ANCA awards its Tool of the Year 2023 winners

The ANCA Tool of the Year Awards marked its sixth year with a record attendance at the awards ceremony and gala dinner held at EMO Hannover.

EMUGE-FRANKEN, a German cutting tool manufacturer, took first prize for their multi-functional carbide tool infused with ceramic material, promising extended tool life and unparalleled performance.

JG Group from Poland secured first place in the Virtual Tool Category for the second consecutive year with a simulation of a Dachshund – or more commonly known as the sausage dog, that used 24 profiles just to create the head of its character.

This year's awards held a special significance as ANCA announced Lena Risse from Risse Tool Technology GmbH as the winner of the inaugural Female Machinist of the Year award. This initiative aims to promote diversity in the cutting tool industry and provide positive role models for women and girls considering careers in this sector.

"This year has been marked by exceptional enthusiasm, boasting an impressive array of entries and showing a remarkable complexity in the design of both real and simulated tools," said Pat Boland, co-founder, ANCA. "The competition was fierce, but EMUGE-FRANKEN has truly set itself apart. Their combination of ceramic materials and tungsten carbide posed a significant manufacturing challenge, and effectively extended the performance and lifespan of the cutting tools."

He added that JG Group's whimsical ‘sausage dog’ entry added a delightful touch to the competition, underscoring the remarkable flexibility of our software and the impressive results that can be achieved when blending creativity and expertise.

"We were honored to introduce the inaugural "Female Machinist" category at ANCA," said Boland. "Recognizing women who are choosing to enter our industry is paramount, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Lena, the deserving winner of this historic category.”

The ANCA Tool of the Year Awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and diversity in the cutting tool industry, recognizing the passion and creativity of industry experts.