Unexpected machining content on the TV

Tonight's "Inside the Factory" on BBC2 featuring Digestive biscuits had an unexpected piece of machining. About 30 minutes in, they showed CNC machining of the bronze roller used to mould the biscuits. Should be available on iPlayer.

Stuart Bridger:

Excellent spot! Significant that it needs just one man to do this.

Glad that the programme also showed the bronze roll being checked for concentricity and taper.

Other than Engineers, few would know about such checks, or why they are carried out.

The more that Joe Public learns about the activities of Engineers, the more respect will be be given, rather than just thinking of ignorant grease monkeys. But for Engineers of various disciplines, the fields outside our caves would still be ploughed with deer antlers!

Howard

Watched same; surprised at it being a focal point for a few minutes most programmes wouldn't consider this point, but the presenter asked the question, & was answered very nicely, a few more people now have some idea of the checks with the dti. On the 'elf 'n' safety aspect... I was under the impression that workplace regs required that no one was to work on their own in industrial premises. I've worked many 1/2 shifts & weekends where it was required to have another person present even if they were a shop labourer, for safety reasons, who's to say that owner would be able to call for help if needed, even with other units next door... just an observation... maybe HASAW regs have changed since I was practicing...

​George... Tech.I.O.S.H. ret.

I was asked quite often to work on my own or have a walkie talkie with me when working, I always refused because I'm a type 2 Diabetic injecting Insulin and prone to possible Hypo's and never wanted to put myself in a position where I could suddenly become ill.

Martin P

I thought it was his own, (very good), business .

He has done the Risk Assessment and considers it safe. Job done. Next question?

I enjoyed the segment too, but wonder why the commentators do not use the right terminology, they surely only have to ask the machine operator, for example the tool machining the biscuit recess was not a drill, a cutter or special cutter would have been a better term. I have watched the series and I think in every episode whenever Greg Wallace comes across an interesting mechanism he has asked the question "who designs this?" I would have thought there would be scope for a programme to show some of these machines and how they evolve, and how it is done by engineers.

Chris Gunn

I watched an "inside the factory" a couple of weeks ago about pasta making and found it very interesting once I turned on subtitles and lost the dreadful Italian opera music. I find the presenter is a bit too silly for my tastes but he does ask the right questions.

Brian

"the presenter is a bit too silly for my tastes"

Greg Wallace lost my interest when he went round the Brompton factory, hence my thanks for the pointer to something I would not otherwise have watched. His partner, who did the machining segment under discussion, seems competent at what she does bearing in mind that the programme is aimed at a general audience.

I wonder if Alan (the one-man band) ever goes off and leaves the CNC mill to get on on its own?