Thanks to an Innovate UK grant (www.innovateuk.gov.uk), Machine Tool Technologies (MTT) and Newburgh Precision are joining forces with the University of Huddersfield, Cranfield University and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing to introduce an innovative business model that servitises the use of CNC machinery (and to provide the technical and analytical tools to make this possible).

The project is applicable to all sectors where precision machining is required (including aerospace, automotive, power generation and medical), and it will investigate how to structure the model so that it can later be expanded to include other processes such as 3-D printing and nano-manufacturing.

A successful outcome will give manufacturers access to advanced machines, better return on investment and increased productivity.

Andrew Longstaff at the University of Huddersfield says: “By flipping the current business model round, the responsibility for machine capability will reside with the servitisation provider and not the end user, leaving the latter to focus on manufacturing his product.

“Industry will have access to reliable advanced manufacturing equipment without the burden of maintaining it — particularly appealing to SMEs, because this technology is often beyond their investment levels.”

The shift from reactive maintenance of machines to performance delivery through servitisation will improve the productivity of manufacturing companies (on the proviso that the limitations of current condition-monitoring systems are overcome).

New levels of digitisation will be required to provide the necessary feedback to uphold the new business model, as will new sensor technology, plus improved data management and analysis.

Steve McVey at MTT says: “Customer lead times will improve; at the moment, maintenance is more of a ‘firefighting’ reactive approach to loss of productivity or quality, which often costs a company thousands of pounds a day.”