European Springs Web Team, Author at European Springs Ireland

Following the peak of the UK Coronavirus pandemic many manufacturing and engineering businesses have been getting back to work over the last month or so. With the pandemic affecting nearly all businesses across all industries, there is likely to be a significant cut in research and development spending across most sectors.

With companies looking to cut costs and save jobs where possible, research and development is set to suffer, but this is likely to have a detrimental affect to the future of the manufacturing industry as a whole. Here, we take a closer look at just how important research and development funds will be to the UK’s overall economic recovery.

R&D Integral To Recovery Of Most Industries

As many businesses assess their options for a full recovery over the coming months and years, it’s no surprise that research and development spending is likely to be one of the main cuts made by most employers – though this may not be in their best interests.

According to a survey carried out by the Royal Academy of Engineering in April 2020, those surveyed believe that research and development will play a vital role in many industries finding a way out of the issues caused by the pandemic. There is a real belief that research and development in the manufacturing, engineering and healthcare industry will have a profound affect on just how quickly each of these sectors can recover.

Research and development is commonly funded through revenue brought in by businesses, however, with many companies experiencing cash flow issues in the past few months, the total spending on R&D is likely to take a significant hit. Research and development spending is also likely to affect partnership with educational establishments who would have benefited and been able to provide additional support for student work placements throughout the year.

It’s also worth noting that many businesses will have been some way through existing research and development projects when the Coronavirus pandemic hit, which in most cases, will have halted their progress indefinitely.

What Can Be Done?

First and foremost, it’s vital that the government do not ignore the need for urgent backing when it comes to research and development for all sectors, but with particular emphasis placed on the manufacturing and health industries.

Whilst the government spending in research and development has steadily decreased over the last few years, the importance of investing now cannot be understated. Failure to capitalise on this opportunity could see many industries, including the manufacturing and engineering sector, held back in comparison to other global competitors.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is calling for several interventions to support business research and development through this difficult time. Here’s an overview of what they believe needs to be done over the coming months, to minimise the impact on R&D for all businesses:

Expand the Made Smart pilot to support SMEs in adapting to thrive within the ‘new normal’
Make innovation a key component of the public procurement process, enabling businesses to bring the best value for money to the public
Use the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to stimulate pre-competitive collaboration to address future innovation needs and opportunities
Protect the innovation pipeline and future-proof it by taking the following steps:
- Front-loading public funding in multi-year research and innovation programmes
- Introducing agile and rapid Collaborative R&D programmes to promote industry-university collaborations and knowledge exchange
- Boosting support for late-stage R&D and demonstration
- Maintaining and improving the UK’s competitive package of tax incentives for companies to innovate
- Developing globally leading capabilities

President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Professor Sir Jim McDonald commented: “A knowledge and innovation-led economy remains our best strategy for future prosperity and we know from previous economic downturns that companies that have continued their R&D activity have been much better placed to recover afterwards.

“Now is the time for government to set out a powerful vision that both demonstrates its commitment to R&D and provides certainty to the businesses that will shape our economic destiny. Investing in R&D is investing in the future.”

As one of the UK’s leading spring manufacturers, we believe in the power of research and development to ensure businesses within the sector are able to continue going from strength to strength. The last few years have been testing for all manufacturers across the UK, and whilst the Coronavirus pandemic has caused widespread problems over the last three months, there is a genuine optimism around the industry that targeted research and development could pave the way to the sector thriving once again as all of our businesses enter working in the ‘new normal’.

As businesses around the UK do their best to adapt to the ‘new normal’, manufacturing companies are quickly finding that IoT technologies will play an integral role in their business over the coming years. In particular, augmented reality (AR) has already shown just how important it is for many manufacturers, with experts from the sector extensively using the technology during lockdown.

In this article, we will take a look at what augmented reality is, how it works in manufacturing and the role this technology is set to have in the coming months and years as we all adapt to the ‘new normal’.

What Is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image of the real world. It allows the user to make real time interactions with the real world environment that is being mirrored in AR, and is increasingly used in a number of sectors.

It’s fair to say that many people still associate augmented reality as a pretty futuristic technology, but in reality, it’s actually been around for a number of years now. Augmented reality has grown in recent years and has allowed millions of people to continue operating in their roles completely remotely.

