MACH 2014 - Mini Gears prestige parts

These include valve components for the oil and gas industry, ground gears and flywheels for the high-performance car industry and aluminium 'kits' for first class aircraft seating (Stand 5675, Hall 5). Mini Gears is a large, privately owned subcontract engineering company based in Stockport, near Manchester, known for producing medium to high volume batches of commercial gears and gear racks. Over the last few years the company has undergone a massive transformation, investing millions of pounds in machinery and training and it now manufactures many high precision non-gear related products alongside its traditional markets. The machined parts for aircraft seating (pictured) were for privacy screens in first class and made from aluminium. Mini Gears at that time had no economic way of manufacturing them, so Senior Project Engineer, Malcolm Husband, went in search of a suitable 3D CAM modelling package and a machine tool. The firm purchased a Dah Lih MCV 1200 vertical machining centre and milled the entire frame from solid. This has improved the finish, quality and cost of the screen and has made it over 50% stronger. Mini Gears has recently added two new Mitutoyo CMMs so that it can measure complex aircraft parts using 3D models.