Good news - as UK Manufacturers haul there way back ...
0 Comments Published by innovasys on Thursday, 11 June 2009 at 15:41.
Optimism amongst UK manufacturers is on the rise according to the latest figures from BDO Stoy Hayward's Manufacturing Optimism Index.
The UK manufacturing sector is starting to show the first signs of rallying with both optimism and output levels at a seven month high.The optimism index, which is a measure of business confidence and is a strong predictor of economic growth two quarters ahead, rose to 87.4 in May, up from 86.4 in April.
This is extremely positive given that the index reached a 12 year low (79.4) in March. Further bolstering this news was the fact that output levels, which calculates order book strength and short run turnover expectations, also increased for the second consecutive month from 83.6 in April to 86.0 in May – the biggest monthly increase since December 2007.
Tom Lawton, head of manufacturing at BDO Stoy Hayward, says: "It's still too early to call the bottom of the market, but these are certainly some positive results and could suggest that things are beginning to look up for the UK's manufacturers. "The manufacturing sector was one of the first to feel the effects of the credit crunch when order books collapsed, however, anecdotally we're now hearing that manufacturers are looking to re-stock and believe that they could be looking at the bottom of the cycle.
The UK manufacturing sector is starting to show the first signs of rallying with both optimism and output levels at a seven month high.The optimism index, which is a measure of business confidence and is a strong predictor of economic growth two quarters ahead, rose to 87.4 in May, up from 86.4 in April.
This is extremely positive given that the index reached a 12 year low (79.4) in March. Further bolstering this news was the fact that output levels, which calculates order book strength and short run turnover expectations, also increased for the second consecutive month from 83.6 in April to 86.0 in May – the biggest monthly increase since December 2007.
Tom Lawton, head of manufacturing at BDO Stoy Hayward, says: "It's still too early to call the bottom of the market, but these are certainly some positive results and could suggest that things are beginning to look up for the UK's manufacturers. "The manufacturing sector was one of the first to feel the effects of the credit crunch when order books collapsed, however, anecdotally we're now hearing that manufacturers are looking to re-stock and believe that they could be looking at the bottom of the cycle.
More goos stuff from SolidWOrks Labs
0 Comments Published by innovasys on Tuesday, 16 December 2008 at 09:16.
We love SolidWorks Labs!It produces some good productive stuff that you can use right now. The latest is Tree house which allows you to scope out how your next design will be structured
This new application from SolidWorks Labs features an intuitive user interface that allows you to plan out how your assembly will be arranged before you actually start designing components. Treehouse enables you to name your components and add custom properties all before creating a single document.
Arrange Assemblies, Parts and Drawings
Drag visual representations of your SolidWorks templates to build a hierarchy of assemblies, parts and drawings. Rearrange the documents by simply dragging documents to their updated position in the tree. Fill in any custom properties defined on the document templates.
Drag visual representations of your SolidWorks templates to build a hierarchy of assemblies, parts and drawings. Rearrange the documents by simply dragging documents to their updated position in the tree. Fill in any custom properties defined on the document templates.
Export to SolidWorks Documents
Once you are satisfied with your layout, you can export the hierarchy to SolidWorks documents. Treehouse will automatically create SW documents in the location you specify. These documents will reference each other according to the structure defined in Treehouse. You can now start filling in your design or check the documents into your PDM system to be filled in later.
Note: Treehouse requires SolidWorks 2008 or 2009 to be installed.
Once you are satisfied with your layout, you can export the hierarchy to SolidWorks documents. Treehouse will automatically create SW documents in the location you specify. These documents will reference each other according to the structure defined in Treehouse. You can now start filling in your design or check the documents into your PDM system to be filled in later.
Note: Treehouse requires SolidWorks 2008 or 2009 to be installed.
Hot off the presses today is the news that entrepreneur extraordinaire Richard Branson will be a Keynote Speaker at SolidWorks World 2009. Richard is the man behind the Virgin Group which started as a record company but has since expanded to include airlines, mobile phones, broadband, and commercial space flight just to name a few.
When “the list” was published at Matthew West’s Blog a few weeks back Mr. Branson was one of the folks that quickly caught my eye. I’m really looking forward to hearing him speak as he is quite an inspirational person
When “the list” was published at Matthew West’s Blog a few weeks back Mr. Branson was one of the folks that quickly caught my eye. I’m really looking forward to hearing him speak as he is quite an inspirational person
Hot off the presses today is the news that entrepreneur extraordinaire Richard Branson will be a Keynote Speaker at SolidWorks World 2009. Richard is the man behind the Virgin Group which started as a record company but has since expanded to include airlines, mobile phones, broadband, and commercial space flight just to name a few.
Join us in Orlando, FL at the Walt Disney® World Swan & Dolphin for SolidWorks World 2009 ~ February 8 - 11, 2009
Energize your design ideas and strengthen your skills at SolidWorks World 2009, SolidWorks Corporation's annual user conference and exposition
Benefits of attending SolidWorks World:
- Learn how you can design better products - choose from over 150 technical breakout sessions led by industry experts.
