Medical cuts
The latest case studies are very much a refl ection of current times. Ceratizit UK & Ireland
offers tools and advice to ventilator part maker; ITC supports face visor making effort
When Huntingdon-based Cutting
Edge Precision Engineering was
asked to produce large quantities
of components to support ventilator and
respiratory systems for one existing and one
new customer, it was faced with the challenge
of sourcing tooling. To meet that demand it
turned to Ceratizit UK & Ireland
(www.is.gd/daxita), who could guarantee
delivery, technical support and pricing to make
the job work.
While its day-to-day work is focused on
machining parts for the telecoms, specialpurpose
machinery and industrial printing
machine sectors, Cutting Edge Precision
Engineering’s portfolio of 3- and 5-axis
machining centres proved ideal when
contacted by Lung sh Dive Systems, a
specialist manufacturer of closed-circuit diving
equipment, which has diverted efforts to
equipment breathing support for Covid-19
patients, generating additional machining
requirements, over and above the 10,000
each of two machined ventilator components
the company is currently producing for another
customer.
Says Stuart Dunklin, managing director at
Cutting Edge Precision Engineering: “Key to
the project was the speci cation of tooling,
as we were not allowed to use any existing
cutting tools, due to the traceability and
quality requirements from our customers, with
cross contamination of materials being a
major concern. This meant we had to have
everything brand new and quickly. We
therefore took advantage of Ceratizit’s
ventilator support offer see box, which as
well as giving us a signi cant help with cost,
also ensured we got Ceratizit’s advice for the
best tools for the work and, that these tools
were delivered the next day before noon.
Additionally, as we were working over the
weekend on the project, they made sure that
we had telephone access to get technical
support and cutting data for those tools we
were not familiar with. The service has been
excellent throughout.”
On this project alone, Cutting Edge
Precision committed ve vertical machining
centres, all of which required a range of
Ceratizit cutting tools, including end-mills,
drills, forming taps, threadmilling and drillreamers
for holes down to 5.02 mm diameter.
In addition, a selection of workholding was
also supplied. A further ventilator project is
also coming to fruition, which will require the
commitment of Cutting Edge Precision’s 5-axis
machining capability. This in turn will lead to
demand for additional Ceratizit tooling and
workholding, speci cally vices and tombstonestyle
xturing, to be able to deliver the
volumes required.
Says Warren Howard, technical sales
engineer, Ceratizit UK & Ireland: “The
ventilator initiative that we have in place has
been extremely popular and has enabled
customers like Cutting Edge Precision to step
up in support of the government’s call for
TOOLING SUPPORTING A NATIONAL EFFORT
additional resources to ght the Covid-19
pandemic. In my sales area alone I have 12
customers that have engaged with us to
ensure they have the right tools at the right
time to machine parts for these urgently
required pieces of equipment.”
From ventilators to the other much-needed
item that has been keeping engineering rms
busy, face visors. Valley Group specialises in
small and large-format printing, sign-making,
engraving, exhibition and display hardware,
but the Swansea-based rm has switched its
focus to this item of PPE.
The catalyst was a telephone call to Valley
Group director Richard Dawson from a lifelong
friend in need of help. That friend was a wellrespected
doctor and clinical lead at the
Hywel Dda University Health Board. West
Wales health board’s existing supplier of face
masks had exhausted its capacity, leaving
10,000+ staff at the Hywel Dda University
Health Board in need of protection. The
13-employee Swansea valley company spent
four days developing a prototype, sourcing
materials and manufacturing sample masks.
Following an expedited testing period by the
University Health Board’s infectious control
department, full production commenced.
Valley Group had to give due diligence to
its material selection, production methods,
the subsequent assembly process and any
medical regulatory conformance – all while
factoring in high level production demands.
One critical factor was the cutting of the
Face guard production
at the Valley Group
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