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News Release from: GTMA
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 03 January 2003
Green light for Fastool project
A three year research initiative to develop technical solutions to reduce mould tool making throughput times by 50% has received final funding approval.
2003 is off to a flying start as a three year research initiative, led by the GTMA, to develop technical solutions to reduce mould tool making throughput times by 50%, has received final funding approval The project will concentrate on knowledge-based NC programming, automation and lean manufacturing and will include the creation of a demonstration unit in the UK
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 3 Feb 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The project aims to achieve its objectives in three ways: first by reducing programming time for premilling moulds on high speed milling machines, secondly by reducing programming time to generate electrode geometry and NC programmes for producing electrodes, and thirdly by integrating HSM machines for electrode generation and EDM machines for mould production, thus increasing tool efficiency.
The work programme will be carried out by European research teams at Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and TNO in Holland.
In the UK this will be at GTMA member, the Centre for Rapid Design and Manufacture (CRDM) in High Wycombe, where the demonstration unit will be installed.
In addition to the GTMA, the Fastool initiative involves three other European trade associations: Metaalunie in the Netherlands, NC-Gesellschaft in Germany and the Catalan Association of Mould and Die Manufacturers ASCAMM in Spain.
A third of the 39 SMEs involved in the project are GTMA member companies and the association will be creating a programme, including open days, to spread information and best practice throughout its membership and the industry.
GTMA Director, Julia Moore, comments, "The award of this funding is a major success for the UK mould tool industry.
The Fastool project will develop, and disseminate information on, a range of best practice technologies and techniques.
UK SMEs will be directly involved in real cutting-edge research, providing real bottom-line competitive advantage.
If we, as Europeans, are to compete successfully against the Far East, then this is exactly the type of project in which we need to participate".
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