www.hpmag.co.uk APRIL/MAY 2023 p30 What is hydraulic hose flushing? Maximising compressor performance remotely Hallite introduces new defining low-friction product p40 p8
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The need to be ahead of the curve EDITOR’S COMMENT www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 3 The push towards more sustainable and energy-efficient systems for our industry is a positive step and needs to be encouraged. ‘ ’ The latest UK Manufacturing PMI has shown that despite difficult conditions, UK manufacturers maintained a positive outlook in April. Optimism rose to a 14-month high, with over 61% of companies reporting that they expect output to rise during the coming year. Positive sentiment reflected investment spending, new product launches, forecasts of improved market conditions and organic growth plans. However, as Chris Barlow, partner at MHA, commented, the UK is in danger of languishing in an era of stagnation as international competitors pull ahead. The problem which he highlights, and I agree with, is that as a country we still lack an industrial strategy to provide a long-term vision for UK manufacturing. The sector needs reassurance and support from the government to really thrive. Unfortunately, by and large it hasn’t been getting it. The potential move of investment by Unipart to the US or Europe due to the subsidies offered there is a worrying sign, which Barlow highlights, and illustrates missed opportunities. The US is spending billions to help electric car firms and green energy and Europe is planning to relax state rules in green sectors but there has been no announcement from the UK. Although some incentives put in place at the Spring Budget were positive, there needs to be more help for those sectors that offer greater energy efficient potential and opportunities. For example, one of the major concerns within hydraulics is the increasing demand for energy-efficient hydraulic systems. With the rise in global energy prices and the need to reduce carbon emissions, there has been a push towards the development of more sustainable hydraulic systems. Although this has led to the development of new technologies such as hybrid hydraulic systems that combine electric and hydraulic power sources to achieve higher energy efficiency, these new developments need continued government support and encouragement for companies to continue developing and investing. For example, Barlow highlights how the UK has seen reductions in the vital R&D relief for SMEs, which means that these businesses will not be rewarded or encouraged to put their time into innovation - this needs to be reversed. The push towards more sustainable and energy-efficient systems for our industry is a positive step and needs to be encouraged, and it is important to continue to prioritise these issues to improve the efficiency and safety of critical systems, but this can only be achieved if the UK Government is ahead of the curve and not just reactive. Aaron Blutstein Editor
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www.hpmag.co.uk HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 5 CONTENTS EDITORIAL Editor: Aaron Blutstein t| 01732 370340 e| editorial@dfamedia.co.uk Content Sub Editor: Leslah Garland t| 01732 370340 e| leslah.garland@dfamedia.co.uk SALES Sales Manager, UK & Overseas: Andrew Jell t| 01732 370347 e| andrew.jell@dfamedia.co.uk Italian Sales Office: Oliver & Diego Casiraghi t| 031 261407 f| 031 261380 e| info@casiraghi.info Turkey: Intersmart Media meltem@intersmartmedia.co.uk Managing Director: Ryan Fuller t| 01732 370344 e| ryan.fuller@dfamedia.co.uk Production Manager & Designer: Chris Davis t| 01732 370340 e| chris.davis@dfamedia.co.uk Reader/Circulation Enquiries: Perception t| +44 (0) 1825 701520. e| dfamedia@dmags.co.uk Marketing Executive Hope Jepson e| hope.jepson@dfamedia.co.uk Operations Manager: Emma Floyd e| emma.floyd@dfamedia.co.uk Financial: Finance Department e| accounts@dfamedia.co.uk Chief Executive Officer: Ian Atkinson e| ian.atkinson@dfamedia.co.uk Published by: DFA Media Group 192 The High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BE t| 01732 370340 e| info@dfamedia.co.uk w| www.hpmag.co.uk In co-operation with Printer: Warners, UK © Copyright 2023, DFA Manufacturing Media Ltd ISSN 1366-1981 H&P is a controlled circulation magazine, published 8 times a year. Please contact DFA Media with any subscription enquiries. Paid subscriptions are also available on an annual basis at £110.00 (UK), £145.00 (Europe) or £180.00 (Rest of the World) P+P included. The content of this magazine, website and newsletters do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or publishers. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers. 26 22 6 NEWS Talking Industry LIVE in partnership with the MTC took place on the 25 April and featured some of industry’s most renown and upcoming figures to offer visitors a unique professional learning experience. 