSHAPE CAD systemwas used to design the chair for AmblerTechnologies.

27


ARMCASE STUDIES

28

Verisurf’s new X platform is the latest release of its popular com-puter aided inspection and reverse engineering software – and isbeing successfully used in automotive, marine and heavy indus-try sectors including railway.

A recent success has been with Lola Composites, part of the worldfamous Lola Group, which is currently using the software in conjunctionwith an APT T3 laser tracker with the I-probe 360 to meet its dimen-sional inspection, reverse engineering and digital tooling requirements.

Lola Composites is a major manufacturer of automotive and aerospacecomposite components and tooling. With a focus on aerospace UAV’s,radomes and large antennas as well as the more famous LMP sportscars the manufacturing challenge could not be greater.“We use Verisurf X to measure a large 5m 7 piece antenna” saysDavid Black, Lola's Group Quality Manager. “Being a multi piece dish,

VERISURF SOFTWARE

INNOVATIONS IN PRODUCTION SYSTEMSHELP CROSS SECTOR COMPANIESInnovations, quality and acquisitions have made DE-STA-CO theworldwide leader in the design, manufacture and support ofclamping, gripping, transferring and robotic tooling solutions forworkplace and flexible automation needs.

The family of brands has enabled DE-STA-CO to establish leadingproductivity improvement and cost-reduction manufacturing solutionsfor customers. It uses a wide range of products and value-added serv-ices and the application case studies on its website – including many inautomotive - are testament to the productivity gains it can help its cus-tomers achieve.

Examples include a case study where a new pick and place unit pro-vided immediate return on investment. In just five days, productivityincreased 257%, from 8400 pieces per day on one shift with 15 man-ual labourers to 21600 pieces per day, on one shift with one operator.Production almost tripled per shift. The job is done with precision andconsistently each time.

www.destaco.com

DE-STA-CO

LOLA BENEFITS FROMNEW ENGINEERINGPLATFORM


ARMCASE STUDIES

29

The high demands placed on the trans-missions of all types of motorsport vehi-cles has led to stringent quality controlsystems in companies like global leaderRT Quaife Engineering Ltd, which hasbeen involved in two and four wheelmotorsport for over 44 years.

The company guards against failure-in-useof its high-precision units, not only throughingenious design work, but also through itsquality approach which embraces rawmaterials testing, in-process dimensionalchecks and comprehensive final inspectionof all completed components.

The name Quaife is synonymous with high-performance automotive transmission sys-tems and it strives for excellence within the

high-tech world of cutting edge transmis-sion manufacturing. Its range of high-qualityproducts includes complete universal gear-boxes in FWD, RWD, 4WD and transaxlevariants, plus differential units and retro-fittable gear kits suitable for a range of cars.

To complement the company’s high-techmachine tools, and to uphold its qualityreputation, Quaife regularly invests in thebest available inspection equipment. Arecent purchase has been a range of XTXtreme bore gauges from the world’slargest manufacturer of internal measuringdevices - UK based Bowers Metrology,which has been consistently strong in theFormula 1/Performance car markets.

General Manager Glen Molineux says the

XT range meets Quaife's needs for a rigor-ous inspection routine which includesmeasurement of a lot of high-tolerance,internal bores, both in-process and at thefinal inspection stage.

The range has the Bowers' new electronics,which boast an impressive IP65 rating, andare resistant to coolant, water and airborneparticles.

The XT Xtreme gauges enable the meas-urement of bores from 25mm to 125mmdiameter, and very popular with our opera-tors, said Glen. They are easy to use,extremely accurate and most importantlycan stand-up to harsh shop-floor use.

www.bowersmetrology.com

BOWERS METROLOGY

the power and speed of Verisurf enables us to make adjustmentsand calculate the RMS values very quickly cutting our inspectionand assembly times down dramatically”.

Lola makes extensive use of Verisurf X’s Build mode during assem-bly. Its 'real time build mode' makes assembling large toolingstructures and large patterns extremely easy and quick withouthaving to complete full inspections until it knows it has the correctposition. This saves “large amounts of time....and provides us withthe missing link between our CAD design environment Catia andmanufacturing on the shop floor,” said David.

Lola have also made use of Verisurf X’s reverse functions to scanand surface some Lola heritage parts which did not have CADmodels previously.

• Verisurf provides large parts inspection for manufacturing compa-nies in sectors including the marine industry, where it enablesthem to easily work with any wireframe, surface or solid models.Manufacturers also use the software suite’s 3D laser projectioncapabilities for precision soft tooling. After defining where laserbeams are to appear on the part, operators use them as a guideduring the manufacturing process.

• For example, boat builders use laser projection and Verisurf soft-ware to efficiently and repeatedly position structural hull compo-nents such as box beams, stringers and bulkheads. Others useVerisurf for reverse engineering as-built or as-tooled hull shapes,in considerably less time and with less effort than ever before.

www.verisurf.com

Images from Verisurf - the company’s production software is helping automotive supplier Lola Composites to success.

MEETING THE DEMANDS OF MOTORSPORT MANUFACTURE...


ARMCASE STUDIES

30

As a manufacturer of complete sterngearpackages for the world’s leading superyacht producers, Southampton-based CJR Propulsion is using some ofthe latest manufacturing technology tomeet customer needs.

The company combines this technology withits extensive manufacturing and design expe-rience to maintain its reputation among a highprofile, and highly selective customer base.

Over the years CJR Propulsion has devel-oped its range of sterngear (propellers,drive shafts, P-brackets, and rudders) toprovide unrivalled performance in speed,fuel economy and vibration-free operationfor a wide range of vessels.

It works in co-operation with manufacturers

such as Sunseeker to create the ultimate inmarine motive power delivery.

To maintain its position its most recentinvestment in technology has been withGTMA member Yamazaki Mazak fromwhom it has taken delivery of a MazakIntegrex e-1060 V/8 II multi-taskingmachine.

At £800,000 this machine tool is a majorinvestment - all the more impressivebecause when it placed the order, CJR didnot have work to put on it.

“This latest investment was driven by one ofour customers as they wanted propellersmachined in a single set-up in order to drivedown the component cost, without losingany quality,” says Mark Russell, CJR

Propulsion's Managing Director.

However, after encouraging the investmentthe customer changed its mind. But Markcontinued with the investment in Mazakmachine tools which have played an impor-tant part in helping CJR grow and developinto the world’s leading sterngear manufacturer. Turnover has trebled at thecompany in the past four years with

YAMAZAKI MAZAK

When it needed fully functioning proto-types for an affordable, engine manage-ment system to impress a potential cus-tomer, Scion-Sprays Ltd, based at theHethel Engineering Centre for advancedmanufacturing, near Norwich, chose theaward-winning, rapid manufacturingservices of GTMA member Proto Labs.

It called in Proto Labs when developing itsfully integrated Quantum Fuel Injection (QFI)system for a prospective European cus-tomer in early 2010.

Scion-Sprays is helping to bring to marketleading edge developments that reduce fuelemissions and it is a global leader in the field.

As far ago as 2006 it developed a fullyworking prototype of an innovative engine

management system called Pulse CountInjection (PCI) which counts the amount offuel needed in each engine cell, then appliesa series of pulses of fuel in fixed volumes.

The success led to the development of QFIwhich will cut emissions of HC+NOx (thecause of photo-chemical air pollution) byaround 35%, and CO emissions by over80% compared to a standard engine. It willalso save 30% on fuel.

The first commercial customer system hasbeen specifically designed for a Europeanmanufacturer of light motorcycles andscooters and the successful prototypeswhich Proto Labs worked on led to an orderworth £4 million over the next 3 years.

Proto Lab produced the throttle crank and

stepper motor arm for the pre-productionQFI systems “because there could be nocompromises in the mechanical qualities ofthose parts: and the production methodand the materials would be very similar towhat we would use in the final version,”says Scion-Sprays Manufacturing Manager,Richard Hoolahan.

The need was for about 15-20 pre-produc-tion QFI systems for customer-testing, andthey had to be fully functional.The modular design of the QFI systemincludes a throttle body, PCI technology,sensors, idle control and ignition.

Proto Labs has two rapid prototyping serv-ices - protomold® and first cut® - and bothwere used. Protomold® produced thestepper motor arm and firstcut’s® machin-

PROTO LABS

SUPER TECHNOLOGY FOR SUPER YACHTS

RAPID PROTOTYPING FUELS EMISSIONS SUCCESS


ing service madethe throttle crank,both from glass-reinforced nylon –development costswere kept to a mini-mum which is veryimportant with any innovative technology.

The product is now moving into productionand an added attraction for OEM’s is thatthe throttle body matches the carburettorfootprint in existing engine designs withminimum additional wiring and sensors.QFI-enabled engines are also Euro 3 andChina Stage 3 emissions compliant, andbio-fuel compatible.

www.protolabs.co.uk www.scion-sprays.com

GTMA member company DuttonSimulation is helping Honda reducevehicle costs at its UK manufactur-ing plant.

Honda is using a software packagesupplied by Dutton which helps theJapanese auto maker obtain accuratepiece costs for vehicles by reducingmaterial costs within the manufactureof all its stamped parts.

The software is Forming Technologies'COSTOPTIMIZER which generates flatblank patterns and nesting layoutsfrom 3D CAD models of formed parts.

Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd(HUM) is impressed with the software'sspeed and ease of use and its ability toproduce a very close estimation ofblank size and its powerful nestingcapabilities which optimise its materialconsumption.

Dutton Simulation MD Trevor Duttonsaid: “We are very excited to be work-ing with HUM. They have demonstratedthat COSTOPTIMIZER can pay for itselfmany times over through accurate eval-uation of the manufacturing options forformed parts.”

The software can import CAD modelsand uses finite element analysis tech-niques to develop a flat blank. It high-lights potential formability problemareas through a thickness distributionplot, so that users can make aninformed decision about tool designand manufacturing methods.

The developed blanks can also benested, and extra material added for

DUTTON SIMULATION

the draw die allowance and for the cutand carry allowance needed for progres-sion tools.

The resulting nest layout can be editedby deliberately overlapping parts orreducing coil width to highlight productchanges which will reduce overall material cost.

Before the introduction of COSTOPTI-MIZER, blank development needed manytedious calculations and was mainly limit-ed to folded parts, making it very difficultto verify material sizes suggested by sup-pliers.

Now HUM can use blank developmentsand nests results to discuss the technicalmerits of different manufacturing strate-gies with suppliers and toolmakers. Forexample, different nesting strategies canreduce the coil width and the overallstamping tool size, saving both materialand tooling costs.

Furthermore, an analysis of the manufac-turing options helps the company to iden-tify avenues for potential future savings.

www.duttonsimulation.com

ARMCASE STUDIES

31

employee numbers increasing only by four.

CJR's first Mazak investment about fiveyears ago was an Integrex 300-II Y, specifi-cally to machine propeller shafts manufac-tured from duplex stainless steel. Mazakprovided a full turnkey solution and themachine now accounts for £1 million ofturnover and Mark has now ordered aIntegrex an e-500H-II.

Other investments have included a Variaxis730-5X machining centre, which is used forthe manufacture of P-brackets which sup-port for the propeller shaft when it exits thehull. The investment reduced cycle time by80 per cent and each bracket is nowmachined complete in a single set-up, withdelivery within 3 days.

www.mazak.com

SOFTWARE HELPS HONDAKEEP COSTS DOWN


ARMCASE STUDIES

Another GTMA company with cross-sec-tor skills is 3D Lasertec. a sub-contractlaser engraving company which hastaken laser technology beyond the stan-dard limits to open new and excitingmarkets.

Launched in 1999 its success has seengrowth into sectors including aerospace,automotive, medical and phamaceuticals,packaging, defence, electronics, connec-tors and jewellery. It welcomes enquiriesfrom the rail and marine sectors.

The inclusion of the 3-dimensional laser hasmade manufacturing customers see theadvantages laser engraving can bring andbrought areas of new business – particularlyfrom companies which previously would not

have considered changing from traditionalmethods. This can include rail and marine.

The technology enables the laser engravingof full 3D models directly into customerprojects.

Mould toolmakers of injection and blowmoulds, diecasting and stamping dies wereamong the first to identify with the laserengraving process and other industriessoon followed.

Investment in latest FOBA G900 lasermachine technology – one of the mostpowerful laser machines available - pro-duces full 3D profiles onto 3D contours andsurfaces using its 5-axis's for the mostsophisticated requirements.

A big selling point is 3D Lasertec's fastturnaround with most projects returned tocustomers in two days from its base in theinnovation centre (i-centre) in Mansfield,Notts from where it serves the UK andEurope.

www.3dlasertec.co.uk

3D LASERTEC

GTMA member Solartron Metrology hasintroduced a new range of ultra-low con-tact force touch probes aimed specifi-cally at the automotive market.

Based on the company’s existing FeatherTouch probes, which already have a low tipforce of 0.18N, the new Ultra Feather Touchmodels exert a probing force as low as0.03N.

With their innovative spring balance designand lower moving mass, the high perform-ance pneumatic probes have been devel-oped for gauging delicate materials such asglass or plastic, which require very low tipforces to avoid deforming the component

and contact tip materials that do not leavea mark.

Air vented through the shroud at the front ofthe probe continuously cleans the bearings.This ensures long probe life in automatedsystems where dust contamination may bepresent.

Replaceable nylon tips can be used to pre-vent surface damage to components, whiletungsten carbide tips can be fitted formeasuring hot glass. Woven steel braidsheathing for the cable provides additionalprotection for critical applications.

“The Ultra Feather Touch probes were

developed in response to demand fromautomotive glass manufacturers,” saidSolartron’s Sales and Marketing DirectorNeil Curtis. “There is nothing else on themarket with such a low tip force.”

As well as automotive windscreens, theprobes can be used for gauging plasticparts, shiny metals, pharmaceutical bottlesand electronic or electro-mechanical com-ponents. Measurement range is 10mm, andresolution is better than 0.01Ìm.

www.solartronmetrology.com

SOLARTRON METROLOGY

32

LASER TECHNOLOGY GOES CROSS SECTORS

TOUCH OF A FEATHER HELPS WINDSCREEN PRODUCERS

Ultra Feather Touch probes from SolartronMetrology were developed in response to demandfrom automotive glass manufacturers.


33

ment of micro preci-sion components,fuel injection nozzles, cutting tools, corro-sion and tribology investigations. It can alsomeasure inner geometries.

• For MIBA , Alicona developed a sophisti-cated and flexible test bench to test align-ment on sintered components. The systemcovers all diameters of parts with diametersbetween 40mm and 200mm and can beadjusted to accept other product types.

More information from Brian Kyte on 07984596015 or [email protected]

www.alicona.com

World leading optical measurement sys-tems supplier Alicona is a GTMA mem-ber with a strong cross industry sectorcustomer base including MIBASintermetal, whose high precision sin-tered components are used for furtherprocessing in vehicle construction,ships, aerospace and even windmills!

Among Alicona's wide product range isInfiniteFocus, an optical high resolution 3Dmeasurement system for quality assurancein the lab and in production. This microcoordinate measurement system combinesall functionalities of a CMM with that of asurface measurement device. This meansInfiniteFocus measures both form and

roughness of components. Results reach avertical resolution of up to 10nm evenacross large vertical and lateral measure-ment areas. Also when measuring complexshapes with steep flanks, very small radii orsurfaces with strongly varying reflectionproperties user results achieve this resolution.

This allows the measurement of compoundmaterials and other topographies with vary-ing material appearance such as compoundmaterial. Measurements are achieved withregistered true color information whichopens a number of new applications. In theautomotive sector, typical applicationsinclude the form and roughness measure-

ALICONA

ARMCASE STUDIES

33

Specialist inspection and testing houseBöllinger Messtechnik (Germany) hasinstalled a Starrett Precision OpticalAV350 Galileo CNC Measurement andInspection System.

Featuring a 350mm x 350mm x 200mmmeasurement X/Y/Z measuring range, 12.1motorised zoom, Navitar® optics and theindustry leading Metronics® QC5000 soft-ware, the AV350 is ideally suited for use inQuality Control laboratories, research, engi-neering and manufacturing environments.

Böllinger Messtechnik's customer basecomes from automotive, aerospace, med-ical, mould and machinery, plastics, elec-

tronics and precision engineering. Its mainfocus is initial sample inspection, freeformmeasurement, digitalisation and reverseengineering.

Owner Michael Böllinger said of the pur-chase of the AV350 from GTMA memberStarrett: “ camera, contact probe and lasertechnologies. The lighting options are multi-ple with a choice of LED or Fibre Optic 2, 3or 7 channel. The unit supplied includes theoptional dark field simulated LED quad ringlight and Renishaw® touch probe.

The combination of the video system withthe touch probe was very important to theStuttgart-based company as it means the

machine can perform as a 3D coordinatemeasuring machine. Having the two meas-urement technologies combined saves aconsiderable amount of time; not leastbecause users found the machine quick tolearn and easy to use.

www.starrett-precision.co.uk

STARRETT PRECISION OPTICAL

WINDMILLS, SHIPS AND CARS – HOW OPTICAL SYSTEMS HELP

GERMAN INSPECTION LABORATORYBENEFITS FROM GALILEO


34

3D measurement of micro machined componentswith an optical micro CMMMeasure form and roughness in one system

Achieve a vertical resolution of up to 10nm

Verify dimensional accuracyeven on complex geometries

Gain true colour informationregistered to 3D data

++ Radii and angle measurement ++ Measurement of polished edges ++ Variance analysis ++

Alicona UKAlicona UK Ltd.Lime Tree House

15 Lime Tree Walk, SevenoaksKent TN13 1YH

UKphone: +44(0)1732 746670fax: +44(0)1732 465500

e-mail: [email protected]


years experience allows for a full projectmanagement, procurement, build and cer-tificate service making it a one-stop shopfor all design, tooling and EDM electrodeneeds.

Its goal is to build partnerships that makethe company an extension of the customersown design team. Recent projects havebeen for the design of welding, turning andgrinding fixtures for a variety of machines,including 5 axes grinding machines.

www.erodex.com

ARMCASE STUDIES

Absolute precision is required for com-ponents on underwater craft, some ofthem operating at 6,000 metres underthe sea.

Among products used in achieving this pre-cision is the market-leading Alphacam fullyintegrated CAD/CAM software.and which isequally at home in designing them and driv-ing the manufacturing machines that pro-duce them for the National OceanographyCentre.

Alphacam is a brand within GTMA memberPlanit Group and is used by the Centre'sUnderwater Systems Laboratory to designand manufacture components and equip-ment for underwater science project vessels.

Design Engineer Nick Rundle said: “Wework on anything from small pieces of on-board lab equipment to full ocean scientificplatforms, including Remote OperatedVehicles and an Auto Sub, which aredeployed at various depths in the ocean

down to 6,000 metres, collecting a range ofsensory data. Alphacam is used mainly formaking intricate parts that we’d otherwisehave to contract out at a far greater cost.”

An example is an assembly to filter water inan Antarctic lake which he says could nothave been made in-house without Alphacam,thus saving the Centre high costings.

Alphacam has also been instrumental inproducing prototype wings and fins for windtunnels, a variety of components for the minisub, and mountings for sensors, including amounting plate securing a sonar device onthe TOBI 2 Side Scan Sonar Towed Vehiclewhich is towed around 5,000 metres under-water, carrying out sea floor mapping.

Prototyping using Alphacam is an importantpart of the design team’s work, which iscarried out on a Hardinge three axis millingmachine with a rotary dividing head. NickRundle says that while they are sometimessupplied with a CAD drawings, usually they

ALPHACAM FROM PLANIT

Erodex UK Ltd has long been estab-lished in the EDM sector as the UK’smajor supplier of consumables and services.

Its state of the art machine shop, togetherwith its unequalled range of graphites (Pocographites and Toyo Tanso graphites), hasfirmly established Erodex as a global leaderin the manufacture of EDM electrodes, with aspecial emphasis on aerospace applications.

The high demands of aeropace make it ableto satisfy supply chain requirements for

other sectors including auto, rail and marine.The company has also been elevated to anew level of involvement with the acquisi-tion, in 2009, of the design company BWPTechnical Services Ltd.

BWP specialises in the the tooling of nozzleguide vanes, turbine blades, discs andshafts with emphasise on tooling require-ments for 5-axis grinding machines, vipergrinding, conventional machining and EDMtooling.

The combination of Erodex’s and BWP’s 60

ERODEX UK

EDM SPECIALIST WITH A ONE-STOP APPROACH

PRECISION AT 6,000 METRES UNDER THE SEAproduce a 3Dmodel on Inventorwhich is importeddirectly intoAlphacam. Theythen manipulate it,put the varioustools on and gen-erate the CNCcodes. He carriesout the program-ming on his own workstation, then uses anetwork portadisk to transfer the code tothe Hardinge, which is also linked to thenetwork.

He says Alphacam is often asked to per-form complex operations, and its ability toundertake a solid simulation of the machin-ing is a big advantage. This has helpedhighlight problems which otherwise couldhave caused a collision later.

www.alphacam.comwww.planit.com

35


ARMCASE STUDIES

36

A breakthrough from GTMA memberRenishaw is bringing big reductions inproduction time in an area which has asignificant influence on engine efficiencyand exhaust emissions.

Traditionally the measurement of valve seatsand guides has been so challenging andtime-consuming that methods used areoften a compromise and do not allow forresponsive process feedback.

A new solution based on Renishaw’s revo-lutionary REVO® five-axis measurementsystem for co-ordinate measuring machines(CMMs) is dramatically changing this situa-tion, enabling very fast collection of largeamounts of data, from which the analysis

parameters for both the valve seat and thevalve guide features can be calculated.

The method performs exceptionally well inboth repeatability and reproducibility tests,and takes as little as 20 seconds per valve.

The new measurement process involvestwo helical scans, one on the valve guidebore and the second over the valve seatarea. On the guide a single helical scan isused with a typical pitch of 0.5 mm, at ascanning speed of 150 mm/s, whilst for theseat a single helical scan is carried out at afiner pitch of 0.1 mm and a faster scanningspeed of 500 mm/s. The latter scan utilisesREVO’s powerful adaptive scanning capa-bility, which allows a single scan command

to cover the areas above and below thecritical valve seat surfaces.

The two measurement routines rapidly cap-ture all necessary data about the valve seatand valve guide surfaces, which is thenanalysed within a utility embedded inRenishaw’s new MODUS™ oftware.

RENISHAW

Production time has been reduced andquality improved on a new turn/grindcenter installed at the manufacturingplant of Saarstahl AG in Germanybecause of expertise from memberBlum-Novotest.

Saarstahl AG is a traditional company thatspecialises in the production of wire rods,steel rods and semi-finished parts plus con-tour forgings. Customers include the auto-motive, construction, energy, aerospaceand general mechanical engineering indus-tries.

Problems began when the company tookdelivery of its turn/grind center which had aspecial task. It was to combine turn/grind

machining of carbide roll rings and carry outmeasuring operations to optimise the pro-duction process.

