Hone-All Precision Ltd

Think packaging is easy? Think again! There are multiple hurdles to navigate, and one of these is quality. At any stage of a project, quality matters. Sometimes it only matters slightly, and sometimes it matters a lot. A 0.001 mm difference in a deep hole volume might mean nothing on a pushbike but might result in catastrophe for a plane.

For example, if your business is printing, having an ineffective roller is the equivalent of having a vehicle without a wheel. Here are some of the problems that low-quality rollers can cause, and how you can avoid them.

1. Ghosting

Ghosting is when an image appears unexpectedly and unnecessarily. Ghosts can either be due to low ink quality (a ‘chemical’ ghost), or a bad roller (a ‘mechanical’ ghost). A combination of low quality ink and a bad roller results in a big mess.

Even with the best ink, a poorly honed roller will cause mechanical ghosting. This results in profit reduction, loss of time, and lowered productivity.

To avoid this catalogue of problems, precision engineering of the roller is vital. Maintenance can avoid plate wear, and accurate roller settings can prevent uneven distribution. Ask your manufacturer about the ideal mechanical settings for your roller.

2. The Wrong Roller

In a precision engineering industry, this one should be obvious. However, the majority of roller problems are caused by bad technical drawings.

Precision boring and honing is an art that requires pin-point accuracy. Printing presses require equal levels of accuracy. This is a demand that has increased incrementally as HD print quality and substrate variance has continued to raise the bar for the new ‘norm’ in visual perfection.

In the case of print rollers, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer. They are bespoke products that need to be engineered to individual specifications. Don’t order the wrong roller. Bring your technical drawings to us, and let us take a look.

3. False Economy

Applying economic rules to something like a print roller can be a challenge.

The main areas of quantification are time, productivity, and reliability. A quality print roller is likely to increase all of these. However, the real benefit is in predictability. Knowing that a print run can be finished on time and to a guaranteed standard, and knowing that new ideas can be tried and launched within predictable windows, can make a lot of difference.

This means that investing in a quality product can offer predictable, long-term, quantifiable returns. Opting for a short-term saving can easily end up costing more. Asking about prices (with the right technical drawings!) might result in a surprisingly wallet-friendly long-term outcome.

4. Cost Effective Precision Rollers

When it comes to print rollers, it pays to do the homework. Getting it right now can guarantee quality in the future.

At Hone All, we’ve got decades of experience in the precision engineering of rollers, and we’re one of the only companies in the UK that has invested in the right machines to make them. If you’re interested in learning more, we’re here to talk. You can call us on 0845 5555 111, or use the chat bubble to speak to an expert online.

Honing and lapping are often mentioned in the same breath as if they were interchangeable terms, and the two processes do share some similarities. 

However, honing and lapping are, in fact, two distinct processes with fundamental differences. In this article, we discuss what each process refers to in the world of precision machining, and the pros and cons of each:

Let’s start with basic definitions and applications:

• Lapping: Lapping is used to achieve very precise finishes and flatness tolerances on flat surfaces, profiles, or faces of metal components. It is usually completed using a lapping paste made up of a variety of different mediums such as aluminium or silicon oxides. 
• Honing: Honing, on the other hand, involves rotational abrasion / polishing to achieve an accurate size and surface finish on the internal surface diameter (ID) of a bore, tube, pipe, or hole.

Both honing and lapping are finishing techniques used at the end of the fabrication or machining process. 

The differences come down to where the process is performed – with honing generally being used on internal round, bores and lapping on external surfaces – and the actual process itself. 

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Honing – Pros

• Honing can achieve extremely tight tolerances in size, straightness, parallelism and cylindricity
• The slow speed process is designed to minimise waste, heat generation and pressure, which otherwise could distort the ID and affect precision
• Gives flexibility to change rotational or reciprocating speed to create a variety of finishes such as crosshatch or plateau 

Honing – Cons

• Requires specialist machinery and tooling and a large degree of skill 
• Honing can be very time consuming and laborious if too much material is left in the bore
• Honing can only follow the existing bore; it cannot improve the straightness of a bore unless the part is honed on a mandrel which is at least two thirds the length of the bore

Lapping – Pros

• Produces very good finishes and flatness limits 
• Suitable for any external surface, whether domed or flat, and for any diameter, size, and thickness of component
• Components do not need to be clamped in place

Lapping – Cons

• Not suitable for internal cylindrical surfaces
• Lapping can sometimes require a degree of trial and error to obtain the desired finish
• Requires close manual attention to pressure, temperature, plate rotation speed, abrasive type, and feed method

Find Out More

Hone All provide a range of precision engineering services to UK manufacturers in the Aerospace, Defence, Petrochemical, and other sectors. 

