Dawson Shanahan reaches levels of precision that other's can't, it says

Developed in conjunction with Earlsdon Technology (E-Tech), it comprises four automated high speed grinding machines that use specialised tooling to achieve surface finishes and tolerances that the company believes are superior to anything previously on high speed systems of this type. The E-Tech grinding machines include groove, slot and centreless grinders, and have been installed as part of an ongoing development programme to increase manufacturing capacity, especially for precision parts that are often based on high performance steels or other exotic engineering materials. Key to the successful operation of the machines has been the development of special purpose CBN grinding wheels, carried out by both companies in conjunction with the grinding wheel manufacturer, Asahi Diamond Industrial. These 400 mm diameter wheels typically operate at speeds of 4,000 rpm and are automatically balanced, to eliminate vibration, and dressed during operation, with the latter using in-situ diamond dressing wheels to maintain exact outer edge profiles and a long operating life. "We believe that we are reaching levels of precision for high speed grinding that are currently unrivalled by any other company in Europe," explains Jeff Kiernan, Dawson Shanahan commercial director. "For example, we're producing finished components in 2.5 seconds that are machined to within 0.7 microns over a surface area of just 3.0 sq mm; there is no need for further polishing or burr removal. Additionally, many of the parts that we manufacture typically incorporate slots with chamfered profiles ground into shafts measuring several millimetres in diameter; here we can hold tolerances of 20 minutes of a degree, which over an extremely small area equates to levels of precision of just a few microns." Dawson Shanahan is one of a small number of independent engineering companies to specialise in both cold forming and precision engineering using a wide range of conventional machine tools. The company has production centres in Potters Bar and Welshpool and designs, produces and supplies finished components to customers throughout industry and around the world, with almost 80% of its sales being exported. The E-Tech grinding machines include groove, slot and centreless grinders, and have been installed as part of an ongoing development programme to increase manufacturing capacity, especially for precision parts that are often based on high performance steels or other exotic engineering materials. Jeff Kiernan, Commercial Director at Dawson Shanahan, explains that, "We've seen a considerable increase in demand in recent years from customers looking for component parts produced to ever tighter tolerances – often to within a few microns – for both small batches and large volume production runs. As a result, we needed to expand our machining facilities, especially our grinding cells, to increase productivity while enhancing levels of quality and repeatability still further. "The E-Tech machines are enabling us to move our precision grinding operation to a new level, in terms of speed, capacity, flexibility and accuracy. Alongside our overall engineering and cold forming services, this will play a vital role in helping us expand our business in high-technology export markets, especially in North America and the Far East."