16 July 2024 Production Engineering Solutions pesmedia.com MACHINING New machine tool company hits the ground running As far as machine tool manufacturers go, Syil may not be a brand name that immediately rolls off the tongue, but the company has actually had a UK presence – albeit somewhat restrained – since 2011. Now, coinciding with Titans of CNC selling the brand in the US, Syil CNC UK officially launched in May this year. In this Q&A, Dave Tudor caught up with technical director Lee Wilkinson to learn about the new company’s goals and aspirations. Q Before we get onto the new UK operation, tell me a bit about Syil from a wider perspective? A. Syil is a global CNC machine tool brand, headquartered in China whose roots stem back to 2001. Today, the company boasts 17 global dealers and 12,000 machines sold globally. With a solid emphasis on using bestin-class components available from such esteemed brands like Schneeberger Switzerland, THK Japan, Siemens, FANUC and Heidenhain, we enhance this by delivering a second-to-none personalised service sold by engineers for engineers – all at an unrivalled price point. In the US, this is the first brand of CNC machine tool officially sold by the engineering behemoth Titans of CNC who have a fantastic reputation globally with over 400 million views on their YouTube channel. We are proud to say we are officially working with the team over in the USA as we are both official Syil partners. We have some really exciting developments coming our way, in particular with how we support education in the UK. Q. Where does the actual machine manufacturing take place? Is it purely in China or are there manufacturing facilities elsewhere? A. To give Syil such a competitive price point while using many ‘gold standard’ components, machine assembly takes place at the main site in China. The machines are a combined global effort, with epoxy granite castings from Schneeberger Switzerland, ballscrews and linear motion guides from THK Japan and sheetmetal parts supplied directly from Germany. We offer a choice of control systems such as Siemens, FANUC and Heidenhain as well as CAMbased controls like Syntec and LNC. We also provide single phase options. Make no mistake on quality. Our main factory has over 100 highly trained staff with each and every machine undergoing a strict geometric PDI using Renishaw interferometer lasers and ballbar kits as standard. With two-year warranties as standard, extendable up to five years, we have our customers covered. Q. Let’s get on to the UK operation. How long have Syil had a presence in the UK? I must admit it’s not a brand I’ve heard of. A. Syil has had a minimal UK presence since 2011 but were never well-known. Fast forward to 2024, with Titans of CNC now personally choosing to sell Syil machines in the USA along with a major shakeup using only the highest quality parts during manufacture, growth plans have accelerated rapidly. The new UK team – comprising Patrick O’Connor, Tom Marshallsay and myself as technical directors – was formed to drive business and promote the brand here in the UK. We began trading as Syil CNC UK Ltd in May 2024. The initial interest in the brand has been fantastic. We’re a company that aims to provide a personal one-to-one service delivered by knowledgeable and experienced people who have lived and breathed the industry for many years. Between the three of us, we’ve amassed a combined 40 years’ experience across all aspects of high-level machining ranging from 3- to 5-axis simultaneous milling through to complex live axis turning and microSwiss machining as well as developing cutting strategies, CAM programming and the development and research of tooling. Over the years, we’ve all enjoyed working across multiple sub-sectors such as F1, automotive, medical device manufacture, aerospace and defence, and oil & gas. In terms of premises, currently we have an office in Sheffield with a showroom opening in August close to the Advanced Manufacturing Park. In addition to the three directors, we also have a contracted service partner working with us to enable more capacity. We can offer a full turnkey service that encompasses not only the machine but the whole package – from the engineering drawing to a fully optimised production process and everything in between. Q. Tell me about your product range for the UK market? Will you stock machines here? Will these be ‘standard’ off the Syil CNC UK directors (L-R) Tom Marshallsay, Lee Wilkinson and Patrick O’Connor Syil CNC UK directors and global Syil partners with the Titans of CNC team
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