Turning Pages. A milestone for our MD. April/May

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Primrose Holland
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www.wickman-group.com Turning Pages We are always hearing that technology is the future.

Now, we re dealing with the fourth industrial revolution where the rate of change is faster than ever and

Businesses and governments around the world are working out the safeguards they need and implementing

But for all this, and for all the transactional processing ease and automated precision that technology

We might be fascinated by things like robotics and AI, but as a species, we re still a long way from

Indeed, it s our shared enthusiasm for advanced technology, for new ideas and exploration that is driving

Chris Barrett and Owen Coyne A milestone for our MD Chris Barrett is celebrating a significant birthday

1 Turning Pages We are always hearing that technology is the future. it s almost impossible to talk business without speculating on progress, it s pace and direction. Now, we re dealing with the fourth industrial revolution where the rate of change is faster than ever and the potential for disruption is huge. Disruptive or not, the truly connected global economy is coming. Businesses and governments around the world are working out the safeguards they need and implementing regulations like GDPR. But for all this, and for all the transactional processing ease and automated precision that technology brings, it will never replace the human element. We might be fascinated by things like robotics and AI, but as a species, we re still a long way from redundancy. We thrive on personal interactions, on partnerships and collaboration. Indeed, it s our shared enthusiasm for advanced technology, for new ideas and exploration that is driving change. Enjoy exploring our latest edition of Turning Pages. Chris Barrett and Owen Coyne A milestone for our MD Chris Barrett is celebrating a significant birthday in May. On the offchance he s sensitive about the number, we ll avoid mentioning it, but it s worth knowing that it s the fiftieth anniversary of the Mexico Olympics this year and that this season s Premier League champions, Manchester City, also won the football league in Okay, that s enough clues. Happy birthday, Chris, and many more of them.

More progress in Kunshan The more our partnership with European Turning Technologies grows the more impressed we are with the

It seems just a few weeks ago that works began on the new site in Jiangsu Province, but things really are flying now.

China is hungry for production efficiency and ETT looks well set for a busy future.

year, and once again we re proud to sponsor the event. 28 sports stars, TV celebrities and musicians will be in competition.

This year the goal is to raise funds to support the work of the Parkinson s organisation.

2 More progress in Kunshan The more our partnership with European Turning Technologies grows the more impressed we are with the organisation s commitment. It seems just a few weeks ago that works began on the new site in Jiangsu Province, but things really are flying now. The dedication of the ETT team is remarkable and their energies are sure to produce some fantastic results. China is hungry for production efficiency and ETT looks well set for a busy future. Sponsoring the PDC fishing championship The Professional Darts Corporation annual fundraising fishing match gets better every year, and once again we re proud to sponsor the event. 28 sports stars, TV celebrities and musicians will be in competition. It s an invitational match, the trophy is hotly contested and it s a fun day out, but there s a serious purpose. This year the goal is to raise funds to support the work of the Parkinson s organisation. The charity has a vision of a day when no one fears Parkinson s and a bit of support from Wickman channelled through an event like this with TV coverage and big-name participation can make a lot of difference. We ll be at Gold Valley Lakes in Aldershot in August and if you fancy coming along, check out the details online at

It felt appropriate to be at the NEC too the Midlands has always been the place for manufacturing and provided a warm welcome for visitors who came from all over the globe.

3 Thank you! A quick shout out and a big thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand during the Mach 2018 event and there were a lot of you. We re not complaining there s nothing to beat being surrounded by like-minded people and we could, of course, discuss engineering all day. It felt appropriate to be at the NEC too the Midlands has always been the place for manufacturing and provided a warm welcome for visitors who came from all over the globe. Mach 2018 was a great place to catch up with the latest techniques and developments we re still surprised by how many new advances are made every year but one of the interesting things about this year s Mach event was that visitors included a lot of people with decision-making power. Events always attract dedicated engineers, apprentices and students but now we re seeing MDs, finance specialist and investors too. It s been a privilege to help nonengineers understand what machines like the Penta 518 multispindle can do and see them begin to translate the benefits into justified proposals. We can keep going on about brilliant engineering, but it s the efficiency that engineering can deliver that drives success. Of course, we expected to be busy the PENTA 518 we were showing is the very latest in multispindle technology and was almost bound to be a big draw. If you didn t manage to get down to Birmingham, here s a quick rundown of what you missed: A full (up to 31 axis) Fanuc 31i controlled machine Can run bent shank tapping Super precision & accuracy Hirth coupling 7,500kg machine 5 spindles 8,000 RPM, C axis 5 CNC cross slides 2 x 2 axis, 2 x 3 axis and cut off slide 5 CNC long slides with driven capability Davenport or Schutte collets Built in bar loader up to 19mm (puller for up to 25mm) High-pressure coolant 70 bar, 8 bar standard coolant Coolant refrigeration and filtration Built-in fire-suppression unit Air filtration unit Minimum 1 second cycle time 0.5 second index time It s an impressive list, but the machine is even more impressive up close. If you missed the show, you don t have to miss out. Just call us and we ll arrange a demo.