Our wide variety of honing equipment, tooling and gauging attains the very highest of custom finishes for our customers. 

To find out more about what we can achieve with our honing expertise, or additionally, our deep hole drilling, deep hole boring and turning processes, please get in touch today by phone or email.

Selecting a good UK based CNC machining/precision engineering partner has important implications for the success of your project. If you make the right choice, then you will benefit from increased productivity, shorter project turnaround time, and lower production costs. Get it wrong, and you could be faced with delays, hidden costs, errors, and unforeseen complications.

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Therefore, a lot rides on making the right choice.

Here are the five key factors you should consider when looking for the perfect CNC machining company for you.

1) Assets and Equipment

Does the contractor have the physical equipment and tools to carry out your project successfully? Most leading machining companies have both CNC and manual equipment, giving them the flexibility to create a wide range of components, but some projects require specialist equipment or tooling, as well as the standard kit. It’s worth asking the company about the equipment they use, any investments in the pipeline, and the capacity for each machine. Many companies advertise this information on their website.

2) Technical Experience and Qualifications

As precision engineering has evolved, so have the skills needed to operate the latest equipment. How up-to-date is your contractor with the latest CNC equipment, software, and techniques? Companies that lean heavily on manual machining – e.g., those that specialise in small volumes or prototypes – may not be as skilled on CNC equipment even if they have the technology in house, or they may have to outsource some of the process. If they have to outsource, your risks of reliability and success increase further. Choose a contractor with the right mix of skills on their team to deliver your project on time and within budget.

3) Case Studies/Testimonials

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and so it is with precision engineering. Happy customers are a sign that the contractor is doing something right, so ask to see both detailed case studies and informal reviews/testimonials from past customers in your sector, preferably referring to projects similar to yours. No company is perfect, so negative or neutral views can be illustrative too, especially if they demonstrate how the business deals with real-world problems in service delivery (delays, faults, staff issues etc).

4) Quality and Price

Quality is the most important factor, followed by price. High quality work costs money to produce and trained engineers deserve a fair wage, so at the very least you should raise a sceptical eyebrow at the lowest quotes – these businesses could be outsourcing their work to cheaper manufacturers in India or the Far East. On the other end of the scale, do your research to make sure that premium quotes accurately reflect the quality of the product (again referring to case studies, testimonials, and accreditations). What you want is excellent overall value based on a return on investment that suits your budget and production costs.

5) Location

While manufacturers have grown used to conducting business online in 2020/21 – to the extent that many clients and subcontractors have never physically met – location is still important for some projects. For large-scale consignments, you may want a local contractor that you can visit in person to oversee production, discuss queries, or inspect products, or to keep delivery costs low. For other projects this may be less important, but before you choose any contractor, we suggest reviewing their premises – whether in person or via a virtual tour – and becoming familiar with their key engineers and personnel. This builds relationships, instils confidence in their abilities and creates a personal connection between your two companies, making communication easier.

What Next?

Finding the right CNC machining service involves a delicate balance of quality, delivery times, expertise, and price.

To get the best value, work with the contractor, such as the great team here at Hone-All, who will make their first task that of understanding your specific needs and performance goals and provide you with a bespoke plan that fits your budget. You only need to check our Google reviews to see how we do this on a daily basis.   

To find out more, or to discuss your requirements, please give us a call today.

The 2021 annual Collaborate To Innovate (C2I) awards, organised by The Engineer magazine, are now open for submissions until 3^rd September 2021. The award scheme, now in its sixth year, seeks to identify and promote the most innovative collaborative engineering projects in the UK manufacturing and civil engineering sector.

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What Are The C2I Awards?

