Hull-based Helix Precision Machining has supported recent 5-axis machining investment with the purchase of an Aberlink Zenith 3 Coordinate Measurement Machine.
Frequent investments in the latest CNC machine tools, design and manufacturing software and advanced inspection aids has enabled Helix Precision to regularly increase its capacity, expand its machining envelope and to broaden its range of competencies. In addition to providing a comprehensive range of CNC machining services, the company is now able to undertake a wide variety of secondary operations resulting in the provision of a true one stop solution to its growing customer base.
Helix Precision’s quality management system meets all the relevant requirements of the international quality standard AS9100D and having recently been evaluated against BAE’s exacting standards, Helix Precision is now BAE Systems approved.
Encouraged by constantly rising demands for the production of complex, high precision machined components, Helix Precision recently invested in advanced machine tools, such as a 5 axis Haas VF3 YT BT50, equipped with a Lehman 5 axis trunnion table. To enable the company’s inspection department to keep pace with its significant rise in production it purchased a Zenith 3 CMM from UK company, Aberlink.
Helix Precision Machining Ltd. Director, Lee Sansam explained. “To help prevent non-conformance situations and rework, we apply a company-wide, 'right first time', total quality approach to all of our processes and we make regular strategic investments in the best available inspection aids. We also constantly seek to expand our range of proficiencies and the kind of work we are able to undertake. For instance, we have recently invested in a range of BT50 Heavy duty vertical mills for cutting exotic materials and we are currently machining zirconium for a major Tier one supplier.
“As we anticipated the expansion of our business and the increase in the machining of complex, accurate components, whist visiting the MACH exhibition in 2016, we witnessed demonstrations of large capacity, precise CNC CMMs from several leading companies. Having had the opportunity to compare the merits of the available machines we agreed that, due to its large capacity, speed of operation and impressive accuracy specification, the Zenith 3 from Aberlink was the perfect CMM for all of our future needs.
“Following the CMM’s installation and an Aberlink training course, our quality staff quickly mastered our new CMM’s operating system. To further exploit our new CMMs automatic CNC inspection routines, our quality personnel will soon be writing part programs for our regularly repeated machining work. We will then be able to instantly recall the relevant program, load a single large component or multiple smaller parts onto the Zenith 3, then start a fully automatic CNC measuring routine. On completion, when required, our new CMM will also generate detailed inspection reports.
“Our Aberlink’s Zenith 3 has already proven to be a great success. Not only has our new CMM enabled the rapid, precise measurement of complex components, Aberlink’s Zenith 3 CMM has improved our accuracy capability and also significantly speeded-up the throughput of work in our busy Quality Department.”