Nestled in Shannon, Ireland, Smithstown Light Engineering has experienced a remarkable transformation over the past 50 years. Founded in 1974 as a traditional toolmaking business under the leadership of Brian King, it has grown into a global medical device powerhouse with over 300 employees. Today, with three sites across Ireland and Poland, the company produces millions of precision components each year, with the Starrag Bumotec 191neo taking its place as the cornerstone of its New Product Introduction (NPI) strategy.
“Brian King was a champion toolmaker in Ireland, winning awards and building a reputation for precision & quality” explains Gerard Henn, CEO of Smithstown Light Engineering. “That customer-focused philosophy, where you could call him at 10pm with a problem, and he’d be there the next day – that’s the foundation we’ve based everything on.”
When Gerard’s son Brian became Managing Director in 2011, he recognised the cyclical nature of tool making was challenging especially after the 2008 recession. Already involved in clamps, fixtures, and instrumentation for surgical procedures that provided a repeat business model, a change of direction was being surgically strategised. “In 2018, we were still making mould tools, but the decision was clear. We exited mould tools to focus on medical device manufacturing.”
Ireland’s medical device landscape
The West Coast of Ireland has established itself as a European hub for medical device manufacturing, with major players including Stryker, Zimmer, DePuy, Boston Scientific and Medtronic all maintaining significant operations on the Emerald Isle.
Today, approximately 90% of Smithstown’s business comes from Ireland-based operations, with the remaining 10% split between the US and Central America. However, that international percentage is growing as the reputation spreads. “When there’s a supplier review meeting in the US or wherever, we’re often invited to bid. Our name moves around based on our reputation,” Henn notes.
Shrinking components and tighter tolerances
With medical device components getting smaller, more complex and requiring tighter tolerances that pushed traditional manufacturing approaches to the limits, Smithstown set about acquiring suitable machine tools like the Starrag Bumotec 191neo. This was because parts that once measured 100mm+ were shrinking to dimensions requiring magnification to inspect.
“If you look at some of the components we are making now, you literally need glasses to see them properly. These are complex medical devices with multiple operations like cross-drilling, chamfering, tight internal radii, and critical surface finishes both inside and out. Many require tolerances in the 3 to 5 micron range on production runs, not just prototypes,” Henn continues.
“Four or five years ago, we would break into our manufacturing resource to make customer prototypes. What was supposed to be two days often became 4 weeks with a production machine out of manufacturing for a month,” Henn recalls.
With 10 to 15 NPI programmes running simultaneously across both the Shannon facility and Poland, the constant interruption to manufacturing was challenging. “We weren’t making our numbers. We’d lose 2 weeks here or 6 weeks there. Something had to change.”
A Dedicated NPI Facility
The solution required both organisational and technological change. Smithstown established a dedicated NPI department with its own equipment, separate from production manufacturing. However, the specified equipment needed to handle the most complex geometries possible. This is where the Starrag Bumotec 191neo stepped up to the plate with its 60-tool changer, main spindle and retake vice, and the 12.2kW 36,000rpm B-axis machining head. “We needed something for all the multiple operations. Something that could handle very complex geometries with tight tolerances.”
Smithstown’s technical team, many with 25 to 35 years of experience, attended exhibitions like EMO and maintained dialogue with suppliers. Starrag emerged as a potentially key supplier for several compelling reasons. Aside from the brand prestige in multiple industry sectors, one reason was the medical industry reference customers in Ireland and a machine permanently located at the Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) facility. “We started asking questions like, what’s your service level? What’s your warranty? How many machines do you have in Ireland?”
Why the Starrag Bumotec 191neo?
The relationship developed gradually over several years before an order was placed. Alexandre Gelfer, Starrag Vuadens SA’s representative for the UK and Ireland, played a crucial role. “We showed Alexandre a range of parts, and we wanted a machine that could cover most of that range,” notes Flavio DeCampos, Smithstown’s Manufacturing & NPI Leader.
Several key factors drove the final decision to order the Starrag Bumotec 191neo in January 2025. First was the machine’s fundamental capability of a 5-axis machining centre integrated into a turning environment. “With the Bumotec 191neo, you’re putting a 5-axis inside of a turning centre. This gives you the capability to handle complex parts with the tightest of tolerances. In one machine platform, there are 12 possible configurations where you can have up to 7-axes and 3 spindles,” Flavio explains.
Second was the compact footprint relative to its work envelope. Third was flexibility for unknown future requirements. “We needed the Rolls-Royce of machines for NPI work, the Starrag Bumotec 191neois certainly that machine. We knew the first NPI machine would be the centre point for future operations, and only a brand as prestigious as Starrag would deliver that,” Henn emphasises.
“We really drilled into everything with Starrag. We asked what the machine can do? What are the standard and special options? Throw it all at us and let us talk it through. We discussed what we needed, what was available, what they were already supplying to customers, and what they thought we should consider. We agreed on a machine with 60 tools, a main turning spindle with a B-axis milling head and a retaking unit with a vice for collecting the parts for machining the final operations.”
Strategic Impact
Since delivery, the Bumotec 191neo has rapidly become the cornerstone of Smithstown’s NPI strategy for the next decade. “NPI is the business for two years out. If we’re not in there now and working on new products, we’re not going to have any business later,” Henn emphasises.
