inspirON exchange by Protolabs Protolabs

The UK is the 8th largest manufacturing nation, however, the UK comes in at number 25 on the robot density league table. What are the barriers to adoption and what opportunities does robotics and automation open up? Joined by Mike Wilson from Manufacturing Technology
Centre (MTC), our host Alex Edwards leads the conversation on the current state of robotics and automation in the UK, changing perspectives, and emerging technologies on the horizon.



Items referenced in this episode:


MTC Robotics
MTC Robotics &
Automation Conference
MACH Automation & Robotics Knowledge
Hub
UK Automation
Forum
Protolabs⁠
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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or Protolabs.

With the expected population of the UK to be 73.7 million by
2036 and increased pressure to reach net zero by 2050, how does the Agriculture industry fair when challenged with growing populations, climate change, sustainability goals and resource inefficiencies? Joined by Emilio Loo Monardez from WMG, our host Alex Edwards leads the conversation on the impact innovative technologies will have on the sector, and whether it will be enough.



Items referenced in this episode:


Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG)
Protolabs
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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or Protolabs.

By definition, networking is “the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts”, but in more recent times, has networking become a buzzword with no action? Joined by Richard Spears from PP Control & Automation and Rowan Crozier MBE from Brandauer, our host Alex Edwards leads the discussion on what networking means in 2024, how the UK compares to other countries, and what opportunities are available through collaboration within the manufacturing industry.



Items referenced in this episode:


Brandauer
Brandauer Apprenticeship Programme
PP Control & Automation
PP Plus case studies
Protolabs
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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent or Protolabs.

In this episode, we talk you through supply chain management and how to reduce risk through on-demand manufacturing.

The topics we will be talking through today are:


Strategic importance of supply chain safeguards
The bottom line
Identifying opportunities

Quoting and design for manufacturability (DFM) analysis
Product development
Pilot production
Bridge to production

In this episode, we discuss threading considerations when CNC Machining a part.

The topics we will be talking through today are:


What is a thread?
Internal threads - process and factors to consider
External threads - process and factors to consider
Coil inserts
Modelling threads in CAD
Internal and external threads summary

Considerations when designing a part that requires threading

In this episode we answer your questions on CNC big block with David Ewing, EMEA Product Manager - CNC Machining at Protolabs. See below for a list of questions answered in this session:


What is meant when you refer to the term "Big Block"?
What materials are open to Big Block?
What kind of tolerances can be achieved with the Big Block capabilities?
What is the minimum quantity I can have if I choose CNC?
What kind of materials are used in CNC & what should I consider when selecting for my machined parts?
I'm looking to have a logo put on to my part, is this worth doing?
What is the minimum wall thickness on a machined part?
On the topic of undercuts, what kind of clearance would you recommend?

Get involved in future sessions by sending in your questions to ProtolabsQA@protolabs.co.uk or use #ProtolabsQA.