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Manufacturing

28 Sep 2015

Traditionally 3D printing, or ‘Additive Manufacture’ has been used mainly to create prototypes and showcase design ideas. The speed with which Additive Manufacture (AM) can take place along with the versatility of the manufacture method causes it to be the most obvious choice when creating new designs.

An example of where AM is still being used for it’s traditional versatility is the surgeons of Great Ormond Street Hospital using a 3D printer to create a model of a patients’ Trachea. The surgeons had to perform a delicate surgery on a child. They used a CT scanner to map the boys’ Trachea, 3D printed an exact model of it and then assessed which surgical instruments fit the tiny spaces best.

3 Jul 2015

BAE Systems test pilot Pete Wilson became the first pilot to test the launch of the F35B from a ski jump last week.

The launch, which took place at a Naval Air Station in Maryland is only the start of testing which is expected to last two weeks and is a big step towards the implementation of the ski launch on UK aircraft carriers.

The F35B is designed for short and vertical take-off and the trials demonstrate the ability to take off and land safely and effectively from a ski-jump ramp.

19 Jun 2015

All areas of engineering are evolving and developing and we like to keep an eye on what’s going on, reporting from time to time on innovative and sometimes controversial developments.

When it comes to robotics most of the things we’ve written about have been ground breaking developments that have meant that safety can be increased or that major improvements in quality of life can be achieved.

We even wrote about whether increased automation means that less skill will be required in the future. It seems the answer is no – operators still need to understand what they’re doing, why they’re doing it and what could go wrong. However, automation can and does help improve efficiency.

20 May 2015

With only 12 days to Subcon at the NEC in Birmingham 2 – 4 June, PRV Engineering are gearing up for what we hope is another successful show. This will be PRVs 8th visit to the highly successful show which has improved and evolved over the years.

In its 32nd year, Subcon provides a meeting platform for buyers, specifiers and key decision makers from all industry sectors. It’s is a great place to meet, compare suppliers, discover and discuss new technologies and to forge new partnerships.

27 Mar 2015

With only 2 months to go, PRV is preparing for this year’s Subcon Show.
Subcon is the UK’s only event completely focused on contract and subcontract manufacturing, including machining, moulding, fabrication, electronics assembly, casting and forging, finishing and treatments.

In it’s 32nd year, the Subcon Show makes it possible for buyers, specifiers and decision makers from all industry sectors to come together. The ability to compare suppliers, source solutions, develop partnerships and ultimately, do business in one place helps those people remain competitive in a global market. This year there are many overseas countries being represented including; Spain, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, Czech Rep, India, Taiwan, China and the USA.

3 Feb 2015

For many companies, machinery maintenance is seen as boring and dirty but machinery maintenance is something that should not be taken lightly. Your ability to run an effective lean manufacturing business is reliant upon the effective and efficient running of your machinery.

While the cost of a regular maintenance plan may initially feel like as though it’s costly, it will be nowhere near as costly as a major equipment breakdown resulting in an inability to continue with production or service.

19 Jan 2015

Are you looking to improve production, increase profitability and ultimately grow your business in 2015? If so, why not venture down to Southern Manufacturing 2015?

This year’s show, based over three days (February 10-12) will open its doors to around 800 companies, from all over the world.

The show will comprise live demonstrations, technical seminars and an opportunity to speak with many of the world’s market leaders. It’s a must visit for any manufacturing business seeking to develop and progress over the coming months and years.

Following on from last year’s successful show where PRV Engineering was amongst the exhibitors, the show will include displays of industrial technology, machinery, electronic, production hardware, automation and specialist engineering services.

3 Jan 2015

2014 saw a healthy growth across the sectors, regions and nations that make up the UK, providing evidence of a broad-based economic recovery.

In November, it was reported that Britain had recently solidified its position as one of the fastest growing economies in the industrial world with a third quarter growth of 0.7 per cent.

The news followed on from the confirmation in August that UK manufacturing output was up 3.9%, compared with the previous year. Construction output was up 2.6% on the same time last year.

On top of that, unemployment, a key indicator of how the economy is performing, fell to 6.2% in July compared to 7.7% the year before, with the number of people in employment increasing by 774,000 compared to the same time in 2013.

All in all, there were positive signs in 2014 despite the normal concerns across the manufacturing industry.

Below is a summary of some of the key points made in a recent article by The Week.

20 Dec 2014

The automation of any manufacturing process always raises questions about whether we will lose the engineering knowledge associated with the tasks. But all indications are that automation will need to increase in manufacturing in the UK if we are to keep up with the rest of Europe.

We’ve seen 3D printing grow hugely in the last few years. To start with it was only simple 3D models that were printed. Now we are using 3D printers to produce aircraft parts, prosthetic limbs and there are even food printers now. There are also ongoing developments into printing using metals and other materials. Last week saw the designs for a socket set being emailed to the space station where it was then printed out and is currently in use.

5 Dec 2014

It’s not all doom and gloom within the world of manufacturing in the UK. Anything but.

Experts might believe industry in Britain is still lagging behind when it comes to embracing new technology, but manufacturers are confident of delivering improved productivity in the next two years.

The 2014 Growth Report, from investment firm Albion Ventures, suggests three-quarters of manufacturing businesses are confident of increasing productivity thanks to improved market conditions.

And on a regional basis, the figures stack up too. It’s reported that 90 per cent of SMEs in the North West of England are confident about increasing their productivity.

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