Coventry aerospace manufacturer makes big machinery investment

ASG Group, a leading precision aerospace subcontract specialist and a strategic supplier to Rolls-Royce and Airbus, has made a significant investment in CNC machinery and metrology equipment.

This investment, centred at the ASG Arrowsmith Centre of Excellence in Coventry, is set to transform the company's machining capabilities and secure major machining contracts with a renowned global aero-engine manufacturer.

Partnering with Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions’ machine tools in the UK and Ireland, ASG Arrowsmith has embraced automation technology to enhance its machining prowess.

The newly installed automated manufacturing cell comprises the Doosan Lynx 2100SY, a versatile and precision-driven lathe, which augment ASG Arrowsmith's existing automated manufacturing setup that includes a DVF 5000 simultaneous 5-axis machining centre, integrated with an automatic workpiece pallet changer made in August 2022.

These Fanuc-controlled lathes, with multi-tasking capabilities, empower ASG Arrowsmith to deliver rapid, high-precision machining of intricate and complex turned and milled aerospace parts. The combination of powerful spindles, advanced turrets, and remarkable processing speeds positions ASG Arrowsmith as a formidable contender in the aerospace sector.

Jason Aldridge, managing director of ASG Arrowsmith, commented: "Lynx lathes are really well respected and are both flexible and reliable. With their powerful, high-torque spindles, 12-station turrets, and impressive rapid rates, they deliver the high part accuracies and fast processing speeds required in the aerospace sector."

Installed at ASG Arrowsmith’s machine shop facility in Coventry in July, the newly established automated cell is purchased to support growth in existing aero engine production parts, plus the introduction and ramp up of new NPI components.

ASG Arrowsmith has won work on civil military and business aviation components, ranging from medium complexity engine components to higher volume C-class parts. Working with aero engine-specified material grades, Arrowsmith’s 56 years of specialist knowledge on hard exotic metal manufacturing is instrumental.

The investment continues to demonstrate the wider ASG Group specialism in in machining of hard, soft and exotic metals with both long and short bed capabilities.

In addition to adding to its machining capability, the firm also continues to elevate its commitment to excellence by investment in a new Keyence IM Series metrology arm into its operations. This advanced Instant Measurement System, an automated optical comparator, enables up to 99 dimensional measurements in under three seconds, all at the press of a button. The ability of the IM Series is enhanced by its seamless integration into ASG Arrowsmith's workflow. The system not only expedites measurement processes but also automatically captures measurement data and generates comprehensive inspection reports, streamlining quality assurance procedures.

ASG Group
www.asg-group.co