ASG Arrowsmith enhances its machining capability

Photo: left to right: apprentice Jake Moody with managing director Jason Aldridge and fellow apprentice Finlay Connell

Leading precision aerospace sub-contract specialist ASG Arrowsmith, part of the Manchester based ASG Group, has significantly enhanced its machining capabilities with a recent investment in two new multi-spindle CNC machines supplied by Leamington Spa-based Mills CNC. A new DN Solutions’ DNM4500 fourth-generation multi-axis machine and a ‘state of the art’ DN Solutions’ DVF 5000 vertical five-axis machining centre have now arrived and been commissioned in the ASG Arrowsmith machine shop. This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to cutting-edge technology and reinforces its reputation as a key supplier to blue-chip customers such as Rolls-Royce and Airbus.

The newly installed machinery at ASG Arrowsmith’s Centre of Excellence in Coventry is set to revolutionise the company’s ability to deliver rapid, high-precision machining of intricate and complex aerospace parts. In particular, the DVF 5000, a simultaneous five-axis machining centre integrated with an automatic workpiece pallet changer, forms a crucial part of this investment, augmenting ASG Arrowsmith’s existing automated manufacturing setup.

Jason Aldridge, ASG Arrowsmith’s managing director, said: “Partnering with Mills CNC has allowed us to embrace cutting-edge CNC automation technology. Currently, 80% of ASG Arrowsmith’s work is in long-term agreements of around two to three years. This gives the company the vision to plan ahead which is crucial to strategies to deploy new machinery or automation.”

Highest levels of precision
This forward-looking approach is vital in a sector that, while dealing with smaller production volumes compared to automotive, demands the highest levels of precision and efficiency. Mr Aldridge explained: “With that evidence from customers we have been able to bring in digitalisation, automation and higher capability machinery. Automation needs to be running almost constantly to justify the investment so you have to have an order book big enough to do that. Therefore, we have had to move more into production and initially had to take the risk of pricing jobs as if they were already being automated, before we actually had the equipment.”

While the investment in advanced machinery marks a significant step forward, ASG Arrowsmith, as part of the wider $80 million ASG Group, is not immune to current industry challenges, particularly material shortages. He continued: “Much of the issues encountered around these new machinery deployments relate more to the aforementioned material shortages than they do to any technical difficulties, which Mr Aldridge said the company can deal with fairly routinely.”

Despite these headwinds, the investment in automation is seen as a crucial element in ensuring the company can meet the demands of its long-term contracts and maintain its strategic position within the aerospace supply chain.

The focus on continuous investment in advanced manufacturing technologies underscores the ASG Group's commitment to maintaining its track record and reputation. As Aldridge stated, the comppany’s long-term agreements with major players like Rolls-Royce provide the ‘forward vision’ necessary to justify such strategic deployments of automation and high-capability machinery. This investment not only enhances ASG Arrowsmith's machining capabilities but also reinforces the ASG Group’s position as a leading force in the precision aerospace subcontracting sector.