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Mazak turns up production safely
Yamazaki Mazak has increased the
number of shifts for production at its
European Manufacturing Plant in
Worcester.
The company will be focusing on the
manufacture of a core group of
machines, including its new CV5-500
fully simultaneous 5-axis machining
centre, as well as models from its VCN
and VTC vertical machining centre
range, and QT Series of highperformance
CNC turning centres.
Mazak has implemented a series of
stringent new factory systems and
Scrappage scheme call
To help manufacturing recover
from Covid-19, the government
should implement a new
scrappage scheme for old IT,
plant and machinery equipment,
so as to incentivise cashstrapped
rms to invest in
automation and digitisation to
boost output and exports, says
Make UK. The scheme should run
hand-in-hand with a programme
to encourage UK consumers to
buy new, more environmentally
friendly cars through a
government-funded scrappage
scheme, delivering a much
needed boost to the country’s
automotive industry.
This double cash injection
would give businesses the head
start it desperately needs as it
struggle to replenish decimated
order books and get production
up and running, Make UK says.
Up-front labour and raw
material costs are proving a block
to many factories that have been
forced to close or run on lower
capacity over the past few
months since the pandemic
outbreak, says the organisation.
Others that shifted to making
much-needed medicines,
sanitisers and vital medical
equipment to support the NHS
and combat the spread of the
disease also face considerable
costs as they revert their factories
to normal production.
Says Stephen Phipson, CEO
of Make UK: “The challenge faced
by manufacturers as they start to
rebuild their businesses and bring
staff slowly back into the
workplace is vast. Supply chains
have been decimated and order
books are in the worst state in
decades. To survive, businesses
will need to take every advantage
they can of the latest
technologies and equipment to
boost productivity to get back on
track in the coming months."
A 31-page document lays
out Mazak's safe working
procedures & processes
processes that ensure compliance
with UK government guidance on
social distancing and workplace
safety.
A 31-page document, which is
published on the Mazak website,
provides in-depth details of all
changes made to the factory,
alongside a full risk assessment for
all production and administration
areas of the site, and a breakdown
of all potential risks to staff and
customers, and proposed control
measures.
Of the challenging times, Richard
Smith, European Group managing
director, Yamazaki Mazak UK, says:
"I would like to thank our own staff
who have adapted to the situation
in an overwhelmingly positive way,
and have continued to work safely
and diligently, so as to ensure we
are able to meet the requirements
of our customers.”
Stuart Astley, production director
at Yamazaki Mazak’s production
facility in Worcester, adds:
“As production director, my primary
concern has always been the health
and safety of all our staff. As a
team, we have collaboratively
created a safe working environment
that has allowed us to complete
machine orders and support our
customers during these dif cult
times.
“The workforce has played a key
role in achieving this, not only by
helping to establish the new ways of
working, but by following them to
the letter. They have been incredibly
supportive of what we are doing,
and I am happy to say that the
morale on the factory oor has been
superb throughout this dif cult
time.”
Online cutting tool training initiative
Cutting tool expert Sandvik
Coromant has launched a new
online application training offer to
share knowledge and best
practices for metalcutting
operations. The eight-part
programme has been released
online and is accessible via the
Sandvik Coromant website.
Embarking on the programme,
customers will develop theoretical
and application-based knowledge
in turning, milling, drilling and
threading for both indexable and
solid round tools.
Communicated through prerecorded
presentations, the online
training courses will provide
customers with valuable insights
into the best practice strategies
for machining.
The eight separate modules
include specialist topic areas,
such as solid round tools for
drilling, milling and tapping.
Each training module is
approximately 30-minutes in
length, allowing customers to t
the programme around their work
schedules.
6 June 2020, issue 2 - Machinery Classifi ed
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/ed.co.uk