20 KNOWLEDGE BASE Colin Spellacy, Head of Sales, Rösler UK/ AM Solutions, looks at the role of wet blasting in the post-processing of Additive Manufacturing parts. 22 APPLICATIONS According to a 2022 report from Make UK and Sage, more than one in five manufacturers expect the demand for data skills to significantly increase between now and 2030. But with 36% of vacancies in manufacturing hard-to-fill due to skills shortages, how is the lack of data professionals affecting the industry? 26 HYDRAULICS MP Filtri has unveiled its new software package specifically designed to help customers make the most of its suite of contamination monitoring products. 34 PNEUMATICS Creating improved water treatment processes within the existing plant footprint requires emerging technologies to be tested in real-world applications. 36 INTEGRATED SYSTEMS Solenoid valves protect tank pressures in critical aerospace. 38 BCAS Our regular news and events update on the British Compressed Air Society. 40 COMPRESSED AIR, VACUUM AND GENERATORS 42 BFPA Hydraulics & Pneumatics’ issue-by-issue briefing on current activities and views involving the British Fluid Power Association. 44 NEW FACES A selection from our industry’s most recent high-profile appointments. 46 PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY 40
NEWS 6 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Rotec Hydraulics Ltd have been officially revealed as ‘Manufacturer and Producer of the Year’ at the 2023 Somerset Business Awards. Based across the South West of the UK, Rotec Hydraulics are a well-respected provider of hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical engineering services and components. Celebrating 45 years of trading next year, Rotec design, manufacture and produce a huge number Rotec named ‘Manufacturer and Producer of the Year’ of custom engineered solutions for a large variety of industry sectors. Recent bespoke manufactured projects have included a capstan winch system for the Utilities market, hydraulic ring main for the Aerospace sector and mobile swaging trolleys for the Marine industry. The company’s ability to develop and produce innovative, bespoke engineered solutions, together with Rotec’s outstanding customer survey results and impressive client portfolio impressed the judging panel, who also named the company runner-up in the ‘Large Business of the Year’ award category. Nearly 400 business people from across Somerset attended the Grand Final, which was organised by Somerset Chamber of Commerce and hosted by BBC broadcaster and journalist Claire Carter. This year was the 18th anniversary of the hotly contested awards and Michael Cahill of Albert Goodman, main sponsor of the awards, said: “The awards are an opportunity to celebrate Somerset’s vibrant business community and to recognise the achievements of those who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional service, results and products. “We have a huge range of businesses and charities in Somerset and while the economic situation is challenging, I am constantly impressed by the resilience, innovation and adaptability I see from the businesses we work with.” Paul Prouse, Managing Director of Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, added: “Winning ‘Manufacturer and Producer of the Year’ is a truly fantastic achievement and a great testament to our team’s exceptional expertise and capabilities.” Thorite achieves record turnover Compressed air and fluid power specialist Thorite achieved a record turnover of £20.9 million in 2022/23, a 5.5% increase on the previous year. The results are the latest in a run of good news for the Bradford-based, familyled firm. It rounded off the financial year with its best ever monthly performance, racking up sales totalling £2.2 million, and saw its Systems Division, which delivers bespoke pneumatic and electric automation systems design, build and installation, grow by just under half a million pounds in 2022/23. Thorite’s growth has led to an expansion in the service engineer and sales teams, with a 20% increase in its workforce, as well as an increase in the number of apprenticeships it offers. In the past year the company was named Family Business of the Year in the Yorkshire Business Masters Awards and placed runner up in the Institute of Customer Service’s prestigious UK Customer Satisfaction Awards for its work on Customer Focus. The company has now launched a ‘30 by 30’ campaign, with the target of achieving a turnover of £30m y 2030. Managing Director Stephen Wright said: “We’re delighted to have broken the £20 million barrier for turnover – it’s a tribute to the hard work and dedication of colleagues at our ten national sales and service centres. “We place a huge focus on delivering unparalleled customer service and that has been rewarded. These results place us very much on target to hit our ‘30 by 30’ goal.”
