East Sussex’s UHV Design invests in first ever 5-axis CNC machine to boost expansion plans

UHV Design has tapped into the expertise of the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) to install its first 5-axis CNC machine at its state-of-the-art facility in East Sussex.

The company, which manufactures ultra high vacuum motion and heating products for Universities and Government laboratories all over the world, has invested in a Quaser MF500UH to help it cope with increases in volume.

Specified and delivered within just three months, the machine features a 15k ‘face and taper’ spindle and a 48-tool carousel that can store up to 80% of the firm’s tooling.

Early results have seen production cycles halved, changeover times reduced significantly and operations reduced from nine to just two stages for some of its more complex components.

“A lot of what we do is bespoke to the application and have to work in an ultra high vacuum environment whilst still providing motion and manipulation…typically these components will end up in scientific experiments like CERN’s Large Hadron Collider,” explained David Heward, Machine Shop Manager at UHV Design, part of AIM-listed Judges Scientific.

“We have grown 15% over the last twelve months and the future pipeline was rich with opportunities that necessitated investment in new technology and the purchase of our first 5-axis machine, which we sourced from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG).”

He continued: “The service we received was very good, from sourcing the right 5-axis solution to specifying the machine with the latest Blum-Novotest Laser Control measuring system.

“Delivery lead times fitted in with our production plans and the training for our four operators was excellent, ensuring that we can now get the maximum performance out of the Quaser.”

Andrew Yeomans, Regional Sales Manager at ETG, added his support: “UHV Design manufacture a wide range of components that operate in exacting conditions and, as a result, needed a machine that could deliver accuracy, speed and flexibility through the tool carousel.

“The Quaser MF500 is exactly the type of technology it required and, by eliminating a large number of operations, we have been able to free up capacity so the customer can grow and continue to play a crucial role in some of the world’s most exciting trials and scientific experiments.”

UHV Design, which employs 50 people at its state-of-the-art facility in Laughton, turned to the workholding expertise of Hyfore to equip its new 5-axis Quaser MF500UH with a dedicated tooling system.

Working closely together, the two companies identified a £30,000 Acrow package that provides the control, flexibility and speed required to cope with increasing volumes in the machining shop.

The solution focused on interchangeable NR collets that would be used exclusively on this machine and tend to be smaller in diameter, offering greater contact with the components and the ability to move freely around tight clearance spaces.

For further information, please visit www.engtechgroup.com or follow @engtechgroup on twitter. More details on UHV Design can be found here.

Caption for UHV (L): (l-r) Oli Riley (Hyfore) with David Heward (UHV Design)