- Network with other SolidWorks users, Solution Partners, and resellers, as well as SolidWorks employees.
- Explore the latest 3D CAD technology offered by more than 100 exhibitors in the SolidWorks Partner Pavilion.
Presentation Studio from SolidWorks Labs
1 Comments Published by innovasys on Friday, 7 November 2008 at 14:40.
At Innova, we really like the neat productivity tools that can really enhance productivity during the design process. As part of the SolidWorks labs suite of free products, Presentation Studio is the newest and one of the neatest pieces of functionality that can really help.
PDF is the standard method for sharing documents. Add in 3D capabilities, and now you've got documents really worth sharing.
With Presentation Studio you can create a Design Brief, Price Sheet, Technical Summary, Feature Review, or Product Specification in minutes. But unlike ordinarly PDFs, an embedded 3D model conveys your design in a way 2D just can't. The PDF can then be read on any computer with Adobe Acrobat 8 or above. Give it a go. Its really neat.
http://labs.solidworks.com/Projects/PresentationStudio/
PDF is the standard method for sharing documents. Add in 3D capabilities, and now you've got documents really worth sharing.
With Presentation Studio you can create a Design Brief, Price Sheet, Technical Summary, Feature Review, or Product Specification in minutes. But unlike ordinarly PDFs, an embedded 3D model conveys your design in a way 2D just can't. The PDF can then be read on any computer with Adobe Acrobat 8 or above. Give it a go. Its really neat.
http://labs.solidworks.com/Projects/PresentationStudio/
SMW Autoblok gets grip on streamlined product design with SolidWorks 3D CAD software
0 Comments Published by innovasys on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 at 15:34.
Before you can machine a gear, a drive shaft, a downhole drill bit, or anything else, you have to hold it. SMW Autoblok uses SolidWorks 3D CAD software to design the industrial-strength chucks and other workholding components used by auto plants, pipeline equipment manufacturers, and virtually any other company around the world that machines parts. For more than 60 years, the Autoblok brand has been synonymous with precision workholding, clamping, and tooling solutions for a variety of industries. With plants in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, SMW AutoBlok has standardized on SolidWorks software for new product design in most of its plants.
“Nobody stocks anything anymore. So our lead times have been cut in half,” said Mike Dempsey, managing director of SMW Autoblok’s U.K. plant. “We have as little as 10 days to develop a concept, design it to within five to 10 microns of spec, and troubleshoot any problems. SolidWorks makes that possible by letting us reuse parts and identify and fix problems before cutting begins. I have faith that if I can get the model in during the proposal stage, I’ll get the work.”
Right first timeMuch of what Dempsey and his team design involves chucks that rotate at high speeds while holding a part (such as an oil pipe that needs a groove) to be machined. The slightest imbalance throws the process off and requires two days of on-site work to fix. SolidWorks’ physical simulation, part interference, and mass properties coupled with COSMOSXpress™ load analysis have helped engineers eliminate delays, saving about $1,200 for each instance, according to Dempsey.
He also credits SolidWorks and eDrawings e-mail-enabled design communication tool with boosting sales. “Many prospects and customers don’t understand CAD, and therefore the detail that goes into our designs,” said Dempsey. “We couldn’t easily share Autodesk Inventor designs, so we couldn’t really communicate with suppliers, customers, and prospects. SolidWorks and eDrawings give us that communication in models that everyone can understand.”
SMW Autoblok will soon be able to securely vault, share, and collaborate on designs with PDM Workgroup product data management software. Companies can accelerate product design using PDM Workgroup, which enables engineers to work concurrently on product designs without introducing errors. SMW Autoblok has already saved money, time, and headaches by using detailed design process documentation from PDMWork Group to achieve ISO 9001 certification.“In a market where lead time is increasingly scarce, SMW Autoblok has distinguished itself by having the agility to deliver right-first-time designs before its competitors,” said SolidWorks Country Manager for U.K. and Ireland Chris McManus. “That is job number one in succeeding in a crowded market. Job number two is to design better products.”
SMW Autoblok has received knowledgeable and experienced guidance and support from SolidWorks reseller Innova Systems to optimize productivity gains.
“Nobody stocks anything anymore. So our lead times have been cut in half,” said Mike Dempsey, managing director of SMW Autoblok’s U.K. plant. “We have as little as 10 days to develop a concept, design it to within five to 10 microns of spec, and troubleshoot any problems. SolidWorks makes that possible by letting us reuse parts and identify and fix problems before cutting begins. I have faith that if I can get the model in during the proposal stage, I’ll get the work.”
