Now fixed in the calendar as the UK’s largest annual gathering of engineering professionals, Advanced Engineering will return to Birmingham’s NEC on 30-31 October.

Representatives from around the entire supply chain of the UK’s advanced engineering industry will present their latest innovations and business developments.

Over the two days, around 15,000 people will have the opportunity to meet original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and supply chain partners from the many sectors that comprise the engineering industry, including aerospace, automotive, medical and marine.

This year, the latest additions are the Medical Device Engineering Zone and the revamped Enabling Innovation Zone, which will join the likes of Aerospace and Performance Materials in hosting manufacturers and their cutting-edge technologies.

Supported by Medilink, GTMA, Gambica and other UK trade bodies, the Medical Device Engineering Zone will showcase researchers, medical parts and components manufacturers, and software specialists.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to hear from industry experts about the challenges, opportunities and breaking innovations developing in the sector at the Medical Device Open Forum.

Jeremy Whittingham, head of marketing at Advanced Engineering, said: “We rely on visitor and exhibitor feedback to make the show better every year.

“Last year, we received comments about the rapid growth of the medical-device industry and how it has become an integral part of the UK engineering sector.”

The new zone will give exhibitors the opportunity to expand their reach to the aerospace, automotive and civil engineering sectors.

“It also gives businesses involved in medical devices, from clean-room equipment specialists to diagnostic and testing devices, plus printing and labelling companies, the chance to connect with manufacturers and researchers from around the UK and overseas.

This year’s show also introduces the revamped Enabling Innovation Zone, which will give innovators a platform to showcase their inventions.

From senior directors and engineers to R&D specialists, chief technology officers and investors, key decision makers from some of the world’s leading manufacturing businesses will be visiting the zone.

Advanced Engineering previously called for start-ups from all engineering sectors to apply for a place in the zone.

The 2019 shortlist, which consists of 10 small enterprises from around the UK, will each have a dedicated display plinth in the Enabling Innovation Zone.

The nominees include businesses from a range of sectors, including: Rotherham-based Fluid Maintenance Solutions Ltd, which offers a coolant fluid management solution; Bristol-based iCOMAT, which enables the automated placement of carbon fibre tapes on curved paths, and Nottingham-based Texture Jet Ltd, which has developed Surface Texture Adjustment Technology (STAT) — a tooling platform that enables users to rapidly produce a variety of surface textures on components.

Other nominees include: Intra Drive Ltd, an Edinburgh-based start-up that has developed drivetrain technology for the electrical pedal-assist bicycle market; Edinburgh-based Holoxica Ltd, which specialises in holographic 3-D imagery and motion video; Coventry-based Acoustic Camera UK Ltd, which has produced the world’s first portable, splash-proof and battery-powered acoustic camera, which captures the equivalent of thermal imaging for sound sources; Oxfordshire-based ES Precision Ltd, which has developed lasers to perforate the inner liners of prosthetic limbs, making them more comfortable for users; and Huddersfield-based Optima3D Technology Ltd, which designs and manufactures equipment that enables the 3-D weaving of composite materials; as well as a team from the University of Nottingham that has developed a hand-held touch-screen device incorporating machine vision and an artificial-intelligence learning platform.

Supported by Innovate UK/KTN, the Institute for Manufacturing and Innovation DB, the Enabling Innovation Zone has proven extremely successful in previous years, with one past exhibitor — Aceleron — being listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2017.

Mr Whittingham said: “Following the success of the Enabling Innovation showcases, this dedicated zone will act as a springboard for new and exciting technologies.

“As we are establishing an entire area of the show for such innovative businesses, the impact it will have is bound to surpass that of previous years.

“The companies that have been shortlisted for the 2019 Enabling Innovation Zone truly demonstrate the breadth of innovation and skill in the UK engineering industry.

“We are excited to welcome the companies to the event this year, and we look forward to announcing the winner at the show.”

Open Forum programme

Advanced Engineering will once again be running an extensive Open Forum programme with speakers from leading companies, including Siemens Digital Industries, BAE Systems, McLaren Automotive and IBM Academy of Technology. Up for discussion will be the latest innovations, technologies and key issues in the engineering industry.

Other confirmed speakers include Ford Motor Co, GKN, DePuy Synthes, Williams Advanced Engineering and Prodrive.

The Open Forum programme covers five of the six show zones: connected manufacturing, aerospace, composites, automotive and medical-device engineering.

Each forum includes a schedule that offers an insight into important topics in the industry and counts towards participants’ Continuing Professional Development.

The Connected Manufacturing Forum will cover topics such as Industry 4.0 and data usage, while the Aerospace Engineering Forum will discuss additive-manufacturing applications and Aerospace 4.0.

Meanwhile, The Composites Engineering Forum will discuss next-generation materials, the Automotive Engineering Forum will showcase sustainable and additive manufacturing, and the Medical Device Forum will include sessions on wearable technology, cyber-security and 3-D printing.

Voice of Industry

Industry report this year, bringing together the experiences of leading manufacturers on topics ranging from Brexit and the skills shortage to the rise of electric vehicles and product innovation.

It will delve into the unique challenges that businesses have faced in the last two years.

It features question-and-answer sessions with senior figures from a variety of engineering companies, including Renishaw, Atlas Copco, Kawasaki Robotics, Novotek and Xi Engineering, and it will feature a foreword from the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA).

In it, chairman Mike Wilson will challenge the conventional view that uncertainty should be seen as ‘a fact of life’.

Following their contribution, BARA and Novotek will also join the programme of speakers.

With six shows under one roof, visitors will be able to access all their business solutions in one place, offering expertise from the breadth and depth of the advanced engineering industry.

Mr Whittingham concluded: “In times of uncertainty, whether that is in the market-place, innovation or in the choice of technologies available, industry leaders suggest that those who strive to invest will overcome doubt and make a profit.

“That is why we believe in supporting and demonstrating the UK’s flourishing engineering markets at Advanced Engineering. To do this, we are expanding the show’s offering to keep pace with the growth in UK industry.”

“To register for a visitor pass for Advanced Engineering, visit the Web site (www.advancedengineeringuk.com).

Exhibitors

Devon-based XYZ Machine Tools (www.xyzmachinetools.com) will focus on automation, five-axis machining and the next-generation ProtoTrak control system at Advanced Engineering (Stand C28).

Taking centre stage will be Robo-Tend, a modular and mobile robot automation system that is fitted with a Siemens control and can be used with all XYZ vertical machining centres and turning centres. It will be demonstrated live at the show, attached to an XYZ 750 LR vertical machining centre.

Robo-Tend is designed to bring automation within the reach of traditional sub-contract engineering businesses, and its interface has been developed to make programming as easy as possible. The result is fast and efficient automation that is affordable for all.

XYZ will put the spotlight on five-axis machining in the form of the XYZ UMC-5X, which will also be demonstrated live at the show.

This cost-effective machine has (as standard) a direct-drive 600mm-diameter 90rev/min table; when this is tilted 90deg towards the rear (with the component facing forward), there remains 500mm of Y-axis travel forward
of the table surface, allowing larger workpieces to be machined.

The machine’s gantry-type design boosts rigidity and performance.

The latest generation of the industry-leading ProtoTrak control will be displayed on an XYZ RMX 3500 bed mill and an XYZ RLX 355 ProTurn lathe.

The new control — the RX — retains all the features that have made ProtoTrak popular with thousands of customers, but it also has a host of new features.

The new 15.6in touch-screen control puts more machining information at users’ fingertips and adds the familiar actions of pinch-to-zoom and twist-to-rotate, making it more intuitive and allowing for closer inspection of the part program before machining.

The new control will be demonstrated live on the stand to highlight its ease-of-use and its time-saving benefits.

Completing the line-up will by XYZ’s 2-OP portable vertical machining centre, which can be relocated next to any machine to provide a second spindle and ease the pressure on higher-value machine tools.

With an eight-position tool changer, a 6,000 rev/min 3hp BT30 spindle and X/Y/Z axis travels of 355 x 305 x 455mm, the 2-OP provides a versatile solution to maximising spindle capacity within any busy machine shop.

Luton-based Trumpf Ltd (www.trumpf.com) will be showcasing its e-mobility solutions at Advanced Engineering (Stand E22).

In a short space of time, the company has been able build up a world-wide network of experts on this subject,adapt part of its product and technology portfolio to its demands and embark on a series of new development projects.

This agility has resulted in a huge surge in demand for Trumpf solutions for e-mobility applications.

Battery manufacturing alone already accounts for 10% of the company’s turnover in the automotive sector; more than 500 Trumpf lasers have been installed world-wide, and they are said to be proving ideal for the mass production of batteries, high-power electronic systems and electric drives.

Visitors to the show will learn about the latest Trumpf developments for e-mobility, which range from laser techniques that can weld all the seams on an electric motor in just 1min to the company’s TruConnect solutions.

These allow the entire production process to be digitised — from initial customer queries to invoicing, and from raw-material ordering to finished-product dispatch.

The mass production of any product — be it consumer-based or industrial — commonly involves marking for tracking and traceability.

Trumpf laser marking is a non-contact wear-free method that can easily mark all sorts of items.

The company will be unveiling the new TruMark Station 5000, which is well suited to marking average and large batch sizes and components.