C2I has always been a celebration of the very best in British manufacturing and engineering, and we expect this year’s awards to be no less. Last year’s winners (C2I 2020, postponed for a year due to the pandemic) included innovative ventilation equipment for Covid 19 patients, hydrogen-powered floating wind turbines for the offshore energy sector, and remote controlled tactile robotic arms for the medical and manufacturing industries! You can find out more about the winning entries here – it’s an inspiring read.

What’s Special About 2021?

In many ways, the 2021 award cycle is even more important than previous years because it showcases the state of the sector moving out of the Covid lockdowns, and shines a light on the great work carried out by dozens of UK businesses and individual engineers during the darkest days of the pandemic.

Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, there is a mood of distinct optimism in the manufacturing sector and we are excited to see which projects are shortlisted for C2I awards, as well as those that make it to the final grade.

C2I Award Categories

Award entries are chosen from seven categories, with nominees taken from leading businesses in their respective sectors:

1) Automotive

2) Aerospace

3) Defence & security

4) Information, data & connectivity

5) Healthcare & medical

6) Energy & environment

7) Manufacturing technology

Criteria For Entry

Criteria for entry are innovative, technology-led projects that emerged from collaboration between two or more separate organisations, with a beneficial effect on their field beyond any advantage to the contributing businesses. You can nominate your own project or that of any other business that you consider has made a positive impact on the manufacturing sector over the last year. Click here to make an entry or nomination.

2021 Award Sponsors and Presentation Ceremony

The lead sponsors for this year’s awards are Babcock International Group, with additional support from Engineering UK, The Engineering Council, and EPSRC. The 2021 winners are set to be showcased early next year (date TBC) during a week-long virtual event, capped by a live award presentation ceremony in London (subject to lockdown restrictions at the time – fingers crossed).

Find Out More

Hone All provide a range of contract boring and drilling services for manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, civil engineering, and motorsport sectors, among others. We are proud to serve some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the sector, so to find out more, or to discuss a project with one of our team, please get in touch today.

After a storm comes the sunshine, and that is certainly the picture emerging from the UK manufacturing sector as businesses step blinking into the sunlight after a very tough 18 months. It’s not going to be an easy task to rebuild to the position we were in in late 2019 but, despite all the dark murmurings about recessions last year, the Covid recovery has been fast and strong, with many people expecting the country to regain its pre-pandemic position by the end of 2021. 

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Cleaning Up After Covid

Of course, there is the matter of the enormous public spending bill that will need to be clawed back in higher taxes over the next 20 to 30 years, the first sign of this being the corporation tax increases due in 2023. However, government demands are nothing new, and what the pandemic has taught us is just how innovative SME manufacturers can be when they are unfettered and allowed to collaborate to come up with creative solutions. Businesses (and individuals) are normally okay with tax bills so long as growth remains strong and people remain free to make a livelihood without excessive interference from the state.

Optimism Is The Watchword Of 2021

After a dreary couple of years, optimism is the watchword for summer 2021. According to the latest  CBI quarterly SME Trends Survey , in the first three months of 2021, the output of SMEs in the UK manufacturing industry held flat (a remarkable achievement considering the retraction in many parts of the economy) – but in the three months April to June has seen a marked improvement, something that is expected to continue as we move through the summer.

The survey spoke to owners and decision makers in 260 manufacturing SMEs and concluded that levels of optimism were growing at the fastest pace in seven years. This is despite sentiment regarding export prospects continuing to fall – fuelled by Brexit uncertainty and trade disputes with the EU – although even this residual pessimism is at much lower rate than seen over the past year.

More Orders, Faster Growth, More People In Work

If there is still a level of uncertainty over international exports, this hasn’t stopped the total volume of new orders growing throughout 2021, reflecting a rise in domestic orders. And while export orders remained flat, there hasn’t been an appreciable decline in international trade either. 

The number of people in employment also increased in the three months to April, despite the lockdown. In fact, the UK economy now has a surplus of job positions, with many manufacturing businesses struggling to fill available roles – something that points back to the ongoing skills shortage and the priority that should be given to upscaling and retraining workers, especially as it is no longer always straightforward to hire from abroad.