However the centre's probe system hadsuch wide tolerances that Saarstahl had tore-define the correction values and interpo-late the data to get the approximate targetvalues. Measurement with the electronicheight measuring device on the measuringposition failed, too.

“Sometimes the values were within the tol-erance, sometimes outside of the tolerance.We had no in-process quality,” said MichaelMolter, a technician at Saarstahl. Due tothe extent of the problems, a design engi-neer proposed an alternative from measur-

ing specialistsBlum-Novotest, itsTC76 probe system.

This system wasdeveloped to meas-ure workpieces and tools in turning andgrinding machines, so no sooner had thesystem been mounted, all measuring inac-curacies disappeared.

Inside the TC76 is the new patented Shark360 measuring mechanism with a facegear. This guarantees precise trigger con-tacts and forces in all directions. The probehas precise non-lobing touch characteris-tics even for measurements with torsionforces on the mechanism.”

BREAKTHROUGH HELPSENGINE EFFICIENCY PRODUCTION

NO TOLERANCE AS BLUM HELPS AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER

BLUM-NOVOTEST


General Manager,Customer Service,Keith Smith. Itcreated a detailedprocedure whichgives customers significant time and costsavings with an arm usually being turnaround within 24 hours -”which speaksfor itself,” he said.

Articulated Arm verifications use Trac'stop of the range KOBA ceramic lengthbar – either at customer premises or atTrac’s dedicated temperature controlledarea at its Telford UKAS laboratory. Formore info call +44 (0) 1952 210020.

www.tms.trac-group.com

Another advantage is the no-wear triggersignal generation of the Blum probe. TheTC76 generates an optoelectronic signal byshading a miniature light barrier on theinside of the probe and not according tothe tripod principle.

Since being integrated into the machinetime-consuming correctional alterations havenot been necessary. The values are repeat-able and random checks of the carbiderings are performed.

The considerably higher measuring speedwith the Blum probe (up to 2m/min) reducedthe measuring process time by 40%.

www.blum-novotest.com

Trac Measurement Systems hassuccessfully obtained extension toits UKAS scope to offer verificationsof articulated arms, widely used inniche auto markets and with appli-cations for rail and marine.

With UKAS accreditation for CMM veri-fication since January 2010 Trac's lat-est achievement has been led bystrong customer demand and theadded bonus of being the “one stop”for all its customers’ measurementrequirements.

“The team at Trac spent a lot of timeensuring the process adheres to thelatest UKAS specification,” said

TRAC MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS

ARMCASE STUDIES

37

A report is automatically generated thatincludes analysis of valve seat form error,runout of the seat to the guide bore axis, cir-cularity of the seat at any specified height,form error of the cones, and circularity profileof the guide cylinder at any specified height.This analysis facility is also provided to othermetrology software providers.

With the new REVO based process for valveseat and valve guide measurement taking just20 seconds per valve, comprehensiveinspection of a cylinder head can now becarried out in just a few minutes, whichtogether with full data analysis, allows rapidfeedback to upstream manufacturing.

www.renishaw.com

UKAS SCOPE TAKES IN ARTICULATED ARMS

GTMA member Piccadilly PrecisionEngineering and its sister companySpline Gauges became part of ajoint venture between Danaher Toolsand Cooper Tools called Apex Toolgroup late 2010.

The strategic alliance creates a largescale, focused business with strongfinancial backing as well being a moreentrepreneurial venture. It will facilitatecontinued and new growth opportuni-ties enabling both teams to leveragethe best practices, customers, chan-nels, and defined synergies.

Spline Gauges is the world’s leadingmanufacturer of spline gauges and

PICCADILLY PRECISION AND SPLINE GAUGES

master gears; and Piccadilly Precision isa world class manufacturer of gauges,jigs and fixtures (to customers' drawings)with a fully equipped UKAS accreditedlaboratory.

The two companies are strong suppliersinto sectors including motorsport, aero-space, energy, oil and gas, defence andothers, both to their OEMs and precisionengineering companies which supportthem. Spline has customers like GeneralMotors, Vokswagen, Toyota, Citroen andmany of their Tier1 and Tier 2 supplierssuch as GKN, Delphi and Dana.

www.piccadillyprecision.co.ukwww.splinegauges.co.uk

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BENEFITSOEMs AND TIER 1s


THE ERODEX GROUPDesign and Technical Services

Since it’s foundation over thirty years ago BWP has been providing a fast, first-class design service to industry

and the aerospace sector. Now, as part of the Erodex Group we can offer a full project management, procure-

ment, build and certificate service to make BWP a one-stop-shop for all of your design, tooling and EDM elec-

trode needs. All aspects of any project are simultaneously designed by one team to provide a streamlined

process, optimum technical solutions and shorter project lead-times.

� Jig and Tool Design and Build � 2D - 3D Conversion � Electrode Design� 3D Printing � Special Purpose Machinery and Automation

BWP Technical ServicesLion Works, 543 Wallisdown Road, Poole,Dorset, BH12 5AD

Tel: 01202 546732/546733 Fax: 01202 522526Email: [email protected] Web: www.bwptech.co.uk


39

Mahr’s new option package for its well-known MarForm MMQ 200 FormTesterprovides for the measurement of surfacefinish parameters according to acceptedISO, ASME and JIS standards – all widely used in ARM sectors.

The combined hardware/software MMQ200 Surface Finish option reduces set-upand measurement cycle time, as well ascutting overall costs of both form and sur-face measurement because only a singlepiece of equipment is needed.

“The key to providing accurate surface fin-ish data with a form machine is high resolu-tion and low residual noise,” says BrettGreen, Managing Director, Mahr UK Plc.

Unlike many form measurement machinesthat have been designed to measure longerwavelengths and allow 5-10 micronsbetween data points, the MMQ 200 control

system is designed with roughness meas-urement in mind. “It can sample data withspacing down to 0.5 micron, which is wellwithin accepted international standards forroughness measurements.”

The key to this combined measurementcapability is Mahr’s automated probe sys-tem, with the T7W motorised bi-directionalprobe allowing in-cycle automatic switchingbetween the form and surface styli.

The roughness stylus is mounted oppositethe ruby-tipped form probe on the T7Wprobe head, with the MMQ 200 automati-cally swivelling the probe to apply the dia-mond stylus. It changes from horizontal tovertical measurement as needed, usingstandard surface finish parameter cut-offlengths. A skidless probe measuring optionis also available.

Optimised for measuring cylindricity and

other deviations of form and position, theMMQ 200 FormTester comes as standardwith Mahr's latest EasyForm software. It iscompact, fast, and equally at home in themetrology lab or on the shopfloor.

Ease of operation makes the MMQ 200ideal for use by machine operators in pro-duction areas where immediate measure-ments can minimise scrap, save time andreduce production costs.

As a global leader Mahr measurement solu-tions are used across industry sectors,including auto, rail and marine.

www.mahr.co.uk

MAHR

Rapid prototyping specialist CRDM isscaling up capacity to handle large tool-ing projects and in-house manufactureof plastic production parts after a periodof rapid growth – in the past five yearsturnover has increased by 63% to £3.5million.

The company has just celebrated its 15thanniversary and works across a wide rangeof industries including mainstream automo-tive, motorsport, aerospace, medical, anddefence and has a growing export base ofcustomers.

It is the UK's longest established provider ofrapid prototyping and rapid tooling servicesand has a team of 40 highly skilled profes-sionals.

CRDM’s commitment to innovation has ledto a long list of firsts:

• It initiated the first of its kind RapidDesign, Prototyping and ManufacturingConference, now in its 11th year.

• It pioneered use of DMLS technology(1999), combined two SLA machines with

one laser (2002) and began using CarbonFilled Nylon for SLS (2005).

• It was the first UK bureau to use EOSmetal sintering technology and to manufac-ture parts for aircraft.

Since its establishment, CRDM has mademore metal sintered injection mould toolsthan any other UK organisation and in 2010alone produced and project managed over150 injection mould tools.

www.crdm.co.uk

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Our facility combines advancedmodern machining techniqueswith a highly skilled and hugelyexperienced team of press tool-makers, designers and machinists. We offer a single solution underone roof for all aspects of presstoolmaking and machining.

Recent investments include anSNK RB2NM, which is the onlysubcontract machine of this typein the UK. We also have eightHitachi Q series wire eroders run-ning 47 mile wire spools – up to520mm thick workpieces – thelargest machines in the UK, afacility not matched globally.

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One of GTMA's key roles is to keep industryup-to-date with enabling technologies in themanufacturing sector, both to drive competi-tiveness and keep our members in worldleading positions.

If anything, the need for technical knowledgeis increasing as the number of technologiesper product (TPP) is growing – and nowheremore so than in the automotive, rail andmarine sectors where drives for sustainabili-ty, lighter materials and advanced engineer-ing are only part of the story.

GTMA has an in-depth understanding of itsindustries' information needs so it can beproactive as well as reactive and has a widerange of information resources – including uni-versity contacts, specialist publications, con-sultants, external experts, scientific confer-ences, product fairs, co-operations and tech-

nologies available through its member compa-nies. As a leading trade association GTMA isseen as a 'trust centre' and can often accessexpertise not possible for lone companies.

TECHNICAL BRIEFINGS AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCESGTMA Technical Briefings are intelligence bul-letins which offer a single source of technicaladvances relevant to our engineering and sec-tor priorities. They are a member only service.

GTMA Emerging Technology events are agreat success, regularly attracting over 100delegates from SMEs and OEMs, and from adiversity of sectors. One of the first in theseries included 13 ‘bite size’ technical pre-sentations, on a range of innovations fromrapid prototyping to reconfigurable pin tool-ing, and collaborative R&D projects. Hotdesks allow delegates to discuss enabling

GTMATECHNOLOGIES

41

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ARE ATHEART OF INDUSTRY ADVANCESGTMA TAKES LEAD ROLE IN SPREADING INFORMATION

GTMA and its members have been involved in many EU R&D fundedprojects as they strive to improve competitivness and productivity fortheir cross-industry sectors.

Among these is FLEXFORM which involves Asymmetric IncrementalSheet Forming (AISF). Automotive manufacturers, particularly thoseinvolved in small volumes such as sports vehicles, will gain consid-erably from the technology in which the key developments are:

• Heating the metal at the point of contact with a laser beam tomake the metal more malleable and to reduce the chances offatigue or cracking.

• The use of robots to increase the size of the working envelopeand to lower the price of the working cell.

• The development of ways to allow for very small parts (includingfor example jewellery) using a smaller and more accuratemachine tool.

• The use of the Flexform process to mould Prepregs for compos-ite parts.

FLEXFORM IS PERFECT FOR VEHICLES AND SMALL VOLUMES

technologies with experts in their fields.

METROLOGY HELPLINEGTMA's Metrology Helpline has directaccess to the National Physical Laboratory(NPL) and our metrology team of experts inmembership. Companies needing help withdimensional metrology matters can makecontact through the Metrology Helpline website: www.metrologyhelpline.co.uk

New GTMA website: Our new GTMA web-site provides information on Technicalpapers, Industry Experts etc.

Technology Visits: These provide opportuni-ties to see new technologies in a real produc-tion environment. Among these was one to therapid manufacturing process of LaserCUSINGat Concept Laser, Germany. SMEs have alsobeen to EU research institutes.

• A combined process of using stamping tomake the first stage of a part and usingFlexform to develop the more complex features.

