BS EN ISO 9000 benefi ts revealed; Heller Machine Tools ramps up HMC assembly;
laser profi ling & punch pressing promoted at separate Open Houses; EU Machinery
Directive advice offered as industry gets to grips with new regime
august 1995
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Four-edged
Powerhouse
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42
With the introduction of BS EN ISO 9000, which now
succeeds the BS5750 quality management standard,
we give voice to research that shows the bene ts of
accreditation. Surrey University says that accredited companies
outperform their competitors across all the main business ratios,
from pro tability to return on capital. Correlation is not causation,
we admit, as it might just be that the best companies are drawn
to the standard, but we go on to highlight the gures and
encourage companies to use a free advisory service, if cost of
implementation is putting them off.
In news, we report that Heller Machine Tools is ramping up the
manufacture of horizontal machining centres, its Redditch base
being the main site for the assembly of new horizontal models
MCP 150, 160 and soon the larger 250 model. Indeed, the MCP
is only built in Redditch. The existing BEA 07 horizontal had
kicked off the venture in 1993, but these latest models launched
in the previous year now bolster that. Underpinning this latest
production addition is the origination of a Total Quality Policy that
makes an explicit link between employees and nished product,
and is based on continuous improvement. This is considered
more important then the ISO 9001 accreditation, which Heller
has found disappointing, as re ected by the quality of work it has
show one of its new 1.5 kW laser pro lers in action. We don’t
need to say it’s a CO2 laser source because today’s bre laser
technology is nowhere to be seen. This new machine is expected
by its user to bring in signi cant business, Machinery is told.
But punch press machinery is still very much alive in these
times of low-ish laser power, and Press & Shear has also held an
Open House to show off what it has to offer. The company gave
visitors their rst opportunity to view the Wilson Wheel in action
on Finn-Power technology – the Wheel had been developed in
conjunction with Finn-Power, in fact. It was being used alongside a
Wilson ribbing tool that was producing strengthening details in
sheets, with the Wheel employed to produce apertures. The
ribbing and cutting of almost any shape required were also
highlighted messages at the event.
The EU Machinery Directive came into force on 1 January this
year and companies are still getting to grips with its requirements
that outline safety requirements for machines placed on the
market in the EU.
Helping them get up to speed with the Directive’s details are
companies offering advice. One such is Assessment Services,
which has created a free Q&A booklet that details the steps
necessary to demonstrate that a machine meets the
requirements. The booklet also covers Essential Health & Safety
Requirements and the creation of a Technical File. In similar vein
is Telemecanique’s safety guide publication.
In feature articles this month, we have: how latest
developments in horizontal machining centres are ghting back
against the increasingly dominant vertical machines; BAE
Samlesbury’s Advanced Machining Facility’s Hard Metal Cell, the
hardware and software elements of note; a report on still young
but fast growing Haas Automation of Oxnard, California, where the
company has invested $10m since 1992; and how tooling
supplier Komet is working with Formula One out t Benetton
Formula. ■
Key Events
Brian Lara, West
Indies, 7th Test
Cricket century,
179, at The
Oval, London
25years ago
▼
▼
English pubs
open throughout
Sunday
afternoon for
the rst time
TenWit/stock.adobe.com merly69 /stock.adobe.com
lukszczepanski /stock.adobe.com
Laser pro ling
and punch press
company LVD
Shape of Marlow,
Bucks, impressed
visitors to a recent
Open House event
by whisking them
off a few minutes
down the road to
aug 95
Microsoft’s
Windows 95 on sale; 1m
copies sold in four days
Hiroshima ▼
bombing 50th
anniversary
gathering in
city, Aug 6
received from companies that hold the
acceditation, the company tells us.
ebay.com
domain comes online
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Roland Magnusson/stock.adobe.com
The International
Rugby Football
Board says
rugby union
players may be
professional
master1305/stock.adobe.com
monticellllo /stock.adobe.com
chrisdorney /stock.adobe.com
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/ebay.com
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