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10 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity, heat homes and businesses, and power vehicles. It has the potential to significantly reduce the UK’s carbon emissions, but as a relatively new technology, there are still gaps in industry knowledge; these awareness modules are a first step in closing these gaps. The six open access, online modules can be completed alone or as a group to increase the learner’s awareness of the hydrogen technologies and infrastructure. Each is sector agnostic to fit multiple audiences, wherever they may be on their hydrogen journey. They have been designed to increase understanding of the production, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen, and raise awareness of the capabilities, skills and technologies needed to meet increased future market demand for hydrogen. Katherine Bennett CBE, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, commented: “With our partners at Innovate UK, our role as the High Value Manufacturing Catapult is to work with industry, research and Government to transform the UK manufacturing sector. Hydrogen is a critical part of this, and we are committed to playing a central role in increasing production and innovation in the hydrogen sector. “The decarbonisation of transport and manufacturing is key to meeting net zero ambitions and each HVM Catapult centre has collaborated with leading industry partners across the UK to develop these hydrogen awareness modules. The modules have been designed to engage learners at all levels who wish to broaden their understanding of hydrogen and its potential uses.” NEWS Raising awareness of hydrogen potential The HVM Catapult has launched a series of open access awareness modules to increase understanding of hydrogen across multiple sectors and stimulate the UK’s transition to a hydrogen-based economy. The HVM Catapult’s seven research and innovation centres have jointly developed a series of online modules: “Hydrogen Awareness: Make it, move it, use it”. Funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, the modules are available now. A UK-wide hydrogen economy could be worth £900m and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030, potentially rising to 100,000 jobs and valued up to £13bn by 2050. Developing a low carbon hydrogen sector in the UK is pivotal to meeting the Government’s decarbonisation goals and transitioning to net zero. Routeco announces Swibox Automation acquisition To meet rising demand for industrial automation products and services across Europe, a new acquisition has been completed with the Routeco Group acquiring Swibox Automation. As of April 1, 2023, Swibox Automation in Switzerland will become part of the Routeco Group, thereby strengthening Routeco’s presence in the EMEA region. Swibox Automation was previously part of the Swibox AG company who specialise in enclosure manufacture for the machine industry, infrastructure for tunnel and buildings as well as in the production of stainless- steel equipment for the medical, pharma and food industries. This addition to the Routeco Group further complements existing European locations within the UK, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. Swibox Automation is the authorised Rockwell Automation distributor for Switzerland and this acquisition combines the aligned visions of offering a leading omnichannel customer experience. Keith Harrison, Routeco Group Commercial Director says: “Swibox Automation bring over 30 years of engineering and component distribution experience to the Routeco Group, they will enhance our ability to serve customers within Europe with the very best process control and automation products and packaged services. The integration process will take place over the coming months. Swibox customers will continue to receive the same high quality service which they have come to expect.” Leading engineering and apprentice training centre Oxfordshire Advanced Skills (OAS) has hosted double Paralympic Champion Emma Wiggs, to launch the new Emma Wiggs Challenge aimed at using design engineering to improve life for people with disabilities. Emma Wiggs MBE is a 10-time world champion para-canoeist and double Paralympic champion, having won gold medals at the Rio and Tokyo Paralympics. Since a mystery virus impaired mobility in her legs at age 18, Emma has dedicated herself to sport, inspiring people as she shows what is possible with determination and a positive mindset. Having previously tasked OAS’s training provider, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, to design a bespoke canoe paddle which helped her achieve gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Emma Wiggs has presented a fresh challenge to OAS apprentices. The Emma Wiggs Challenge is an exclusive competition, designed by OAS in partnership with Emma, and tasks first year engineering apprentices at OAS to find solutions through design and manufacture for challenges that people with disabilities might face in everyday life. It could be something wheelchairbased or relate to an everyday task which someone with a disability might find more challenging. Apprentices are forming small teams to work on their design concepts, with Emma hosting virtual workshops over the course of the challenge, enabling each team to ask questions and refine their design concepts. Teams will present their concepts and ideas to Emma and a panel of judges in June, as they near the end of the first year of their apprenticeship with OAS. The winners will spend a day with Emma Wiggs at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham where they will get a OAS apprentices take on the Emma Wiggs challenge