The dedicated NPI department now functions independently, removing conflicts and delays caused by breaking into production capacity. “If NPI needs five weeks for development, that’s on them. They’re not affecting production, and customers don’t see any impact.”
The commitment to Starrag isn’t a one-time investment. “We’re not going to buy one this year and something different next year. We have a state-of-the-art facility with incredible technology and a growth trajectory. We will add a second Bumotec, and a third, and we’ll go beyond that, as and when our business requires it.”
First Production Experience
The first component tested on the Bumotec 191neo was a medical device for a global manufacturer. “We’d made similar pieces on a sliding head turning centre, but this new part was far more complex. On turning centres, we would’ve had multiple setups. Now it’s bar stock in, and the finished part out – that has to be the case with complex, tight-tolerance components. We can’t afford to do second operations on machining centres, as we have in the past.”
The geometry of these parts pushes boundaries. “We’re talking about profile tolerances of 3 to 5 microns on what will eventually be production parts. On other machines, we wouldn’t be able to hold that. We can hold those tolerances with the Bumotec, even when doing complex production machining,” Flavio notes.
The medical component has undergone nine design iterations. “There’s been eight design changes in six months. We’ve been producing batches of 5,000-off through each of these iterations. We needed a machine capable of handling that variability from the start — and now we have it. When it enters full production, we could be talking 10 to 20 million parts, but in the medical sector, this commercial work might be a few years away. When that time comes, we must have our processes 100% nailed-on to maintain the extremely tight tolerances required for volume production. The Bumotec provides us with that process stability and precision that most machines cannot match, while offering the flexibility to complete complex parts in a single process,” says Henn.
Outstanding Performance
The Smithstown team has experience in using some of the most prestigious machine tool brands in the market, but Bumotec has genuinely impressed. “The consistency is what stands out. Holding tight micron tolerances with all the kinematics running is an area where other machines start to lose consistency, not on the Bumotec 191neo.”
This capability has changed Smithstown’s approach. “Some tapers have such tight profile tolerances, we question whether this should be a milling or grinding operation, but the Bumotec handles it all in its stride,” says Flavio.
The machine runs two shifts, with 24-hour capability when needed. Current cycle times are around 15 minutes per part. “We’re confident we could work at least 20% faster and maybe cut cycle times by upwards of 30% when we’re more experienced with the machine and strategies,” says Flavio.
Installation, Commissioning and Training
Commissioning preceded smoothly with support from Stefan Narnhofer, Starrag’s commissioning engineer. “Stefan was phenomenal. He was so fastidious and dedicated. What more do you want from a supplier?” Henn adds.
Stefan participated in the factory acceptance test, installation, commissioning, and returned for CAM refinements. We maintained continuity – the same guy who understood our operations and processes,” Henn continues. The training programme was equally effective for the three staff members operating the machine. “One thing that stands out is how user friendly the HMI is. To understand all the axes clearly when the milling head moves around exemplifies how easy it is to use. The difference compared to other machines is considerable, and the graphic display is incredibly intuitive,” Flavio explains.
This intuitive interface significantly reduced the learning curve. “The guy did one week of training and was able to come back and start cutting parts immediately,” Flavio notes.
The Learning Curve Ahead
Both Henn and Flavio are candid about being early in the learning journey. “There’s a lot to learn about how to get more out of the machine,” Flavio acknowledges.
This sparked discussions about advanced training. “I rang Claude Ballif Sales Manager at Starrag Vuadens and asked how we drive this technology forward, and Claude’s immediate response was that every customer returns for a second phase of learning when they are competent with the machine. As every customer wants to push the boundaries of what is possible – and the Bumotec allows us to do that,” adds Henn.
Claude explained that users initially program based on experience with other machine types. “Bumotec is far more powerful than that. Users need to change their strategies and approach machining from a completely new direction of boundless possibilities,” Henn says.
Flavio agrees: “The guy programming the machine came from a 5-axis background. For guys using 5-axis, they’re focused on milling and don’t think about turning in the same machine, this effectively requires a mindset change by both our machinists and our development teams.”
Looking back, Henn is emphatic in his praise: “I can’t do anything but complement Starrag. The dialogue, the patience, transparency and responsiveness all stand out. For our project engineering team, the Bumotec 191neo is becoming the first choice machine for complex medical device components.”
Conclusion
The strategic decision to establish a dedicated NPI department, along with investment in Starrag Bumotec 191neo technology, positions the company for ongoing growth in one of the world’s most demanding manufacturing sectors. “You hear lots of great things about the Swiss watchmaking industry and how heavily involved Starrag are. When I look at some of our parts on a CAD screen and the minuscule dimensions, I can see why. The ability to throw anything at this machine is fantastic,” Henn continues.
With tens of millions of components produced annually and an expanding presence across Ireland and Poland, Smithstown has a clear strategy, and the addition of more Bumotec machine tools in the future is assured. “If we are not at the table for the next bid; if we can’t handle the most complex parts our customers can envision, we’re not going to be in business in five years. The Bumotec gives us that capability. It’s the Rolls-Royce of our NPI operation, and as we learn more about what it can do, it’s going to help us win the programmes that keep this business growing for the next 50 years,” concludes Henn.
