UK gear-making technology; US show underlines change growth; laser comes to turning equipment; vertical machining centre demand high; GL 25-year celebrations; communication before the web; subcontractor develops production control software. Lack of both industrial and government backing to support world-leading gear manufacturing technology is bemoaned this month. Gears are a basic mechanical engineering product whose accuracy/performance requirements are always required to increase - today its electric car demands. In 1994, Cranfield Precision Engineering (now part of French group Fives) already has world-beating technology. We suggest it deserves backing. In our second issue of the month, the American machine tool industry's recovery is celebrated, although it is national not international demand that is the spur. The biennial IMTS event underlines that, which we attend and report on. Recent entrants in the vertical and horizontal machining sector, such as Haas Automation, are making their presence felt (although it is verticals that are the real growth sector nationally and globally at this time); PC-based/PC-fronted CNC systems are another trend; machine tool rebuilding/retrofitting is also prominent; and the country's National Machine Tool Partnership is helping the country's industry develop its technology.
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