When Newport Pagnell-based high-precision machining specialist North Bucks Machining Ltd (NBM) bought its first five-axis machine, its objective was to move into new areas not associated with its established mould-making expertise; and being situated in the heartland of the UK’s F1 industry, NBM recognised there was a pool of work on its doorstep.

That was early in 2014, and the machining centre bought was a Quaser MF 630U simultaneous five-axis unit supplied by the Wellesbourne-based Engineering Technology Group (www.engtechgroup.com).

Such was the success of the investment and the volume of work it attracted that a second 630U was installed in October 2016.

NMB director Stewart Palmer said: “The first Quaser was a landmark purchase for the business, and it gave us the ability to become more competitive and technically more proficient.

“My parents had established NBM as a tool-making and blow-mould tooling specialist, and those skills acted as a cornerstone to move the business into new areas of high-precision machining work.

“The first Quaser enabled us to win a mould tool contract that had previously gone overseas; it also opened the door for us to compete for different work. We had the skills but not the machining capability.

“I had extensive experience with five-axis machining from my days in F1. When I joined the family business, my first objective was to move towards undertaking five-axis work, and it was a motor-sport-related contract that triggered the purchase of our second Quaser.

“We have a contract to make suspension components for Formula E electric racing cars, and it takes up the capacity of the first 630 machine for several months of the year. This meant we were vulnerable regarding our work for other customers, hence our purchase of a second five-axis machine.

“However, FI-related work is high-intensity for about four months, during the ‘close season’, so we ‘cast the net’ further afield to balance out the peaks and troughs. Our customer base is now very diverse, which sees us making a diversity of parts; these range from stands for bespoke globes to our own mountain bike.”

The 630U is a fully simultaneous five-axis VMC with rapids of 32m/min in X and Y, and 16m/min in Z. As standard, it features a coolant chiller, a through-spindle coolant capability, a positional accuracy/repeatability of 0.008/0.004mm and an NC40 12,000rev/min spindle.

“Mr Palmer’s team at NBM concentrates on billet-type work, with aluminium and stainless steel the primary workpiece materials.

“Having a near-identical second five-axis machine — our latest one has the updated 640i version of the Heidenhain control — gives an enormous amount of flexibility when scheduling work; it also greatly reduces both on- and off-line programming times and set-up times.”