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behind-the-scenes tour of the facility and try some water-based activities as part of their prize. Emma Wiggs said: “I’m so proud to be supporting apprentices at this crucial early stage of their career. I’ve always thrived on inspiring people to be the best version of themselves that they can be, and through this challenge I hope to help inspire the apprentices at OAS to create new design concepts to help people with disabilities in their everyday lives.” After the launch event, Emma Johnstone, operations manager at OAS, commented: “It was great to have Emma Wiggs here to meet the apprentices, share her experiences and help inspire them to achieve their maximum potential as well as look at how their new engineering skills could support others, in this case, putting a focus on the real challenges people with disabilities face in their daily lives. We want OAS to be as inclusive and accessible as possible for all our future apprentices. “I can’t wait to see the ideas and designs that the apprentices come up with and look forward to welcoming Emma back in the summer to help us pick a winning team.” NEWS 12 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Primary school pupils impressed lecturers and engineering students at one of the world’s most prestigious universities with their futuristic visions of school buildings in 50 years’ time. The students from West Cumbria presented their creative designs to the University of Oxford during a recent visit organised as part of The React Foundation’s Schools of the Future programme. The React Foundation, born out of Cleator Moor-based React Engineering, ran weekly after school sessions with Year 5 and 6 pupils at St Patrick’s and Montreal CofE, both in Cleator Moor, and St Joseph’s, in Frizington. The project challenged the students to design and manufacture a prototype of how they envisage what their school will look like in 50 years’ time. At the end of the 12-week programme, the pupils headed to Jesus and Queen’s College at the University for a two-night stay in dormitories, with the visit culminating in a presentation of their work to engineering students and lecturers. Dr Matthew Williams, of Jesus College, said: “It was our immense pleasure hosting three Cumbrian schools in Oxford, and the children from St Joseph’s, St Patrick’s and Montreal were a delight throughout their visit. “We were blown away by the questions they came up with, their endless energy and the fantastic ideas they had for the future of education. We look forward to them applying to Oxford University one day soon.” The Schools of the Future programme was piloted by The React Foundation last year and has been developed due to its immediate success. To help prepare for the final presentation at the University of Oxford, volunteers from the Foundation introduced a workshop at Cleator Moor Civic Hall to improve their presentation skills and confidence in public speaking. Annette Savage, the headteacher at St Joseph’s, said: “This has been a once in a lifetime opportunity which has raised aspirations for all involved, and the children thoroughly enjoyed the whole project from brainstorming their ideas of their futuristic schools to making their models and then developing their speaking and listening skills to a standard where they confidently presented at the prestigious Oxford University.” The React Foundation was founded in 2004 to mark the 10th anniversary of React Engineering and runs year-long fun activities and awards financial bursaries to provide new opportunities and inspire young people in West Cumbria to study STEM subjects. The React Foundation was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the equivalent to an MBE for UK volunteer groups, in 2021 and it has inspired more than 75,000 young people since its formation. Oxford students and lecturers praise primary school engineering potential Students at St Patrick’s join in with science lessons at the University of Oxford
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NEWS 14 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Talking Industry LIVE in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) took place on the 25 April and featured some of industry’s most renown and upcoming figures to offer visitors a unique professional learning experience. The event, which took place at the MTC, Coventry, provided an environment for delegates to learn about cutting edge technologies and best practice through unscripted panel discussions, presentations, live demos, and workshops. This unique one-day event was broken down in to five distinctive elements allowing visitors to tailor their own experience learning new skills, meet new suppliers and gain knowledge whilst networking with peers. The inaugural Talking Industry LIVE keynote address set the tone for the event with an interactive, engaging and informal podcast style discussion by Mike Hague-Morgan, Executive Director of Autocraft Solutions Group, and Dr Megan Ronayne, Head of Industrial Technologies & Manufacturing at Innovate UK KTN. Together they explored how one of Europe’s leading OEM partners for the manufacture, remanufacture and assembly of IC engines and EV batteries transitioned from being a very traditional manufacturer using hand tools and a paper system, to a high-technology company with world-class quality, repeatability and digital traceability which has been the catalyst for such rapid growth from £7m to £70m turnover. Following this highly unique keynote, the day’s proceedings featured three 45-minute interactive panel discussion spread throughout the day. Topics included, Robotics and Automation, Increasing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Digital Manufacturing, Industrial Data and Artificial Intelligence. The first panel discussion looked at Robotics and Automation and how these technologies will form a critical part of the future of UK Manufacturing. Panelists Mike Wilson, Chief Engineer, Automation, High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult and Chief Automation Officer, Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC); David Dearden, Managing Director, Euchner UK; and Alan Sheppard, Managing Director, LCA Group, discussed how key challenges such as labour shortages, and supply chains weaknesses could be addressed, in part, by faster adoption of robotics and automation, and how we could accelerate this adoption and develop a competitive UK manufacturing sector. Increasing OEE through Digital Manufacturing was the focus of the second panel discussion where Sam Kirby, Industrial IT Specialist, Novotek, Steve Cartwright, Chief Engineer for Technology – Digital Engineering, MTC, Duncan Stanton, Lamonde Managing Director, Lamonde Automation, and Luke Walsh, Managing Director, Brainboxes, looked at how OEE can be easily improved through straightforward measures. The panel also looked at hidden downtime, that mounts up and causes cycle times to drift, and how to interpret and visualise existing data and unlock new data. The final panel discussion focused on Industrial Data and Artificial intelligence. Eric Topham, CEO & Data Science Director, T-Dab, Mostafizur Rahman, Technical Specialist, AI & Data Science Informatics, MTC, and Stuart McLeod, Technology Manager, Digital Engineering, MTC discussed why AI and machine learning offer opportunities for increasing business performance, agility, and growth, focusing on