Putting on the gloves Owen Coyne is stepping into the boxing ring for the Boxing with the Stars tournament.

A digital future: CCMT Shanghai, China Our partners, European Turning Technologies (ETT) have just returned from exhibiting at the China CNC machine Tool show (CCMT).

This year s theme was Digitalisation, Interconnection and Intelligent Manufacturing.

The widespread integration of internet technology into manufacturing industry is fast becoming a reality.

4 Putting on the gloves Owen Coyne is stepping into the boxing ring for the Boxing with the Stars tournament. We ll have more info in the next newsletter and we ll update you on how training is progressing. A digital future: CCMT Shanghai, China Our partners, European Turning Technologies (ETT) have just returned from exhibiting at the China CNC machine Tool show (CCMT). The biennial event is one of the principal trade fairs for the industry and ETT were delighted with their reception and the level of interest from delegates. This year s theme was Digitalisation, Interconnection and Intelligent Manufacturing. Some very interesting ideas were up for discussion, including the concept of thinking of a CNC machining centre not as a fantastic piece of engineering but as a digital unit. The widespread integration of internet technology into manufacturing industry is fast becoming a reality. As with all prestigious shows the very best CNC machines, components, machine controls, encoders and linear systems were on display. All in all, CCMT proved to be a fascinating event that provided a great deal of food for thought and plenty of inspiration. Wickman building America s automobiles We ve just completed delivery of 2 of our 6-82 ACW multispindles to the USA. Destined for the automotive sector, these lathes are built for easy set-up, have short cycle times and the benefit of reduced noise levels. The buyer told us that machine flexibility was a priority and that overall efficiency was a key factor in the decision to go with the 6-82 ACW model. We weren t slow to point out the reliability and long lifespan of our machines and our excellent reputation for servicing and the speedy resolution of any maintenance issues. If you d like to learn more about the ACW range, visit product/acw-servo-range/

Get to know Gozio Gozio is an Italian based specialist manufacturer of transfer machines and machining centres.

From design to production, from assembly to testing and from quality control to after sales service and assistance, the Gozio team undertakes all activities.

It s a system that ensures the reliability and safety of Gozio s bespoke products There are three main product lines: 1. Transfer Machines 2. Flexible Machining Centres 3.

5 Get to know Gozio Gozio is an Italian based specialist manufacturer of transfer machines and machining centres. Its products allow the machining of a wide variety of workpieces and can be tailored to suit small batch or volume production. The company has 40 employees and a production area of 10,000 sqm. From design to production, from assembly to testing and from quality control to after sales service and assistance, the Gozio team undertakes all activities. Machines are designed in-house using the latest CAD systems and then, independent external engineers are used to verify the calculations and perform structural testing. It s a system that ensures the reliability and safety of Gozio s bespoke products There are three main product lines: 1. Transfer Machines 2. Flexible Machining Centres 3. Linear Transfer Machines Transfer Machines These are mainly used for high volume production and are of various types depending upon the positioning of the rotating axis and the number of stations and working units. Flexible Machining Centres These tend to be used for low to medium production volumes and small batch quantities of complex parts and are based on a 5-axis design. Machines are equipped with one working unit for universal orientation which allows work to be carried out with just one placement of the part. The method avoids downtime and improves the accuracy of the finished component. Linear Transfer Machines This is a somewhat niche market and concerns the production of diamond brass balls for valves. Linear Transfer Machines are divided into various types depending on the ball dimension and levels of productivity required. The Gozio team is knowledgeable, friendly and dedicated. They are real problem solvers and innovative thinkers with a commitment to high quality at every stage of a project. There is a lot more information on Gozio s website at To get in touch, you can visit or call the Wickman team and we ll make some introductions. Dates for the diary You don t need an excuse to travel when you can combine the trip with an exploration of new technologies, techniques and a bit of networking. Pop the dates in the diary and get the flights booked. We ll see you there June 18 SID Conference, Limerick IRE From June 10-15, 2018, the Precision Turned Parts Manufacturing Association of Ireland is taking a look at the future of the turned parts industry. There s a full programme of events including delegate and partner programmes and visits to leading industry specialists.

We have a great range of used machines, and we know everything there is to know about them.

6 Wickman the best place for a used Wickman machine Used Wickman lathes are in high-demand. We often find that people have been scouting machinery dealers, auction sites or the like on their hunt, but the best place to go is definitely the original manufacturer and that s us! We have a great range of used machines, and we know everything there is to know about them. We ve got genuine Wickman spares, genuine Wickman expertise and you ll be sure to get a great deal on a great piece of kit. Wickman Worldwide Brazil: 0055 (0) France: 0033 (0) Spain: 0034 (0) India: 0091 (0) Poland: 0048 (0) UK Head Office: 0044 (0) USA: 001 (0) China: 0086 (0) (0)

Turning Pages. Welcome. Making excellent progress

Turning Pages. Welcome. Making excellent progress www.wickman-group.com Turning Pages The latest issue of our Turning Pages newsletter is hot off the press. Big thanks to everyone for your feedback on issue number one. We put that first issue together