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.
It marks a successful year for the Ringwood-based company, which has seen it increase sales by 25%, putting it on track 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.”
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.”