It provides many options for simple operation and for a wide variety of workpieces.

A choice of accessories allows the machine to be configured for a wide range of applications.


Sheffield-based Pryor Marking Technology (www.pryormarking.com) is to showcase its laser marking expertise and its wide range of solutions for identification and traceability in the Automotive Engineering Zone at Advanced Engineering (Stand H9).

For the first time in the UK, Pryor will display its laser workstation — a large modular floor-standing laser engraving machine.

In addition, visitors to the stand will see a demonstration of its portable laser and laser marking ‘on-the-fly’ unit. The company will also highlight its PortaDot P50-25 with 4000 controller and PortaDot P130-30 for heavy industrial use.

Pryor has extensive experience in supplying global automotive brands and supply chains with advanced marking and traceability technologies.

It offers standard and custom technologies for all sizes of manufacturer within the automotive supply chain.

All of its lasers are supplied in Class One light-safe enclosures, including the laser VIN cells installed in the production facilities for Jaguar Land Rover.

Bury-based Wallwork Group (www.wallworkht.com) will be highlighting its expertise in metal-part heat treatment, PVD hard coating and vacuum brazing (Stand M102).

Many advances in wear-part performance and endurance have come from improved metal heat treatment processes, the development of lubricious hard coatings and the ability to join different metals with ever stronger bonds through vacuum brazing.

The array of choices facing design engineers is a challenge in itself.

Group sales manager Howard Maher said: “As heat treatment and hard coating specialists, we can offer the design engineer a deep well of knowledge gained from years of experience in solving problems for industry sectors including automotive, oil and gas, and medical devices — indeed almost all advanced metal part manufacturing, including additive.”

Throughout 2019, the group has continued to invest — in additional vacuum furnace capacity, in aluminium heat treatment and in a new £750,000 Tufftride and Tufftride QPQ process line.

With ISO9100 and ISO9001 accreditations and many aerospace prime approvals, the company also provides extensive in-house R&D and testing services.

A dedicated fleet of commercial vehicles ensures a fast and efficient turnround of orders.

Birkenhead-based Micro-Epsilon UK (www.micro-epsilon.co.uk) will highlight its full range of technologies, including non-contact capacitive, eddy current and laser triangulation displacement sensors, 2-D and 3-D laser profile sensors, thermal imagers and colour sensors (Stand E6).

The company will display its GapControl series of non-contact laser profile scanners, which are designed specifically for the measurement of gaps and edges.

Users with no specific knowledge or programming skills can quickly and easily set up and configure the scanner. Typical applications include measuring flushness, proximity, gap width and depth, height differences, centre position, angle, collision avoidance and overlapping edges.

US-based Shoptech and its UK partner Smart Manufacture (www.smartmanufacture.co.uk) will be showcasing the E2 Shop System — a cloud-based ERP software package designed for small to medium-size engineering and manufacturing companies (Stand K73).

This system provides all the functionality required for manufacturers to effectively control all shopfloor activities, while at the same time improving efficiencies.

The comprehensive user-friendly software supports the entire manufacturing process from quote to cash flow (outputting to the main accountancy packages, such as Sage, Xero and QuickBooks).

It is accessible via any Chrome browser, and with a growing base of apps for mobile phones and tablets, it enables real-time data capture for clocking in and out of jobs, as well as the ability to view images, make enquiries and manage inventory.

Wetherby-based MBA Engineering Systems Ltd (www.mba-eng.co.uk) — the exclusive distributor of Kimla fibre lasers in the UK — will be showcasing the Polish manufacturer’s technology, which it considers to be not only more advanced and efficient than many rival systems but also more accurate and cost-effective (Stand K98).

The company will also be highlighting its relationship with Remmert, a market-leading provider of automation and storage solutions.

In addition, through its partnership with Noblegen, MBA Engineering will be demonstrating the benefits when manufacturers invest in their own nitrogen generation systems for laser cutting machines, which can result in significant savings.

Meanwhile, Milton Keynes-based Dustcontrol UK (www.dustcontroluk.co.uk) will be exhibiting a range of high-performance dust extraction equipment (Stand M116).

On display will be a range of both fixed and mobile cyclone-based dust extractors and air cleaners. For example, the DC 11-Module, which comes in several models, is an optimised stand-alone unit for source extraction and industrial cleaning.

It has been designed to service up to six normal extraction points or several cleaning outlets at a time, and it can be tailor-made to suit any manufacturing and production environment.

As with all Dustcontrol UK equipment, the DC 11-Module can be fitted with Hepa 13 filters, meaning that the exhaust air can be safely returned to the work environment.