It is easy to get augmented reality and virtual reality mixed up, but the easiest way to differentiate the two is by remembering that virtual reality refers to computer-generated environments for the user to interact with, whereas augmented reality actually adds to the reality you would see, rather than replacing it altogether.

How Does Augmented Reality Work In Manufacturing?

There is an ever-increasing market for this technology in the workplace. Manufacturing has already seen a huge uplift in the number of companies utilising augmented reality regularly in the workplace, and with the coronavirus pandemic hitting the UK in late March, even more businesses have been forced into using the technology extensively.

With some manufacturing experts being forced to work from home, augmented reality allowed these remote employees to see the physical world on video. During these sessions, the employee using augmented reality technology was able to annotate physical objects by simply using either their smartphone or wearable technology.

All of this means that despite the majority of the workforce being forced to work remotely, there was no need to furlough some staff who could continue to carry out their day to day roles from their own living room. Augmented reality allows companies to have employees right across the world be involved in the build and assembly of any products. If proper processes are put in place in terms of using augmented reality, such as giving employees a set agenda to follow during their augmented reality sessions, it ensures they run as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Moving forward, with augmented reality proving a success in the manufacturing industry already, it’s fair to say that this could lead to businesses conducting more of their work remotely where possible. For example, traditionally engineers and technicians would have to travel between sites to resolve any issues with equipment, but augmented reality is capable of cutting out needless travel, enabling these experts to give front line workers a step by step guide to resolving any problems.

The Future Of Augmented Reality & Manufacturing

It’s clear to see that augmented reality and IoT technologies in general are already having a profound effect on the manufacturing industry. All signs suggest that there will be an increased reliance on augmented reality technologies as the years go by, but of course this will be rolled out across the industry slowly and incrementally.

At present, augmented reality is mainly used in the design, training and routine maintenance of equipment, but there is scope for this to be expanded into the assembly and manufacturing processes too in the near future.

One of the main things that companies who wish to adopt this technology need to remember is that high-quality data management will hold the key to augmented realities overall success. With augmented reality relying solely on data to feed into the support technology, businesses will need to invest heavily in ensuring that all the data required is readily available for the software to operate effectively.
At European Springs & Pressings Ireland, we pride ourselves on being part of the largest spring suppliers group in Europe. That’s why you can always rest assured you’ll receive the very best service and products when you work with us, and why we’re always keeping our finger on the pulse of the very latest news surrounding the manufacturing industry. Our experts are consistently keeping a close eye on the latest developments in the manufacturing sector, and we are always sure to invest in the latest technologies that can help us better serve our customers, from new spring coiling machines to integrating the latest IoT technologies into our existing processes.

With the COVID-19 lockdown still in force, the news hasn’t been the most positive, including in the manufacturing industry. However, there is no denying that, in May, there were some great news stories in the sector, which we just had to share in this article.

So, we’re taking a look at some of the biggest stories from around the manufacturing and engineering world while providing our own insight.

UK Manufacturing is Recovering

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc in the manufacturing industry, but recent figures indicate that the sector is showing signs of recovery. A survey from HIS showed that factory output has declined at a significantly slower pace in May than it did in April.

These positive signs are due to the lockdown measures easing up slightly during May, which showcases how the industry is ready – and keen – to return to normality as soon as possible (and as much as possible). Social distancing will still remain a key element, however, with employers taking measures to ensure the safety of their staff.

In June, figures should continue to show more signs of recovery for more manufacturers. This is because most non-essential shops and workplaces are set to open on the 15^th June.

Safety remains very important and employers will continue to keep it in mind for the foreseeable future. However, it’s also important that, while observing these measures, manufacturers do all they can to get the industry back up and running. UK products and services could hold the key to the country’s wider economic recovery in upcoming months and years.

75% of People Now Believe Strongly in UK Manufacturing

New research by Cadence Innovation Marketing shows that 75% of people now believe more strongly in the importance of UK manufacturing. 2,000 adults from around the UK participated in this study. The findings point to 75% of people being firmly behind the manufacturing sector, especially due to how the industry has handled the pandemic challenge.

UK manufacturing stepped up to the challenge and helped to support the nation during these difficult times, so people believe the sector can help improve the economy in the upcoming months.