Next Steps

At Hone All, despite the pandemic being tough on both businesses and individuals, we have been uplifted by the cooperative spirit that was seen among so many UK manufacturing businesses, and the level of creativity and innovation displayed by so many individuals over this time. As we move out of lockdown, our workshop is now fully open and running at full productivity, and we look forward to keeping our hands full for the rest of the year! If you would like to find out more about our services or discuss a precision engineering project, we’d be happy to help, so please give us a call today.

For our machines to work their best, we need to feed them accurate information. Here are a few pitfalls that can occur in the world of precision drilling, and how you can avoid them.

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The Wonky Clock

When you’ve been working with a machine for a long time, it’s easy to let its quirks become part of the normal pattern of life. A bit like mentally adjusting for a clock that always runs five minutes slow, it is straightforward to forgive a machine or part for having a few oddities.

When you and your supplier have a long-standing relationship, these quirks are often understood. There’s no need to write things down on paper. At least, not until a new engineer arrives, or a new buyer enters the picture.

Without a clear paper trail, valuable knowledge can easily become lost. Keeping accurate, up-to-date drawings can easily ensure that this knowledge is safely preserved.

Pinpoint Accuracy

One-size-fits-all solutions can be good, but they are rarely a perfect match for a precision job. Detailed technical drawings can avoid holes that are honed a point of a millimetre too wide, or a point of a millimetre too narrow.

This detail is important for several reasons. Metals can expand and contract under stress, and have different characteristics of fatigue. The correct dimensions and depth mean that elements such as fatigue can be more precisely predicted. These calculations rely upon technical drawings with pinpoint accuracy.

Getting The Full Picture

Accurate drawings are a two-way means of communication. They allow you to tell the engineer what you want, and they also give the engineer a chance to offer feedback.

After all, people who have spent decades looking at technical drawings tend to develop quite accurate hunches for what works and what doesn’t. Today’s software capabilities also mean that plans can often be digitally visualised in advance.

Although analogue skills are still important in the world of honing and boring, digital visualisation is valuable, and relies upon precise information. Accurate drawings are therefore a crucial point of communication. This can boost productivity by saving time, and reducing the risk of errors.

Saving Time & Money

Sometimes in life, it’s the little things that matter. When it comes to precision engineering, those little things are often accurate drawings.

If you want to make sure that your drawings are accurate, we can help. Whether it’s a bespoke build, a precision part, or on-going maintenance, we’re ready to chat about it. You can get in touch by calling 0845 5555 111, or you can use our new instant chat service which will connect you with an expert in moments.

The pandemic has been tough on the Aerospace industry, though it today wouldn't exist without outsourced, precision-engineered components. Unlike most land vehicles, almost no modern aircraft are designed, constructed, and tested entirely in-house. Due to the sheer number and diversity of disparate aeroplane, spacecraft, satellite, and helicopter components, aerospace manufacturing typically relies on a scattered production chain of outsourced commissions, to design and build each separate part to fit a grand overall plan.Get my copy of the FREE Guide To Deep Hole Drilling, Boring & Honing Costs!

Each aerospace engineering company contains specialist engineers and specialist equipment, to build the best possible interlocking, modular designs. The role, speed, complexity, and propulsion method of each craft determine what is outsourced to where. But why is aerospace set up to work in this way?

Dealing With Complexity

Aircraft contain fastenings, seatbelts, hydraulics, optical overlays, scientific instruments, fabric interiors, metalwork, polymers, exterior shells, interior architecture, pressurised systems, audio/visual equipment, and heavy doors. Unless the precision engineering company you have in mind is a major conglomerate, it simply isn't possible for one business to handle absolutely everything. Outsourced precision engineering allows for consistently excellent quality to be achieved across the production chain.

Accountability

Every part used in an aircraft has to be traceable to its point of origin. In the event of an accident, crash, or part failure, the manufactured part responsible has to be assessed for any flaws or errors that might have led to the problem. Time intensive quality control also has to be performed to in-depth, exacting standards on every component made. With life-and-death machinery in play, there's no margin for error. Design flaws as small as a millimetre misalignment of a sensor, can result in an entire production run being scrapped.

Outsourcing manufacturing makes the complicated process of checking and assessing aircraft parts easier and more effective. Through placing the construction of specialised components in the hands of the experts, the finished aircraft becomes stronger than the sum of its parts. It makes it easier to keep track of who made what, and when. Mass in-house data logging is expensive, time-consuming, and can prove difficult to collect together in one place.

