Ceratizit UK turns up ventilator volume for Cutting Edge

When Cutting Edge Precision Engineering was asked to support the Ventilator Challenge by one existing and one new customer, it was faced with the challenge of sourcing tooling. To meet that demand, the Huntingdon-based company turned to Ceratizit UK & Ireland who could guarantee delivery, technical support and pricing to make the job work.

While its day-to-day work is focussed on machining parts for the telecoms, special purpose machinery and industrial printing machine sectors, the company’s three and five-axis machining centres proved ideal when contacted by Lungfish Dive Systems, a specialist manufacturer of closed-circuit diving equipment. The company has diverted its efforts to equipment breathing support for Covid-19 patients, generating additional requirements, over and above the 10,000 each of two machined ventilator components they are currently producing for another customer.

Commenting upon the situation, Stuart Dunklin the Managing Director of Cutting Edge Precision Engineering says: “Key to the project was the specification of tooling as we were not allowed to use any existing cutting tools due to the traceability and quality requirements from our customers, with cross-contamination of materials being a major concern.”  This meant we had to have everything brand new and quickly. We took advantage of Ceratizit’s ventilator support offer which as well as giving us a significant help with the cost, it also ensured we got Ceratizit’s advice that recommended the best tools for the work and, that these tools were delivered the next day before noon.”

“Additionally, as we were working over the weekend on the project, they made sure that we had telephone access to get technical support and cutting data for those tools we were not familiar with. The service has been excellent throughout.”

On this project alone Cutting Edge Precision committed five vertical machining centres, all of which required a range of Ceratizit cutting tools including end mills, drills, forming taps, thread-milling and drill-reamers for holes down to 5.02mm diameter. Also, a selection of workholding was supplied. A further ventilator project is also coming to fruition, which will require the commitment of Cutting Edge Precision’s five-axis machining capability. This, in turn, will lead to demand for additional Ceratizit tooling and workholding, specifically vices and tombstone-style fixturing to be able to achieve the volumes required.

“The ventilator initiative that we have in place has been extremely popular and has enabled customers like Cutting Edge Precision to step up in support of the Government’s call for additional resources to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. In my sales area alone, I have 12 customers that have engaged with us to ensure they have the right tools at the right time to machine parts for these urgently required pieces of equipment,” says Warren Howard, Technical Sales Engineer, Ceratizit UK & Ireland.