The 3-year project – funded by the EU's 6th Framework CollectiveResearch programme - has developed specific simulation soft-ware on how to modify and adapt a milling machine to performIncremental Sheetmetal Forming (ISF).

This allows manufacturers to scale up their industrial processes byknowing the final properties of the part. Effort has also been putinto how to modify and adapt a milling machine for the ISF process.

The great advantages for low volume manufacturers has alreadybeen seen by companies within the automotive sector, whoGTMA are in active discussions with.

For more information please contact GTMA office or email [email protected]


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43

TECHNOLOGY STRATEGYBOARDThe UK's Technology StrategyBoard aims to make the UK aglobal leader in innovation andruns initiatives includingKnowledge TransferPartnerships, Technology andInnovation Centres, Micro andNanotechnology Centres,Knowledge Transfer Networksand Collaborative R&D.Transport is one of its keyApplication areas where thefocus is on innovation to deliversustainable transport systemsincluding less CO2, reducednoise, alternative power systemsand to develop technologies thatoptimise overall performance ofvehicles and infrastructures with-out compromising safety. In2010 it set up a TransportKnowledge Transfer Network(TKTN) focused on automotive,rail and marine (see pages 6-8).A related key application area isenvironmental sustainability.

www.innovateuk.org

Transport link (overview):www.innovateuk.org/ourstrate-gy/application-areas/transport.ashx

Environmental Sustainability:www.innovateuk.org/ourstrate-gy/application-areas/environ-mentalsustainability.ashx

Links to all KTNs:https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/guest/networks

Transport KTN:https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/transportktn

The Board has defined thesecore technologies as critical toUK success:High value manufacturing,Advanced materials,Nanotechnology, Bioscience,Electronics, photonics and elec-trical systems, and Information

and communication technology.Within these it is now identifyingseperate priorities. Links to eachof these at:

www.innovateuk.org/ourstrate-gy/technology-areas.ashx

High Value Manufacturing tech-nology link:www.innovateuk.org/ourstrate-gy/technology-areas/highvalue-manufacturing.ashx

It has also put in place theseInnovation Platforms to focus onwhat it calls “specific societalchallenges” where the UKGovernment is taking action tosolve problems: IntelligentTransport Systems andServices, Network Security, LowCarbon Vehicles, AssistedLiving, Low Impact Buildings,Detection and Identification ofInfectious Agents. Links to eachof these at:

www.innovateuk.org/ourstrate-gy/innovationplatforms.ashx

Low Carbon Vehicles platform:www.innovateuk.org/ourstrate-gy/innovationplatforms/lowcarbonvehicles.ashx

Intelligent Transport Systems:http://www.innovateuk.org/ourstrategy/innovationplatforms/intelligenttransport.ashx

TRANSPORT KNOWLEDGETRANSFER NETWORKThe Transport KTN aims to stim-ulate innovation at all stages ofthe transport supply chain tointelligently deliver more efficient,cleaner and safer transport. TheKTN covers surface transporta-tion including Marine (includinginland waterways and short seashipping), Roads (including lowcarbon vehicles, automotive andIntelligent Transport Systems)and Railways. Organisationsinterested in joining the TKNTcan do so via the website link:

https//ktn.innovateuk.org/web/transportktn

DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS,INNOVATION AND SKILLSBIS is charged with building adynamic and competitive UKeconomy by: creating conditionsfor business success; promotinginnovation, enterprise and sci-ence; and giving everyone skillsand opportunities to succeed. Itis organised into units for specif-ic sectors.

BIS - AUTOMOTIVE UNIT The unit uses its unique knowl-edge of the sector, materials,companies, technologies andthe regulatory framework toensure the UK is best placed tobenefit from the challenges ofglobalisation.

KEY AUTOMOTIVE UNIT CONTACTS INCLUDE:Relationship ManagementTeam (keeps close contact withmajor UK-based vehicle manu-facturers and suppliers; the UKconstruction equipment industry;and coordinates activity on tradedevelopment and investmentimpacting on components sector).Tel: 020 7215 1187.Innovation and Skills Team(leads on strategic issues whereinnovation, technology and skillsare central to sustainable devel-opment; responsible for areasincluding Powering FutureVehicles strategy. The Teamplays a lead role in theTechnology Strategy Board'sInnovation Platforms andKnowledge Transfer Networks).No team number available,please contact via one of theother Team numbers. Analysis Team (analysis is pro-vided by the BR BusinessAnalysis Unit. Works closely withtrade associations among others). 020 7215 1114.

www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-

ness-sectors/automotive

Low Carbon Opportunities: www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/low-carbon-busi-ness-opportunities

BIS – MARINEThe Marine sector is covered bythe Marine and Defence unit.The sector's vision of a globallycompetitive industry producinghigh technology products andservices is set out in the MarineIndustries Strategic Frameworkpublished in March 2010 (seepages 15-17). The Framework isbeing used by the Unit toengage stakeholders in develop-ing a strategy and delivering anaction plan for the UK.

www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/aerospace-marine-and-defence/marine-overview

www.marineuk.com

www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bis-core/business-sectors/docs/10-647-marine-industries-strategic-frame-work.pdf

Defence marine industrial strate-gy (including the size and struc-ture of the supply chain) link: www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/aerospace-

BUSINESS ZONE

Three photos across three sectors,courtesy (top of page) Network Railand design engineers Zytek and,above, from Sunseeker.


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marine-and-defence/marine-overview/marine-industrial-strategy

BIS - MANUFACTURING ANDMATERIALS UNITThe Manufactuing team dealswith manufacturing policy andstrategy, the ManufacturingAdvisory Service (MAS) andregional manufacturing issues.The Materials and Engineeringteam oversees metals (steel andnon-ferrous), process engineer-ing, production machinery, andthe Materials KnowledgeTransfer Network (includingMaterials UK). The unit also cov-ers Composites andNanotechnology and produces abi-monthly 'Hot Isssues' maga-zine with current news and suc-cess stories.

Hot issues link:www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/manufacturing-and-materials/hot-issues

Advanced Manufacturing linkBIS "Growth Review Frameworkfor Advanced Manufacturing":

www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/manufacturing-and-materials/manufacturing

Engineering link: www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/manufacturing-and-materials/engineering

The MM Unit also has sectionson Composites, Materials,Metals and Metal Processing,and Nanotechnology at:

www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/manufacturing-and-materials

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGYSTRATEGYThe Technology Strategy Boardhas a three-phase plan to pro-duce an automotive technologystrategy for the UK. Phase 1,delivered by the NAIGT (seebelow) describes a commonview of the product directions ofthe major automotive original

equipment manufacturers(OEMs). Phase 2 is the researchstudy published in the report'Automotive technologies: TheUK's current capabilities' (seelink below). This resulted in in-depth industry consultation toestablish wider UK R&D capabil-ity and priorities for short, medi-um and long term researchfocus and potential to deliverrequirements in more than 40specific areas.

These include areas targetinglower emissions (eg electricmotors, hydrogen fuel cells, bat-tery cell development) but muchwider categories such as heatenergy recovery systems,improved aerodynamics, newvehicle classes, software andhardware for advanced power-train control, and driver info sys-tems. Areas where GTMA mem-bers are particularly stronginclude sensor and sensor inte-gration (sensor networking andsensor fusion), Advancedprocess tools (virtual prototyp-ing), Integrated tool chains(multi-domain modelling, stan-dards for tool integration), andAdvanced testing methods andequipment. In all of these theReport said the UK has highpotential to deliver requirements.

The third phase of identifying thestrategic priorities to take for-ward based on the study isbeing overseen by theAutomotive Council (see below).

Link to report on UK's currentautomotive technologies:

www.innovateuk.org and lookunder Publications, then selectReports.

NEW AUTOMOTIVEINNOVATION GROWTH TEAM NAIGT was set up by theGovernment and reported onthe future of the UK automotiveindustry in 2009. All the keyindustry stakeholders con-tributed and in its 132 pages it embraces the challenges ofinternational competition and

technological revolution to trans-form the vehicle fleet to a lowcarbon, much more sustainablesystem. Its recommendationsare being taken forward by,among others, The TechnologyStrategy Board and theAutomotive Council (below)which was formed as a result ofthe report. NAIGT full report:

www.berr.gov.uk/files/file51139.pdf

AUTOMOTIVE COUNCILThe UK Automotive Council wasestablished in December 2009as a key recommendation ofNAIGT (see above). Its aims areto: Create a transformed busi-ness environment for the UKautomotive industry to provide amore compelling investmentproposition for related industries;develop further the technologyroadmaps for low carbon vehi-cles and fuels, and exploitopportunities to promote the UKas a strong candidate to devel-op these and other technolo-gies; develop a stronger andmore competitive automotivesupply chain; provide a strongerpublic voice for the industry tosupport the value of the industryto the UK and to global part-ners. It has set up a TechnologyGroup and Supply Chain Groupto drive actions (also see pages10-14).

www.automotivecouncil.co.uk

www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/automotive/auto-motive-council/supply-chain-group

www.bis.gov.uk/policies/busi-ness-sectors/automotive/auto-motive-council/technology-group

A presentation from theTechnology Group on theTechnology Roadmap, the R&Dagenda and UK capabilities isnow on-line. Five R&D areas are:Internal Combustion Engines,Electric machines and powerelectronics, Lightweight vehicle

and powertrain structures,Intelligent Transport Systems,and Energy storage and energymanagement.

Technology Roadmap link:www.automotivecouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Tech-Road-Maps-RD-Capability-Final.pdf

SOCIETY OF MOTORMANUFACTURERS ANDTRADERS The SMMT is the main tradeassociation for the UK automo-tive manufacturing industry andaddresses major areas including:Environment (including sustain-ability), Competitiveness,Legislation, Customer Role, NewTechnology, Globalisation, RetailDistribution, Education andTraining.

www.smmt.co.uk

Its website has links to a num-ber of important reports on theindustry, including:11th annual sustainability report(this updates progress in areasincluding low emissions);

www.smmt.co.uk/downloads/eleventh-Sustainability-Report.pdf

Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) andUltra Low Carbon (ULC) Strategy:www.smmt.co.uk/downloads/SMMT-HGV-ULC-Strategy.pdf

'The UK Automotive Industries -Status, Economic Recovery and

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Expectations' KPMG Report forSMMT (134 pages overview ofthe sector, published in 2009,with view of future sector devel-opment. Among conclusions, forexample, is that in the mediumand longer term Tier 2 playersshould come together in groupsof specialist companies andexpertise to create critical mass-es, with access to necessarycapital bases, to sustain devel-opment of new technologies).

www.smmt.co.uk/downloads/SMMT%20KPMG%20UK%20Automotive%20Exec%20Summary.zip

SMMT FORESIGHT VEHICLEThis is the UK's prime knowl-edge transfer network for auto-motive companies and is oper-ated by the SMMT. It is afounder member of the LowCarbon Knowledge TransferNetwork.

www.smmtforesightvehicle.org.uk

INDUSTRY FORUMOriginally formed from a worldunique collaboration betweenthe UK Government and the UKautomotive industry to raisestandards in the UK automotivesupply chain. Industry Forumhas developed and grown intoan organisation serving cus-tomers in many diverse indus-tries and sectors including aero-space and the metals industry.IF is recognised by theInternational Automotive TaskForce (IATF) as the only UKbased organisation approved totrain, evaluate and qualify thirdparty certification body auditorsin ISO/TS16949:2002. www.industryforum.co.uk

LOW CARBON VEHICLEPARTNERSHIPLowCVP is an action and advi-sory group which leads in accel-erating the shift to low carbonvehicles and fuels in the UK.There are about 170 organisa-tions in LowCVP. At its heart areseperate working groups

focused on low carbon buses,passenger cars, fuels, and inno-vation.