Right first timeMuch of what Dempsey and his team design involves chucks that rotate at high speeds while holding a part (such as an oil pipe that needs a groove) to be machined. The slightest imbalance throws the process off and requires two days of on-site work to fix. SolidWorks’ physical simulation, part interference, and mass properties coupled with COSMOSXpress™ load analysis have helped engineers eliminate delays, saving about $1,200 for each instance, according to Dempsey.
He also credits SolidWorks and eDrawings e-mail-enabled design communication tool with boosting sales. “Many prospects and customers don’t understand CAD, and therefore the detail that goes into our designs,” said Dempsey. “We couldn’t easily share Autodesk Inventor designs, so we couldn’t really communicate with suppliers, customers, and prospects. SolidWorks and eDrawings give us that communication in models that everyone can understand.”
SMW Autoblok will soon be able to securely vault, share, and collaborate on designs with PDM Workgroup product data management software. Companies can accelerate product design using PDM Workgroup, which enables engineers to work concurrently on product designs without introducing errors. SMW Autoblok has already saved money, time, and headaches by using detailed design process documentation from PDMWork Group to achieve ISO 9001 certification.“In a market where lead time is increasingly scarce, SMW Autoblok has distinguished itself by having the agility to deliver right-first-time designs before its competitors,” said SolidWorks Country Manager for U.K. and Ireland Chris McManus. “That is job number one in succeeding in a crowded market. Job number two is to design better products.”
SMW Autoblok has received knowledgeable and experienced guidance and support from SolidWorks reseller Innova Systems to optimize productivity gains.
AGAINST an unsettling backdrop of spiraling fuel costs, plummeting house prices and increasingly bleak predictions of economic woe, here is some good news: the UK manufacturing industry is growing. And while this growth — 0.1 per cent in April, says the Office for National Statistics and the manufacturing industry — is hardly a boom, it’s preferable to the wailing and gnashing of teeth emanating from the darker corners of the UK’s economy. The prime reason for this relative success is simple, and it’s laid bare on most pages of every issue of this magazine: unlike the money-men shuffling around notional amounts of money, and
the financial services companies pushing products that no-one wants or needs, engineers make things — tangible things that people both want and need. Perhaps the key word here is ‘need’. While few of us will shed tears at the thought of a few grotesquely remunerated bankers falling on harder times, the world cannot do without engineering. Without engineers the lights go off. The trains stop running. The hospitals shut down. The supermarket shelves lie empty. And ultimately, humans are deprived of the basic necessities required for survival. While this may sound melodramatic, as our interview with civil engineer and aid worker
Dr Robert Hodgson shows, it is frequently engineers who dominate the relief operations in disaster-struck areas of the world.
From ensuring drinking water is kept uncontaminated, to restoring communications and reopening the infrastructure required to get food to starving people, Hodgson’s compelling picture of the role of engineers in a crisis is a reminder of the relationship between engineering endeavor and human survival. Elsewhere in this issue, from a Swiss engineer’s efforts to bring low-cost solar power to the masses, to the growing promise of swarming robots for search and rescue and life-saving surgery, there are further examples of the part to be played by engineers in addressing some of the big questions facing society. Indeed, while politicians are concerned primarily with being re-elected and scientists present the facts but are often wary of taking responsibility, there is a good argument that engineers, who are typically adept at straddling disciplines, are better placed than anyone to get the job done. While it would be foolish and wrong to suggest that the sector is immune to the troughs of the global economic climate, it is certainly gratifying that a career that offers the chance to make the world a better place is for once looking more attractive than a job in the world of high finance. (From the Engineer – Jon Excell)
the financial services companies pushing products that no-one wants or needs, engineers make things — tangible things that people both want and need. Perhaps the key word here is ‘need’. While few of us will shed tears at the thought of a few grotesquely remunerated bankers falling on harder times, the world cannot do without engineering. Without engineers the lights go off. The trains stop running. The hospitals shut down. The supermarket shelves lie empty. And ultimately, humans are deprived of the basic necessities required for survival. While this may sound melodramatic, as our interview with civil engineer and aid worker
Dr Robert Hodgson shows, it is frequently engineers who dominate the relief operations in disaster-struck areas of the world.
From ensuring drinking water is kept uncontaminated, to restoring communications and reopening the infrastructure required to get food to starving people, Hodgson’s compelling picture of the role of engineers in a crisis is a reminder of the relationship between engineering endeavor and human survival. Elsewhere in this issue, from a Swiss engineer’s efforts to bring low-cost solar power to the masses, to the growing promise of swarming robots for search and rescue and life-saving surgery, there are further examples of the part to be played by engineers in addressing some of the big questions facing society. Indeed, while politicians are concerned primarily with being re-elected and scientists present the facts but are often wary of taking responsibility, there is a good argument that engineers, who are typically adept at straddling disciplines, are better placed than anyone to get the job done. While it would be foolish and wrong to suggest that the sector is immune to the troughs of the global economic climate, it is certainly gratifying that a career that offers the chance to make the world a better place is for once looking more attractive than a job in the world of high finance. (From the Engineer – Jon Excell)
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