Precision Micro, a global chemical etching supplier, has unveiled a further expansion of its manufacturing capacity and capability with the addition of a second new etching room at its Fort Dunlop-based site in Birmingham. The investment, totalling £1.8 million is now home to three new and highly efficient etching machines alongside a bespoke semi-automated print frame.
Believed to be an industry first, the company’s new print frame boasts a design that minimises human input in printing photo-resists onto larger sheet metals up to 1,500 x 600mm in size, increasing throughput and delivering cost savings to its customers. Furthermore, the shift towards a more automated approach enhances component quality by eradicating the issue of foreign-object debris which can impact the photochemical etching process, as well as reducing the manual handling of heavier materials.
Driven by global demand for next-generation energy technologies such as hydrogen production and storage, carbon capture, green energy buffering, electric and hydrogen electric vehicles (HEVs), the expansion enables Precision Micro to supply larger, thicker-etched sheets in higher volumes.
Supplying enabling components such as printed circuit heat exchanger flow plates for waste energy recovery and hydrogen pre-coolers, busbar battery interconnects for HEVs and bipolar plates for fuel cells and electrolysers used for hydrogen production, the investment will support companies looking to commercialise these products and overcome capacity constraints in the existing supply chain.
Karl Hollis, Precision Micro’s director of engineering, said: “We have worked closely with our suppliers to ensure all new equipment is developed in line with our sutainability strategy, automating many parts of our manufacturing process using less power to achieve the same consistent results. Chemical etching is often the only appropriate method for manufacturing the precision components needed for many emerging renewable technologies. This latest investment marks the next stage of our expansion, and we are excited to be able to support our customers’ rapid growth.”
In 2019, Precision Micro invested £5.1 million in plant and new equipment, a move which increased the company’s etching capacity by 30% and which in turn opened new opportunities within sustainable energy markets. The latest addition has increased this by a further 40%. Precision Micro also plans to add a fourth etching machine in early 2024.