Advanced machining center excels in producing robust medical parts from challenging materials
Kirkstall Precision Boosts Productivity with Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX CNC Machining Centre
Kirkstall Precision, a Leeds-based subcontract machining firm, has installed a Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX CNC machining centre, marking a significant step towards its goal of becoming a world-class player in the medical device manufacturing sector.
Adam Thornton, Managing Director of Kirkstall Precision, considers Whitehouse Machine Tools, the distributor of the Brother machine, a collaborative partner, similar in values and ambition to Kirkstall Precision. Thornton stated that the Brother machine tool was a logical choice due to its high quality.
The Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX offers high-speed 5-axis machining in a compact footprint, which enhances productivity and allows for seamless automation. This combination supports efficient and precise manufacturing processes, crucial for medical device production where tight tolerances and intricate designs are the norm.
Specifically, Kirkstall Precision has demonstrated benefits including improved precision in complex 5-axis machining tasks, essential in meeting the stringent requirements of the medical industry. The machine's speed and automation capabilities also contribute to higher throughput and reduced lead times in production, enabling faster delivery of high-quality components.
The compact machine footprint optimizes factory floor space, a significant advantage for a company producing low-volume orthopaedic components from challenging materials such as stainless steel, hardened stainless, titanium, and other tough alloys. The Brother SPEEDIO is ideal for machining these materials continuously.
Investing in top quality brands like the Brother is part of Kirkstall Precision's strategy to become world class. The company, which primarily serves the medical sector and also produces surgical instruments and implants for the veterinarian sector, is experiencing a 15 to 20 percent year-on-year growth due to high demand.
Energy saving measures implemented on the Brother machining centre include power regeneration during deceleration, high efficiency motors, optimized coolant recirculation pump, LED lighting, low air consumption, and automatic power off when not in use.
Kirkstall Precision plans to add robotic component handling with optical part recognition to the Brother machine within 12 to 24 months. This move is expected to further boost productivity and precision, aligning with the company's aim to form a medical group in the contract manufacturing sector and aspire to be world class.
The company is approved to ISO 13485, a quality management system standard for medical devices, ensuring the highest quality and safety in all its products.
These advancements come at an interesting time, with new post-market surveillance regulations laid before the UK Parliament (Medical Device Manufacturing Insights) and discussions about the future arrangements for medical device regulation (Insights). The strategic acquisition of OxDevice by Kaleidex is also boosting growth into neurovascular and endovascular markets (Medical Device Manufacturing News).
In conclusion, the Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX CNC machining centre offers numerous benefits for medical device manufacturing, including high-speed 5-axis machining for complex and precise parts, a compact machine footprint optimizing factory floor space, seamless automation allowing for increased productivity and efficiency, enhanced precision meeting medical industry tolerances, improved throughput and reduced lead times to accelerate manufacturing cycles, and energy-saving measures that contribute to a greener manufacturing process.
- In the medical device manufacturing industry, where tight tolerances and intricate designs are common, the high-speed 5-axis machining capability of the Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX CNC machining centre offers a significant advantage, ensuring precision in complex tasks.
- The implementation of top-quality machinery such as the Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX, alongside strategies like focusing on low-volume orthopaedic components from challenging materials, is a key factor in Kirkstall Precision's 15 to 20 percent year-on-year growth within the medical sector.
- As the medical device industry evolves with new regulations and market opportunities, advances in technology like the Brother SPEEDIO M200Xd1-5AX CNC machining centre, featuring energy-saving measures and future plans for robotic component handling, align with companies' aspirations to become world-class players in the contract manufacturing sector.
