Second phase of expansion in subcontract machining

Citation

(2007), "Second phase of expansion in subcontract machining", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 79 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2007.12779dab.010

Second phase of expansion in subcontract machining

Second phase of expansion in subcontract machining

Impact Precision has now installed a nine-axis Daewoo Puma MX 2500 ST mill/turn centre, a second Puma 2000 SY and a five-axis Mikron XSM 600U, 36,000revs/min high speed vertical machining centre with seven pallets, to expand its round-the-clock precision subcontract business. As a result, the Mansfield based high technology, single operation solution provider of complex components is now able to create a variety of production methods using different multi-axis CMC equipment and techniques on a wide range of materials including aluminium, plastics, super alloys and even heat treated hardened steels.

Said Managing Director Paul Cobb: “In addition to installing new equipment we have recruited a further four people recently and an apprentice that provides us with the skills to run around-the-clock including unmanned over weekends.”

Impact Precision was set up in Mansfield in 2004 using a £1.5 million investment programme that saw two Nakamura WT150 and WT 250 mill/turn centres, four Haas VFZ SS vertical machining centres and a Citizen L20 sliding head auto, installed to provide a round-the-clock, fast response CMC machining capability at the 8,500ft² facility. Since, then, expansion of the business has been rapid and the workforce expanded to 15 people. Customers, keen to take advantage of the single cycle philosophy of the company have benefited from competitive pricing due to the investment in high quality equipment and the ability to reduce lead times by single operation batchwork machining that will tend to avoid job queuing.

Indeed, customers have been drawn from aerospace, transmission, brewing, printing, medical, lighting, generator, wind turbine and telecomms industries plus a lot of work has been sourced from the autosport sector. Now, half of impact's turnover involves export to which Paul Cobb argues investment in automation and the skill of the machine setters helps offset the strength of the pound. “Should the pound soften, then, additional profitability will open the door to fund further investment” he says.

The company operates a forward planning – fast set up routine. Explains Paul Cobb: “Depending on the workflow, we often change over in the morning to run small batches and very complex components then reset ready to produce higher volume parts at night that don't tend to require so much attention. Now with these new machines we will have additional capacity, but more important, high quality machines able to perform reliably and to meet the standards and short deliveries that are required by our customers.”

Issued on behalf of: Impact Precision Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1623 634111; Fax: +44 (0)1623 634884