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Registrations open on 26^th Feb for WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition 2024

As part of its ongoing drive to encourage more young people to begin a career in automation and engineering, FANUC UK is inviting the country’s brightest young minds to take part in the WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition. For the fourth year running, the industrial automation company is partnering with WorldSkills UK to give apprentices and students the chance to learn key robotics programming and operating skills with help from FANUC experts – and even earn the right to represent Squad UK at the international finals in China.

Entry is open at www.worldskillsuk.org/competitions/industrial-robotics from 26 February-29 March 2024 for teams of two people aged 16+. After completing an initial simulated entry-stage task, successful applicants will undertake training with FANUC ahead of the hands-on qualifier stage, which is being held at the Smart Factory Expo on 5-6 June at the NEC Birmingham. Visitors to the event will also be able to test their skills by taking part in a similar robotics trial alongside the competitors.

The WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition reaches its peak in November when, following further training, the most talented teams will compete to programme and operate a robot in a real-world task at the National Finals during FANUC UK’s Open House event, held at its Coventry HQ. Winners will then be selected for Squad UK to compete in Shanghai in 2026.

“It’s crucial that the next generation is given the opportunity to explore the world of robotics and automation, to help nurture a passion that could lead to a future career path,” says Satty Cole, Business Development Manager for Education, FANUC UK. “Finding talented and enthusiastic students and taking them on the WorldSkills UK journey is immensely important to FANUC as part of our drive to support and train young people looking to consider a career in automation, and to bridge the current manufacturing skills gap. Gaining experience with real-world industrial robots and receiving hands-on training from current FANUC robotics engineers can help to ignite a spark in a young person that could last a lifetime.”

Peter O’Neill was part of the 2023 winning team and is keen to encourage other students to take part in this year’s competition: “You will learn new skills which could open future job opportunities. Participating in WorldSkills and qualifying for the national finals is something that will stand out on a CV.”

Ben Blackledge, Chief Executive, WorldSkills UK adds: “Skills will continue to be a key differentiator for business both at home and abroad and through our programmes we are working to ensure that all apprentices and students across the UK can gain access to high-quality technical education and apprenticeships that lead to real success for them and the UK as a whole.” 

How to apply

Register in teams of two via the WorldSkills website www.worldskillsuk.org/competitions/industrial-robotics from 26 February 2024. Entries close on 29 March 2024.

Entry criteria

Eligible entrants are 16+ year old students in groups of two. Schools and colleges are encouraged to invite students to register, safe in the knowledge that FANUC will provide training and one on one support to the teams that make it through. There is no limit to the number of teams permitted to enter this competition per organisation.

Entrants must be present for the final stage of the competition at the National Finals in Coventry in November 2024. They must also be within a year of completion of a relevant Level 3 Apprenticeship and/or hold qualifications in an engineering-based subject to a minimum of a Level 3 or equivalent. Additionally, applicants must not have been employed within the industry of the chosen skill for more than three years prior to registration, not including the period of an apprenticeship.

The Passive Stage will require teams to complete a task on FANUC’s ROBOGUIDE system, which they can access using the 30-day free licence. FANUC will then provide everyone who makes it to the final with a free ROBOGUIDE educational license, to support their studies further.

Competition timeline

• Entries open (26 February 2024)
• Entries close (29 March 2024)
• Passive stage (April 2024) – assessment of the team using simulation software
• National Qualifiers (June 2024)
• Announcement of finalists (summer 2024)
• Training and development (autumn 2024)
• National Finals (November 2024)
• Squad UK – the winning team will represent their country at the International Finals in Shanghai, China in 2026 and compete against the winning teams from other countries. NOTE: International competitors must be 25 or under.

Regional Medical Director of the Global Sumitomo (SHI) Demag team Andrew Sargisson shares his industry insight…

MedTech is a multi-billion-dollar manufacturing sector. Unsurprisingly, industry analysts are always keen to pinpoint the newest transformational medical and life science technologies that are expected to shape future treatment pathways.

Regional Medical Director of the Global Sumitomo (SHI) Demag team Andrew Sargisson shares his industry insight and global predictions for the medical market, touching upon how these latest trends are influencing investments in medical injection moulding facilities worldwide.

