A subcontract company's success in 'growth' sectors has not happened by chance but by the tight management and control exercised over all operations and machine tool purchases.
Precision engineering subcontractor's continued growth is down to rigorous planning, a disciplined focus and strategic investment in Mills: Doosan Daewoo advanced machine tool technology. Market-leading Poole-based specialist subcontractor - Aercomp Precision Engineering - is experiencing significant growth and has done so since its creation eight years ago. The company, established in 1998 and now employing 17 staff, has made its name and built its reputation manufacturing high-precision complex parts for the aerospace and electronics sectors.

The company's success in these demanding 'growth' sectors has not happened by chance but rather can be explained by the tight management and control exercised over all operations by Aercomp's directors and founders Glen Marsh and John Mulqueen.

Indeed it is the company's commitment, dedication and attention to detail that has seen Aercomp become a 'value-adding' preferred supplier in the aerospace supply chain and explains how 70% of the company's business now comes from this sector.

It also helps explain Aercomp's full order book; a move completed 2 years ago to its present 8,000ft2 facility - and why the company operates a five-day per week 24h shift system too.

Aercomp specialises in the manufacture of small series, and prototype complex aero-engine parts.

These parts, mainly made from exotic heat-resistant alloys such as inconel and Nimonic along with other difficult-to-machine materials are time consuming to manufacture and without the sophisticated and be-spoke workholding and fixturing solutions that Aercomp specialises in producing would be virtually impossible to manufacture commercially.

However, the workholding prowess of Aercomp is only part of the story.

In addition the company makes regular strategic and prudent investment in the latest machine tool technologies as a route to improving component accuracy, reducing lead times and driving down the cost per part.

As part of this process Aercomp has made significant investment in Mills: Doosan Daewoo advanced turning technology.

To increase its capability and capacity Aercomp, in 2005, invested in three new machine tools from Mills and now has a total of eight machines supplied by Mills at its facility along with five vertical machining centres and one other CNC lathe.

The new machine tool investments made in 2005 are as follows.

One 240 LC 2-axis lathe - the Puma 240 LC is a compact, high-performance lathe with 76mm bar working capacity, a high-torque 18.5kW 3,500 rev/min spindle and 30m/min rapids.

* Two 240 MSB multi-functional turning centres - the Puma 240 MSB is a high-productivity, multi-tasking turning centre (mill-drill capability) with 65mm bar working capacity, a 15kW 4,500 rev/min main spindle and 5.5kW 6,000 rev/min sub-spindle.

All three machines have helped to increase Aercomp's manufacturing capacity and provide the company with additional production flexibility.

As stated above aerospace precision sub-contract work accounts for some 70% of Aercomp's turnover.

The remaining 30% comes from the electronics/telecommunications sector in particular the manufacture of precision components for ultra high-speed spindles (500,000 rev/min) used to machine minute holes and features in circuit boards.

Unlike its aerospace work which is characterised by high precision and low volume/small series manufacture Aercomp's 'electronics'/ spindle assembly work, whilst requiring high accuracy and repeatability, is much more high-volume in nature with batch runs of 60,000 components not being uncommon.

To manage both types of work effectively - requires robust planning and first-class production/work scheduling and a vital and constant element in the equation is access to and availability of reliable machines on the shop floor.

Said John Mulqueen, director at Aercomp: ' We run a tight ship here at Aercomp.

Everything is finely balanced to ensure that we optimise our production.

The additional capability we now have from our latest Doosan Daewoo machines gives us more flexibility and has presented us with opportunities to improve our performance.' He said: 'Eight years ago when we created Aercomp the first machine we invested in was from Mills.

Since then we have always found that Mills' technology, applications help and support, after-sales services and general all-round proactive approach fits in well with our operations.'