Outsourcing part production chains also means that a faulty component run can be quickly and successfully revised to the right CAD standards, while other modules are still being tested, assembled, and shipped.

Sealed Layouts

Aircraft design relies on a technique called a 'sealed layout' for repeatability and safety. Once the design specifications and method of manufacture have been finalised, the layout is 'locked in'.

This means that no further revisions can be made to the parts, materials, and architecture of the aircraft without a full overhaul of the main plan. Once locked, aerospace companies must continue to use the same external and internal suppliers to make each part listed to order.

Outsourcing is used with sealed layout designs to ensure a high level of repeatability in part manufacture. Dividing the work between a group of small-scale, professional engineering companies ensures that they have the time and expertise to concentrate on producing identical production runs. Of course, this ensures the aerospace engineering companies picked have a virtual monopoly on part supply until the model plan is revised again. For that reason alone, it's important to pick trustworthy, dedicated, and reliable manufacturers to outsource your precision engineering to.

Find Out More

At Hone-All, we manufacture a wide range of aerospace and defence components, specialising in CNC-tooled metals. Our manufactured parts include rotors, actuators, and landing gear components for all types of aircraft. Call or email us today for a dedicated quote.

All steel tube manufacturers have many considerations to make. It all begins with attention to detail.

Detail in this realm means balancing multiple contrasting variables including: the initial design requirements; the specification of the material; the quality of the machine; the cost of manufacture; and the required quality of the final product are the main areas.

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In precision engineering, attention is focused upon the capabilities of the engineers and the machines. At Hone-All, we do it ourselves. Who, after all, would not be floored by precision rollers? Investing in technology is a vital component of leading the curve.

However, this is just one way in which attention to detail is important. Everything else in this article stems from this same basic cultural philosophy.

Communication

Detail is often in the communication. From idea, to page, to reality, many considerations are involved.

In tube manufacture, there is a synergy of minds and technologies. Ideas spark, machines produce, results innovate. All steel tube manufacturers need to pay attention to detail at every stage, and to communicate this detail throughout the buying and manufacturing process. This detail goes beyond what technology is able to do. It is about having the right team guiding the detail into meaningful results.

And speaking of the right process…

Engineering is a practical and precise art. Most problems occur because set-up, process or maintenance procedures are not correctly followed. Common mistakes include:

1. No Production Quality Plan

Engineers know what they are doing. However, having documented process maps and plans are vitally important because they reduce the most random variable – the human thought process – from the equation. It is a system that keeps our planes flying, our shipping afloat, and our industry moving. Process and quality plans also play a vital role in troubleshooting, therefore contributing to efficiency in multiple ways.

2. Inadequate Training

Whether an old hand or a fresh face, training is a crucial consideration in precision engineering. Importantly, training and development is an on-going process that good organisations adopt as a core element of their organisational identity. Training keeps minds fresh, and plays an important role in problem-solving, teamwork, efficiency, and productivity.

3. Maintenance And Servicing

Servicing of equipment may be expensive and time-consuming, but in neither case is it a false economy. A machine that is running at a sub-optimal level haemorrhages hours and materials, whilst causing long-term damage to parts that may be difficult to replace. Misalignment or failure to maintain parts under friction are by far the most common issues and are easily corrected by annual servicing. If machines run according to established maintenance schedules, it means that other schedules – such as delivery – can be predicted with accuracy.

4. Running The Tooling Into The Ground

It is a delicate balance between optimising the life of the tooling and overdoing it. This balance can only be maintained by adhering to stringent quality checks of the tool and related tips etc. during the manufacturing process. Belief that tooling will last for the next component must be removed and replaced with an assured knowledge and confidence that it most certainly will.

5. Choosing The Wrong Process For The Job

Sometimes, secondary engineering on stock-bought tubes is adequate. Often, however, stock tubes have inconsistent interior and exterior diameters. When accuracy is required, manufacturing from solid material is often the most efficient way of ensuring that tolerances are tight, and concentricity is achieved. Choosing the correct process can save valuable time and effort. Hone-All’s free guide offers much more information on this topic.