www.lowcvp.org.uk/

OFFICE FOR LOW EMISSIONVEHICLESOLEV is a cross Governmentteam working to make the UK aworld leader in ultra-low carbonvehicle technology. It has com-mitted around £400 million toencourage uptake of the tech-nology (see page14) with incen-tives ranging from support forR&D to helping motorists buylow carbon vehicles.

www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustain-able/olev/

CENEXCenex is the UK's first Centre ofExcellence for low carbon andfuel cell technologies. Its workincludes projects to support UKsupply chain development,focussing on small fleet demon-stration projects, and transitiontechnologies from R&D to mar-ket development. Its AlternativeFuels Infrastructure GrantsProgramme (IGP) has grants forinstallation of refuelling/recharg-ing stations and its Low CarbonVehicle ProcurementProgramme (LCVPP) has fundedlow carbon vehicle procurementleading to large scale field trialsfor hybrid and electric vans inpublic bodies.

www.cenex.co.ukwww.cenex.co.uk/igpwww.cenex.co.uk/lcvpp

LOW CARBON KNOWLEDGETRANSFER NETWORKThe network promotes collabo-ration, best practice and knowl-edge sharing among the lowcarbon community includingsuppliers and universities.

www.lowcarbonktn.org.uk

EUROPEAN COUNCIL FORAUTOMOTIVE R&D EUCAR is made up of the majorEuropean passenger car and

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commercial vehicle manufactur-ers. It coordinates pre-competi-tive R&D. It divides automotivemanufacturing research into fourmain areas: Robust and FlexibleManufacturing; SeamlessIntegration and Networkingalong Supply Chain; Eco andSocio SustainableManufacturing; Virtual manufac-turing engineering.

www.eucar.be

MOTORSPORT INDUSTRYASSOCIATIONMIA is the world's leading tradeassociation for motorsport, per-formance engineering, servicesand tuning services. Its impor-tance reflects the success of theUK motorsport industry with itscluster of Formula 1 design andengineering teams. It now hasnearly 400 global memberstransacting more than £5billionof motorsport business world-wide.

www.the-mia.com

DEPARTMENT FORTRANSPORTDFT RAIL GROUPThe Department's role in rail-ways is to provide strategicdirection and to procure railservices and projects that only itcan specify. Responsibility forday-to-day delivery of railwayservices rests with the industry.DfT's Rail Group’s key objectiveis to secure services at anacceptable price through effec-tive specification and procure-ment.

Its work also covers improvingoperational and financial per-formance, and safety; anddeveloping a sustainable strate-gy for the railway that supportswider transport objectives. Key partners include the infra-structure provider, Network Rail;the passenger train operators(ATOC ); the independent eco-

nomic and safety regulator, theOffice of Rail Regulation; and therail freight industry. It alsoensures the effective alignmentbetween UK and EU rail strate-gies such as interoperability.

www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/rail/

DfT Rail Group contacts: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/rail/dftrailgroupseniorcontacts

Link to Information on currentprojects such as High SpeedTwo, Crossrail, Intercity ExpressProgramme (IEP), West Coastroute modernisation and theThameslink box, Thameslink,Rolling Stock (with links toorganisations involved):

www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/

TRANSPORT SCOTLANDTransport Scotland is the trans-port agency for Scotland. Keyrail projects are listed on the

projects link below; and generalissues on the rail link. A Reviewof Public Procurement inScotland recommended anopen market environment by asingle public sector portal whichadvertises all contracting oppor-tunities, irrespective of value(see link).

www.transportscotland.gov.uk/railwww.transportscotland.gov.uk/rail/projectswww.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/

WELSH ASSEMBLY – TRANSPORTThe Assembly has responsibilityto develop new rail passengerservices and to fund rail freightimprovement schemes throughFreight Facility Grant (FFG). TheRail Forward Programme is a listof schemes the Welsh Assemblywants to implement. First link togeneral information, second link

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to RFP, third to projects.

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/rail/?lang=enhttp://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/rail/rfwp/?lang=enhttp://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/rail/projects/?lang=en

NETWORK RAILNetwork Rail spends circa £4.5billion annually on works, servic-es and bought-in goods. Anannual supplier survey is under-taken to better understand per-ceptions of Network Rail includ-ing procurement practices.Many comments received havebeen acted on through a signifi-cant programme of transforma-tion. Network Rail has estab-lished 30 category familieswhich cover the company'sentire expenditure profile; with 3-5 year strategies for each family.The families include: electrifica-tion & plant, remote monitoringsystems, railway spares, stationrefurbishment, track, IT,Telecoms, right through to HRand Training. The link to Supplyof Works includes the full familylist.

Supply of Works, Products andServices:www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1542.aspxDoing Business with Us (Codeof Practice):www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1544.aspxNR Supply Chain Charter:www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/7267.aspxRIA's Code of Practice (for sup-ply chain relationships):www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/4082.aspx

ASSOCIATION OF TRAINOPERATING COMPANIESATOC's 's mission is to work forthe 30 UK Train OperatingCompanies to support a pros-perous railway. It brings togetherall train companies to developindustry strategy, shaperesearch programmes anddefine technical standards. Thework of ATOC Engineering is

directed by the ATOCEngineering Council. Main tasksinclude to spread engineeringbest practice among ATOCcompanies.

ATOC Engineering Council:www.atoc.org/about-atoc/poli-cy-operations/engineering

Website links to the 30 trainoperating companies (TOCs):www.atoc.org/about-atoc

THE OFFICE OF RAILREGULATION ORR is the independent safetyand economic regulator forBritain's railways. The regulatoryframework is designed to pro-vide effective incentives, reward-ing Network Rail for doing agood job. Where necessary,ORR may enforce compliancewith the network licence andmay impose financial penalties.The Network Rail monitor is animportant tool which ORR usesto hold Network Rail to account.It is published quarterly andassesses Network Rail's per-formance including highlightingareas of concern. It can be seenon-line.

www.railreg-gov.uk/server/show/nav.1

Network Monitor:www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.293

RAIL - TSAGThe Technical Strategy AdvisoryGroup (TSAG) was created inresponse to the Department forTransport White Paper‘Delivering a SustainableRailway’ which considers thepotential future challenges forthe railway over a 30-year hori-zon. TSAG has begun the on-line consultation (see link below),with its publication ‘Shaping the30-year Rail Technical Strategy’which takes stock of where theindustry is, and seeks wideengagement in developing thestrategy (see pages 18-21). It isa cross-industry expert groupfacilitated by RSSB.

www.futurerailways.orgwww.futurerailway.org/Pages/consultation.aspx

RAIL SAFETY ANDSTANDARDS BOARD RSSB's role is to: Continuouslyimprove safety in the rail indus-try, drive out unnecessary costand improve business perform-ance. RSSB initiated the consul-tation on the development of thenext Rail Technical Strategy, duefor publication in 2012.

www.rssb.co.uk

Guide to RSSB:www.rssb.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/reports/AGuideToRSSB.pdf

RAILWAY INDUSTRYASSOCIATIONThe RIA is the UK trade associa-tion for UK-based suppliers ofequipment and services to theglobal rail industry. It has around140 members whose activitiescover: Rolling Stock (manufac-turing, leasing, component sup-ply, maintenance, refurbishment,workshop equipment);Infrastructure (design, manufac-turing, installation, maintenance,component supply); Specialists(consultancy, training, projectmanagement, safety, turnkeysystems). Rail sectors suppliedinclude heavy rail, mass transit,light rail and freight, all aspectsof track, signaling, electrification,terminal equipment and civilengineering.

www.riagb.org.uk

RAIL - PLANNING AHEADNetwork Rail along with theAssociation of Train OperatingCompanies (ATOC) and the RailFreight Operators’ Association(RFOA) has published 'PlanningAhead 2010 – The long termplanning Framework' (see link).This sets out a view of wherethe industry believes the railmarket will be within 25 years.Planning Ahead recognises theneed for change in the sectorand deals with potential areas todo this.

www.networkrail.co.uk/epdf/default.aspx/plan-ahead-2010/

RAIL FREIGHT GROUPRFG has over 150 companies,ranging from Maersk, theworld's largest container ship-ping line, to high street retailers.Its members include customers,logistics providers, suppliers,terminal operators, ports andfreight train operating compa-nies. It promotes cost effectiverail solutions for freight. The Rail Freight Group repre-sents the rail freight industry andthe Rail Freight Operators’Association is the collectivevoice of the four largest UK railfreight operators.

www.rfg.org.uk

ROUTE UTILISATION STRATEGIESRUSs are key elements in therail industry planning process.They seek to balance capacity,passenger & freight demand,operational performance andcost. Network Rail is developingwith sector partners RUSs tocover the rail network. A RUSfor consultation on a long-termstrategy for London’s railwaywas unveiled in December 2010.

www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/4449.aspx

LINK-UP RAIL Link-up provides a single com-mon qualification process forsuppliers that is shared byNetwork Rail and over 100 rail

Photo from GTMA member HadleighCastings - the first aluminium foundryin the world to gain the InternationalIndustry Standard (IRIS) accreditation.


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organisations including infra-structure contractors, under-ground infrastructure companiesand all major train and freightoperators. Achilles is a leadingevaluator for the scheme whichhas more than 3000 accreditedsuppliers.

www.achilles.com/en/uk/sec-tors/transport/rail-industry/

INTERNATIONAL RAILWAYINDUSTRY STANDARDThe IRIS Group was establishedas a UNIFE Group to enable anyrailway component supplier tomeet globally recognized levelsof quality for its railway compo-nents. It is developing a globalsystem for evaluating companies

in the rail supply chain.

www.iris-rail.org

EUROSTAR PROCUREMENT Eurostar Procurement activitiesare actively managed by a teamof procurement professionalseach with a specific area ofremit (or spend category). Theweblink explains policy areassuch as sustainablity and suppli-er terms, and has a full list ofprocurement contacts. Eurostarannounced a £700 millioninvestment in new Eurostar e320state-of-the-art trains and acomplete redesign of the currentEurostar fleet in October 2010.

www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisur

e/about_eurostar/procure-ment_portal/procurement_con-tacts.jsp

MARINE INDUSTRIESLEADERSHIP COUNCILThe MILC is the UK’s forum forthe industries’ key stakeholders– marine businesses (throughtheir trade associations), cus-tomers, sector skills councils,trade unions and government(including the TechnologyStrategy Board and thedevolved administrations). Itsmission is to build and maintaina world class UK maritimeindustry (covering shipbuilding,boat building, marine engineer-ing and supply chain) throughleading-edge innovation andcompetitiveness. It has devel-oped a Strategic Framework todo this (see pages 15-17) andWorking Groups are deliveringthe individual objectives laid outin the Framework. These WGscover Knowledge and Skills;Technology and Innovation;Sustainability, Environmental andRegulation; International Tradeand Export; and Image.

www.maritimeindustries.org/milc

THE BRITISH MARINEFEDERATIONBMF is the trade association forthe leisure and small commercialmarine industry representingbusinesses involved in leisureboats - seagoing and inland;small commercial workboats;superyachts; hire fleets; and allthe equipment and servicesneeded for those craft. Its 1400members come from over 4300businesses in these sectors inthe UK with a combinedturnover of more than £3 billion.

www.britishmarine.co.uk/

SOCIETY OF MARITIMEINDUSTRIESThe Society is the voice of theUK's maritime engineering andbusiness sector promoting andsupporting companies whichbuild, refit and modernise ships,

and supply equipment and serv-ices for all types of commercialand naval platforms, ports andterminals infrastructure and mar-itime security, offshore oil & gas,and marine science and technol-ogy. Its membership has world-class capabilities.

www.maritimeindustries.org

There are six associations underthe Society's umbrella:

Association of BritishOffshore Industrieswww.maritimeindustries.org/about/aboi.jsp

Association of MarineScientific Industrieswww.maritimeindustries.org/about/amsi.jsp

The British MarineEquipment Association www.maritimeindustries.org/about/bmea.jsp

British Naval EquipmentAssociationwww.maritimeindustries.org/about/bnea.jsp

Maritime Security and SafetyGroupwww.maritimeindustries.org/about/oil_spill.jsp

Photo courtesy Huntsman AdvancedMaterials - it is sponsoring the firstever racing boat prototype to incor-porate up to 50% of natural flax fibrein the composite structure.


