Product category:
General Machining Subcontracting Services
News Release from: Unicut Precision | Subject: Unicut Precision
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 10 November 2003
Latest sliding head autos reduce costs
Subcontractor, equipped with latest sliding autos, can demonstrate howit can considerably reduce cost, improve quality and consistency of a machined parts in difficult materials.
Northern Precision is one of the leading suppliers in Europe for fasteners, special turned and cold formed parts and sheet metal clinching, bush insertion and manual/air insertion tooling The company is more than a distributorship of standard catalogue parts, it works closely with its customer base to solve fastening problems and will provide bespoke fastenings to suit specialist applications
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 13 Sep 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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No blues sung at subcontract machinists'
Such has been the upsurge in the fortunes of Unicut Precision that July and August have set record sales and profit levels for its precision sub-con tract machining business.
Big order led to new machine purchases
Following the winning of a 12 month contract for three million components from an American fastener company, Unicut Precision immediately ordered two CNC sliding head automatic lathes.
With over 500 customers serviced out of the Doncaster headquarters, and a business that has expanded year on year since 1996 to a 1.25 million (pounds sterling) turnover company, Northern Precision uses a network of eight specially selected small turned part suppliers with different capabilities and expertise to produce its wide variety of parts.
These span self-clinching fasteners, rivet bushes, sheet nuts, welded fastenings, cage nuts, blind rivets and broaching fasteners as well as special turned parts.
In order to meet the different product demands, small turned parts are supplied by sliding head, single and multi-spindle auto specialists but since 2000, all the precision or difficult to machine material turned parts requiring high level CNC sliding head automatic lathe technology have been contracted to Unicut Precision of Welwyn Garden City.
Further reading
Machining solution was a burner for gas fires
It was the capability of subcontract machinist to provide single operation turning solutions that took some 20 per cent out of the price of gas fire burner heads and ensured total consistency.
Machine tool investment pays off for subcontractor
Unicut Precision's investment programme in the latest mill/turning technology has paid-off enabling the company to meet market changes and as a result grow sales by 18 per cent during 2003.
CNC sliding head lathe ousts five cam automatics
Within six weeks of acquiring A J Clarke (Automatic Machinists), Unicut Precision has ordered a new CNC sliding head lathe to replace five traditional cam automatics.
Says Northern Precision's director Arthur Smith: "Unicut has invested in nine of the latest Citizen sliding head automatic lathes and due to the combination of capability and attitude of the company, has become our sole supplier of premium product." He explains: "We carefully vet our suppliers and expect them to contribute, not only to our business but our customers' business, with their expertise, advice and rapid response when required.
We have much more than a price relationship.
To supply to us, we demand flexibility and enthusiasm which has been a major factor in our growth and especially as we have developed markets in Europe." Northern Precision supplies fastenings across the spectrum of engineering from aerospace to automotive, white goods, telecoms and has even gained a reputation for special fastenings for classic cars.
The 13-man operation sells throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden.
Now sales are breaking into the territories of the low-cost producers in Eastern Europe and matching price with a better product, higher quality and service and a support operation that is expected to contribute to its year on year growth of between 10 and 30 per cent.
As Smith explains: "If it is solely price for a bucket full of bits we can have problems.
We are more in the business of adding value such as the application of the fastener and recommending to customers different materials.
We often become involved with stress, metallurgical, special treatments, the environment where fastenings are being used, design for production advice, trial parts and even considering the effect on the mating parts for the fastener." "This means we carefully rate our suppliers and work with them the same way as our customers.
Such is our working relationship that we have no fear of putting Unicut Precision directly in front of our customers to discuss design for application.
This is important because they can demonstrate how, if certain features are dimensioned differently or changed slightly, they can considerably reduce cost, improve quality and consistency of a machined part or even make the part stronger.
In difficult materials, this expertise is invaluable because it can influence the cost of the part and sometimes downsizing the design can have a tremendous influence on the price the buyer pays." Indeed, as a wholly owned UK business Northern Precision is keen to pursue its expansionist trail and reckons some 20 per cent of the current order book can be attributed directly to the working relationship with Unicut Precision.
"Their investment in the Citizen sliding head machines is an endorsement of quality to us and is like a rubber stamp to our zero defect policy and especially so on the more complex parts.
When under pressure, we are confident that Unicut will ship direct to our customer and it will be problem-free.
How do we know? Our normal sample checking keeps us fully aware of the quality of part being produced." Smith explains how when it comes to new projects or a new customer, this can prove a difficult time and especially when different material specifications are involved.
"This requires an in-depth knowledge of turned parts and Unicut is able to work at all levels with material suppliers and tooling companies to tool up and prove out an operation and provide pre-production samples," he maintains.
He considers how much time this can involve and means an expensive machine is being utilised for development.
"This is when customer demands really require a commitment from the supplier.
Also, a change in supplier is fraught with problems, drawings not up to date, the machining of features, cycle times or surface finishes have always been 'fiddled' just to keep the job.
But here, the flexibility of the Citizens installed gives Unicut the chance to play the options and when a previous supplier might have had to polish or even grind a diameter, the technology of the latest sliding head machines will most likely provide a competitive solution straight from the machine." When questioned regarding competitors of its turned parts suppliers trying to snaffle away business, Smith is very definite: "Price is important but not half as important as the working relationship and understanding between supplier and customer.
Service has to be paid for but it also adds value.
For instance, Unicut's investment in Citizen machines has improved its quality, capability and service.
It now runs 24 hours a day and is able to reduce lead times.
That is more important to a good customer of ours than us wondering when we will get the bits and what sort of condition they will be in!" Northern Precision website is: www.northernprecision.co.uk.
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