Vertical growth at full speed

Established in 1979 in a small unit in the heart of East England, Denis Smith began with just a manual lathe and mill. The company has seen significant growth, particularly in the last 15 years, which Denis’ daughter, director Abbie Chapman, attributes to marketing.

She says: “We focused on improving our website which has brought in a lot of business. It was then that we took the decision to invest in our first CNC machine.” Thermoreg opted for a Haas VF-2 vertical machining centre. Ms Chapman continues: “We knew Haas were a trusted brand, so we felt confident in our choice.”

Now over 20 years old, the machine is still run daily and is an integral part of the workshop. Two more Haas verticals have since been added. The latest, a VF-4, comes with 8,100rpm direct drive spindle, 20 station carousel toolchanger and 1,270 x 508 x 635mm capacity.

“The valves we machine range from 3/4 to 6-inch diameter and the castings weigh up to 150kg. The VF-4 can tackle even our largest pieces; we use it for everything we do. We’ve really noticed the difference in performance as well. It has cut some of our cycle times by 50%,” Ms Chapman affirms.

The factory has just taken delivery of a fourth Haas, an ST-15Y turning centre.

“The Haas sales team have been very supportive and the training engineer is extremely knowledgeable. If we have a query, we can give him a call and he helps us out on the spot.”

The company’s success has helped Ms Chapman, together with husband and Thermoreg valve tester Kevin Chapman, to realise their dream of running a top fuel drag racing car. The Thermoreg Racing Team runs in the prestigious European Funny Car Series; known as the Formula One of drag racing.

Held at the Santa Pod raceway in Northamptonshire, the team was runner up in its first year and crowned European Funny Car Champions 2019. A very proud achievement for all involved.

Kevin Chapman explains: “I’ve been watching drag racing for 40 years. The car we bought was made in the USA just like the Haas machines. We couldn’t turn down the opportunity to compete.”

A funny car race is generally over in the time it takes to read this sentence. During a race Mr Chapman experiences the fastest acceleration on earth, zero to 282mph in 4.4 seconds. The G-forces endured are intense; 5G when pulling away from the line and minus 5G when the parachute is deployed at the end. The car possesses a 10,000bhp engine and its 78 gallons to the mile fuel figures mean it needs frequent refills.

“The feeling is indescribable. We’re very lucky to be able to take part and we’re delighted to involve Thermoreg with the team,” Mr Chapman concludes.

Haas Automation www.haas.co.uk

Thermoreg https://thermoreg.co.uk