Daventry, just 40min from the Silverstone racetrack is the home of the JRM Group. Famed for its involvement in motorsport and automotive, the company has just invested in the first DMG Mori Lasertec 30 SLM 2nd Generation machine in the UK, which will be the cornerstone of building closer relationships with its existing customers and expansion into other sectors including aerospace and medical.

JRM already has two DMG Mori DMU 75 monoBLOCK and two DMU 50 third-generation five-axis machining centres together with CLX 450 and AL2 turning centres and works in partnership with DMG Mori to optimise its machining performance.

The experience of the productivity, service and reliability delivered by DMG Mori made the Lasertec 30 SLM 2nd Generation the preferred solution for metal powder bed additive manufacture.

Racing the Bentley Continental GT3, JRM works with manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover and Arctic Trucks and on projects for high-performance cars from Subaru and Nissan Nismo.

It is a Tier One supplier and has achieved wins and podiums across a variety of motorsport categories including LMP1, GT, Rally and Rallycross, as well as celebrating a championship title win in GT.

Key to these achievements is the breadth and depth of skill and experience of its workforce which has a long history of motorsport experience at the highest level.

JRM specialises in problem-solving for its clients, working with them to develop designs to manufacture low-volume high-value parts as well as concepts and prototypes.

In addition to machining and fabrication, the company’s skills extend to designing and building electronic equipment to monitor and report from sensors. Current projects under development include a skateboard chassis for high performance electric vehicles and a chassis rig to dynamically test vehicles for full kinematic compliance.

Investing in the Lasertec 30 SLM 2nd Generation will enable JRM to provide far more innovative solutions for its customers. For example, multiple components can be combined into one component, parts that would be impossible or very difficult to make can be manufactured and components can be redesigned to optimise weight and strength.

Many applications can benefit from these techniques building in features such as internal voids and tubes which would normally be impossible for low-volume metallic parts. Combining this capability with the know-how of JRM’s engineers will make lateral thinking for new solutions realisable in a short time-frame.

The machine itself has a 300mm cubic working volume and uses powder bed laser technology where layer thicknesses of between 20µm and 100µm of metal powder are fused together with a 600W laser source. The advantage of this technology is the accuracy and quality of the finished part.

JRM’s Lasertec 30 SLM 2nd Generation has three DMG Mori rePLUG cartridges. These are dedicated to titanium, aluminium and stainless steel powders. The technology enables material change to be completed within 2hr with the highest work safety on the market.

In addition, the machine is fitted with duo filters which alternate and enable filter changing without interrupting production. Set-up and testing of the machine has been completed by DMG Mori specialists, setting all the parameters for perfect parts in the three materials chosen by JRM.

Steve Finn, DMG Mori UK managing director said: “We are very excited to be working with JRM. It has the skills and contacts to take full advantage of the Lasertec 30 SLM 2nd Generation’s capability for innovation and we are looking forward to being involved in some of the company’s projects.”

“The investment in DMG Mori equipment is part of JRM’s plan for a centre of excellence in Daventry. The three current sites that the company operates will be amalgamated in the new centre which will be considerably expanded and which will have a sustainable ethos.

Jason King, JRM Group managing director, said: “DMG MORI technology puts us right at the front in engineering and technical capability. Our specialists have the skills to develop radical solutions and now, with the Lasertec 30 SLM 2nd Generation, we have the tools to turn them into reality.”