A Full Compliment

Patrick Guy started today as our 4th apperentice  at the Investment Foundry.

Patrick seen here shooting his first waxes in the wax room while supervised by John Brockett. Patrick now completes our quota for finding apprentiships at the precision foundry for this year.

If you wouold like to be considered for the intake next year please send your details to John and we hope to see you next year.

Bonjour Mes Amis

Micro Metalsmiths Ltd is exhibiting in France at the Micronora at Besancon. 28th September to 30th September.

The foundry has been trading in France now for over 15 years with products from Aerospace connectors to simple electronic grips. With a good reputation for supply and quality.

In 2009 the precision investment foundry start trading at such a level that a requirement was identified which resulted in the employment French speaking sales manager in Cinzia Ferella. Cinzia has continued the growth in France and has now taken up duties to include Germany.

 

The exhibition in Besancon is the first time that the close tolerance lost wax casting made by the company have been shown in this region. The intricate shapes that we manufacture and are able to achieve have been greatly received in the market in France over the last few years.

If the exhibition goes close to form from previous experience of exhibitions in France great things will be happening at the company very shortly. If you're passing the region please call in and see Cinzia and say Bonjour or Buongiorno as Cinzia originates from Italy.

Bonne chance Cinzia.

Zinc tastic

Micro Metalsmiths has moved into zinc.

For years the company has been asked if we cast Zinc. The process that we employ to make our precision investment castings does not lend it self easily to casting this metal. Therefore the answer has always been:-

"sorry no, not our process".

John Myers our foundry manager and casting technique supremo has looked at the refectory properties in our investment material, frustrated with the fact that we were turning this work away for low to medium batches.  With some minor tweaks John has adapted the refractory material it so that the same complex shapes enjoyed by our aluminium and copper alloy customer.

We are happy to look at pre production batches and supply of components prior to release into die casting or components that just require to be in zinc.

"So do you cast zinc?"

"At Micro's,YES"

Back in the USA

Micro Metalsmiths Ltd will be showing it's casting expertise at the Medical Design and Manufacturing Exhibition on the 28th to 30th September in Chicago.

This will be the first exhibition by the precision aluminium and copper alloys foundry for 5 years marking our return to our marketing push for the USA.

Having traded in the USA for over 25 years the company was forced to re-examine it's sales push during the start of the recession. With the employment of Chris Baye we reaffirmed our commitment to open up the high quality market for our castings that has always been in demand.

The technology used in the casting process is unrivaled in the American market and our business partners in Honeywell, Rockwell Colin's, Molex and many others we are confident that those potential customers see our product will be able to utilize our services.

If your at the exhibition and can call in at booth 4023 we are confident you'll be impressed.

http://www.canontradeshows.com/expo/mdmmw10/exhibit/product_spotlight.html

Alternatively just call in to say "Hi" to Chris.

Bright Sparks at Micro's

The New Wire Erode and Spark Erode Arrive



At Micro Metalmsiths we have been making our own tooling for over 20 years. Things have moved a long way from the times we used the Bridgeports and a good engineers eye.

Now with Cad models and 5 axis CNC machines utalised in our tooling manufacture we had just two areas that we had were forced to use sub contract manufacturing with wire and spark erodes.

We have now taken delivery of these machines and though not direct out of the box they are in perfect condition. They allow us to keep constant control of our tooling lead times for supply of samples. Coupled with the  ability to manufacture tools with a reduction of split lines and gerometry.

This is a major benfit to our customers who have a requirement for high cosmetic parts.

Both machines have been settled in and within 4 hours of release were running on tooling.

Just in time too as throuhout this year we have seen a 20% increase in new tools from our customers. This was peaked in august with a 30% increase in new tools.

We have even now utalised the machines on production castings and CNC machined parts.

Things look bright in the tool room for the rest of the year.

AS9100 is coming to Micro Metalsmiths Ltd

Micro Metalsmiths Ltd have just had the 2nd assesment completed in gaining the certification for AS9100.

The Foundry and the Machine shop have both been completed in 2 full days of premilary audits and 4 minor discrepancies were identified in the foundry. These have been corrected instantly and the full audit is booked for the 21st September, which from the comments of the Auditors appointed by Lloyds the company will pass with ease.

Micro Metalsmiths decided to move forward in gaining this quality standard after consultation with the customers and the demands being made on them by as part of thier supplier agreements. Always a forward thinking company the mission was started in January of 2010 and will reach it's target on schedule.

The company has always been known the quailty of the parts manufactured for Aerospace, Defence and Specialised equipment manufacturing. However as the company ambitions are realised the introduction of this system was essential.

Keep logging onto the the blog to see how the assement goes.

Then there was three

Ellis McCarthy has started his apprenticeship the 3rd apprentice this year.

After our last Blog with the start of the first of this years desired requirements for apprentices we are pleased to announce that we have successfully been able to find a 3rd in Ellis.

Regrettably for Ellis it did come at the time of the Leeds festival which he was attending last week but he sacrificed the music for the opportunity at the foundry.

We are still in search of another apprentice and all enquiries can be sent to John Brockett.