UK – An investment of £300,000 ($426,330) has enabled the purchase of three new, three-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machines from Haas Automation plus a trunnion table for five-axis milling. Formaplex says the equipment will help its Specialist Engineering Division “to meet the growing demand for high-speed machining of a wide range of materials”.
“With our increased high-speed CNC machining capabilities, it means we can expand productivity whilst also ensuring rapid response times for our customers,” said Grant Keates, specialist engineering manager at the company.
The Specialist Engineering Division moved into a new facility at Horndean in 2014 and has continued to expand. It now has 44 CNC machines with machining envelopes of up to 8.0 metres by 6.2 metres by 2.0 metres. In addition to conventional metallic tooling, the company can handle alternative materials such as aluminium, plastics and composites, as used for example in Formula One carbon chassis.
Formaplex now has three UK manufacturing facilities supported by a network of European and Asian suppliers; services include tooling design and manufacture; injection-moulded plastic parts; composite tooling and parts; and support and advice. Components are supplied as individual items, complete assemblies, with jigs and fixtures, or finished and painted.
