News » UK News PPMA is reborn as Automate UK, making automation central
The PPMA (Processing & Packaging Machinery Association) Group of Associations is changing its name to Automate UK to better represent the needs of its membership and their customers. The move follows the PPMA’s publication of a Manifesto for Automation earlier in the year, which set out its goals and commitment to make the UK more productive. It also set out the central role that automation has to play in the UK manufacturing sector.
£145m cash injection aims to boost UK innovation
Innovate UK, working with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is investing £145m in UK innovation in a series of schemes, including £27m for the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult to lead net-zero and industrial transformation projects that support the manufacturing and construction sectors. The investments also include £45m of support for industries and dedicated hubs, institutes and centres across the UK.
Coventry’s ‘Faculty on the Factory Floor’ gets a £6m expansion
Coventry University has relaunched its Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) with a £6m expansion aimed at helping UK manufacturers on their journeys to a clean, sustainable and digital world. The latest funding – which takes the total invested in AME so far to £18m – adds nearly 2,000m2 of space which is being used for a digital twin pilot environment, a robot testing area, AI and VR stations, laser welders and six new laboratories.
Free directory will help manufacturers to find suppliers
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult has launched a free-to-use tool that makes it easier for UK manufacturers to connect with suppliers of goods and services. The UK Supply Chain Directory brings together hundreds of thousands of UK industrial businesses in an easy-to-search online resource.
UK developer of rare-earth-free motors wins £23m of funding
The British electric motor developer Advanced Electric Machines (AEM) has secured £23m of new investment which it will use to scale up production, establish a global sales operation, and boost its R&D capabilities.
Made Smarter to go UK-wide in £4.5bn manufacturing plan
The UK Government has announced plans to expand the Made Smarter Adoption programme to the whole of the UK as part of its newly-announced £4.5bn of funding for British manufacturing.
Manufacturing & Engineering Week gets Smart for 2024
Manufacturing & Engineering Week has been renamed Smart Manufacturing & Engineering Week for the 2024 event, which takes place at the NEC in June. The show’s organiser, Nineteen Group, says the change reflects the forward-looking nature of the event and focus on the new technologies driving the sector forward.
Scottish researchers’ slice of £117m funds will make robots safer
Robotics and AI (artificial intelligence) experts at Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh have secured funding for a training centre to help make robots safer, more dependable and trustworthy.
Skills initiative aims to attract people to £12bn PEMD sector
A landmark initiative that provides information on skills, competencies and training needed to work in the PEMD (power electronics, machines and drives) sector, has been launched at an event in London. Called the PEMD Body of Knowledge – or PEMDBoK – it will allow individuals, employers, course providers, recruiters, and companies to sign up and access a wealth of information on skills and capabilities required by the sector.
Cairns follows Payne to lead Mitsubishi UK automation division
Mitsubishi Electric has appointed Mike Cairns as director of its UK Automation Systems Division (ASD), following the retirement of the previous director, Roger Payne, after a 37-year career with Mitsubishi.
UK lab automation firm raises $40m to accelerate growth
The UK robot-maker and laboratory automation specialist Automata Technologies has raised $40m to accelerate its growth and presence in the US, UK and EMEA. The is follows $50m raised in January 2022 which enabled it to achieve its initial commercialisation and expansion plans. Since then, Automata has seen 150% revenue growth, and a 12-fold increase in live system hours in customer systems.
RS adds functions and products to its comparator
RS has enhanced its Think Hub online product comparison service, adding new functions and new product types to the service which it launched at the end of 2022.
Sprint Electric expands into AC with regenerative drive
The UK DC drives manufacturer Sprint Electric is expanding into the AC drives market with the launch of a range of regenerative AC drives at the SPS 2023 exhibition in Germany in November. The company describes its new Generis drive as the next generation of AC drive technology, delivering cost-effective and reliable AC motor control combined with energy regeneration and low input current harmonics.
Robot dog starts maintenance patrols at Drax power station
One of Boston Dynamics’ Spot “robot dogs” has started to patrol Drax power station near Selby in Yorkshire to carry out inspections and capture critical data on machinery at the site.
UK manufacturers now expect output to fall this year
The positive picture of the UK manufacturing sector during the first half of 2023 has gone sharply into reverse, with recruitment being put on hold and orders slowing at home and abroad, according to the latest quarterly Manufacturing Outlook survey by Make UK and the business advisory firm BDO. The survey of 336 companies carried out in August found that manufacturers are battening down the hatches amid a sharp slowdown in activity – and potential recession.
