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Automation for the nation
In an exclusive conversation with Machinery & Manufacturing, Phil Cattaneo, Business Development Manager - Automation at NCMT, explains why it’s never too late (or soon) to automate machining
Think again Despite the UK’s automation gap, NCMT is beginning to see a shift. More
When it comes to automation, it’s no secret that the UK lags behind a number of its major European peers, including Germany, Italy and France. The question is, why? Phil Cattaneo, Business Development Manager - Automation at NCMT, has his own theory. “The UK CNC machining sector is very reactive in the way it purchases and plans for new investments, which means automation doesn’t always appear as a viable option,” he says. “In addition, the UK’s approach to subcontracting is somewhat different to elsewhere in the world. In mainland Europe, many will specialise, not just on a vertical market like aerospace, but on specific components within that sector, such as fuel injection parts, wing-frame components or turbine blades. They want to be best-in-class at subcontracting in that particular discipline and are able to develop dedicated processes, including automation, to help them excel. As a result, they can plan their future investments with more certainty.” UK subcontractors are seemingly more varied in comparison, typically spanning a number of vertical markets. Subcontractors want stock machines that are sufficiently flexible to produce any kind of part, making automation more challenging.
machine tool enquiries, from both OEMs and subcontractors, now involve automation. “It’s encouraging to see,” states Phil Cattaneo. “That said, a lot of enquiries which initially include automation turn into orders that only include the machine, with customers planning to add automation later. But there’s a problem with that approach: they start running their new machine and subsequently decide they are too busy to stop and retrofit automation.” Any machine shop in this situation is missing out. Automation can enhance productivity
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