what is the current state of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, the challenges and barriers to adoption as well as what opportunities are offered for manufacturing. Running alongside the three panel discussions throughout the day were a series of six 45-minute exciting and highly topical seminars including presentations on Why condition monitoring? Why not? Vincent Burson – IFM; Mobile Robotics: Mobile, flexible & resilient – The factory of the future, Mike Payne – KUKA; Additive Manufacturing: Automated 3D Printing, Luke Rogers – AI Build; Collaborative Automation: Solving the UK Productivity Puzzle, Barry Graham – OMRON; Prepare for the Future Today, Nikesh Mistery – GAMBICA; and What is Made Smarter? The benefits of adopting digital technology within your business, Jim Vithanage – Made Smarter. In addition, there were two in-depth workshops provided by the event’s content partners. Euchner UK’s session focused on managing equipment safety and cyber security in the modern factory. The second provided by Rittal/Eplan, covered smarter panel building. There was also the opportunity for delegates to see groundbreaking products and innovations from KUKA, Werma, Motor Technology, Novotek, Euchner, Rittal, Eplan, Weidmuller, Omron, BCAS, Charter Controls, Made Smarter and many more, thanks to a micro exhibition that ran during the event. Talking Industry Live delivers successful interactive learning experience
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NEWS 16 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk A door and window manufacturer has doubled its growth and created 15 new jobs after investing £50,000 in technology, with the help of Made Smarter. Door and Window Systems (DAWS), based in Knowsley, Liverpool City Region, makes aluminium products for trade suppliers. Launched four years ago, the business has grown rapidly, but needed to improve infrastructure and introduce automation to achieve its scale-up ambitions. With the support of the Made Smarter North West adoption programme, a government-funded initiative to help SME manufacturers digitalise, decarbonise and grow through technology, DAWS has created create a digital roadmap and invested in a software solution to manage customer interactions and sales, and secondary software to integrate with production and dispatch. The project had an instant impact, increasing back-office productivity by 50% and freeing up staff to focus on more high value tasks and sales opportunities. As a result the company is on track to double its turnover, contribute an extra £1M to the region’s GVA over the next three years and create 15 new jobs. Julian Wetherall, Director of DAWS, hailed the partnership with Made Smarter as “transformational”. “We’ve had an amazing first four years, but now we are focussed on scaling the business and becoming a go-to supplier for our customers. This means hitting delivery targets and delivering an even more exceptional level of service. “Our move to new premises in Knowsley has overcome our storage and supply chain challenges, as well as giving us the space to grow and so now we have all the ingredients in place to go to the next level. “Our experience of Made Smarter has been incredible. The team has guided us through a complex process to invest in technologies which are having a huge impact on our business. “The software we have chosen fits us like a glove and we have experienced an immediate improvement. The digital road mapping exercise and grant funding has really accelerated and de-risked our investment. It has enabled us to see the reaching benefits of further technology investment. “By removing the headaches and challenges of moving information around the business, we can start to look ahead at creating a modern, smart factory which embraces automation.” Launched in the North West in 2019, Made Smarter has supported more than 2500 businesses. This includes 250 manufacturers who have collectively invested £18M in technologies which enable them to integrate systems, capture and analyse data, and even create simulations of their plants and processes, others are now using 3D-printing, automation, and robotics to solve business challenges and meet increased demand. By adopting cutting-edge technologies, these businesses are benefiting from improved productivity and revenue, increased exports and job creation, an upskilled workforce, lower energy bills, and a reduced carbon footprint. Almost 1,00 new jobs are forecast to be created, 2400 existing roles upskilled, and an additional £209M in GVA for the North West economy over the next three years. Donna Edwards, Director of Made Smarter’s North West Adoption programme, said: “We are delighted to be supporting DAWS to accelerate its digital transformation. “It is a fantastic example of a small business investing in technologies as a route to growth and new highly skilled jobs. “DAWS is among hundreds of manufacturers in the region grasping the opportunities offered by Made Smarter which include expert, impartial technology advice, digital transformation workshops to help take that first step to transform a business, support with technology investment, and leadership and skills training. I would encourage other SME manufacturers to do the same.” Liverpool-based manufacturer doubles growth after Made Smarter support There have been some changes to the titles available through the Engineering Council and how these are awarded. The International Engineering Technician (IntETn) is now being awarded through the Engineering Council for the first time, and some aspects of the European Engineer (EUR ING) title has recently changed. The Engineering Council facilitates the mobility and recognition of engineers and technicians working internationally through partnerships and agreements to award international professional titles. The ‘EUR ING Title’ is now known as the ‘EUR ING Certificate’. Delivered by ENGINEERS EUROPE, it is a guarantee of competence for professional engineers, facilitates their movement around the world, and encourages improvement in the quality of engineers by setting, monitoring, and reviewing standards. To apply for EUR ING registration in the UK you must be a member of a professional engineering institution (PEI) and Changes to international recognition titles