Closing thoughts

Anyone within tube manufacturing need to balance many considerations in order to remain competitive. Some of these are based upon pure practicality, such as ensuring that machines are fit for purpose and are properly maintained. Others are down to expertise, such as understanding when to modify a stock tube or when to create from solid. Others, such as communication, are rooted in less tangible aspects of organisational culture. However, overall, considerations boil down to experience. The more finely tuned the method, the more smoothly the organisational machine will run and the better the results for the customer.

If you need advice on the best and most cost-effective method of manufacture of your tubular product, contact us today on 0845 5555 111 or via www.hone-all.co.uk

Manufacturing enterprises within the engineering footprint remain the largest economic contributor of the engineering-based industries, generating £156.1 billion GVA (or 9.3% of the GVA for all industries) in 2015. Indeed, in 2016 almost half of the engineering footprint turnover came from manufacturing (46.5%).

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Just over a quarter of the 2.55 million registered enterprises in the UK are in the Engineering sector.

And yet, in comparison, there are only a handful of companies providing specialist services, and even fewer who carry out all those specialist services in house.

Hone-All – Why So Special?

Hone-All has always responded to customer demand which has resulted in them progressing and expanding from simply offering a sub-contract honing service in the beginning to now offering a fully managed, outsource solution to businesses requiring tubular components including material supply.

The services they supply are uncommon and demand a high level of knowledge and technical expertise which is simply not taught in colleges due to the high cost of the equipment and lower demand than for other more familiar services like CNC Milling.

So, let’s take a look at the specialist services:

Deep Hole Drilling

Technically, a hole becomes a deep hole when the depth or thickness of the material is ten times greater than the hole’s diameter. One of the major concerns during deep hole drilling is ‘drill wander’, where the drill wanders off-centre. Drill wander of 1mm per metre length is the accepted industry standard, but at Hone-All Precision we try to keep any wander to a minimum. There are several ways this can be achieved - for example, we use contra-rotation of the billet to the chuck. In discussions with the client, we can drill from both ends, whereby any drill wander is in the centre of the piece. This is usually acceptable if the bore is for weight reduction, fluid or air flow.

Deep Hole Boring

Although a dictionary might give you a similar definition for drilling and boring, in the machining world they are not the same and use completely different tooling systems. Deep hole drilling uses a carbide tip on the end of a fluted shaft whereas deep hole boring requires a tube and head assembly with bearing pads and indexable cutting tips. Deep hole boring usually starts where deep hole drilling leaves off at about ø25mm and the lengths that can be drilled are much longer – in some companies up to 12 metres in length although at Hone-All, we can deep hole bore up to 3 metres in length.

CNC Honing

CNC honing is used to finish the size and form of a machined surface by the use of abrasive machining technology when tolerances and surface finishes cannot be achieved by conventional machining methods. Some of the specialist applications undertaken using CNC honing are the finishing and polishing of cylinders for petrol and diesel engines, hydraulic cylinders, drilling collars for oil and gas rigs, and air bearing gears and spindles.

CNC Turning

Modern CNC turning is a highly specialised area of precision engineering development. Where 50 years ago, a single lathe operator could spend hours with a micrometer and callipers to produce a single piece of work, CNC lathes can produce large numbers to extremely high tolerances in a fraction of the time. This service is more common within the engineering sector with many companies utilising a wide range of lathes with varying degrees of complexity and capacity. For Hone-All, CNC Turning enables them to finish machine the components on which they have produced high quality bores through their other specialist machining services.

Find Out More

Hone-All Precision is an established engineering company that provides high-quality drilling, boring and honing solutions at competitive rates and lead times. If you would like more information on how we can help to deliver your project on time and on budget please download our free booklet, The Guide to Deep Hole Drilling, Boring and Honing Costs, by clicking here.

You may think that they all say that, and they probably do.

Therefore, it’s worth taking two or three minutes to understand our justification for claiming that you will not find better – or at least understand our approach and the way we do business. It’s the only way for us, and it has delighted thousands of customers throughout the years. We believe we have the winning formula of professionalism, advanced technology and industry expertise and it’s all at your disposal.

