Reliable unattended running is achieved via the effective, automatic, jet-less wire rethreading system that uses the X, Y, U and V axes to find an optimum cutting restart position with the wire clear of the workpiece surface.

Combes was particularly pleased with the bidirectional HyperConnect Industry 4.0 network connectivity for remote machine monitoring and interlinking of all manufacturing information. This standard software enables access via the cloud to BM Injection's Open Mind OPTICAM wire EDM computer-aided manufacturing software. The CAD/CAM information occupies the top monitor of the twin-screen control and can be viewed and operated as if it were on-board, while Makino's process control screen occupies the lower monitor.

in May 2022, a U32j wire EDM machine was fitted with the same Hyper-i control system as a Makino EDAF3 H.E.A.T. EDM die-sinker that arrived in 2019, at the same time as a Makino D200Z 5-axis machining centre from the same Japanese source.

The Makino U32j wire-cut EDM machine on the shop floor at BM Injection. On the right is the twin-screen control with HyperConnect remote connectivity to the mouldmaker's Open Mind CAM system (top). Below is Makino's process control screen.

While job creation numbers grow, employers are scrambling to find skilled workers to fill those positions, and it’s only getting worse. More than two million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2030, according to a study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute.

Combes concluded: "Makino is an excellent product but equally important to us is after-sales service. We have always received good back-up from NCMT ever since they delivered, installed and commissioned an Okuma 3-axis vertical machining centre in 2016.

Mantle, an innovator in applying metal 3D-printing technology to the fabrication of precision tooling, reports that it has reached a significant milestone by securing $20 million in Series C funding. This raises the company’s total funding to more than $61.5 million and marks a crucial step toward widespread adoption of its precision metal manufacturing technology, the company said in the announcement.

Business, not surprisingly, is booming: Last year saw double-digit growth in shipments, according to San Francisco-based Mantle.

“We purchased a Mantle system for two reasons — to reduce time-to-market for our products and to make our toolroom more efficient while attracting next-generation talent to Heyco,” commented Vice President of Operations Danny Anthony. “By using Mantle to print mold tooling, we have already brought a new product to market two months faster than we would have otherwise. We also increased the throughput in our toolroom by giving our toolmakers access to the latest technology that makes them significantly more productive.”

"Mantle is poised to revolutionize the global tooling industry," said Alexandra Manick, principal of Schooner Capital. "The company’s advanced manufacturing platform, TrueShape, is proven to deliver significant cost savings and, more importantly, unprecedented speed for its customers. This paradigm-shifting solution is readily adoptable and sorely needed to address persistent skilled labor shortages and accelerate product development timelines for industrial toolmakers and OEMs worldwide,” said Manick.

The control employs HyperCut technology, a process developed by Makino to produce surface finishes as fine as three microns Rz in standard tool steels in a three- or four-pass process. The machine was a high-accuracy package with 0.05-micron scale feedback capable of producing extremely smooth surfaces down to 0.7-micron Ra if a 7-pass process is adopted.

Hampshire-based mould maker BM Injection produces moulds to make plastic products for use in high-end engineering applications in the aerospace, automotive, transportation, and sports sectors, amongst others. Every mould has to visit a die-sink and a wire-cut electric discharge machine (EDM), as well as a machining centre for hard milling. The proportion of time spent on each machine varies. In the production of BM Injection's mould tools, unless any are hard-milled on an Okuma 3-axis machining centre on-site, all three production platforms used for manufacturing the moulds were built by Makino in Japan and supplied through sole UK agent NCMT.

The Hyper-i Windows-based, twin-touch-screen CNC system, with an intuitive interface similar to that found on tablets and smartphones, includes advanced functions to support operators of all skill levels at every step of the machining process. The control contains an extensive library of cutting conditions that automatically optimises the erosion process, even for sealed and poor flush applications. It also enables easy access to and selection of power settings to produce accurate results in the fastest possible cycle times.

The Series C funding round was led by Schooner Capital, a Boston-based private investment firm, joined by its largest existing investors, including Fine Structure Ventures, Foundation Capital, Corazon Capital, 11.2 Capital, and Build Collective.

"NCMT's engineers provided a week's instruction at the outset and are always available online or at the end of a telephone for troubleshooting or if technical advice is needed."

