Get ready to experience SHOP TALK LIVE, a virtual event hosted by Hypertherm Associates and designed to provide participants exclusive access to industry experts across cutting technologies, applications, and industries. Featured technologies include: Hypertherm® plasma | OMAX® waterjets | ProNest® & Robotmaster® software Conversation starters: Have you optimized operations to combat a skilled labor shortage? Is your shop making the most from digitization? Do you want to improve bevel, hole, and robotic cutting? Are you leaving money on the table with consumables? Let’s talk! SHOP TALK LIVE will tackle these topics and more with actionable recommendations. What’s on your mind? Submit a question during registration for inclusion in our industry expert’s roundtable.

Production lines rely on effective procurement strategies to help keep businesses operating as usual. It is your responsibility as a procurement officer to do this. You are the person who buys the fuel for the engine to run. This takes the form of a steady supply of components that meet the required quality standards, ensuring timely deliveries and availability in the right quantities, all within budget. Whilst high-value parts like A and B receive the most attention, the less visible, lower-cost C parts are equally important. Due to their lower cost, there might be more temptation to overlook these parts, but they are essential to the integrity and functionality of the final product. Overlooking the importance of C parts can lead to increased costs, excessive administrative burdens, and even production halts. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about C-parts—from understanding their significance to optimising their procurement—our speciality. As you explore our guide, you’ll encounter small tasks designed to enhance your understanding of C-part procurement in relation to your business operations. Whilst we encourage you to complete these tasks, simply reading the guide will still provide valuable insights.

The need for clean air and optimised airflow is vital in most industries. Despite this, the development of the air filtration industry has stagnated - until now. By combining digital solutions with traditional air filtration, industries can now seamlessly connect to their filtration products by a computer or smart phone, to ensure that everything works properly. Magnus Edmén, Nederman Head of Sales in EMEA, believes that this will lead to a significantly better working environment as well as reduced costs. Read more by visiting the website.

Airtech, a family-owned leader in composites manufacturing for over 50 years, stands as the world’s largest privately-owned manufacturer of vacuum bagging and composite tooling materials. Serving diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, and wind energy, Airtech has consistently pushed the boundaries of advanced materials, becoming a recognised leader in sustainable innovation. In June 2024, Airtech won the prestigious TCT Award in the Automotive & Rail Application category for their groundbreaking “Closed-Loop Motorsport Tooling” project. In partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Airtech transformed old carbon-fibre moulds from the 2022 Pikes Peak race into new, high-quality 3D printed moulds using their recycled Dahltram® C-250CF material. This project not only played a pivotal role in Brumos Racing Car’s world record at the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb but also demonstrated the transformative potential of circular lifecycle manufacturing by saving over 300lbs of material from landfills and reducing the demand for new polymer production. Reinforcing their position as industry leaders, Airtech’s expertise extends beyond this project to include innovations in vacuum bagging films, composite tooling materials, large-scale 3D printing, and advanced sustainable resins like Dahltram® T-100GF and Dahltram® I-350CF. These advancements ensure Airtech remains at the forefront of industry evolution and sustainability. Visitors to the Advanced Engineering show can witness these cutting-edge solutions firsthand, including the award-winning mould tool from the “Closed-Loop Motorsport Tooling” project, at stand U160. Join Airtech to discover how they are shaping the future of sustainable composites manufacturing.

BINDT was delighted to support Lavender International in a recent science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative at the JCB Academy in Rocester, an academy focused on engineering and business, educating students from Year 9 to Sixth Form.    The nine-week initiative began in April with an assembly for the entire Year 10 cohort, where Sam Cunningham, Group Sales Manager at Lavender International and Vice President of BINDT, introduced the challenge. Rebecca Mulholland, BINDT’s Outreach Coordinator, followed with an overview of the Institute and its work in non-destructive testing (NDT). The challenge was designed to complement the students’ curriculum, particularly in areas such as quality control and quality assurance. It aimed to give them a deeper understanding of NDT and its real-world applications within industry.   In May, Lavender International staff, Sam Cunningham and Louie Ashmore, alongside BINDT STEM volunteer Roy Thiis, visited the academy to deliver practical, hands-on sessions in ultrasonic testing, dye penetrant testing and magnetic particle testing. Teachers reported that the students thoroughly enjoyed these sessions, appreciating the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge practically. The students were then tasked with designing and manufacturing a go/no-go gauge to perform quality control on spacer parts and callipers. Utilising computer-aided design (CAD) software and laser cutters, they created their designs on acrylic. Following a class-level competition, where each group tested a batch of spacers and callipers using their gauges, approximately eight groups advanced to the final round.   The final was judged by Sam and Jemma Bevis from Lavender International, alongside Rebecca. Students completed a timed, marked quality control test using their gauges, followed by team presentations outlining their work, learning experiences and insights into quality assurance and NDT.