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How Confusion Easily Creeps In To A Quote

The technical complexity of the specialist services available at Hone-All, including deep hole boring, deep hole drilling and honing, are unsurprisingly something of a mystery to some people. That’s perfectly understandable unless you have worked within a specialist machine shop and put in the hours learning about and perfecting these techniques.

This sometimes makes it difficult for customers who want to utilise these services. The variations of the different levels of machining available can dramatically impact the costs quoted at the initial stage but understanding the implications of those differences is not always intuitive from a brochure or website. There can be a whole host of factors that may at first appear to be just complications and cause for confusion. They can lead to a cost V quality conflict from simply specifying the level of machining, the technical specification and the overall impact on the finished component.

That is why we never just key some numbers into a spreadsheet and take the first answer it pops up.

Every Single Job Deserves Thorough Investigation

Issuing quotes on request is simply a cost of doing business but it’s a considerable cost to us. This is because genuine lasting quality starts with a true and perfect understanding of the requirement. We study drawings and almost always follow up with a series of questions. Our desire to gain clarity and certainty is your guarantee that you will get what you want – not just from us but from the whole process and resulting product.

We have often seen quotes being returned quicker and at a cheaper rate than ours. If we are able to speak to the customer and explain why our costings may be a little higher than our competitors, in most cases it is because we have included additional operations after considering the overall finished quality of the component and how the results of our machining will impact our customers machining further down the production sequence.

We appreciate that for some people the cost is everything and the only consideration. We don’t go along with that because going with the lowest initial cost can come back to bite one all too often.

Aerospace Industry Standards EN 9100 For Your Benefit

Regardless of your industry sector, all our procedures and order processing adhere to this superior standard. Not all suppliers apply this strict Aerospace Industry standard to all their orders unless it is specifically required, whereas we follow EN 9100 procedures for all components irrespective of sector or specification. This effectively eliminates the risk of product defects causing you problems down the line.

A Case In Point

For deep hole boring on bores from 20mm – 200mm+ diameter, a standard industry tolerance quoted would be ± 0,25mm. Therefore, any tolerances lower than these parameters will most likely result in a need for honing. However, adding honing to the cost of the sub-contract machining can often result in our quotation not being as cost-effective as the prices offered elsewhere. The choice here is, do we simply quote our standard tolerance and guarantee to win the work with the lowest price, or do we quote on a basis that will ensure the quality the customer really requires? If the tolerance isn’t achieved, the first approach avoids an unwelcome surprise additional cost or delay to the promised lead time when we are half way through the order. The same applies to surface finishes.

At Hone-All, we always choose to err on the side of caution as quality must be paramount and the costs and lead time known in full at the start of the project.

Quality Or Price: Do You Have To Choose?

Quality versus price does not have to be a compromise. At Hone-All we find that the solution comes through honest and open communication. We are transparent about our work and will be upfront about your likely project costs. This being said, our goal is to help you achieve the maximum possible value within your budget. So, based on an assessment of your needs, we will suggest solutions that come in at the lowest achievable cost, bearing in mind your quality requirements and delivery schedule.

Find Out More

You have nothing to lose by calling us today on 0845 5555 111 for a brief informal chat about your specific requirements. We are always delighted to take on new challenges that exercise our team’s ingenuity and innovative skills. Alternatively, use this easy form to request a quote. International visitors may call us on +44 1525 370666 or please e-mail us at sales@hone-all.co.uk

Precision rollers must be designed and constructed to precise specifications, as the exacting demands of each system or application can vary enormously. Attention to detail is, therefore, essential and, because it can be difficult to establish the specification required, a thorough understanding of the application - backed by the professional experience of the precision engineer - will help to deliver the perfect solution.

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When you’re determining the specifications of a precision roller, consider the following to ensure you obtain the best match for your system and application:

1) Application.

Understanding the application in which the precision roller will be used is crucial to achieving the optimum design. For example, special bearings may be necessary if the roller is to be used in high-temperature environments, such as commercial ovens, while rollers intended to produce surface coatings need finer finishes and critical concentricity.

2) Material.

Typically, stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminium, or carbon fibres are used in precision roller manufacturing. The material should be chosen with the advantages and disadvantages of each material in mind. For example, steel rollers offer exceptional durability and strength but, in some applications, are subject to corrosion. Stainless steel delivers high levels of performance but is more expensive than other materials.