"When the time came to install new, modern wire EDM technology,” he said, “we looked at a number of options. We decided again in favour of the Makino offering not only because of the control and its synergy with our die-sink CNC system, but also due to the U32j's impressive working volume (370 x 270 x 220 mm) for the footprint (2,580 × 3,165 mm). We get a very compact machine while gaining an extra 20 mm of travel in X, Y and Z."

US government incentives and policies, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, along with geopolitical risks in various parts of the world that threaten global supply chains have buoyed near- and reshoring as well as foreign direct investment (FDI), according to a recent report from the Reshoring Initiative. The organization said that 2023 was the second highest year on record in terms of job creation linked to reshoring and FDI, adding 287,000 jobs based on its record keeping.

Continued reshoring of manufacturing coupled with the skilled labor shortage in the United States has created a uniquely attractive business opportunity for Mantle’s TrueShape technology.

Editor in chief of PlasticsToday since 2015, Norbert Sparrow has more than 30 years of editorial experience in business-to-business media. He studied journalism at the Centre Universitaire d'Etudes du Journalisme in Strasbourg, France, where he earned a master's degree.

BM Injection Director Mark Combes said: "With a wire machine it’s all about producing sharp radii and smooth surfaces, especially on the interior of ejector pin holes. That is exactly what the U32j has produced right from the start due to a combination of rigid machine build, thermal stability and the Hyper-i control."

Combes was also impressed with the user-friendly, fixed-table, rise-and-fall tank design for its easy access on three sides for efficient loading/unloading and for easy cleaning and maintenance.

General Pattern, a fourth-generation, woman-owned low- to medium-volume plastics processor, adopted Mantle’s technology to enhance flexibility in building production tools at prototype lead times and minimize the need to build entire tools by toolmakers. Cost, lead time, and labor were significantly reduced: Using Mantle’s technology, the company was able to shave off 3.5 weeks of lead time in tooling fabrication and required just four active hours of a toolmaker’s time.

"Extensive product knowledge and being able to impart it to our operators during training is even more crucial with EDM technology. Unless parameters are kept within close limits, machining efficiency can fall off quite quickly. It is important our staff know how to keep an eye on this.

The standard CRYSTAL II machining functionality built into the Hyper-i control is effective for machining shapes that are hard to polish while enhancing surface finish for improved mould release. “It requires no special insulated jigs and is performed with uncoated wire,” Combes added.

Access to the working area of the Makino U32j for component load / unload and maintenance is unrestricted due to a programmable, three-sided drop-tank system.

Investors are bullish on Mantle’s metal 3D-printing system that reportedly can slash tooling costs by more than 65% and development cycles by as much as 90%.

By focusing on printing tools for mass production rather than the parts themselves, Mantle said it has tackled the longstanding issues of high costs and lengthy production times associated with tool creation for mass production. This strategic shift has resulted in cost reductions for customers exceeding 65% and accelerated manufacturers' development cycles by up to 90%, it claims.

Tooling made via Mantle’s TrueShape technology have produced millions of parts while reducing both tooling lead time and cost. Image courtesy of Businesswire.

Heyco Products, a US-based manufacturer of wire protection products and electrical components, deployed Mantle technology for in-house molding and toolmaking.

BM Injection also uses the Protech galvanic protection offering from Makino, which prevents rusting and oxidation of steel, carbide and aluminium. By placing an electrode plate in the bottom of the tank and giving it a positive charge, the workpiece is held at a negative potential that constantly attracts positive ions.

The U32j is capable of utilising wire down to 0.07 mm diameter, which is smaller than most machines are able to accommodate. There will be a need for smaller gauges and the accompanying diamond guides for the future production of BM Injection's optical industry moulds. Combes pointed out a reduction in wire consumption coupled with an increase in cutting speed on every job completed so far on the U32j compared with the nearly 20-year-old wire-cut EDM machine that was replaced.

Beyond the sheer numbers, some of those jobs require a specific skillset and command commensurate compensation. Moldmaking is in that cohort, which is why Mantle’s technology is attractive to investors and customers alike. The TrueShape system reportedly delivers the accuracy, surface finish, and tool steel properties required for demanding tooling applications, while reducing tooling lead times and costs. Mantle has gathered some testimonials to back up that claim.