ARMBUSINESS ZONE

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Ports and Terminals Groupwww.maritimeindustries.org/about/ptg.jsp

SHIPBUILDERS AND SHIPREPAIRERS ASSOCIATIONSSA represents shipyards,equipment manufacturers, serv-ice providers, maritime universi-ties, and the wider marine sup-ply chain. SSA membersaccount for 99% of all ship pro-duction in the UK. SSA is the‘Gateway to Europe’ for the UKMaritime Industry into Europe.

www.ssa.org.uk

SSA INNOVATION ANDTECHNOLOGY CENTRE (ITC)The Innovation and TechnologyCentre (ITC) helps the UKMaritime industry develop itsglobal competitiveness throughinvolvement in world classresearch and development pro-grammes. A team of specialisedengineers is dedicated to thedesign, analysis and implemen-tation of bespoke products.

www.ssa.org.uk/innovation_technology_centre

UNITED KINGDOM NAVALENGINEERING, SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGYThe UK NEST Forum has avision to help develop and sus-tain a world-class naval engi-neering, science and technologyintellectual base in the UK. It is aa forum for the UK’s professionalnaval engineering, science andtechnology community.

www.uknest.org/

EUROPEAN MARINEEQUIPMENT COUNCILEMEC represents around 1300companies in Europe through 13European trade associations(UK: Society of MaritimeIndustries,). EMEC says itsmembers lead the world in tech-nology for shipbuilding and intro-duce the majority of new innova-tions for a wide range of prod-ucts. The second link is to theGroup of European Equipment

Suppliers for Innovation,Research and Development.

www.emec-marine-equip-ment.org/

www.emec.eu/emecrid/index.asp

EUROPEAN MARINE ENERGYCENTREThe Centre develops marine-based renewable energy tech-nologies that generate electricityby harnessing the power ofwaves and tidal streams. It is thefirst centre of its kind in theworld and offers developers theopportunity to test full scale gridconnected prototype devices.

www.emec.org.uk/

INTERNATIONALSHIPSUPPLIERS & SERVICESASSOCIATIONThe association represents near-ly 2,000 ship suppliers world-wide through 43 national associ-ations and associate membersin 52 other countries. The UK isrepresented by the BritishAssociation of Ship Suppliers.

www.shipsupply.org/AboutUs.aspx

www.bassweb.co.uk/index.html

WIND SUPPLY CHAIN EVENTSThe Crown Estate began aseries of UK supply chain eventsfor the offshore wind industryearly in 2010 and the latest –planned into March 2011- aretargeting companies furtherdown the supply chain. Anambitious UK programme ofwind power development to2020 and beyond is creating apotential market of over £100billion. The supply chain eventsinclude supply chain workshopsand information updates. Thesupply chain is in the broadestsense all elements that will con-tribute to offshore wind energydeployment including: compo-nents, skilled workforce, infra-structure and the regulatoryenvironment.

www.thecrownestate.co.uk/newscontent/92-second-offshore-wind-supply-chain-events-dates.h

SECTOR SKILLS COUNCILFOR SCIENCE, ENGINEERINGAND MANUFACTURINGTECHNOLOGIESSEMTA UK helps businessesachieve global competitivenessthrough investment in skills. Ithas £100 million of Governmentfunding specifically for the sec-tors it works with. These includeautomotive, marine, electronics,aerospace, science and bio-science, mechanical, electricaland metals. The links are to sec-tor employer centres with outlineskills needs and overviews,

Automotive centre link: www.semta.org.uk/employers/automotive/sector_overview.aspx

Marine centre link: www.semta.org.uk/employers/m

arine/sector_overview.aspx

Metals centre link: www.semta.org.uk/employers/metals/sector_overview.aspx

Mechanical centre link: http://www.semta.org.uk/employers/mechanical/sector_overview.aspx

Other sector overviews are avail-able from:

www.semta.org.uk

NATIONAL SKILLS ACADEMYFOR MANUFACTURING NSAM is creating a centre ofexcellence to tackle the skillspriorities of the UK manufactur-ing sector. it exists to developworld class training productsand provision for UK manufac-turing. SEMTA (above) is theparent company of NSAM.

www.nsa-m.co.uk

JK Metrology & Quality ServicesUKAS Laboratory 4505

• Gauge Blocks by Comparison or Interferometry (Class A)

• Long Slip Gauges, Length Bars & Accessories

• Surface tables, Calibration & re-furbishment

• Quality system consultancy, 1 day or long term

Unit 11 Holman Road, Liskeard Business Park PL14 3UTTel: 01579 324108 Fax: 01579 347714 Web: www.jkmetrology.com Email: [email protected]


Renishaw plc New Mills, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire GL12 8JR United KingdomT +44 (0)1453 524524 F +44 (0)1453 524901 E [email protected]

www.renishaw.com

New five-axis head for touch trigger inspection gives up to three-fold increase in throughput

Utilising technology developed for the multi-award winning REVO® measurement system, our

new PH20 probe head offers unique ‘head touches’ for rapid touch-trigger measurement, and fast

infinite 5-axis positioning to guarantee optimal feature access.

Its compact design also makes it suitable for new CMM purchases and as a retrofit to the vast

majority of existing CMM touch-trigger installations.

For further information please visit www.renishaw.com/ph20 or call us on 01453 524111

Use your head!It's infi nitely better

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service

GTMA Executive Briefing PH20 1011 1 11/10/2010 13:47:51


METROLOGYZONE

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NATIONAL MEASUREMENTOFFICEThe National MeasurementOffice is the UK's lead organisa-tion for metrology and measure-ment. It has responsibility for theNational Measurement System(see below) and for the fundingof the scientific measurementresearch programmes deliveredby the national measurementinstitutes (see below). Thisincludes industrial measurement.It is responsible for UK policy onmeasuring instruments in use fortrade and for implementingEuropean Directives on measur-ing instruments and is anExecutive Agency of theDepartment for BusinessInnovation and Skills (BIS).

www.nmo.bis.gov.uk

Brochure link:www.nmo.bis.gov.uk/fileu-ploads/NMS/MEASUREMENT-MATTERS.pdf

THE NATIONAL PHYSICALLABORATORY (NPL)NPL is one of the UK’s leadingscience and research facilities. Itoccupies a unique position asthe UK’s internationally recog-nised National MeasurementInstitute and sits at the intersec-tion between scientific discoveryand real world application.GTMA (see below) works closelywith NPL on behalf of its mem-bers, particularly the large num-ber of measurement manufac-turers and service suppliers.NPL maintains multi-disciplinedscience facilities and offers

industry commercial servicesincluding use of its scientificknowledge and expertise todeliver solutions of developmentor research programmes. It is aworld-leading centre of excel-lence in developing and applyingthe most accurate standards,science and technology avail-able.

www.npl.co.uk/contact

LGC LGC is the UK’s designatednational measurement institute forchemical and bioanalytical meas-urement. It leads development ofthe bio-measurement system; onhigh accuracy measurementresearch and calibration services;and the traceability of measure-ment science that underpins leg-islation, and standards.

www.lgc.co.uk

NMS Helpdesk: www.nmschembio.org.uk Tel: 020 8943 7393

TUV NEL TUV NEL is a global centre ofexcellence and the UK's desig-nated national measurementinstitute for flow measurement. Itprovides a range of world-classresearch, development, model-ling, calibration, measurementand testing services to clientsacross many sectors includingenergy, environmental, manufac-turing and government. It isbased in East Kilbride, Glasgow.

www.tuvnel.com

NMS Helpdesk: Tel: 01355 593870

NATIONAL MEASUREMENTSYSTEM (NMS) From the 1 April 2009 theNational Measurement System(NMS) unit became a new direc-torate within NMO. This broughtthe UK more in line with themost common internationalposition where scientific metrolo-gy (the core of the NMS work)and legal metrology (NMO'sresponsibility) are closely alignedor fully integrated.

NMS is responsible for stimulat-ing good measurement practiceand enabling business to makeaccurate and traceable meas-urements. This is deliveredthrough maintaining the meas-urement infrastructure; repre-senting the UK position interna-tionally; enabling fair and safecompetition; and providing sup-port for innovation. The NMS isdelivered by the national meas-urement institutes.

WHAT IS THE NMS?The National MeasurementSystem (NMS) is the UK'snational infrastructure of meas-urement laboratories, whichdelivers world-class measure-ment science and technology. Itprovides traceable and increas-ingly accurate standards ofmeasurement for use in trade,industry, academia and govern-ment. The NMS supports inno-vation in industry generally, byenabling the benefits of newproducts and processes to bemeasured and, specifically, bystimulating new product devel-opment in the instrument sector.It also raises productivitythrough improved process andquality control.

www.nmo.bis.gov.uk/content.aspx?SC_ID=485

GTMAGTMA is a leading UK tradeassociation with a growingmembership section involved inthe manufacturing measurement

sector, and it has active linkswith the NPL. GTMA organisesan annual Make MeasurementMatter Roadshow which attractsmajor buyers to see some of themost up-to-date developmentsin manufacturing measurementsystems and services. It is a 'byinvitation' event for buyers,allowing them to receive one-to-one discussions and demonstra-tions of leading edge technolo-gies. The 2011 event is beingheld in September and buyerscan register to attend via the linkbelow. To encourage best prac-tice in measurement GTMAmembers can now apply forfunding (from the Tooling Trust)towards NPL metrology trainingcourses.

www.gtma.co.ukwww.makemeasurementmatter.co.ukwww.metrologyhelpline.co.uk

NPL - SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGYNPL has over 100 years experi-ence in the development andapplication of measurementtechniques, but the pursuit ofmeasurement has often taken itbeyond its core measurementdiscipline.

Excellence in science underpinsall of NPL’s activities and partic-ularly its core mission to deliverthe highest economic and socialimpact. It maintains a wide port-folio of internationally visibleresearch programmes thatadvances measurement science,

HOW MEASUREMENT MATTERS…Measurement is at the heart of manufacturing and, some say,the basis of trust in global trade. This Metrology Zone recognis-es its importance and shows how harmonisation, research andthe pursuit of excellence is at the forefront of measurement.

GTMA has a special place in all this because of the large num-bers of members active in supplying world-class products andservices. Their contact details are on pages 56-57 and moredetails can be found on the GTMA website, www.gtma.co.ukYou can also email [email protected] if you need help withmeasurement issues or visit www.metrologyhelpline.co.uk

State-of-the-art CMM laser scanningfacilities at the Digital Lab, InternationalManufacturing Centre at WarwickUniversity. The Lab was the venue forGTMA's 2010 Make MeasurementMatter Roadshow. Another is plannedin September (see below).


che Coordinate Metrology offer GTMA members full support when their existingcoordinate measuring machine controller or software becomes obsolete.

The latest range of controllers fitted by che means that for the fist time an end user has freedom of choice when considering software upgrades.

• Complete repair and re-piping service where parts are still available

• Calibration to ISO 10360-2 standard with UKAS Calibration Certificate

• Wide range of second user machines, plus latest CNC or Manual software

• Renishaw Distributor for coordinate measuring machine accessories

che Coordinate MetrologyTel: 01527 558255

email: [email protected]

Picadilly, Tamworth, staffordshire B78 2ER. UKTel: +4 (0) 1827 872771 Fax: +4 (0) 1827 874128Email: [email protected]

New Beginnings!

Now supplied by:


METROLOGYZONE

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and supports various cross-disciplinary technologies.These include AdvancedMaterials, EngineeringMeasurements, EnvironmentalMeasurement and othersimportant to sectors such asautomotive, marine and rail.

NPL employs over 500 scien-tists who in turn collaborate withmore than 40 universities in theUK, Europe and the US as wellas with the other NationalMeasurement Institutes andlarge companies. Among NPLactivities are:

Advanced Materials: NPL'swork covers areas includingmodelling, metals, ceramics,polymer composites, nano,functional and biomaterials, fuelcells, photovoltaics and surfaceengineering. Main thrust of itswork is in three areas of expert-ise: structural materials; surfaceengineering & materials chem-istry; and multifunctional materi-als. Its strategic focus includes:

• Building a standards andmeasurement infrastructure fornew structural materials, suchas composites and light alloys • Developing a measurementand modelling framework for theeffective design and use of coat-ings and surface engineeredmaterials • Investigating measurementissues in emerging areas offunctional and multifunctionalmaterials including nanomateri-als and fuel cells (for auto land-based and portable applications)

NPL also looks at the adoptionof new materials - or their use innew applications - whichdepends on an ability to under-stand, characterise and measurethese materials including theirprocessing properties, perform-ance and durability. NPL Advanced materials link:www.npl.co.uk/advanced-materials/

Engineering Measurements -this NPL work covers the whole

range of measurement methodsthat are key in underpinning thecompetitiveness of UK industry,including length, mass, forceand temperature, and humidity.NPL is involved in the wholerange of measurement methodsfrom magnetic resonance spec-troscopy through to interferome-try and profilometry to providetraceable area surface topogra-phy measurement.

A particular focus of the team ison the provision of measurementmethods tailored to specificindustrial measurement issues inmanufacturing and service.Interaction with industry occursthrough the provision of measure-ment solutions, and a wide rangeof collaborations, including con-sultancy, measurement research,and instrument calibration. Thework is disseminated through theEngineering & Optical SpecialInterest Group Engineering &Optical Special Interest Groupwhich concentrates on measure-ment issues affecting sectorsincluding advanced manufactur-ing and engineering, transportand energy.

NPL Engineering measurementslink: www.npl.co.uk/engineer-ing-measurements/

Other main NPL topicsinclude: Acoustics, AnalyticalScience, Biotechnology,Electromagnetics, EnvironmentalMeasurement, Mathematics andScientific Computing,Nanoscience, Optical Radiationand Photonics, IonisingRadiation, QuantumPhenomena.

Links to information on all ofthese can be found at:www.npl.co.uk/science-technology/

MEASUREMENT NETWORKThe Measurement Network is foranyone with an interest in meas-urement. It enables measure-ment knowledge to be sharedbetween NPL scientists and net-work members by providing a

forum for the exchange of infor-mation and advice betweenmembers and other measure-ment experts. It does thisthrough a programme of semi-nars and conferences and byinvolving members in workinggroups or other activities tailoredto their own particular interests.

www.npl.co.uk/measurement-network/

UNITED KINGDOMACCREDITATION SERVICE UKAS is the sole nationalaccreditation body recognisedby government to assess,against internationally agreedstandards, organisations thatprovide certification, testing,inspection and calibration servic-es. Accreditation by UKASdemonstrates the competence,

impartiality and performancecapability of these evaluators.UKAS also assesses and rec-ommends organisations for vari-ous government departments inrespect of EC Directives and UKregulations; and is involved indeveloping new areas of accred-itation. UKAS-accredited com-panies within the GTMA mem-bership can be contacted byemailing [email protected].

www.ukas.com

WELMECWELMEC is a co-operationbetween the legal metrologyservices of the Member Statesof the European Union andEFTA. Its principal aim is toestablish a harmonised and con-sistent approach to Europeanlegal metrology. Currently 37

From Claymodel to Class-A Surfaceswith the ATOS 3D Digitizer

Reducing machining times with theATOS 3D Digitizer

Reducing time to production with theATOS Inspection Software


METROLOGYZONE

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countries are representedincluding the UK through theNational Measurement Office(see page 51) Most ofWELMEC's work is done viaworking groups and it publishesa number of advisory guides formanufacturers of measuringinstruments and notified bodiesresponsible for conformityassessment of their products.

www.welmec.org

Link to Guides:www.welmec.org/latest/guides.html

BIPM-OIML RESOURCECENTERThe Centre is jointly operated bythe Bureau International desPoids et Mesures (BIPM) andthe International Bureau of LegalMetrology (OIML) (in French,Organisation Internationale deMétrologie Légale). Its objectiveis to provide metrologists andkey metrology decision makersworldwide with informationabout metrology, why it is need-ed and how everyone benefitsfrom accurate measurements.

The BIPM has a mandate to pro-vide the basis for a single, coher-ent system of measurementsthroughout the world which istraceable to the InternationalSystem of Units (SI). OIML pro-motes global harmonisation oflegal metrology requirements andprocedures, and contributes tothe implementation of the WorldTrade Organization's (WTO)Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)Agreement.

www.metrologyinfo.org/index.htmlwww.bipm.orgwww.oiml.org

CECIPCECIP is the European associa-tion for national trade organisa-tions representing the Europeanmanufacturers of weighinginstruments. It has17 memberassociations which representover 50% of the worldwide trade

volume. CECIP says the weigh-ing industry has gone throughtremendous changes in the pastdecades with new technologiesand techniques being introducedin all sectors, and weighinginstruments playing an importantrole in every industry. CECIPplays a key role within Europe instriving for harmonised stan-dards. The UK representative onCECIP is the UK WeighingFederation (second link).

www.cecip.euwww.ukwf.org.uk

INTERNATIONAL LABORATORYACCREDITATIONCOOPERATION ILAC is an international coopera-tion of over 70 global laboratoryand inspection accreditationbodies (including UKAS, seepage 53) focused on removingtechnical barriers to trade. Thisincludes support of globalrecognition of laboratories andinspection facilities via the ILACArrangement.

www.ilac.org

MEASUREMENT KNOWLEDGETRANSFER NETWORKPart of the Technology StrategyBoard, the MeasurementNetwork is for anyone interestedin measurement. It enablesmeasurement knowledge to beshared between NMS scientistsand network members; providesa forum for the exchange ofinformation and advice betweenmembers and other measure-ment experts; and provides aprogramme of seminars andconferences involving membersin working groups or other activ-ities tailored to their own particu-lar interests. Members have freeaccess to on-line servicesincluding NPL's Good PracticeGuides, case studies and semi-nar presentations.

https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/measurement-network/overview


METROLOGYCOMPANIES

55

The depth of skills and expertisewithin GTMA companies servingMetrology has been growing signifi-cantly in recent years.This A-Zgives summaries and fuller detailsare on the GTMA website,www.gtma.co.uk

Alan Browne Gauges LtdTel: 01926 424278 Fax: 01926 451865Email: [email protected]: www.alanbrowne.co.uk Gauge Block Calibration/K GradeGauge Blocks

Alicona UK LtdTel: 01732 746670 Fax: 01732 465500Email: [email protected]: www.alicona.com Metrology Equipment: 3D OpticalSurface Metrology Systems and Non-Contact Gauging.

ASI DataMyte UK LtdTel: 01582 732016 Fax: 01582 726434Email: [email protected]: www.asidatamyte.co.uk Advanced metrology, data collectionsystems.

Blum Novotest LtdTel: 01543 257111 Fax: 01543 251746Email: [email protected]: www.blum-novotest.com

Production metrology and test engi-neering.

Bowers Metrology GroupTel: 08708 509050 Fax: 08708 509060Email: [email protected] Website: www.bowers.co.ukMetrology products and services; boregauge manufacturer

Broomfield Carbide Gauges LtdTel: 01484 665599 Fax: 0844 5046692Email: [email protected]: www.broomfieldgauges.com Metrology Equipment: Gauge BlockCalibration/Steel gauge Block/TungstenCarbide Gauge Block

Carl Zeiss LtdTel: 01788 821770 Fax: 01788 821755Email: [email protected]: www.zeiss.co.uk Industrial metrology systems, includingthe Metrotom CT scanning system

che Coordinate MetrologyTel: 01527 558 255 Fax: 01527 558244Email: [email protected]: www.che-metrology.co.uk Co-ordinate measuring machines,metrology services

Conway Precision EngineeringGroup LtdTel: 0121 327 2301 Fax: 0121 3284885Email: [email protected]: www.gauges.co.uk Bespoke design(CAD), manufacturercalibration & repair service

Eley Metrology LtdTel: 01332 367475 Fax: 01332 371435Email: [email protected]: www.eleymet.com Manufacturers of metrology equipment,metrology software, services

Europac 3DimensionalTel: 01270 216000 Fax: 01270 216123Email: [email protected]: www.europac3d.com 3D Laser Scanning technology andservices, portable measuring equipment.

GOM UK LtdTel: 02476 430230 Fax: 02476 430001Email: [email protected]: www.gom-uk.com Metrology Services: 3D LaserScanning/Contact Measurement

HEIDENHAIN (G.B.) LimitedTel: 01444 247711 Fax: 01444 870024Email: [email protected]

Website: www.heidenhain.co.uk Leading supplier of Linear and RotaryEncoders, CNC controls, CNC spindleand tool probes and Digital readouts

Hexagon Metrology LtdTel: 0870 446 2667 Fax: 0870 4462668Email: [email protected]: www.hexmet.co.uk Metrology Services and Equipment

Hoffmann UKTel: 08704 176111 Fax: 08704 176113Email: [email protected]: www.hoffmann-group.com Offering World-class tools made by lead-ing manufacturers and calibration service

JK Metrology & Quality ServicesTel: 01579 324108 Fax: 01579 347714Email: [email protected]: www.jkmetrology.com Metrology Services: CalibrationService/Gauging Block Calibration

Mahr UK PlcTel: 01908 563700 Fax: 01908 563704Email: [email protected]: www.mahr.com Complete range of productions dimen-sional measuring technology

Micron Metrology EurolabThe largest calibration laboratory of its type in the EU

MAJOR £250K REFURBISHMENT AND INVESTMENT PROGRAMME NOW COMPLETEDMore services, more equipment, more facilities, more accreditations

“Possibly the only calibration laboratory you will ever need”

Recent additions to UKAS Schedule:

• Pressure Gauges• Combination Gauges• Digital Pressure Indicators• Manometers,Oxygen Gauges• Pressure Calibrators• Pressure Switches• Pressure Transducers• Sphygmomanometers• Dead Weight Testers• Autoclaves

UKAS Accredited Calibration Laboratory (0720)

• Online certification and calibration system management

• Complete managed calibration system consul-tancy service

• Guaranteed turn-around times of five days orless (48 hour Goldtrack Service)

• Emergency response when required• Onsite UKAS calibration service• Electrical and mechanical repair service• Collection and delivery service• Uk agents for Indysoft Gauge InSite• International services• On-shore/off-shore

Specific areas covered include:

• Mechanical• Dimensional• Electrical• Pressure• Torque• Time• Mass......

Contact our sales team for a free no obligation quotation on 0121 784 7498 using extension numbers 201 or 203.

General EnquiriesEmail: [email protected]: www.micron-metrology.co.uk

MARKETS COVERED: AUTOMOTIVE • AEROSPACE • PHARMACEUTICAL • OIL & GAS • MARINE & RAIL


METROLOGYCOMPANIES

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A world of precision

� Plug and Ring Gauges� Taper Screw Plug Ring Gauges� Plain Plug and Ring Gauges � Plain Adjustable Caliper Gauges � Tri-roll Comparators� Plate Gauges (Gap and Depth)� Sub-Contract Thread Grinding

A Division of Danaher UK Industries Ltd.

Telephone: (01952) 582113 www.piccadillyprecision.co.uk

Mantech Geometrics LtdTel: 07799 068239 Fax: Email: [email protected]: www.mantechgeometrics.com Measuring instruments, including con-ventional Coordinate MeasuringMachines (CMM’s), multi – sensormeasuring machines, X-RayTomography systems.

Mercury Thread GaugesTel: 02476 715715 Fax: 02476 691234Email: [email protected]: www.threadgauges.co.uk Metrology equipment: Adjustable GapGauge/Fixed Gap Gauge/PlugGauge/Ring Gauge/Screw Pluggauge/Screw Ring Gauge/ScrewThread Gap Gauge

Micron Metrology 2000 LimitedTel: 0121 784 7498 Fax: 0121 7836031Email: [email protected]: www.micron-metrology.co.uk Calibration services and multi disciplinedmetrology solutions

Mobile - CMM LtdTel: 01886 880883 Fax: Email: [email protected]: www.mobile-cmm.co.uk Total Co-ordinate Metrology Sourcing

N J Metrology LtdTel: 07831 207506 Fax: 01234 266474Email: [email protected]: www.njmetrology.com Metrology Services: CMM Calibration

National Physical Laboratory (NPL)Tel: 020 8943 6862 Fax: 020 8943 6458Email: [email protected]: www.npl.co.uk Calibration Service/UKAS Laboratory

Nikon Metrology UK LtdTel: 01332 811349 Fax: 01332 639881Email:[email protected]: www.nikonmetrology.com Metrology products include 2.5D visionmeasuring systems with optical andmechanical 3D metrology solutions

Opus Metrology LtdTel: 01536 204681 Fax: 0845 1260569Email: [email protected]: www.opus.co.uk Wide range of metrology equipment andservices including calibration laboratory

Orlin Technologies LtdTel: 01525 306100 Fax: 08712 477366Email: [email protected]: www.orlin.co.uk Metrology Equipment: Automated

Gauging Equipment/MetrologyEquipment

Phase Vision LtdTel: 01509 223632 Fax: 01509 228892Email: [email protected]: www.phasevision.com Metrology Equipment: Quartz E WhiteLight 3D Scanner/Quartz R FringeProjection 3D Scanner

Physical Digital LtdTel: 01483 857537 Email: [email protected]: www.physicaldigital.com Metrology Equipment: Mobile 3D non-contact optical digitising

Piccadilly Precision Engineering Co.Tel: 01952 582113 Fax: 01952 583239Email: [email protected]: www.piccadillyprecision.co.uk Manufacturer of standard and cus-tomised precision gauging products,customised calibration services

Renishaw PLCTel: 01453 524126 Fax: 01453 524102Email: [email protected]: www.renishaw.com Industrial metrology and spectroscopy,including probe systems for CMMs andCNC machine tools

Rubert & Co LtdTel: 0161 428 5855/6058Fax: 0161 4281146Email: [email protected]: www.rubert.co.uk Metrology Equipment: CalibrationSpecimens/MechanicalComparator/Precision ReferenceSpecimens/Surface RoughnessStandards

Russell Gauges LtdTel: 01268 728666 Fax: 01268 728677Email: [email protected] Precision Machining/CNC Turning

Solartron Metrology LtdTel: 01243 833300 Fax: 01243 833332Email: [email protected]: www.solartronmetrology.com Manufacture of precision digital and ana-logue dimensional gauging probes, dis-placement transducers, optical linearencoders and associated instrumentation

Starrett, The L.S. Starrett Co. LtdTel: 01835 863501 Fax: 01835 863018Email: [email protected]: www.starrett.co.uk Precision measuring instruments

Tesa Technology UK LtdTel: 01952 681349 Fax: 01952 681391Email: [email protected]: www.tesabs.co.uk Metrology Equipment: BoreGauge/CMM/Digital Calliper/DigitalDepth Gauge/Digital HeightGauge/Digital Micrometer/OpticalMeasuring Systems/ProfileProjector/Vision System

Trac Measurement Systems LtdTel: 01952 210020 Fax: 01952 670149Email: [email protected]: www.tmstechnology.com Design, manufacture and installation ofbespoke inspection, measurement andgauging systems

Trescal CMSTel: 01252 533300 Fax: 01252 533333Email: [email protected]: www.trescal.com Measurement and calibration services,UKAS laboratory

Verisurf UK LtdTel: 01684 89137 Email: [email protected]: www.verisurf.com Metrology (software only) AutomatedInspection/Laser Projectors

Verus Precision LtdTel: 0353 71 91 44002/3Fax: 00353 719147660Email: [email protected]: www.verusprecision.ie Metrology services. CalibrationService/ContactMeasurement/Measuring SystemDesign

Vision Engineering LtdTel: 01483 248300 Fax: 01483 248301Email: [email protected]: www.visioneng.com Metrology Equipment: Non-ContactGauging/Optical Measuring systems

Wenzel UK LtdTel: 01452 728298 Fax: 01452 782288Email: [email protected]: www.wenzel-cmm.co.uk Mobilescan3d, CNC laser scanner anddata acquisition with Geomagic soft-ware. CT Scanning Equipment andMobile CNC technology

West Midlands ManufacturingMeasurement CentreTel: 02476 236327 Fax: 02476 236318Email: [email protected]: www.wmmmc.co.uk Metrology Services: CNCInspection/Contract Measurement

Yorkshire Precision Gauges LtdTel: 01302 840303 Fax: 01302 843570Email: [email protected]: www.ypg.co.uk Manufacture and supplier of extensiverange of metrology gauging products

Zeeko LtdTel: 01530 519356 Fax: 01530 839631Email: [email protected]: www.zeeko.co.uk Integrated and standalone metrologyincluding swing arm profilers


Unit 15, Bordon Trading Estate, Bordon, Hampshire GU35 9HHTelephone: 08708 50 90 50 Fax: 08708 50 90 60

www.bowers.co.uk [email protected]

Sylvac Precision Hand Tools

BOWERS METROLOGY: LEADING THE WAYIN QUALITY AND INSPECTION SOLUTIONS

Unmatched measuring accuracywith the Bowers SmartPlug range

For more innovativeproducts see Bowers’ all-inclusive 2010/11product catalogue.

To order your copy [email protected]

State-of-the-art testing with theEW-4000 Premium Closed LoopHardness Tester

Partners in Precision


ARMGTMA BENEFITS

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

RecruitmentProfessional RecruitmentPartnership

Buyers NetworksGTMA networks with OEM andTier 1 companies to further theUK engineering supply chainand provide business opportuni-ties

Sector Supply Chain meetingsOpportunities to network in theAerospace, Medical,Automotive, Packaging, Oil &Gas, Composites, Marine, Railand Energy industries

Out-SourcingGTMA will source members’requirements

Business ProgrammeProviding GTMA members witha funded business programmefor management development

Mediation ServiceFree confidential service toresolve issues for members

Industry StandardsRegularly updated informationon relevant standards for theindustry are provided to GTMAmembers

Industry StatisticsIndustry statistics for UK,Europe, Americas and Far Eastare available from GTMA

Business HelplineEmployment Law and Staff

Management Service.Providing specialist telephoneadvice on employment law anda website providing a StaffManagement Service.

Health & SafetyFree health & safety audit andfree unlimited help line cover for members

InsuranceSubstantial savings for businessinsurance and private healthcareare available for GTMA members

COMMUNICATION

Lobbying GTMA lobbies governmentthrough EAMA on issues affect-ing the sector

RepresentationGTMA is the UK representativefor the International SpecialTooling and MachiningAssociation (ISTMA)

MarketingBuyers Guide. GTMA News,GTMA website and ExecutiveBriefings – Aerospace, Medicaland in 2011 the Automotive, Railand Marine(ARM) ExecutiveBriefing

Conferences, exhibitions and seminarsConferences, GTMARoadshows: Bringing it Back toBritain, Make MeasurementMatter and Sector NetworkMeetings.

Technical BriefingsOpportunities for members tohighlight their technical expertiseto industry

Business BriefingsProviding business informationto members

Trade PressGTMA promotes members andfeatures their expertise in the industry sectors

TECHNOLOGY

Industry ExpertsPromoting technical informationon the GTMA website

Technical HelplineA metrology helpline to identifyexperts in technical fields from member companies to researchand university establishmentswww.metrologyhelpline.co.uk

Technical papersA revision to The Real Cost ofTooling and Creating a TechnicalHub for the UK Toolmakingindustry and Allied Industries

Knowledge TransferGTMA is more than just a TradeAssociation. We embrace tech-nology, procurement and supplychain initiatives to offer a fullrange of business solutions.

R & D AdvisorsAdvice on availability of tax cred-its for your company

PROMOTING EXCELLENCE

Best Practice and evaluation programmeGTMA provides assistance onthe World Class self assessment profile

EU R & D ProjectsResearch projects for theToolmaking industry

Financial Solutions SchemeAwardsGTMA provide financial solutionsto the industry for Leasing andPurchasing of equipment, soft-ware and the facility for re-financing your business, thealternative to invoice discounting.In this current economic climate,loans from High Street Bankshave become difficult, however,GTMA does have access tounsecured loans of up to £50kdependent on status.

Annual Apprenticeship awardssponsored by The Tooling Trust

THE BENEFITSOF GTMA MEMBERSHIP

Join the GTMA and market your expertise to industry

GTMA represents 300 leading companies in precision engineering,metrology, rapid productdevelopment, toolmakingand tooling technologies.

To find out more about the work of the GTMA or for further informationon GTMA Companies in theARM Sectors please contact GTMA online at www.gtma.co.uk oremail [email protected]

This is the third in a series ofExecutive Briefing publica-tions on key industry sectors.The first two dealt withAerospace and Medical, withmore planned. For your freecopies please contact GTMAonline at gtma.co.uk or email: [email protected]

58

Picture courtesy GTMA memberWenzel


Winning in the recovery is about competitiveedge and manufacturers need to produce a wide variety of parts, cost effectively with significantly reduced production lead time. The INTEGREX multi-tasking machine series is widely recognised as the answer to this need.

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YAMAZAKI MAZAK UK LTD, BADGEWORTH DRIVE, WORCESTER, WR4 9NF TEL: +44 (0)1905 755755 . FAX: +44 (0)1905 755001 . [email protected]

Introducing the new INTEGREX j series.

Transport cover 18/1/11 18:22 Page 3

representing leading companies in precision engineering, metrology,rapid product development, toolmaking and tooling technologies

GTMA, The National Metalforming Centre, 47 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, B70 6PY www.gtma.co.uk [email protected]

Checoordinate metrology

Transport cover 18/1/11 18:22 Page 4

GTMA ARM Briefing

Documents

Transcript of GTMA ARM Briefing