pesmedia.com Production Engineering Solutions July 2024 25 EDM Since its market introduction, the Sodick AD35L die sink EDM with linear motor drive has made a significant positive impact on the tool and mould-making industry – which is why Stevenagebased Neptune Injection has added two machines to its facility. As one of the UK’s leading injection moulding and mould tooling companies, Neptune Injection, which is part of Neptune Engineering, has grown exponentially with the support of Sodick Europe and sole UK distributor Sodi-Tech EDM. The first Sodick machine was installed at Neptune Injection 12 years ago and now the company has two AD35L die sink EDM machines, a compact highperformance Sodick VL400Q wire EDM, one of the market’s most precise entry-level machines – the VZ300L with linear motor drives and linear scales and also the AD30L die sink EDM. This rapid uptake in Sodick EDM technology was set in motion in 2010 when Gary Statham acquired the business that has now been in operation for over 40 years. Reflecting back to the start of the relationship with Sodick, Mr Statham comments: “It goes back to when I was an apprentice and we used Sodick machines. I then worked for another mould maker in the early 2000s and that company also had Sodick spark eroders. “When I took over this business in 2010, the company had a different brand of spark erosion technology. On the previous machines, the electrode wear was really high with very long machining times. We knew from doing test cuts with Sodick that we could reduce our lead-times, reduce the time to spark and reduce the wear on electrodes. This meant that we would need fewer electrodes to do each job and the result would be less machining time on our machining centres that produce the electrodes, creating additional savings in another department.” Now with more than 20 staff, ISO:9001 accreditation and lightsout manufacturing capability at its Hertfordshire facility, Mr Statham recalls: “When we started, there were just three of us at Neptune. I spoke to the sales engineer at Sodi-Tech as I wanted Sodick machines based on my experience at previous companies. The engineer looked at the size of our company and helped us formulate a package deal that came within our budget and time constraints. “They also provided additional training for our staff, helping us hugely along the way. When we needed backup, we would call Sodi-Tech and they would send a training engineer to us. The machines are fantastic and the service exceptional.” It is the exemplary service levels that has seen the relationship flourish. Sodi-Tech’s director of sales, Greg Capp comments: “Over 12 years ago, Neptune approached us with the need for a machine for a specific job and we delivered that machine. Since then, their business has grown and Neptune Injection is not replacing machines but investing in new technology, which is growing their business even further. “Neptune works in a range of different business areas and needs the same thing in all of these segments: high accuracy, high quality surface finishes and repeatability. With Sodick they can achieve all of those things.” Spotlighting the longstanding relationship and its evolution, Mr Capp continues: “From a small business to where Neptune Injection is now demonstrates our great working relationship. The die sink and wire erosion machines work hand-in-hand and the operating system is the same, so the staff using the equipment can pick it up easily and interchange from one machine to another.” Gary Statham adds: “Also the lead-times and prices on jobs can be aggressive so it’s very important to get it right. Around 15 to 20 years ago, you would be quoting 16 to 20 week lead-times for a job; now customers are expecting delivery in six, eight or 10 weeks. “To achieve this, you need to have a machine that is efficient and can provide exceptional surface finishes and precision – and quickly. The Sodick machines have linear motors so the positional accuracy of the electrode is within 2µm. The surface finish goes down to a zero VDI, which means for a lot of the work we do, we don’t have to hand polish afterwards. This enables us to finish the entire job on the spark eroder, reducing our leadtimes, our internal costs and minimising external requirements for polishing, thereby increasing our profitability.” Summarising, he concludes: “The footprint of the machine is small in comparison to the work envelope and this is great for us, as we don’t have the biggest facility. Furthermore, the manufacturing time is much faster than it is with other machine tool suppliers. What sets the Sodick machines apart from the competition is the repeatability – you can also achieve great surface finishes with very fast cutting times.” n Sodi-Tech EDM www.sodi-tech.co.uk n Neptune Injection www.neptune-eng.co.uk Neptune breaks the mould with Sodick Complex components being manufactured on the Sodick machines Precision mould tools manufactured at Neptune Injection on Sodick machines Neptune Injection’s managing director Gary Statham A row of Sodick machines at Neptune Injection
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