SUBCONTRACTING NEWS

Direct route to success with SMEC turning centre

When Direct Engineering & Site Services Ltd opened its doors in Sheepbridge, it was a small fabrication shop. Fast-forward 28 years and the Chesterfield-based company operates from a 3716 m²premises with five divisions that deliver diverse services to customers throughout the UK and Europe.

Direct Engineering specialises in the installation of material handling equipment, vacuum conveying and chiller pipework systems. Dugard has frequently supported the company via its range of machine tools, with the latest acquisition being a SMEC SL 3000LM turning centre.

Ray Woolley, managing director of Direct Engineering, says: “We started in 1997 as a fabrication company that initially machined on a smaller scale. As time progressed, we saw the need to expand our operations as our customers requested more machining services, so we invested in CNC machines.”

He continues: “We’re presently undertaking quite a diverse range of work for industries from marine, automotive and pharmaceutical to power and the water utilities. We machine everything from plastic, brass, and aluminium to stainless, duplex, composites and more.”

To accommodate this variety of materials, the versatility of the Dugard SMEC SL3000LM machine is paying dividends.

“Each material has its challenges regarding how it cuts, but Dugard helped us with a machine breakdown and quickly got us up and running,” says Woolley.“For that reason, we continued our relationship with Dugard. We’ve had a lot of good productive advice from Dugard on how to deal with this diverse range of materials.”

The latest SMEC SL 3000LM is not the first Dugard at the Derbyshire company. Direct Engineering has a range of machines from Dugard, including the SMEC PL2500, PL35 and PL45 turning centres.

“Dugard has provided sound advice on the best machine tool options for our needs,” concludes Woolley.

More information www.dugard.com

Aerospace firm invests £2m

ASG King & Fowler, an aerospace surface treatment specialist with a heritage dating back to 1887, has installed and commissioned a new tartaric sulphuric anodising (TSA) line and paint booths. The project marks the completion of a £2m investment designed to enhance production efficiency, increase capacity and align with upcoming regulatory changes within the aerospace sector. The new TSA line with fully automated control will further enhance the scope of ASG King and Fowler’s capability. Able to process aluminium parts up to 5.6 m in length, the line boosts capacity for both large components and high-volume small parts.More information www.asg-group.co/king-fowler

Finishing technologies for med-tech sector

At the Medical Technology UK exhibition in Coventry last week, Fintek showed how automated mass and super finishing technologies are advancing the precision of implant and medical device surfaces.

The medical industry demands continual surface improvements to ensure the safety and effectiveness of surgical instruments, tibias, femoral shafts, prosthetic sockets, bone screws, bone plates and more. Precision surface finishing is a vital post-process in their manufacture as it enhances performance, safety and lifespan in use.

Fintek is the exclusive UK agent for the sales of OTEC Präzisionsfinish GmbH drag-finishing and electro-chemical finishing machines. According to the company, these two technologies excel at automating in-house medical device finishing. The company also provides a full subcontract service, with its experienced technical team using the latest equipment from OTEC.

Medical devices and implants made from stainless steel, cobalt chrome, titanium and ceramics can reach surface smoothness values to Ra 0.01 μm. Using drag finishing and electro-chemical technology, this is achieved quickly, with repeatable precision and quality, reports Fintek. Inconsistencies often associated with hand finishing are eliminated.

Improving surface finishing significantly improves the biocompatibility of medical devices by creating a smoother and more uniform surface. Especially important for implants and prosthetics in contact with body tissues for extended periods. A smoother surface is less likely to harbour bacteria, lowering the risk of infection in surgical settings.

Medical devices are often in contact with bodily fluids and sterilisation processes. Smoother surfaces enhance corrosion resistance, ensuring they remain durable and safe over time. Surface smoothness also lowers friction and improves wear resistance, extending implant lifespan and maintaining the device’s effectiveness. Surface finishing also enhances mechanical properties such as fatigue strength.

More information www.fintek.co.uk

Progressive Apprentice Academy boost

Edging closer to its 50 th  anniversary, Newbury-based Progressive Technology Group
opened its Apprentice Academy in 2015. For this bedrock for developing the talent of
tomorrow, Tooling Intelligence has donated a SmartDrawer vending solution. The
Apprentice Academy at Progressive Technology enlisted 18 apprentices as part of its 2024
cohort.
With technical partner Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC), Tooling Intelligence installed its
first SmartDrawer vending solution at the subcontract outfit in 2014. The most recent
SmartDrawer arrival means there are now four such systems on site. Understanding the
inventory management process is essential for apprentices, which is why Tooling
Intelligence has made its generous contribution.
More information www.toolingintelligence.co.uk

Parklands Capital buys Laser Expertise

Laser Expertise, a laser-cutting fabrication specialist established for 40+ years, has been sold
to Parklands Capital, a private equity fund which invests in established UK SMEs with
ambitious management teams and strong growth prospects. Based in Nottingham and
operating nationally, Laser Expertise has around 2787 m² of workshop space and employs
more than 80 people. The deal was led by Matthew Sibley, associate director of company
sales specialist KBS Corporate.
The staff at Laser Expertise that customers currently deal with for all facets of the business
will remain the same, along with the company name and contact details. With the support
and infrastructure of Parklands Capital, Laser Expertise will be able to continue investing in
the latest technologies.
More information www.kbscorporate.com