76% of people are also worried about cheap imported goods coming into the country. COVID-19 is still, understandably, a concern for many, which is why UK manufacturing should continue growing its output and create high-quality products.

We’re spring manufacturers, so we think it’s great that the vast majority of people are behind manufacturing and understand its importance. We’ve been keeping up production and helping several sectors during the outbreak, including healthcare, and we’ll continue to do so in the coming times.

NASA and SpaceX Had a Successful Launch and Docking with the ISS

A great piece of news that happened very recently was the combined venture between NASA and SpaceX that saw the successful rocket launch and docking with the ISS. This mission showcases how modern engineering and manufacturing have advanced and how bright their future looks.

In late May, after a delay due to bad weather conditions, the mission finally received the go ahead. For the first time, NASA astronauts launched from US soil on a commercially built spacecraft, which coincided with the first manned launch of a spacecraft in almost a decade as well.

SpaceX Crew Dragon launched on Saturday 30^th May at 3.22pm UK time. The two NASA astronauts and test pilots, Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, docked with the International Space Station around 19 hours after lift-off – this journey had the spacecraft orbit the earth at staggering speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hours.

Elon Musk formed SpaceX in 2002 and, since then, the company has tried to help humanity become an interplanetary species. One of their goals is to create a colony on Mars and, considering the success SpaceX are currently enjoying, we believe this is now more likely than ever.

New Stretchable, Self-Healing and Illuminating Material

A new material called HELIOS, which stands for Healable Low-Field Illuminating Optoelectronic Stretchable, has been created. It can be used in wearable technology and in robotics, and offers self-healing, stretchable and electronic properties.

These features have a wide range of applications and will probably become a key part of future inventions as well. We believe this is the type of material that will define the future of the sector, as it will likely be extensively used in many different ways.

You can read more about this fantastic material in Interesting Engineering’s post.

At European Springs & Pressings Ireland, we believe it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in the industry, so you can expect to see more news roundups on our blog page. From company updates to articles on our vast range of products, you can find it all there, so check in regularly to stay up to date.

At European Springs Ireland, we understand that the UK manufacturing industry never stays the same, especially when we take the current COVID-19 into situation into consideration. As spring suppliers, we like to keep our finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest news and developments, which you can find below.

UK Manufacturers Helping the NHS

While the country – as well as the world – is still in the midst of a pandemic, it has been heartwarming to see how UK manufacturers have stepped up to help the NHS. From creating ventilators to crucial pieces of equipment that make healthcare workers’ lives and patients’ treatments easier, manufacturers have come together to do their part in the current climate.

For example, Jaguar Land Rover has started production of 3D-printed protective visors. While the initial order is for 1,300 visors weekly for key workers, they intend to up this limit and develop mass production.

As for European Springs, we are manufacturing springs for ventilators and syringe drivers, among other components, which you can read more about on our article “Our Small Medical Components Are Playing a Large Role in Today’s Healthcare Climate”.

Apprenticeships Must Continue

This is the belief of Make UK, and it’s easy to see why. The manufacturers’ organisation said that it’s critical that we don’t keep the ‘next generation on lockdown’. Make UK have also said that engineering and manufacturing employers shouldn’t postpone their apprentice recruitment plans – this is because thousands of young people are looking for a placement, so there is demand for this.

It’s crucial that manufacturers look at the future of their company, as apprenticeships are a great way to inject new blood – as well as ideas and innovation – into a business.

We have been taking on apprentices for a long time, so we understand the importance of investing in the younger generation. We take on several apprentices every year and believe this is crucial to also close the skills gap in the industry.

Vauxhall and Social Distancing

Some countries are already easing their lockdown measures, so it’s likely that the UK will follow suit. In order to get ready for when people return to the premises, the Vauxhall plant in Ellesmere Port, in the Wirral, is ensuring social distancing measures for their workers.

This way, the company can continue functioning as normal as possible while keeping staff safe. Measures include signs of physical distancing throughout the plant, such as on the factory floor, rest areas and bathrooms.

