DAWSON Precision Components (DPC) has installed advanced new machines at its Shaw, Oldham engineering base - including one machine that is the first of its type in the UK.

DPC provides wide-ranging subcontract and engineering services to clients in the UK, Europe and beyond, across sectors including aerospace, aviation, defence, energy, environmental, marine, medical, motorsport and rail transport.

The new equipment, costing £230,000, represents the latest stage of investment at company. More than £1 million has been invested in expanding its workshops and premises in recent years by owners Simon Dawson, Paul Dawson and Julie Hughes.

The new machines installed are a Miyano BNA 42 GTY with low frequency vibration (LFV) and a Citizen L20 Type 8, also with LFV, which enables better swarf management in metal or plastics.

The Citizen is a 20mm capacity sliding head with sub-spindle live tooling and magazine bar feed. It is particularly suited to long, slender jobs and parts that require turning and milling in one operation.

The Miyano is 42mm capacity and similar configuration to the Citizen. It is the first of its type to be installed in the UK with LFV Technology, DPC said.

Mr Dawson said: “Citizen and Miyano hold an open day event every year and we recently went to Watford to see the new Miyano BNA 42 GTY. We’d heard about the machine in the pipeline but wanted to see it running. It has a 42mm diameter capacity and has replaced two older machines we had. The new machine complements our other machining capabilities of 32mm and 50mm diameters.

“Staff at DPC have been trained on operating the new equipment, with in-house training and visits from trainers at Citizen/Miyano.”

Paul added: “We have invested significantly recently in the latest machining equipment, new production control software, inspection facilities and skills to boost our already enviable reputation.”

“LFV technology allows for better swarf management by turning waste shavings into chips rather than long coils. This means some materials, such as certain plastics and aluminiums, can be cut much more efficiently. The waste swarf falls away rather than builds up in long, stringy coils.”

In other developments, DPC has received a strong number of enquiries linked to the recent Subcon 18 supply chain show at Birmingham’s NEC.