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NEWS 18 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk registered as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng) with the Engineering Council. Candidates will now be able to apply via a streamlined online process using a new e-tool on the ENGINEERS EUROPE website, with assessors able to approve applications more quickly. The Certificate will be due for renewal after five years, at which point evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) will need to be submitted and assessed. There will also be a change in the fees. Engineers registered as EUR ING before January 2023 will retain their title and remain on the Register. The requirement of CPD for renewal does not apply to them and neither does the higher renewal fee. In the first quarter of 2023 there have already been more than 60 applications for this new title compared to 76 applications overall in 2022. RS, an omni-channel provider of product and service solutions including maintenance solutions and safety solutions, has released the ‘Under the Surface of Health and Safety’ report, based on findings from a survey that aimed to explore challenges and priorities for health and safety professionals in the current climate. The survey was conducted among more than 700 respondents working in health and safety roles in the UK, across a variety of sectors including food and beverage, manufacturing, energy, public services, aerospace and rail industries. The resulting report covers key areas including PPE availability, safety and compliance confidence levels, and the role of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustainability in the future of health and safety. Ryan Plummer, Senior Director for RS Safety Solutions, said: “The last few years have presented possibly the most challenging period for the health and safety sector in living memory, which is why we were keen to explore the state of play among health and safety professionals across a wide variety of sectors. As a major player in the PPE market, we want to get under the skin of the challenges facing H&S professionals today, and help start a dialogue around these key issues to effect, share and promote best practices. “It was clear to see from the findings that there is wide recognition of the importance of selecting the right protective equipment for the job, but the fact that almost a quarter of respondents are just ‘fairly confident’ or worse in this task means there’s still an awareness job to be done about how to select suppliers with the right knowledge, expertise, product breadth and robust supply chain. There was very little difference in ranking between product cost and product availability, but as the latter was placed by more organisations in their top five criteria (84 per cent), this emphasises the need for a reliable PPE supplier above all else.” Plummer also pointed out the low ranking of renewable considerations, being a top-five criteria for only 23% of respondents. He added: “Considering the significant percentage with sustainability and ESG responsibilities, as well as the demonstrable concern of climate change as a risk, there are clearly some barriers to action when it comes to implementing a more sustainable PPE procurement strategy. This is something organisations can work with suppliers on to help meet their ESG objectives.” The survey data highlights challenges around PPE procurement, with 27% of respondents from construction and 31% in manufacturing finding sourcing trustworthy products challenging. For manufacturing, in particular, keeping up to date with new products and technology (29%), and knowing where to get the best price (27%) are also above the average when listing challenges – a trend shared by industrial neighbours in food and beverage/retail and distribution. This indicates that sectors traditionally associated with protective equipment are actually those who are struggling to source what they need, at the right price, to the required extent. Plummer concluded: “It’s been great to see a general wave of positive momentum when it comes to protecting workers and increasing levels of compliance, but we can also see there is much room for improvement. To build further upon this positive momentum, selecting the right PPE partner that can help tick the few remaining boxes and help make organisations even safer in the future, is critical. Choosing the correct PPE supplier holds the key to making work safe in any environment, regardless of the task. It can also help organisations overcome the key challenges around sourcing goods, and availability, that are affecting those in construction, manufacturing, energy and food and beverage, according to our survey. “With the survey highlighting that half of all organisations have completely free choice when selecting suppliers as long-term PPE partners, making that free choice wisely should now be the priority consideration for organisations across all sectors, as part of their health and safety strategies.” ‘Under the Surface of Health and Safety’ report released Paul Bailey has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Engineering Council. He will be taking up the role in May following the retirement of Alasdair Coates. Bailey has been the Deputy CEO & Operations Director at the Engineering Council for over eight years, prior to which he was Deputy CEO at the Royal Aeronautical Society. He commented: “I am delighted to have been appointed to lead the Engineering Council and I look forward to continuing work with all our stakeholders, particularly our registrants and the professional engineering institutions, to position professional registration as a cornerstone of an innovative and forward-looking industry. “I am dedicated to continuing our focus on key societal matters, such as diversity and inclusion, ethics and sustainability, as we continue to ensure there are no barriers to professional recognition. In a rapidly changing and increasingly innovative industry, it is vital we can provide the means for engineers and technicians to demonstrate their competence and commitment as they constantly develop and improve their skills. “The Engineering Council plays a very important role in regulating and promoting the engineering profession and I will be focused on working with the Board of Trustees, volunteers, stakeholders, and our excellent staff team to help deliver our strategic objectives and build on our many achievements”. In a statement that was echoed by incoming Chair, Prof John Chudley CEng FIMarEST, the current Chair of the Engineering Council, Prof Chris Atkin CEng FRAeS FREng, commented: “After a detailed and thorough selection process, Paul’s understanding of the engineering profession’s key issues, including diversity and inclusion, sustainability, digital innovation and governance, coupled with the role the regulator can play in helping address these, really stood out. Paul Bailey appointed new CEO of Engineering Council
