Crossen Engineering seeks to boost aerospace work: invests in more Hurco technology

Instead of being rolled, they will be pressed using a tool machined by the Newtownards, Northern Ireland-located company on one of its Hurco vertical machining centres. During 2011, 4,000 such seals will be produced in the press shop at Newtownards, which has 17 power presses rated from 35 to 500 tonnes force for subcontract production runs of progression and deep drawn components. The contract has boosted the proportion of aerospace sector work undertaken by Crossen Engineering to 20% of turnover. The company received AS9100 quality management accreditation in 2010 and intends to grow the aerospace side of its business further to 75% by 2015. Having invested in its first Hurco machine some 25 years ago, a BMC 40, in the last six years, the company has installed four VMX42s, the latest in April 2011, and a VMX64 to increase the size of parts that can be machined in-house. All are 40 taper machines. The first VMX, with 12,000 rpm spindle, arrived in 2005 to produce aluminium injection moulds for manufacturing rubber mats for cars. Suppliers to Porsche, Mazda, Kia and Mercedes Trucks number among the many users of these moulds. One of the other VMX42s has a higher speed spindle, capable of 15,000 rpm. It was bought to concentrate on machining of aluminium parts for aircraft, such as seat supports and trim, as well as to produce vacuum forming tools. The VMX64, with its 1,626 by 864 by 762 mm working envelope, was acquired in 2009 for machining bolster plates and other larger components whose production was previously subcontracted. A similar machine will replace the original BMC40 at the end of 2011.