Birmingham-based Brandauer — the precision contract press-work and stampings specialist — has installed two CUT 3000 wire EDM machines from GF Machining Solutions (the new name for GF Agie Charmilles as from 1 January) (www.gfac.com) in a thermally controlled EDM manufacturing cell that is visible from the revamped reception area.

Managing director David Spears says: “First impressions count. We deliberately positioned our reception area adjacent to the new EDM cell, so that visitors can see our world-class ‘state of the art’ manufacturing operations.”

The CUT 3000s are producing complex progression tools, which are used by Brandauer to manufacture high-volume precision pressings for a growing number of customers in the medical-device, automotive, electronics, telecoms, aerospace and domestic-appliance sectors — among others.

Tool-room manager Leigh Cresswell says: “Our work demands exceptional and repeatable accuracies. We are quite literally chasing the micron. To manufacture parts and intricate part features to the exacting tolerances and finishes that we require — and our customers demand — means we need machines that can deliver, day in and day out. That’s why we invested in the CUT 3000 machines.”