Training in Aerospace Engineering

In order to motivate a generation of young people to train in aerospace engineering, manufacturing and STEM subjects – and to help bridge the skills gap – AERALIS will build innovative aircraft using a modular design. This is set to re-energise the UK aircraft sector by providing modular fighter-trainer aircraft to the Royal Air Force, as well as other air forces around the world. The aircraft will have to be able to be repaired easily, since they will be used for training.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence to Help Coral Reefs

It’s no secret that coral reefs are in dire need of help. They create a habitat for many marine species and are vital for the Earth’s ecosystem, so it’s good to see technology – more specifically, AI – used to preserve and protect them.

AI has a key role to play in the Philippines. The reefs are under threat due to overfishing, bottom trawling, rising temperatures and unsustainable coastal development.

Airbus Plans to Swap Passenger Seats for Cargo

Considering the current circumstances, Airbus have decided to swap seats for cargo in their A330 and A350 family of aircraft; this will help airlines and global trade, which are under pressure from lockdown measures across the globe.

Airbus is developing a modification that will allow the installation of freight pallets onto the cabin floor, a specification designed to keep airlines afloat and to help curtail the global shortage of cargo capacity. Airlines will find it easier to transport medical supplies and equipment as well, and the planes will also have increased fire protection and 9G load-resistant abilities. This is meant to ensure the ultimate safety and to stop items from moving while in the air.

European Springs Ireland believe it’s important to stay up to date with the latest industry news, which is we why we recap the latest month’s news in our ongoing round up series. You can read more articles on our blog page to stay on top of what’s going on at the moment.

Contact us today if you’re looking for springs, pressings or wireforms and we’ll be happy to discuss your project needs with you.

If your business is currently immobilised by the lockdown, you might be thinking that now would be the perfect time to brush up on areas of your business that are often left a little overlooked.

Continuing to use your time as productively as possible during the lockdown will give you an advantage over your competition, but if you’re thinking about getting up to speed with the manufacturing landscape at large – the confusion and difficulties currently faced by the industry might be making it difficult to discern what the future might hold.

Despite this, we’re going to be providing you with words from the experts and plenty of established resources from which you can draw your thoughts and plan ahead.

Thoughts from SAGE

Published by SAGE, this intellectual white paper comes from the co-founder of Massachusetts Institute of Technology Smart Customization Group. In the paper, various surveys have been undertaken to help manufacturers to understand what could help their company to succeed, and how the biggest names have continued to stay at the top.

To summarise the main points of the paper, manufacturing companies should be thinking about how they can improve their Sharing, Vision, Flexibility and Optimisation strategies. These values call for businesses to think about how they can benefit from being more open about their technologies, to think outside of making changes only for operational efficiency, and to train employees to question current business processes and put forward solutions and ideas for improvement.

These tips may sound familiar, but the difference with this paper is that it requests that the manufacturing industry starts to take these suggestions more seriously than previously recommended. More drastic changes need to be made for the industry to evolve, and you can better understand how to implement these new types of thinking into your business by reading the paper.

You can download the Annual Manufacturing Report of 2020 here.

Changes in UK Manufacturing

Those businesses that are currently attempting to revolutionise their shop floors are looking into cutting edge types of machinery and training. By training the factory floor to think like a designer might, they will be able to better understand the machines they work so closely with and therefore be able to identify where certain processes could be improved.

At an equipment level, one might consider how AI is changing the nature of manufacturing to be more efficient, too. More than just efficiency, however, a talented businessperson would consider the effect that installing an AI system is going to have on their staff, and how they can make the most of these changes to retrain staff and create new roles within the company.

Servitised Business Models

One of the most important concepts in manufacturing currently revolves around creating a servitised business model, and over 78% of polled UK businesses believe they have correctly adopted this idea, or are in the process of doing so (PWC).

This means adopting a plan that puts your service first. The Telegraph explained the concepts behind the model in 2018 as:

‘Changing the ways that customers buy, and vendors sell’.
‘A shift from selling products, to offering services wrapped around the products’.
Using the Internet of Things to improve products.

An example of how one industry has evolved to use the IoT would be the domestic printing manufacturing industry. It is now quite common for individuals to buy printers which come with services dependent on the IoT. For example, when the printer runs out of ink, the printer recognises this and automatically buys the owner a new set of ink cartridges – this is how services are being sold alongside products in the modern world, and this kind of thinking can be applied to various household items as has been shown by the wave of Smart technology and lighting currently in production.

Adopting this type of thinking for your product will be a complex process, but it is becoming more apparent that those businesses who fail to adjust to the growing Smart demands of their customers are likely going to get left behind.

