Rapid Precision Engineering has invested in a compact DN Solutions DEM 4000 vertical machining centre, supplied by Mills CNC and equipped with a Nikken fourth-axis rotary table to meet increased demand for high-precision aerospace landing gear components.
Installed at the company’s Liverpool facility, the FANUC-controlled machine features an 8000 rpm spindle and 20-station automatic tool changer. It is already machining thousands of small landing gear fasteners alongside other complex aerospace components.
Rapid Precision has specialised in the aerospace sector since 2003/04, developing its machining, finishing and testing capabilities to serve landing gear manufacturers. Aerospace work now accounts for more than 95% of its turnover.
The investment followed requests from existing customers to increase production volumes significantly, with demand for certain screws rising from 3000 to 15,000 units. Previously machined on a manual milling machine, these components require several operations, including thread modification, head machining and precision drilling, followed by treatments and non-destructive testing.
“We could see, straight away, that such an increase in volumes would put pressure on our existing machining resources,” says Paul Brennan, Rapid Precision’s owner and director. “We made the decision to invest in a new machining centre with a fourth-axis rotary table as a route to improving throughput and avoiding production bottlenecks.”
The company selected the DEM 4000 rather than a larger machine because it already understood the model’s capabilities, having purchased one in 2020. Existing programs and processes developed for a DNM 4500 machining centre could also be transferred to the new machine. Custom fixtures allow batches of screws to be machined efficiently in a single set up.
The investment has improved productivity and process efficiency, reduced backlogs, and helped Rapid Precision respond to higher customer demand while protecting delivery schedules.
More information www.millscnc.co.uk