The company has over 45 years’ of experience in developing dust extraction solutions and centralised vacuum systems to fit client requirements in the manufacturing and engineering industries.

Wakefield-based Rhodes Interform (www.grouprhodes.co.uk) will be showcasing its expertise in super-plastic forming and diffusion bonding at Advanced Engineering (Stand L50).

Part of Group Rhodes, the company designs and manufactures titanium and aluminium forming cells for aerospace and automotive manufacturers world-wide; this recently included a composite forming facility for the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, to help UK companies stay at the leading edge of composite development.

Rhodes Interform’s composite machinery is used to produce structural components for production road cars as well as flight-critical components for a variety of aircraft.

The company also offers a wide range of cold-forming technologies for specialist metal-forming applications in a number of industrial sectors.

Essex-based Blackman & White (www.blackmanandwhite.com) will be displaying its flexible cutting technology — suitable for a wide range of applications — at Advanced Engineering (Stand K38).

The company will also highlight composites work-flows for SMEs, as well as the full automation of work-flow — including pick and place — for industrial applications.

With all machines designed and manufactured from start to finish at the company’s factory in Maldon, Blackman & White machines are renowned for their robust and reliable build quality.

The cutters feature interchangeable laser, router and knife tooling, and they can be configured with either conveyorised or flat-bed cutting tables.

East Sussex-based CGTech Ltd (www.cgtech.co.uk) will be demonstrating the new features in version 9.0 of Vericut CNC machine simulation and optimisation software at Advanced Engineering (Stand L152).

Vericut is the ‘industry standard’ for simulating CNC machining in order to detect errors, potential collisions or areas of inefficiency; while it can operate independently, it can also be integrated with leading CAM systems.

Vericut 9.0 features several enhancements designed to increase power and improve efficiency, including: instant access to viewing the workpiece, CNC machine or both; major functions (like Section, X-Caliper and AUTO-DIFF) in any view; the option to easily switch between workpiece and machine views, layouts and docking arrangements; and improved connectivity to tooling Web sites and cloud repositories to auto-configure and optimise Vericut.

CGTech will also demonstrate Vericut’s Force module at the show; this provides an integrated simulation-optimisation solution to significantly reduce machining times, and to improve cutting-tool and machine life.

All NC programs — new or old — can be optimised with Force to run as efficiently and safely as possible. It is available for milling, turning and mill-turn machines.

Derby-based LK Metrology Ltd (www.lkmetrology.com) will launch the Alterac range of ceramic-bridge compact co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs) at Advanced Engineering (Stand H4).

Featuring the latest metrology software and multi-sensor technology, these machines are suitable for demanding quality control applications, as they offer high accuracy and repeatability in a compact footprint.

Built at the company’s factory near Derby, the new Alterac machines are available in three sizes, up to 1,000 x 650 x 650mm.

Typical applications are likely to be found in the aerospace, automotive, medical and other industries with demanding inspection requirements.

Alterac CMMs are equally at home in an inspection department or on the shopfloor, especially as pneumatic mounts isolate them well from nearby sources of low-frequency vibration.

The CMM control can either be stand-alone or integrated into the machine base (with the keyboard on a side arm).

The inclusion of Renishaw encoders with 0.05μm-resolution optical scales ensures high volumetric accuracy.

Taking measurements taken with a touch-trigger probe at a series of points is increasingly being augmented by continuous-contact probing (analogue scanning) and laser scanning to allow high-speed collection of data on complex freeform surfaces; Alterac CMMs can deploy all three types of sensor.

Such flexible data acquisition boosts measurement throughput to avoid bottlenecks in the metrology department and provides a comprehensive awareness of component conformance.

Alterac machines are available with LK’s powerful CAMIO8 DMIS-based multi-sensor software, enabling programming and measurement based on 3-D CAD data and comprehensive reporting.

Team Cutting Tools, the four competence brands of the Ceratizit Group will be highlighted at Advanced Engineering (Stand N112).

Represented in the UK by Ceratizit UK and Ireland Ltd (www.ceratizit.com), Cutting Solutions by Ceratizit focuses on indexable insert tools, Komet on hole production, WNT on solid-carbide tools, HSS rotating tools and tool/workholding, while Klenk’s carbide drilling technology is renowned in the aerospace sector.

Besides having one of the most comprehensive standard portfolios, Team Cutting Tools is able to deliver the ‘perfect solution’ for every machining requirement.

These machining solutions — over 100,000 items — can be found in the latest Ceratizit catalogue. Customers can also visit the new online shop (www.cuttingtools.ceratizit.com) to view the full range of pro-ducts available.

Team Cutting Tools also offers sector-specific solutions and visitors to Advanced Engineering can experience its sector expertise first-hand.