EAG Precision hits the ground running

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland, says it is not only the supplier of choice for many OEMs, tier-one suppliers and precision subcontractors, but increasingly the first port of call for many new engineering start-ups. One such company is Gateshead-based EAG Precision. Established in March 2019, the company invested in 10 new Doosan machine tools from Mills CNC within its first three months of operation.

Operating from a 14,000 sq ft facility, EAG is a privately-owned company specialising in the small and medium batch production of complex, high-precision parts for sectors such as defence, marine, medical and renewable energy. To differentiate itself in the market, EAG has achieved ISO 9001 approval and specialises in machining complex components (including prototypes) to tight tolerances and exacting surface finishes for customers based in the UK and the US. The company also designs, manages and implements complex turnkey projects for its customers.

To maintain its growth and profitability EAG relies on the dedication of a highly skilled workforce, the experience and expertise of its directors and senior management team and, of course, the advanced machine tool technologies it has at its disposal.

Not many new companies have the confidence or wherewithal to invest in 10 new machine tools straight out of the gate, but EAG is unlike other start-ups.

Says Dave Graham, EAG’s managing director: “Although the new enterprise started trading in March 2019, a great deal of preliminary planning was initiated and completed well before then. The strategic business plan we created, and which we used to help obtain funding for the new company, was both robust and ambitious.”

Covering all aspects of business, the plan identified key markets and customers, and how EAG would approach and build business relationships. The plan highlighted, in depth, the company’s key capital equipment investment criteria, which included the number and type of CNC machine tools it wanted to acquire initially and in subsequent years. EAG’s plan also set out and reinforced the company’s mission, vision and values.

Says Graham: “There were, and still are, three guiding principles that direct our company operations: delivering high-quality manufacturing solutions to customers; providing a rapid response in order to meet customer requirements efficiently and effectively; and ensuring value for money and achieving cost efficiencies. Everything we do is measured and benchmarked against these principles.”
The directors and senior management team at EAG can offer over 100 years of collective experience in the precision manufacturing sector. Their knowledge and expertise was invaluable when approaching potential customers to secure new machining contracts, and critical in identifying and selecting the right machine tools that would meet EAG’s immediate and future capacity and capability requirements.

Although the company canvassed the market looking for the best performing and best value machine tools, the directors’ previous positive experiences of dealing with Mills CNC and of using Doosan machines (gained prior to EAG being established), put Mills in the box seat.

“We knew that owing to the depth and breadth of the Doosan machine tool range we would be able to find solutions perfectly suited to our requirements,” says Graham. “It was also a big positive, especially for a new start-up in terms of time and logistics, if the machines could be acquired from a single source.”

Although many start-ups initially invest in used/pre-owned machines to get up and running, EAG opted to invest in new machine tools from day one.

“We decided on new machines from Mills CNC as they were competitively-priced and were backed by full warranties and the company’s reputable applications and aftersales support,” says Graham. “In addition, we were able to take advantage of Mills CNC’s machine tool financing, which gave us access to flexible capital equipment funding packages.”

Mills CNC’s stock policy means that many machines (over 70 at any given time) are available from its campus facility in Leamington ready for immediate delivery to customers in the UK and Ireland.

“It was important that we hit the ground running from day one as we had already secured machining contracts from a number of customers,” explains Graham. “The ability to order and get our machines delivered, commissioned and installed in double-quick time was critical.”

To improve operational efficiencies, optimise manufacturing flexibility and help with lead-time fulfilment, EAG invested in a number of multi-tasking Doosan machines. The models now on site include: Lynx long-bed lathes with Y axes, sub-spindles and driven tools; a large-capacity Puma lathe with full mill-drill capability; Doosan DNM machining centres supplied with 4th-axis units; and a high-productivity twin-pallet vertical machining centre.

All 10 Doosan machines acquired by EAG are equipped with Fanuc controls. These CNC units facilitate quick and seamless program transfer between machines when required. This capability prevents production bottlenecks from occurring if, for some reason, a machine is out of action for maintenance or repair.

EAG produces precision components for a wide range of sectors and customers. As a consequence, the company machines materials that include steels, aluminium alloys, duplex and standard stainless steels, plastics, Inconel, and titanium. Mills CNC says that the Doosan machines, with their rigid structural characteristics and high-specification spindle technology, are sufficiently versatile and capable of machining this diverse range of materials to high geometric tolerances and surface finishes.

Graham shares this sentiment, stating: “Our DNM machining centres enable us to machine prismatic parts up to 1 x 1 x 1 m, while the largest of our Doosan lathes provides us with a maximum turning diameter of 550 mm.”