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KNOWLEDGE BASE Additive manufacturing (AM) (the industrial production name for 3D printing) continues to disrupt the traditional manufacturing paradigm, and every day secures a more robust foothold as a production technology. The reason for this is driven by advances in build processes that promote increases in speed, accuracy, and repeatability of production, and therefore increased yield ratios. As is now well-known and accepted, AM is important as it facilitates the creation of geometrically complex parts and components, reduces waste, and allows for the creation of lighter structures with an obvious importance in the automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors. AM also allows for the simple production of replacement parts impossible or uneconomical to replace using traditional processes, meaning that machines can be repaired not replaced. All such advantages along with AM’s ability to democratise and localise manufacturing with all that implies in terms of shortened and domestic supply chains means that as a technology its future is assured. AM & post processing But AM is not perfect, and one area where significant issues reside is in the surface finish of AM parts as they come out of the build chamber or off the build plate. Whether plastic or metal, AM produced parts require primary postprocessing processes to remove powder or physical supports. But even then, AM parts are characterised by relatively poor look and feel, layer steps often being obvious, and surface roughness often being significantly high, which can affect aesthetics as well as functional performance. This means that in most instances, they require secondary postprocessing to enhance surface form and finish. With a significant part of the cost of a finished end-use AM part being the cost of post processing, the fight is on to develop efficient, repeatable, and automated AM post processing technologies. Many companies are working on and researching new bespoke 20 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk AM post-processes, sometimes with impressive results, but usually restricted in usefulness to particular materials or geometries, and almost all being highly priced and over-engineered. Because of this, an increasing number of traditional industry finishing processes are being refined and positioned for the post-processing of additively manufactured plastic and metal parts. Several mass finishing technologies are already used such as vibratory finishing, tumble finishing, and shot blasting, and shot peening and chemical smoothing technologies all maintain a foothold. A finishing/ post-processing solution that is largely neglected when looking at AM parts, and that is wet blasting. Wet blasting is a clean, reliable, repeatable, and accurate process which creates parts with a consistently superior surface finish than alternative processes, and which is ideal for parts made using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) and selective laser sintering (SLS). What is wet blasting? From the family of shot blasting postprocessing technologies, wet blasting is what it is called when water and abrasives media work together and is particularly well suited for the finishing of delicate, precision-produced parts. The process is characterised as being dust free, can use very fine abrasives, uses very low volumes of abrasives due to the protective water layer, and minimises the risk of embedding (especially for soft metals). It also produces what is perhaps the most important AM post-processed part characteristic, superior surface finish. Wet blasting typically sees a mix of between 10-40% abrasive media to water. The slurry is pumped to the blast gun and then accelerated to a high velocity using compressed air through a blast gun nozzle that is directed at the part. The blast media impact on the work piece creates the desired effect, be that cleaning, surface smoothing, coating preparation, cosmetic surface texturing, or peening. The process removes powder and supports (from some plastic AM parts), and enhances surface finish in one, and the use of different media can either promote cosmetic or functional surface finish. Wet blasting machines can easily be integrated into an automated production line, or used as an isolated stand alone technology. Advantages of wet blasting Wet blasting has benefits for the characteristics of the work piece itself, but also for the processing environment. The over-riding advantage is it gentleness, but also the process produces no dust, which prevents electro-static issues and therefore removes the need to consider ATEX regulations concerning explosive atmospheres. There is also no media impingement using wet blasting, an everThe role of wet blasting in the post-processing of AM parts Colin Spellacy, Head of Sales, Rösler UK/ AM Solutions, looks at the role of wet blasting in the post-processing of Additive Manufacturing parts. present problem with dry blasting where media particles can embed in the work piece surface compromising surface integrity. Dry blasting generates significant heat during post processing which when combined with high impact energy of the media on the work piece can lead to warping and bending of delicate parts. Wet blasting by contrast is a cooler gentler process that is especially suited to the post processing of fragile thin-walled parts and components. When it comes to powder removal on AM parts (even in hard to reach internal channels and features) wet blasting immediately washes away anything that is
adhering to the work piece In terms of surface finish, wet blasting promotes smoother finishes while being more precise, consistent, and repeatable. Finishes are fine and uniform, with low surface roughness of 100µm Ra being easily attainable. From a cosmetic surface finish perspective wet blasting creates a smooth matte effect, and the less abrasive nature of process and lack of warping and bending allows for the attainment of much tighter tolerances. A key advantage is the versatility of the process, as blast intensities and media concentrations can be easily adjusted to accommodate different materials and the different geometric structures to eliminate damage to part form and function. It is usually preferable to source wet blasting equipment form suppliers that have the knowledge and experience to advise on the numerous technical features that combine in a wet blasting process to ensure that you achieve precise and repeatable result on a wide variety of work pieces. As previously mentioned, depending on the specific wet blast process, the typical concentration of abrasive media in the slurry ranges from 10 to 40% by volume. Establishing the ideal concentration requires processing trials called a “wet out” surface that allows the optimal adhesion of paints or coatings. Changing media amount and blast intensity allows the effective cleaning and depowdering of a variety of plastic and metal AM parts with wet blasting. Often, AM parts have difficult to reach internal channels and complex geometries which are not well served by dry blasting technologies, but which are easily and demonstrably cleaned and completely depowdered using wet blasting. Summary While some companies expend huge resource on innovating bespoke postprocessing solutions for AM parts, industry is now waking up to the fact that a broad range of traditional finishing technologies can be easily adapted to post process AM parts. When looked at through the prism of exacting tolerance attainment, superior surface finish, applicability to delicate and geometrically complex parts, and repeatability, wet blasting is a compelling technology for the post-processing of AM parts and components while remaining adaptable and cost effective. www.solutions-for-am.com that are always best undertaken in collaboration with a technology expert. Wet blasting for Additive Manufacturing Wet blasting is an essential technology for various AM post processing tasks. Wet blasting cleans the 3D printed components by removing residual powder and significantly reduces their initial high surface roughness. It is capable of depowdering and providing general surface cleaning and initial surface smoothing from Ra 25 µm to 1–1.5 µm. The technology makes parts more homogeneous and therefore better prepared for effective mass finishing, which also takes less time once a part has been wet blasted. On metal AM parts the loosely sintered grains on corners are effectively removed. The wet process eliminates the worry about residual powder containment or sparking during the blasting process. Wet blasting can be applied to and provide numerous finishes to metal and non-metal parts alike. Different media and different blast intensity customises the surface finish achieved. In addition, many AM parts require coating or painting postbuild, and wet blasting creates what is Protection by recycled materials 30.000.000 pieces in stock Shipment in 48 h JOIN OUR GREEN EFFORT, FOLLOW THE CHANGE! W THE CHANGE! WWW.PLASCOMPO.COM UK DISTRIBUTOR 0114 349 0766 INFO@PLASCOMPO.COM
APPLICATIONS According to a 2022 report from Make UK and Sage, more than one in five manufacturers expect the demand for data skills to significantly increase between now and 2030. But with 36% of vacancies in manufacturing hard-to-fill due to skills shortages, how is the lack of data professionals affecting the industry? Ryan Jones, co-founder of the UK’s largest dedicated data jobs platform OnlyDataJobs, investigates. In Make UK’s 2030 Skills Closing the Gap report, it claims that the cost of lost productivity due to vacancies in manufacturing being left unfulfilled in 2022 amounted to £7.7 to £8.3 billion, or approximately £21 million a day. In terms of what’s driving the need for new skills in the sector, the report lists increased use of automation, the rise in flexible working and growing acceptance of digitalisation. When translating those trends into job skills and requirements, 26.5% of those surveyed in the report say they need to recruit data analysts in the next twelve months. Doing more with data There are many reasons why a manufacturing company, no matter its size or what it produces, needs a data expert. Shortages and supply issues continue to make headlines postpandemic, but big data can help to remedy this. Big data can help provide more accurate predictions of delivery 22 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS April/May 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Manufacturing is missing out on data talent times but can also factor in the dependency of individual processes on each other. Quality control can benefit from the implementation of AI and machine learning (ML). These technologies can provide a more objective view, reducing potential human error caused by differences of opinion between inspectors. Faster, autonomous inspections also mean that more stock can be sampled without the need for additional personnel, keeping costs low while improving quality. Data can help businesses achieve their sustainability goals too. By using predictive analytics and monitoring machinery, errors can be spotted much more quickly. This helps to reduce material wastage associated with frequent tool replacement by extending equipment lifetime by up to 20%, and also reduces the material wasted on producing faulty stock. Implementing big data is the next step in digitalising the manufacturing process and ensuring that manufacturers stay competitive. But large, messy datasets may not be very useful in terms of identifying actionable insights. And that’s where a data expert comes in. Bridging the gap Despite the benefits that data can bring to a business, the skills shortage remains a huge barrier to realising its full potential. A 2021 UK Government report found that 91% of manufacturers said data skills are important to their company, higher than any other industry. But only 75% said that they felt data skills were performed well in their companies. The skills gap can be attributed to a whole host of factors. Data science is a relatively new area, meaning there is often little standardisation across roles with the same title at different companies. On top of that, rapid technological developments and increasing automation have further changed the expected skillset of a data professional. To help connect data professionals with the right roles for them, a more specialised jobs board is required. Dedicated data platform OnlyDataJobs offers the opportunity for candidates to filter by programming language and industry, making it easier than ever for them to find the positions that match their skillset. The advantages that data and data analysis can bring to the manufacturing sector are huge, but to unlock them there must be the workforce to support it. With the aid of educational organisations and dedicated resources, it’s hopeful that it won’t be too long before the benefits of data can be realised.
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