Thermoplastic and LSR moulding continues to be used extensively to manufacture a huge variety of everyday medical applications. The range is broad and can include implantable components, test tubes, petri dishes, PCR tubes, pipette tips and other labware, as well as medical monitoring devices, drug delivery components and surgical equipment.

In 2023, the global medical injection moulding market size was estimated at USD 22.54 billion[i]. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8% from 2024 to 2030. Much of this growth is being driven by advances in self diagnostics, the home healthcare sector, improved healthcare infrastructures in emerging economies, and an aging population, which WHO predicts will double by 2050.

The medical market, particularly diagnostics, was strongly influenced by the Coronavirus pandemic. As anticipated, there has been a natural levelling-off for pandemic-related consumables.

More recently, there is a stronger leaning in the medical market towards larger strategic and more complex projects, such as drug delivery devices and pen style injectors. This is predominantly due to the global growth in diabetes care, where demand for advanced glucose monitoring and insulin delivery devices is propelling innovation. Testament to demand, credible industry reports forecast that the diabetes device market will surpass USD 68.2 billion by 2032, almost triple its 2022 value.

With regard to machinery, there is a strong move towards “copy & paste” systems and processes in both Europe and North America. The global medical team at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, led by business development director Anatol Sattel, are also noting more requests for remote system access to historical machine data. This is predominantly to assist with troubleshooting and monitoring validated process settings.

To support these efforts, the company’s R&D team continues to develop an IoT dashboard to facilitate data analysis and visualisation, transfer and storage of know-how, as well as maintenance planning and prediction. Within this assistance system, additional autonomous and interconnected functions are being conceived to provide valuable insight into the machine performance and different production variables.  

The development of process optimisation systems, integrating material and knowledge with simulation tools is probably the most exciting development on the horizon, claims Sargisson. Such systems will enable processors to observe advanced settings and capture deeper processing insights.

The company’s ultimate vision is an intelligent machine that can independently make predictions about part quality, machine wear and failures and deliver optimisations online. Enabling greater process consistency and allowing for real-time machine maintenance to be adjusted accordingly.

To support these advances and in order to meet the explicit quality management and validation ISO 13485 standards for medical devices,  Sumitomo (SHI) Demag introduced new machine user parameters, digital quality control and KPI analytics into its IntElect S medical production package. One of these advanced Med-Spec demo cells is now located in Limerick, Ireland. This will enable customers to perform validations, run tool trials and use the facility to provide valuable process optimisation training to technicians.

Also observed during the pandemic, larger scale adoption of home healthcare and smart diagnostic devices, continues to accelerate at pace.

With significant access to start-up finding, telehealth is the boom-market to watch. It is current exhibiting a CAGR of 19.7% between now and 2030[ii]. Online video and audio consultations with physicians and medical consultants are increasingly being used to deliver quality healthcare while simultaneously reducing heavy work and cost burdens. The telehealth segment is split between services and products. Items such as wearable patient monitoring and telecommunication devices accounts for around one third of the market.

For medical moulders already producing vital monitoring devices, including oxygen, weight, glucose and ECG devices, as well as infusion pumps and cannulas etc. and already meeting the exacting healthcare standards, the transition to homecare device production should be relatively seamless.  

High profile acquisitions of diagnostics companies, IPO listings, strategic partnerships, and the rise of virtual care platforms provide further assurance that the diagnostics market is on the cusp of another huge growth curve. This all indicates that there are clearly exciting opportunities ahead for moulders operating in the high tech medical device and diagnostics product development and production space.    

In 2024, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag will host its inaugural productivity roadshow. With four stopovers planned for July in the UK and Ireland, including Limerick, customers will be invited to explore all the latest trends, productivity and profit-enhancing technologies. Including medical. Watch this space!

[i] Grand View Research, 2023 report, https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/medical-injection-molding-market

[ii] Telehealth Market to 2030, Fortune Business Insights https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/telehealth-market-101065

Could 2024 be the year that UK manufacturers finally embrace robotics? After trailing behind our international counterparts for years, the UK is now starting to catch up when it comes to the installation of industrial robotics. Across all sectors – from traditional automation users such as automotive and electronics to new adopters including food & beverage and logistics – manufacturing firms are breaking down longstanding barriers to automation, leading the International Federation of Robotics to predict ‘strong growth’ in the number of UK robot installations.

No longer seen as expensive, complicated or inflexible, today’s automated solutions are affordable, agile, easy to operate, and smaller than ever. And with the advent of smart features such as integrated vision systems and real-time energy reduction functionality, they are helping manufacturers to streamline their operations, increase their productivity and plug the labour gap better than ever before.

Here, seven experts from leading robotics manufacturer FANUC UK share their views on the hottest automation trends to look out for in 2024.

Energy-efficient solutions

“One of the major trends in automation is definitely energy efficiency. Aside from its primary function, a key requirement for any automation solution will be its ability to stabilise energy consumption and reduce it as low as possible. Being able to evidence this through live data monitoring and enhanced reporting will also be vital for any manufacturer serious about reaching net zero.”

Joe Mumby, Technical Sales Manager (ROBOSHOT)

Application-specific software

“I believe we’ll start to see an increase in bespoke application-specific software throughout 2024. This will not only make it easier for customers and system integrators when it comes to programming, but will also improve traceability compared to operations that are conducted manually.”

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK has earned what’s considered by over 1000 British businesses and FTSE 100 companies to be the emissions-reversal gold-certification badge.

 Believed to be the first UK polymer machinery supplier exhibiting at Interplas 2023 to be measured against Carbon Neutral Britain’s credible and globally-validated offsetting standard, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK – the  British subsidiary of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH – has offset 153.81 tonnes of CO2e emissions through the Woodland Fund™ portfolio of certified nature-based carbon reduction projects.

To achieve this certification, every day-to-day activities, from car journeys, flights, trains, taxi, hotel stays, recycling, waste, building electricity and gas consumption figures were measured and reported. Quantifying these carbon compounds caused by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK has provided the subsidiary with a benchmark to support ongoing emission-reduction improvements.

Compared against businesses of a similar size and headcount, 153.81 tonnes of CO2e falls within the lowest quartile, assures Senior Environmental Consultant at Carbon Neutral Britain, Caspar Eccles-Williams. “It provides a good baseline and is testament to the efforts already taken by the Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK team to reduce emissions. We liken it to a sprint within a marathon. This 2023 audit has helped to identify hotspots where further incremental improvements can be made,” explains Casper.

The company intentionally selected Carbon Neutral Britain as it follows the ISO 14064 and GHG Emissions Protocol Accounting Standards. “The Woodland Fund™ backs legitimate projects where carbon credits are measured, regulated, verified and audited,” reports operations manager Andy Hannan.

All of the carbon offsetting projects are authenticated to the highest standards by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard Voluntary Emission Reductions (VER), and the United Nations Certified Emission Reductions (CER) programmes. To counterbalance the global inequalities in CO2e emissions, Sumitomo (SHI Demag UK’s offsets are funding four international Woodland Fund™ projects closely aligned to their business principles. They include energy reduction, socio-economic and environmental education, reforestation and biodiversity.

Managing director Nigel Flowers adds: “Our efforts won’t stop at this certification. Belonging to one of the world’s leading supplier of energy-efficient moulding machines, we’ll be accelerating our focus on sustainability both internally and with our customers in 2023 and beyond.”

The next five years are essentially the most critical to shift the climate course, states the latest report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It requires cooperation, scale and a faster pace. Studies by the UN panel suggest that the worst impacts of climate change could be irreversible by 2030.  By partnering with Carbon Neutral Britain, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK hopes it can encourage more businesses in the supply chain to offset any emissions that cannot be removed completely.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK has received the gold certification badge from Carbon Neutral Britain

Reforestation and biodiversity projects will benefit from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK’s 153.81 tonnes CO2e emissions offset through Carbon Neutral Britain.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK – the British subsidiary of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH – has offset 153.81 tonnes of CO2e emissions through the Woodland Fund™ portfolio of certified nature-based carbon reduction projects.

10nTaff Day 1 climbing Carnedd Llewellyn and Carnedd Dafydd

Bunting is sponsoring a group of dads and uncles of children supported by the South Wales children’s hospice Tŷ Hafan who are taking on the 2024 #BikeBoatBoot challenge to raise awareness of and funds for the charity. The group of thirteen men plan to hike, cycle off-road and kayak the length of Wales in four-days.

