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.

IT'S A GIRL!

Congratulations to Gill and Dan Watson on the birth of their wonderful and beautiful 8lb 1/2 oz baby girl.

We all are looking forward to seeing the first pictures. From all at Micro Metalsmiths.

The next Generation

The next generation of engineers at the Lost Wax foundry and CNC machine shop is coming.

Eva and Charlie pictured here with John Brockett the quality manager for the company have started their first year of their apprenticeship. Selected from a shortlist we are pleased to continue the apprenticeship scheme at Micro Metalsmiths.

Presently 4 apprentices from the previous recruitment 3 years ago have qualified and are now looking to start work in their chosen field in the company.

Meanwhile there are 3 other apprentices that are just entering their final year and entering into the engineering departments to hone their skills.

Eva  and Charlie will now commence a training programme which will take them through every process in the company for components division wax room, investment, casting, blasting, fettling, inspection, CNC machining, tool making, understanding AS9100 and NDT testing.

The company has not stopped recruiting apprentice's for 2010 so if you want to join Eva and Charlie at the company please contact John Brockett to discuss the opportunities. 

The Face of Micro Metalsmiths Ltd 2010

Pictured left is Chris Trousdale, who started at the investment precision foundry 15 years ago working in the fettling shop, and has become the face of Micro Metalsiths.

Chris is presently employed as a charge hand for the machine shop in which he started working 12 years ago, before he got married and his "little one" came into his life.

He was promoted when the company made the investment into the 9 Fanuc muliti axis CNC machines in 2009. 8 of which are used in the machine shop.

Chris stated "I've never had a bad day at the company. I like the variety of parts the foundry can make that require some final machining" smiling at the sign "appart from pay day this is one of the best days of my life".

Chris is hoping it will now bring in calls from hollywood for film roles as he expands his modeling portfolio. We do hope that he's allowed time of to continue his new role in the company.

The new sign can be viewed on the entrance to the Kirkbymoorside site of the company.

Appointment of USA Sales Manager for Micro Metalsmiths

We are please to announce the appointment of Chris Baye as the USA Sales Manager. Seen here outside the company entrance.

Chris lives in Minnesota and in the north-central region. his background is in applications engineering, capital equipment, semiconductors, medical deivices and component sales for the aerospace industry.

"I'm excited about joining the company" Chris stated, "I've had the privilege of touring the facility and was impressed by the skill , pride and dedication of the staff. It was enlightening to see, first hand, how the parts are made and to learn about the value that the unique process brings to our customers.

We are overjoyed to have Chris on board with the team and hope to join him in his hobbies of western horseback riding, target shooting and flight simulation though preferably not all at the same time.

25 Year Award For Dave Collinson

Dave Collinson (left) the lathe supremo at MML is seen here being presented with his 25 year service award from Christopher Shaw MD.

Dave has a reputation for making the most complex and tight tolerance parts look easy. With his motto "Turned out nice again".

When not manning his lathes Dave is a very keen Angler and indeed competes over the country in competition. We must say some of his stories do fit the the "Fisher mans Tale" stereotype.

"Dave has always been happy to pass on his expertise to the apprentices that work their way through the factory" commented Christopher "and indeed has been most becoming in passing on the same words of wisdom to me on many occasions"

Wisdom that non of us would be without. Congratulations Dave.