Wednesday 26 April 2017

Meet the Subcon speakers: In Conversation With… Sid Shaikh


Sid Shaikh is Engineering R&D Manager at Ocado. He will present ‘The disruptive technologies behind Ocado’s retail success’ at 2pm on Tuesday 6 June.

Please sum up your conference session in one sentence
If you took a production line and scaled it to size of a several football pitches, what engineering challenges do you think you would face? 

What practical tips will visitors pick up from your presentation? 
An insight into the future of the logistics industry and the challenges of designing, building and maintaining big automation and robotics projects.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry this year? 
For me, the biggest challenge is the engineering skills gap in the UK. There is a growing shortage of experience for intermediate and senior level engineers in the industry. 

And the biggest opportunity? 
The UK is a hub for engineering excellence, design and innovation. We have the potential to dramatically boost productivity and improve efficiency by using robotics across a wide range of industries.

Is leaving the EU good or bad for UK manufacturing? 
It is very dependent on the strength of the pound but we will understand the true impact in the coming months and years. 

Do you think the industry will suffer if leaving the EU restricts free movement of labour?
Yes 

Do you think the Apprentice Levy is a good thing? 
There is a feeling in the industry that the stipulation to spend at least 20% of the time on off-the-job training is too high and not aligned with modern blended learning practices 

If you were in Government, what would you do to encourage more women and young people to work in the engineering and manufacturing industries?  
I believe we should introduce engineering qualifications earlier in the education process, create targeted promotion and incentives for women and young people to take the Engineering GCSE, and create a culture that is more welcoming to new starters that are keen to learn.

What are your thoughts on Industry 4.0? 
We are building the smart factories of the future; therefore, Industry 4.0 is core to our solution. There is a massive opportunity for companies combining robotics, AI, the cloud and IoT to become leaders in their respective industries and disrupt existing markets and business models.

What are you most looking forward to about Subcon 2017? 
The conference is a chance to understand new and emerging trends and identify new suppliers that share our commitment to deliver innovative technologies and products for the retail sector.


Don't miss Sid's session - and 35 other first class presentations at this year's Subcon conference delivered by The Engineer and The Manufacturer. Register now for your free pass at the Subcon website.  

Thursday 20 April 2017

Fruits of investment on show at Subcon 2017

Exhibitors at Subcon, the UK’s only show dedicated to subcontract manufacturing, will be offering visitors a range of new services and capabilities following recent investments.





Subcon, which runs from 6 to 8 June at the NEC, Birmingham, is the UK’s only event dedicated to outsourced manufacturing. It serves all sectors and all processes – from machining, sheet metalworking, casting and forging, to plastic moulding, composites and electronics.

This range of manufacturing technologies is reflected in some of the new services and investments being featured at the show.

In fabrication, WEC Group has invested over £11m in equipment and facilities over the last 18 months as the basis for its expansion nationwide, while multi-metal stockholder Kloeckner has just added advanced bending and additional laser cutting capacity to its services.



Precision machining specialist PGT Ceewrite has also invested £11m to completely upgrade its Dorset facility and double its capacity for highly complex wire and spark erosion.
The machining services sector is strongly represented across the show. New services coming on stream include a subcontract CNC cylindrical grinding facility at Perfect Bore and new large-format, heavy-duty machining centres at PRV. PRV has also added a new 5-axis water-jet cutting machine.

Following heavy investment in new technology, specialist subcontract engineering company Mini Gears Group expanded its services so that precision machining accounts for 60% of the business and it will be showcasing its complete new range of machined components at Subcon.

In plastics, a five-year multi-million investment programme at Chess Plastics is nearing completion with the installation of another new Negri Bossi moulder and Meadex has just completed a new clean room suite for plastic and rubber moulding. Hepworth Group has launched a new RIM Moulding Division, which adds an additional manufacturing option to its extensive range of fabrication services.

In other processes, Carlton Die Castings have installed a twin-pallet Mazak machining centre that allows them to supply fully-machined castings ready for assembly. Materials coatings expert NikaWorks has developed a new series of functional coatings for surgical instruments.

Supporting the Subcon show, sourcing specialist Qimtek is sponsoring the VIP Buyer’s Programme and hosting a dedicated Qimtek UK Manufacturing Pavilion.

Subcon runs alongside the Advanced Manufacturing Show and The Engineer Design & Innovation Show from 6 to 8 June 2017 at the NEC Birmingham.

Together the three shows cover the complete manufacturing cycle from concept to component, bringing together design engineering, product development, in-house production and outsourced supply chains.

Over 500 exhibitors will welcome thousands of professional visitors who have current sourcing needs for equipment, software and manufacturing services.

The three shows are complemented by 36 free-to-attend conference presentations in two separate conference streams, bought to you by The Engineer and The Manufacturer.

Find out more about visiting and exhibiting at the three shows at www.subconshow.co.uk , www.advancedmanufacturingshow.co.uk and www.theengineer-designinnovationshow.co.uk .

Thursday 13 April 2017

Discover IoT, big data and Industry 4.0 at Advanced Manufacturing Show

The Advanced Manufacturing Show, which runs at the NEC from 6 – 8 June, is set to showcase a comprehensive complement of world-leading metrology companies.


The Show features all aspects of advanced manufacturing technology – from machine tools and tooling, to work-holding, software, additive manufacturing and ancillary equipment – but has also come to be a biennial focus for the quality sector.

Global brands including Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Zeiss, Olympus and Alicona, are joined by UK champions including Renishaw and Aberlink, as well as specialists such as hire and contract scanning and measurement company Manchester Metrology, inspection, fixturing and calibration experts Verus, and representatives of world-leading equipment manufacturers such as Measurement Solutions.

Together they cover all aspects of scanning, measurement and quality systems from contact and optical CMMs, to laser scanners, 3D surface measurement, microscopy and automated systems.
The show will feature some of the latest technology to hit the market, such as Aberlink’s Xtreme CNC CMM which uses a non-Cartesian structure and linear motors to maintain accuracy at very high measurement speeds.

Advanced Manufacturing Show Event Director Gordon Kirk commented: “As we move further and faster along the track towards the Internet of Things, Big Data and Industry 4.0, metrology is the vital interface between the physical and digital worlds. It is therefore appropriate that it should be so well represented in an event focused on the leading edge of manufacturing technology.”

The Advanced Manufacturing theme is emphasised in two conferences, The Engineer Conference and The Manufacturer Conference, which are free to attend for show visitors. Presentations by leading authorities in their fields cover subjects ranging from Industry 4.0, to additive manufacturing, novel materials and robotics.

The Advanced Manufacturing Show runs in conjunction with The Engineer Design & Innovation Show and Subcon, the subcontract manufacturing show. Together the three shows cover the complete manufacturing cycle from design concept to finished product.

For more information and to register for your free ticket please visit www.advancedmanufacturingshow.co.uk