Member Article

5-Axis ‘Quaser’ investment set to help Hampshire manufacturer build on 25% increase in sales

A Hampshire-based complex machining specialist has completed a £310,000 investment drive to help it improve lead times and drive efficiencies.

Wilson Manufacturing, which supplies precision parts into the aerospace, marine, medial and oil and gas sectors, has installed a Quaser MF400UH 5-Axis CNC machine to complement the earlier addition this year of a new mill turning centre.

The latest purchase has been sourced by the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) and will help the growing firm increase capacity and reduce operations on its milling sections, boosting quality and removing significant set-up times in the process.

It marks a successful year for the Ringwood-based company, which has seen it create two news jobs and increase sales by 25%, putting it on course for a £1.35m turnover.

“Our customer base is spread across a number of demanding sectors and there is an increasing need for more complex components, a trend that we knew we had to meet head on with the purchase of a 5-Axis CNC machine,” explained Andy Wilson, Director of Wilson Manufacturing.

“We discussed our requirements with ETG and the machine tool supplier spent a lot of time getting to understand our processes and the parts we make. This was crucial in providing a complete picture of where we wanted to go and led to it suggesting the precision control and speed of the Quaser MF400UH.”

He continued: “It has only been up and running for a few months and we have already been really impressed with the performance. The control, speed of the spindle and the ability to machine multiple faces of a complex part has been a game changer – in some instances, we have improved cycle time by 30%.

“This makes us a lot more competitive and, at a time when speed to market is crucial, gives us another USP when exploring new business opportunities.”

Wilson Manufacturing, which has been AS9100 aerospace and defence approved since 2013, works with its clients in a range of materials and offers first stage design support through to full production.

As part of the machine install, ETG identified the need for a full simultaneous 5-axis seat from Mastercam, which gives the company the best possible foundation for fast and efficient milling.

The 5-axis toolpath means every component it makes can be produced on the Quaser MF400UH, as well as opening up new opportunities for entry into new sectors.

Andy continued: “It’s a massive investment for our business, so we knew it had to be right, which is why we were so impressed with ETG and its team, ranging from sales and technical support to the installation and service engineers.

“I have no doubt it will be money well spent and we could well make a return on our investment within the first two years.”

Steve Brown, Sales Director for ETG, said: “Quaser machine technology is proving extremely popular with UK machinists and this latest install for Wilson Manufacturing will play a key role in it achieving ambitious growth plans for 2019.

“The addition of Mastercam software gives the company complete control of the manufacturing process and will help it deliver the complex components it is fast becoming renowned for.”

Engineering Technology Group (ETG) delivers highly productive turnkey solutions to customers involved in automotive, aerospace, domestic goods, high value engineering, medical and oil and gas.

Its portfolio of world class brand includes Bavius, Hardinge Bridgeport, Chiron, Nakamura, Quaser and STAMA.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .