New machining centre boosts development capability and innovation

A five axis machine offering high levels of accuracy for machining a range of materials has been installed at motorsport engineers BERU f1systems. The DMU 50/70 eVo linear will be used for in house and subcontract automotive, motorsport and aerospace machining.  A key use will be to innovate and develop new lightweight components for engineering programmes such as composite machining.

"Following the success of our new composites centre we wanted a similar set up for machining," says managing director John Bailey. "For future aerospace and our Factor 001bicycle programmes, we require high levels of accuracy and an increasing volume of machined components in a range of materials."

Bringing the machining in house allows the engineers to experiment more, with opportunities to try things they may not have sub contracted. "If we have an idea, getting a first working part is quicker and we can assess feasibility," adds Bailey. "It will deliver a competitive advantage internally and to our customers. This has been demonstrated with a recent project requiring machined PEEK housings."

The machining centre marks a further expansion for BERU f1systems with the Diss based firm leasing another building and recruiting to staff the department.  In an effort to increase efficiency, BERU f1systems uses the same operator for handling the CAD data and creating the tool cards. Such efficiencies offer a cost advantage for sub contract work. This will be competitively priced as, at this stage, BERU f1systems is keen to keep the machine active.

Despite economic uncertainty, the firm predicts demand will be strong both from internal customers and for subcontracting.  "We hope that in 12 months' time we are looking at having two of the machines running," adds Bailey.  "Our own demand is growing and the high speed and accuracy of this machine is very attractive to customers,"