The award-winning booth brought together several key divisions of the Busch Group: the two brands Busch Vacuum Solutions and Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions, alongside Vacuum Furnace Engineering (VFE) and Busch Autoclave Solutions. This unified presence highlighted the strength and breadth of the Busch Group portfolio, demonstrating its ability to provide comprehensive vacuum solutions across a variety of industries. Connecting with industry leaders The event attracted key professionals from sectors such as automotive, aerospace, metallurgy and composites. Throughout the show, the Busch Group delivered a clear and consistent message: “Vacuum Efficiency. Solved.” This emphasized its role as a complete partner in achieving optimal vacuum process efficiency. Visitors had the opportunity to meet experts from Busch and experience efficient vacuum, autoclave and vacuum furnace solutions firsthand, along with dependable service offerings, upgrades and tailored system solutions. Further technical insight was shared at the Composites Forum, where Busch presented “Best Practices for Minimizing the Risk of Cure Failures in Autoclaves,” providing practical strategies to enhance reliability in composite manufacturing processes. Tim Hulbert, General Manager of Busch UK, commented, “We are delighted with the success of this year’s show. Winning the Best Stand Award and seeing such strong engagement from visitors reflect our ongoing commitment to innovation, efficiency, and excellence in vacuum solutions.”

The COBRA DH series encompasses compact and intelligent screw vacuum pumps with an integrated vacuum booster. With a nominal pumping speed range of 2,700 to 6,200 m³/h, they ensure fast cycle times and low operating costs. The series is ideal for industrial applications such as coating, lithium-ion battery production, solar technology, or metallurgy. High performance for demanding environments COBRA DH vacuum pumps operate based on dry, contact-free screw technology that minimizes wear and extends service intervals. The advanced screw design enhances vapor and particle tolerance, which is especially beneficial in demanding processes such as coating. Additionally, the gas-tight vacuum pumps minimize the risk of contamination. Thanks to its high pumping speed, the COBRA DH series enables fast evacuation and reduced cycle times – key factors in improving process efficiency. The vacuum pumps are equipped with a variable speed drive (VSD), which allows them to adjust their rotational speed to match the required vacuum level, reducing energy consumption. Efficient water cooling ensures uniform temperature distribution, maintaining thermal stability and supporting continuous operation even under demanding thermal loads. Energy-efficient operation for all processes One of the standout features of the COBRA DH vacuum pumps is their high energy efficiency. Additionally, they can be equipped with the optional energy-saving module VacBoost, which reduces their energy consumption even further. During breaks in manufacturing, the vacuum pump automatically switches to standby mode, operating at a reduced speed. This conserves energy while keeping the vacuum pump ready for a quick ramp-up when needed.

Maulburg, December 03, 2024 – This year was the first time Busch took place in the ranking, and the company achieved an impressive result. The honour reflects the company’s unwavering commitment to optimizing its sustainability efforts and setting high standards. Roland Zundl, Managing Director of Dr.-Ing. K. Busch GmbH says: “This medal is an important milestone and shows that we are on the right track. We will continue to step up our efforts to become more sustainable in all areas of the company.” The EcoVadis ranking has been evaluating companies on a variety of sustainability criteria since 2007, including environmental impact, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable sourcing. So far, more than 130,000 companies from over 180 countries have been surveyed. With its results, Dr.-Ing. K. Busch GmbH ranks in the top 35% of organizations rated by EcoVadis over the last 12 months. The EcoVadis medal is an important sign of the Busch Group’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, as well as acting as motivation for the future.