Figure 1 – Paul Fears on the top of Carnedd Dafydd on the #10nTaff

Bunting is one of the world’s leading magnetics companies, with two manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom. Bunting-Redditch focuses on the design and manufacture of separation and detection equipment including magnetic separators, eddy current separators, metal detectors and electrostatic separators. Bunting-Berkhamsted designs and manufactures magnets, magnet assemblies, and magnetising equipment.

Tŷ Hafan is a leading and much-loved charity that provides life-changing care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their families who live in Wales. All the dads and uncles taking part in the challenge are supported by the hospice. The team is made up from dads who have lost children and those still whose children continue to receive care and support from the wonderful staff at the hospice.

The #BikeBoatBoot challenge is the third in a trilogy of challenges undertaken by the dads and uncles, each sponsored by Bunting. In 2018, the team completed the #5in55, climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Cadair Idris, and Pen-y-Fan in 55 hours. In 2022, the team returned for the #10nTaff, climbing the five highest mountains in North Wales, then the five highest in South Wales, before cycling off-road 53 miles from Brecon to Cardiff. The #10nTaff was also completed in just over 55 hours.

Figure 2 – The team at the top of mountain 10 on the #10nTaff

Following the #5in55, the team’s fundraising efforts were recognized by Just Giving with the Fundraising Team of the Year award. By completing the two challenges, the team has raised over £75,000 for the hospice. The team is aiming to exceed previous year’s fundraising for the #BikeBoatBoot challenge, with support possible via the team’s Just Giving page ‘Bike Boat Boot Challenge for Tŷ Hafan’.

The #BikeBoatBoot challenge involves travelling the length of Wales on off-road cycle paths, mountain hiking trails, and kayaking along the whole length of Lake Bala. The estimated distance is over 200 miles, with the team climbing nearly 18,000 feet.

“Our 2024 challenge is an ultimate and very unique Welsh triathlon,” says Paul Fears, Bunting’s Press Officer and participant in the latest challenge, “and it is tougher and longer than any previous challenge we have undertaken.”

Dads and family members of children supported by Tŷ Hafan are joined by staff from the hospice and key sponsors on this extreme challenge. In all, there are currently 13 team members: Anthony Boggis, Chris Thomas, Dan Forbes, Gareth Jenkins, Georgie Fear, James Meacham, Jason Foster, Laurence Morgan, Lee Morgan, Lloyd Davies, Matthew Evans, Patrick Lord and Paul Fears.

Says Paul, “Many of the participating dads have lost children, whilst other families still receive care and support from Tŷ Hafan. Taking on the challenge is as much about men’s mental health challenges as it is about raising awareness of and funds for the hospice.

“It is widely reported that men do not talk and the #BikeBoatBoot challenge gives a group of dads and uncles the opportunity to be together and support each other in the many weeks of training leading up to the challenge and the event itself.

“When I lost my son in February 2023 my whole world literally fell apart. I was and still am numb.

“As a family we have had amazing support from Tŷ Hafan, but as a dad I’ve had incredible support from other dads. I can talk to them about things that nobody wants to discuss. That support has and still is precious. I’m not sure what I would have done without it.”

“Bunting’s support makes this challenge possible. I cannot thank them enough.”

To support the dads and uncles on the #BikeBoatBoot challenge, please go to their Just Giving page ‘Bike Boat Boot Challenge for Tŷ Hafan’.

For further information, please contact us on press@buntingmagnetics.com or visit our websites:

Mountains Waun Fach and Pen y Gadair Fawr in the Black Mountains. Mountains 9 and 10 on the 10nTaff Challenge for Ty Hafan

As part of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s expanding presence in Ireland, the company’s newly-kitted out showroom, testing and tool trial facility in Limerick recently took delivery of a high-speed IntElect S 100 medical-specification production cell.

Responding to one of the greatest challenges for medical manufacturers – constant high output, rigorous technical requirements and high precision – the IntElect S 100 delivers the repeatability and accuracy required for highly demanding applications. Specifically, the production of pipette tips, vials, drug delivery devices and pen style injectors.

Transported direct from Fakuma 2023, the IntElect S 100 machine’s ability to accommodate various tool configurations and automation options, combined with its energy efficiency, makes this machine the natural choice for producing high-volume medical components with the greatest precision.
The controlled acceleration and deceleration injection speeds underpins this medical machine’s success, notes the company’s Medical Business Development Director Anatol Sattel. “When there is no margin for error, the IntElect’s highly dynamic direct drive technology can react quicker to the injection speed changes. This not only delivers a faster cycle time but ensures the optimal product quality. All of this results in a faster ROI.”

Featuring direct drives that are renowned for being clean, cool, fast and quiet, the 0.14 seconds required to reach the IntElect´s maximum injection speed of 350mm/sec opens up the process window in critical areas where  the difference between overfilling, a full part or a short shot, can be very small. This filling speed can also help to prevent core shifts in applications like pipette tips that are more susceptible to the forces associated with slow injection speeds.

With the company’s medical drive systems tailored to the applications, customers in Ireland will soon be able to see how features like these help to lower energy consumption and reduce the amount of heat having to be dissipated from air-conditioned environments. All combining to help reduce operating costs.

Process optimisation, enhanced productivity and TCO can have the biggest impact on profitability. Again, these are greatly enhanced by this medical cell’s high-performance drives. Comprehensive lifetime tests performed on both the machines and components confirm that spindles tested under the toughest production conditions showed no signs of visible wear, even after millions of cycles.

“Having our very own medical machine in Ireland now gives customers a high-spec package to support validations, run tool trials and provide valuable process optimisation training to technicians. We are anticipating this machine will generate a lot of interest from medical moulders in Ireland. Combined with the IntElect S 180 machine already installed at our new Limerick facility, we now have the ability to demonstrate a range of AI and connectivity features to customers in all sectors. Critically, customers can benefit from the convenience of running tests and trials on site, without having to travel overseas. We look forward to welcoming customers from the first week of January 2024,” emphasises UK & Ireland Director Dave Raine.

FANUC UK Managing Director, Tom Bouchier, has this morning (Tues 14 Nov) called on the government and political leaders to develop a cross-party strategy to secure the future of UK manufacturing. Speaking live at the FANUC Open House event in Coventry, he stated: “Make UK’s recent report has identified that 99% of manufacturers want an industrial strategy, and 87% believe it would give their business a long-term vision. What we need now is a coherent, joined up strategy for manufacturing, with cross-party consensus, to give businesses the certainty they so badly need. As the only developing country without an industrial strategy, we’re in danger of being left behind if we can’t deliver this soon.”

Increasing productivity

Taking place 14-16 November at FANUC’s UK headquarters in Ansty Park, Coventry, the Open House event is showcasing the latest innovations in automation and robotics to help manufacturers improve the efficiency and productivity of their factories, as well as alleviate labour shortages.

In attendance this morning was Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, who encouraged businesses to embrace automation: “Manufacturing is a worldwide, competitive race and in order for UK firms to be competitive, they need to increase their productivity. Automation solutions such as those on display at the FANUC Open House can help UK companies to remain competitive in the long term. What’s happening here is really important for the future of our economy.”

Overcoming barriers to automation

Encompassing panel debates, case studies, 35 exhibitors, live robot demonstrations and the finals of the WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition, the FANUC Open House brings together leading figures from the world of robotics, automation, manufacturing and academia to showcase the latest cutting-edge innovations that are changing the face of UK factories.

The morning’s first panel debate, focusing on overcoming barriers to automation, featured insights from industry leader Stuart Whitehead of the Jefferson Group, who stated: “Many UK firms are still addicted to cheap manual labour, focusing on short-term costs rather than long-term gains.”

The panel agreed that highlighting the longer-term paybacks of automation – including increased efficiency and sustainability gains, as well as compensating for worker shortages – is key to encouraging greater uptake of robotics in the UK.

Inspiring future talent

In addition to showcasing the latest automation innovations to manufacturers, one of the event’s main aims is to encourage more young people to pursue a career in engineering. While day one centres on the future of manufacturing and day two tackles sustainability, day three will focus solely on education, featuring presentations by current and past apprentices as well as the live final of the WorldSkills UK industrial robotics competition.

Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said:

“One of my takeaways from today is that there are legions of opportunities here for young people. I’ve seen for myself by talking to the WorldSkills UK participants some of the brilliant talent that’s coming through. Engineering offers a very vibrant career pathway for our young people, stimulated by events such as FANUC’s Open House.”