Surrey-based
Monad Precision Engineering, which has a facility in Esher, recently acquired a 6,500ft
2 factory and combined the company’s two former, smaller premises into a single integrated facility that allowed the 25-strong workforce to come together under one roof. This new building features a fully refurbished workshop, modern office space, and a temperature-controlled inspection centre.
Steve Reeder, Monad’s owner, said: “This move, which coincided with the company’s 50th anniversary, immediately boosted our efficiency. We are a family run firm through and through, and with my three sons pride ourselves on tackling the toughest challenges in precision engineering. Indeed, we seek out those complex and demanding jobs that others shy away from. That is the type of work that motivates us.
“Monad Precision primarily serves the aerospace and oil and gas industries, working closely with select customers who supply numerous end users, so we are ensured of varied and engaging projects. Moreover, our staff stay with us long-term, as they enjoy the daily variety and the broad capabilities our CNC machines provide. One day we could be machining components for lasers, the next day submarine parts; we have even manufactured components for the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.”
Monad’s workshop now houses no fewer than 15 CNC machines supplied by Norwich-based
Haas Automation Ltd — 12 vertical machining centres and three turning centres. The company’s first Haas machine, which was acquired in 2001, has just been part-exchanged for a VF-2SSYT vertical machining centre featuring a 30+1 side-mount tool changer, extended Y-axis travel, and a full five-axis capability. This is courtesy of a Haas TRT160, which is a compact 160mm-diameter tilting rotary table designed for precision four- and five-axis machining. It offers ±120deg tilt, 360deg rotation, up to 285Nm of torque, and tilt speeds of around 29deg/sec.
Steve Reeder said: “We invested in our first five-axis machine, a Haas UMC-500, in 2023. Initially I had my doubts, but it quickly proved invaluable, so much so that we bought a second machine just three months later. The Haas UMC-500 offers five-axis simultaneous machining, a 10,000rev/min spindle, and integrated wireless probing. Don Cole, our Haas sales manager, was tremendous, guiding us seamlessly from four- to five-axis machining. Furthermore, the Haas engineers provided comprehensive on-site training; and with ongoing support a quick phone call away, the transition to five-axis working was straightforward and got us confidently through the first few five-axis jobs, paving the way for many more.”
Significant ime savingsSteve Reeder continued: “While the addition of five-axis has opened up a lot of opportunities for us, what really makes it powerful are the hours of set-up time saved on complex parts thanks to features like ‘tool centre point control’ (TCPC) and ‘dynamic work offsets’ (DWO). With these, we can clamp a component anywhere on the table and still machine it accurately, allowing us to be far more flexible and efficient.
“TCPC and DWO allow the machine to adjust automatically for changes in part location, as instead of rewriting or reposting a program for each setup, the control keeps the toolpath consistent, even if the part isn’t in the same place every time. Whether we are running full simultaneous five-axis jobs or using 3+2 positioning, the machine handles changes with ease — and the transition from CAD to cutting is seamless.”
Charlie Reeder, Monad’s production controller and a director, added: “It wasn’t easy letting go of our original Haas vertical, as it had been a sound workhorse for 25 years and was still running well. However, the new generation of machines bring so much more to the table, such as faster cycles, smarter features, and useful touches like built-in air gun holders, and coolant nozzle brackets — plus integrated oil skimmers to keep everything cleaner.
“Furthermore, the part-exchange offer from Haas was one we couldn’t refuse. It made upgrading straightforward and affordable, and continuous investment is how we stay competitive. Increasingly, we are moving beyond our traditional ‘make to print’ approach and contributing to design processes. Getting involved in projects at the design stage allows us to advise on tolerances, radii, and operational efficiency, streamlining the manufacturing process to the benefit of everyone involved — particularly as we are now all in one location.”
Steve Reeder concluded: “Our designers use OneCNC and Fusion 360 CAD/CAM software, feeding data directly to the machines. Our customers appreciate that our CNC fleet is entirely Haas, as this ensures program compatibility across machines without additional proving or rewriting — plus we are reliably achieving tolerances as tight as ±5µm. After 50 years, our family is still inspired by every new challenge. Bringing the whole team under one roof, and having the right equipment behind us, means we are in our strongest position ever — a position that Haas has played a big part in’, helping us stay at the forefront of precision engineering for the next generation and beyond.”