Effective September 2025, the gas abatement systems for the semiconductor industry previously offered under this brand will be integrated into the Pfeiffer portfolio and be available under this name in the future, uniting the two members of the global Busch Group. Cutting-edge fab solutions from a trusted brand By consolidating the product portfolio of centrotherm clean solutions under a single, unified brand, customers will benefit from the convenience of sourcing high-quality vacuum solutions for the semiconductor industry and related sectors from a one-stop, trusted supplier. Within the Group, Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions is the renowned brand for high and ultra-high vacuum, providing innovative, cutting-edge solutions for demanding applications in research and development, analytics, industry, and semiconductor. Sami Busch, Co-Owner and Co-CEO of the Busch Group, states: “Bringing our product portfolio for the semiconductor industry together under our strong and well-established brand Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions further streamlines our product offering. This enhances our ability to serve semiconductor and related industries with high-quality end-to-end solutions – not only for vacuum generation but also for related critical applications such as leak detection or contamination management. This step underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional value and support to our customers worldwide.” Comprehensive portfolio for the semiconductor market Busch acquired centrotherm clean solutions in 2023, implementing its industry-leading gas abatement expertise into its broader portfolio. The products now being integrated into the Pfeiffer brand are primarily used in the semiconductor industry but also, for example, in the production of MEMS, LEDs, solar cells, and flat panel displays. The offering comprises standardized gas abatement systems as well as individual customized systems and overall environmental solutions.

The term “Automation” was coined in 1946, when Ford engineer Del Harder named the department that would replace the company’s research and experimentation assembly-line workers with machines. He took the noun “Automation” meaning self-operating mechanism, and turned it into a verb “to automate”. Today, there is a growing awareness that automation can greatly improve productivity and increase supply chain transparency across all industries, including rail. However, the technology selected for inventory management determines the level of visibility you have across a facility. Here Chris Billinge, business development director of supply chain specialist TFC, explains the capabilities of digital inventory management technology in the rail industry.

The Fume Eliminator GoMax is the ultimate solution for welding fume extraction, perfect for robotic, cobot, and manual welding. With high efficiency and user-friendliness, GoMax captures welding fumes directly at the source, reducing the risk of exposure to harmful substances and ensuring a cleaner working environment. Read more by visiting the website.

In the pursuit of net-zero sustainability and business longevity, it is now more than ever a vital component to the workplace to improve and continually evolve standards in business processes to help better protect the planet, people and production. Please visit the website to read more.

The Smart Toolbox is a concept presented by Dura that showcases the next generation of tool access and asset tracking. ​ Using wireless technology, access to all the drawers within the cabinet can be controlled remotely and accessed wirelessly through a smart device and dedicated app. ​ This enables real-time analytics and access control, with users’ permissions updatable in seconds. Using the same app, users can audit tools and assets effortlessly, reporting any lost or damaged equipment and getting reminders to complete audits and calibrations. When a tool is reported as lost or damaged, users and managers are emailed instantly, with the app offering total traceability, keeping track of your assets in real time. The unit features a manual override key should power fail, providing total peace of mind, however most users will never need to worry about losing a key again. For managers, keyless operation removes the burden of tracking access or the requirement to change locks and keys to maintain security.

A bearing is designed to move freely and has multiple moving parts that work together as one unit. Tolerance stack up from both manufacturing and assembly can quickly cause issues. This is where preloading a bearing comes in. Preloading a bearing involves providing a sustained axial load to the bearing. There are two main methods to preload a bearing. The first is solid preload, which is achieved by holding inner and outer races in place with a locking mechanism. The more common, simpler, and less expensive method is spring preload, which is achieved by using a spring to apply a constant axial load on one side. A Smalley single-turn wave spring provides necessary preload force between the inner or outer races while also compensating for any tolerance stack-ups or thermal misalignments. Play is reduced both axially and radially, as depicted in the image below. Controlling play is necessary to maintain bearing functionality and longevity. Preloading a bearing provides constant contact between the bearing type (ball, needle, etc.) and bearing races. The sustained load provided by the spring eliminates axial and radial play, among other benefits. The overall goal of preloading is to prolong bearing life, and therefore, your application. Properly preloading a bearing will prolong bearing life. Using a spring for preload is critical for high-precision or high-speed applications, as it essentially eliminates the need for holding tighter tolerances and helps withstand high operating speeds. Smalley’s bearing preload wave spring SSB series is carefully designed with the application in mind. The two types of single-turn wave springs we offer are gap and overlap. We have over 300+ standard parts available in carbon steel and stainless steel to match popular bearing sizes. As always, our engineering team can assist you in designing a custom preload bearing spring for your unique application. Come and find us on stand G55