Mills CNC reports that new start-up companies are increasingly turning to the company for help with their machine tools and, more recently, their automation requirements. Attracted by the depth and breadth of the Doosan machine tool range, competitive pricing, immediate availability from stock, and the company’s aftersales support services, it is a trend that looks set to continue.

Concludes Graham: “We are delighted with our Doosan machine tools and the level of service we receive from Mills CNC.”

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

SLAC starts with pair of Hurco machines

Shortlisted for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2021 and a finalist in 2020, 27-year-old Alun Cheung attended Farnborough College of Technology and then spent a few years working for a nearby composite components manufacturer. After spells at two contract machining firms, in April 2018 he decided to start his own subcontracting business, SLAC Precision Engineering Ltd.

At a time when his friends were buying their first houses, Cheung used the money he had saved to rent a factory unit in Basingstoke and put a deposit on a Hurco VM5i three-axis vertical machining centre. The investment allowed him to take on work suitable for machining within a 457 x 356 x 356 mm working volume, and he quickly established a loyal customer base within the aerospace, automotive, medical, and oil and gas industries.

Two years later, in May 2020, Cheung purchased a larger Hurco VMC, a VM10i with a 762 x 406 mm table, more than doubling his capacity. At the time he was busy fulfilling a contract for a new customer in the satellite communications sector, involving the production of a couple of dozen different, mainly aluminium components in batches of 1-50. Many of the parts fitted perfectly on the VM5i, and those that were smaller could be fixtured two at a time on the table of the VM10i, helping to cope with the required production volumes.

“It was the touchscreen CNC running Hurco’s WinMAX software, which offers both conversational and G-code programming, that persuaded me in favour of purchasing their VMCs,” says Cheung. “Their user interface makes it very intuitive and easy to control for millennials.”

For further information
www.hurco.co.uk

Vargus UK strengthens team

Vargus Tooling UK, a manufacturer and supplier of threading, grooving, turning and hand deburring tools, has expanded its team with the appointment of two new employees. For the first time, Vargus UK will be offering extensive service and support for manufacturers in Ireland with the appointment of Barry Pender. Pender brings a wealth of experience to a position that will see him become the new technical sales engineer for Scotland and Ireland.

At the Telford head office, Vargus has created a new position with the appointment of Rhianna Harris as its new customer relationship specialist.

For further information
www.vargusuk.co.uk

Alstom acquires Bombardier Transportation

Alstom has completed the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation. The enlarged group has a combined proforma revenue of around €15.7bn and a €71.1bn combined backlog. According to estimates, the rail manufacturing market will grow at a CAGR of 2.3% by 2025. Although the Alstom Group already has an established customer base in France, Italy, Spain, India, Southeast Asia, Northern Africa and Brazil, Bombardier Transportation will bring strong customer proximity in strategic markets such as the UK, Germany, the Nordics, China and North America.

The employees of Bombardier Transportation joined the Alstom Group on 29 January. These new talents will enrich Alstom’s operational profile at all levels and build, with Alstom’s employees, one agile, inclusive and responsible team. In total, the group has 75,000 employees in 70 countries.

Alstom has confirmed its objective to generate €400m cost synergies on an annual run rate basis by the fourth to fifth year, and restore Bombardier Transportation’s margin to a standard level in the medium term.

For further information
www.alstom.com

Five-axis VMC from GM CNC

Victor has extended its line of machine tools with the Vcenter AX630 vertical machining centre. Available in the UK from GM CNC, the machine incorporates a B+C-axis rotary table to facilitate the five-axis machining of large parts.

The Vcenter AX630 has rigidity and precision incorporated into every aspect of the machine, something characterised by the trunnion-type B+C-axis table with its built-in, backlash-free roller cam mechanism seated on the base. In terms of speed, the B axis can rotate at up to 17 rpm with 6880 Nm of torque, whereas the C-axis rotation is capable of 33 rpm at 1960 Nm.

Notably, the Vcenter AX630 further optimises structure stiffness with the moving column and spindle, retaining an optimised centre of gravity. Front slideways fully support the spindle when the Y-axis travel is shorter than 300 mm.

The 9000 kg workhorse comes as standard with the FANUC 0i-MF CNC to drive tools around the 700 x 500 x 500 mm work envelope, while the 12,000 rpm spindle features a Big Plus BBT-40 interface. Powering the spindle is a continuous 11/15/18.5 kW motor.

Supplied with up to 30 tools via a twin-arm type fast-change tool barrel, customers can also select the machine with the option of 40, 48 or 60 tool positions. Offered as standard are a spindle oil cooler, fully enclosed splash guard, rigid tapping, remote MPG hand wheel, hand tools and toolbox, built-in work light, automatic power-off system, levelling pads and a screw-type chip-removal system.

For further information
www.gm-cnc.com