This is a fantastic time for innovation in manufacturing, but patience and diligence will be required for your company to succeed. During these uncertain times, it is now more important than ever for you to assess how the needs of your clientele are changing, and how you can improve your company to accommodate these needs and profit from them.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, the article states that the British manufacturing scene is in a good position, ahead of Europe, Australia and the US. This means that this is a good business to be working in currently.

As our everyday devices are becoming more complex and electronic, our services as spring manufacturers have never been more key. Speak to us today about how we can help your company to developed its latest product.

Whilst this years’ budget was inevitably dominated by the coronavirus efforts that the government would be putting in place, there were still some key takeaways for manufacturing firms. As expected, there weren’t wholesale changes, but there were some announcements that will have a profound effect on the manufacturing industry in years to come.

Here, we take a closer look at some of the major announcements that were made in the 2020 budget and analyse their effect on the UK manufacturing industry.

R&D Tax Credit Rise

One of the biggest announcements for manufacturing firms during this years’ budget was the rise in R&D Tax Credits from 12% to 13%. It is expected that the average claim in the next year will rise to £2,400. This move was obviously welcomed with open arms by all manufacturers, as R&D is essential for the growth and development of any manufacturing firm.

It’s also worth noting just how important R&D is to the wider UK manufacturing industry, as it plays a vital role in guaranteeing our nation isn’t left behind by other countries from around the world. With the UK leaving the European Union, it’s more essential than ever before for our manufacturers to continue blazing a trail when it comes to being at the forefront of global manufacturing, so investment in R&D really is essential in 2020 and beyond.

R&D Spend To Rise By 2027

The government also announced that R&D spend in the UK will rise from 1.7% to 2.4% GDP by 2027. This is a significant announcement for manufacturers and is a huge step forward for UK manufacturing as a whole. The budget outlined that research and development investment will increase by £22bn annually, which equates to a 15% rise in the next year.

All of this is absolutely essential for the growth of manufacturing firms in the UK, and makes our manufacturers among some of the most well-funded in the world. It’s up to our businesses to take the right steps to guarantee that we are spending the research and development budget we are allocated on the right things.

At European Springs & Pressings, we give our team plenty of time to come up with new and innovative ways of carrying out our existing processes. We firmly believe that there is always a better way to do things, and with the introduction of smart factory technologies and Industry 4.0 over the last few years, it’s essential that all manufacturers take the time to find out more about how these technologies can work for their business.

Investment in Infrastructure

Whilst this doesn’t directly affect the manufacturing industry, there is almost certainly benefits to be had for the sector. Major spending was announced on roads and infrastructure around the UK, with a further £5bn funding for gigabit broadband in 20% of the country. Along with this, more funding will be put into reliable 4G mobile signals for rural areas. All of this means that manufacturers from around the UK, both big and small, will find it significantly easier to operate on a day to day basis.

More reliable and faster broadband speeds are probably the most exciting announcement in this section of the 2020 budget, with advancements in smart factory technologies and IOT coming faster than ever, it’s essential that the infrastructure is in place to deal with the ever-increasing demands of the technologies.

Investment in Electric Vehicles

No matter what news website you are use, you’ll probably have come across electric vehicles on your preferred choice at least once in the last month. There is a real surge in the popularity of electric vehicles, and there is good reason for this. As more and more individuals and businesses become increasingly environmentally conscious, many will look to make the switch to electric vehicles.

The government announced that there will be a £900 million investment in nuclear fusion, space, electric vehicles and life sciences this year, and we expect a significant portion of this investment to go into electric vehicles.

It will be interesting to see just how quickly businesses pick up the use of electric vehicles for their main operations in the coming years, those who adopt early are likely to see the biggest benefits in the long run. There’s absolutely no doubting that electric vehicles are the future, and with increased funding going into these technologies, we can expect many manufacturers around the UK to be switching their attention to creating and distributing parts for these vehicles in the coming years.

Here at European Springs & Pressings, we are keeping a close eye on how this years’ budget affects the manufacturing landscape, so be sure to check in on our blog regularly. Our team of expert spring manufacturers have vast experience within the manufacturing industry, so we are perfectly placed to comment on all of the very latest developments within the sector.

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Author: European Springs Web Team