Blackburn-based
NextGen Precision Ltd, a leading precision sub-contract specialist, has recently invested in a new high-performance three-axis vertical machining centre (VMC) supplied by
Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland. The machine, a DN Solutions’ fourth-generation DNM 5700 equipped with an advanced Siemens 828D control, was installed at NextGen Precision’s machine shop in July 2025, and is the first machine tool the company has acquired from Mills CNC in its 44-year history.
NextGen Precision is a successful family-owned business that employs five people and is committed to continuous improvement, regularly investing in its staff, plant and equipment, and in its systems and processes. As part of this ongoing improvement programme, NextGen Precision is currently undergoing a strategic review and revamp of its machine shop in order to improve and strengthen its supply chain relationships and facilitate organic growth opportunities with existing customers in the highly-regulated aerospace, security and nuclear sectors, and to win new business from new customers.
A recent management restructure, implemented at the start of 2025, has seen the company, now under the direction of brothers, Stephen and Mark Fairbrother, revitalise its machining operations and processes with a clear focus on Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles and methodologies. It is this commitment to improving process efficiencies, quality and customer satisfaction, by streamlining workflows and using statistical analysis to solve production issues, that not only helps NextGen Precision differentiate itself from the competition, but also provides the solid foundation for the company’s future growth.
Maintaining a competitive edgeTo improve productivity and maintain its competitive edge, NextGen Precision constantly monitors, analyses and benchmarks the performance of its machine tools and process efficiencies in order to identify actual and potential production bottlenecks and pinch-points. In the spring of 2025, a new customer operating in the security sector approached NextGen Precision to discuss its immediate and future requirements for high-precision components supplied in large volumes, typically up to 2,500-off per month.
Stephen Fairbrother, NextGen Precision’s co-owner and director, said: “Although the new business was clearly welcomed, we could see that the nature of the new machining contract, and the part quantities involved, would put our existing machining capacity and capabilities under pressure. Initially, we thought we could handle the order with two of our older milling machines but, although these machines could hit the tight tied up tolerances required, they simply couldn’t machine the quantity of parts required fast enough to meet the customer’s delivery schedules. As a result, we made the decision to invest in a new high-performance machining centre, and run it in tandem with one of the older machines.”
Rather than just acquiring new, ‘like for like’ milling capacity, NextGen Precision, with what little time it had available before the new contract started, gave itself some breathing space to consider both its immediate and future milling machine tool capacity and capability requirements.
NextGen Precision’s reputation is built on delivering high-quality, competitively-priced machined components, made from a range of different materials (from aluminium alloys through to Stainless Steel 316, Inconels, Stellite and other exotics), and deliver them on time, every time.
The company has spent, and continues to spend, considerable time and resource designing and developing robust machining processes that can achieve tight geometrical tolerances, typically down to 0.01mm on and across all machined features, and meet stringent surface finish requirements (down to Ra 0.4um).
Mark Fairbrother, NextGen Precision’s co-owner and director, said: “We decided to future-proof the investment and make sure that the new machine tool we acquired was capable of meeting our own, and our customers’, immediate and future high accuracy, guaranteed repeatability and fast turnround demands. As a consequence, before we approached the market to talk to individual machine tool suppliers, we drew up a detailed checklist for the new machine.”
The checklist included the following ‘must have’ features: a rigid design and construction that would: help minimise vibration and deflection to ensure high part accuracies, superior surface finishes and longer tool life; optimise processing speeds by enabling faster speeds and feeds to be employed and more aggressive depths of cut to be taken; a powerful, high-torque, directly-coupled spindle capable of achieving high material removal rates (MRRs) and super-fine finishing, as well as being flexible enough to machine a wide range of different materials; a good-sized worktable capable of machining large workpieces and/or multiple smaller components in one set up; and a generous-sized tool changer, with quick changeover times, to facilitate the fast and efficient machining of complex parts with intricate features without the need to stop the machine to undertake re-tooling operations.
Positive experienceAlthough NextGen Precision had not previously invested in a DN Solutions or Doosan machine from Mills CNC, Mr Fairbrother had a positive experience of working with/on them as a toolmaker in the past. As a consequence, Mills CNC was one of the machine tool suppliers NextGen Precision approached with its requirements.
Mr Fairbrother recalled: “We visited Mills CNC’s facility in Leamington where we were introduced to the Fourth-Generation DNM 5700. We liked the look of the machine from the outset. In addition to the machine’s build, its spindle power and configuration, and its worktable and tool changer, we were informed that a new DNM 5700 also came supplied with roller-type LM guideways, for smooth and efficient operation and long-term accuracy, and an innovative all-grease lubrication system that reduced lubrication frequency and eliminated the need for oil-skimmers.”
To ensure that the DNM 5700 perfectly matched NextGen Precision’ requirements, the company also enquired about: the inclusion of tool and workpiece probing systems for in-process measurement and tool breakage detection; an automatic door facility to enable the integration of an industrial robot, cobot or pallet-change system to be retro-fitted to the machine at a later date; and the advanced, flexible and conversational Siemens 828D control which would make machine tool programming and operation easier and faster.
Mr Fairbrother: “We liked and valued Mills’ approach. Not only could they ‘customise’ the DNM 5700 so that it would meet our immediate and future requirements, but they could also arrange a flexible finance solution via their Mills CNC Finance operation, and deliver and install the machine from stock in double-quick time. As a consequence, we placed the order for the new DNM 5700.”
Since being installed in July 2025, NextGen Precision is using the DNM 5700 to not only machine and supply large quantities — 2,500 parts per month — of high-precision parts, machined in batch sizes of 15-off, for its new security industry customer, but also to develop and refine the machining processes currently employed to machine the parts to further optimise processing speeds, repeatability and reliability.
Exacting tolerancesThe parts being machined are small (50mm diameter), and are made from Stainless 316. They are machined from solid billet, using small diameter tools and high-pressure coolant, to tight, exacting tolerances of 10µm and, using Fusion CAD/CAM, are machined to completion using innovative fixtures designed and manufactured in-house by NextGen Precision. Incidentally, the cycle time currently required to process a batch of 15 parts on the new DNM 5700 is 105min compared to 270min on NextGen Precision’s older milling machines.
Mark Fairbrother said: “We are working closely with Mills’ applications’ team to develop and refine the machining process in order to achieve and maintain a high CPK value. Once we have done this, which isn’t that far off, we will have a process that is not just repeatable but one that can be transferred to new Siemens-controlled DNM 5700 machining centres that we’re looking to acquire in the not-too-distant future.”
DN Solutions’ DNM 5700 VMCs are proven performers and are among Mills CNC’s best-selling, small- to medium-size, CNC milling machines. The model installed at NextGen Precision was equipped with a powerful, high-torque 18.5kW/ 12,000rpm/ 118N-m directly-coupled spindle, a large worktable (1,300 x 570mm) with a 1,000kg table load, roller-type LM guideways, a 30-tool automatic tool changer (ATC), a large coolant tank (430 litre) and the, previously mentioned, advanced Siemens 828D control with conversational ShopMill part programming capability. The machine was also supplied, in addition to its probing systems, with a Filtermist oil mist extraction unit and a swarf conveyor and bin.
NextGen Precision’s investment in a new DNM 5700 provides real and tangible evidence of the company’s ambitions to transform the productivity and performance of its machine shop, ramp up its production capacity and improve its process efficiencies. Mr Fairbrother concluded: “We are delighted with the new DNM 5700 machine. The machine is fast, accurate and flexible, and we have developed a great working relationship with Mills CNC as well.”