3) Surface Finish.

In general, the finer the surface finish of a roller, the more expensive it will be. Some surfaces are associated with other costs that aren’t always evident: rollers that are chrome-plated, for example, require grinding, while bespoke surface treatments may be necessary to overcome difficulties such as wrinkling. When discussing your requirements with the precision engineer, ensure the nature of the application is clearly explained so that the most cost-effective finish can be selected.

4) Tolerances.

Tolerance and cost are intricately linked, with tighter tolerances associated with greater expense, so the application and processes in which the precision roller will be used are critical. At high running speeds, concentricity is crucial, while you should also consider physical and geometric tolerances. Working closely with your chosen precision engineer will ensure the rollers can handle the tightest tolerances achievable within your planned budget.

5) Temperatures.

Temperature variations, even within the same production line, can influence bearings, lubricants, choice of material, and tolerances, so it’s vital that you know the highest operating temperature from the outset. In extreme heat, bearings expand and may seize, so conventional bearings may not be appropriate. Also, roller materials behave differently under heat pressure, so provide your chosen precision engineer with the relevant data to ensure the precision rollers are designed and manufactured appropriately.

Contact Hone-All For Superior Precision Rollers

If you’re seeking high quality precision rollers that are perfectly designed for the needs of your application and processes, get in touch with Hone-All. Our specialists will take the time to work with you to establish your exact needs, so that your precision rollers are cost-effective without detriment to quality.

Whether you're manufacturing cylinders for use in engines, hydraulic systems, or industrial machinery, it's crucial to make sure that they are reliable, function smoothly, and stand the test of time. That means ensuring that their surfaces are honed. In this article, we'll examine how honing is used in cylinder manufacturing and who you can turn to for help with the process.

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What Is Honing And Why Is It Essential In Cylinder Manufacture?

Honing is a process in which an abrasive ‘stone’ is used to refine the surface of a bore. It can be carried out manually, but today's precision engineering companies often use computer numerical control (CNC) honing machines. While honing can be used to smooth surfaces, it can also be used to create specific features such as a crosshatch finish, often used in automotive applications – and it's this process that needs to be carried out when manufacturing high-quality cylinders.

When the internal part of a cylinder has been honed with a crosshatch pattern, the surface will retain oil more effectively. The oil will lubricate the engine's piston rings, minimising the friction that occurs when the pistons come into contact with the cylinder wall.

Not only will this make the piston action smoother, but it will also extend the cylinder's life and minimise the chance that it will suddenly fail. Therefore, honing your cylinders properly will boost your products safety credentials, and reduce the amount of money you need to spend on cylinder repairs or replacements.

How Simple Is It To Find A Precision Engineering Company With Cylinder Honing Capabilities?

Despite the fact that cylinder honing is such an important process, there are very few British companies with the equipment and knowledge to perform the task to the exacting standards required by specialist industries – such as the aerospace sector. It can take years to become a honing expert and even if you opt to utilise CNC honing techniques, you'll need a bespoke CNC honing machine and a technician with the skill to operate it effectively.

As a result, it pays to work with a precision machining company that is passionate about honing, such as Hone-All Precision. We have always specialised in CNC honing and, while our service offering also now includes CNC turning, deep hole boring, deep hole drilling, trepanning, tube manufacturing, and more, we still hold the process close to our hearts. We carry out honing for leading companies in a host of sectors, including the hydraulics industry.

Find Out More

To find out more about our cylinder honing services and discover how working with us could benefit your company, call us on 01525 370666. You can also send us a message using our online contact form.

CNC honing is a specialised manufacturing procedure used to finish a wide range of industrial and machine components. Here are answers to five of the most frequently asked queries that we receive about CNC honing:

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1) What Is ‘CNC’ Honing?

Computer numerical controlled (CNC) honing is an automated process that is an alternative to manual honing (parts held by hand or semi-automated fixturing).

A programme is inputted into the computer control to set the spindle speed (rotational), reciprocating speed (up & down movement), and the feed rate (the rate of material removal). All of these parameters can be adjusted within the program cycle which is a great advantage and achieves more consistent surface finishes and gives a greater control of size.

The honing process is used to achieve size and refine the finish of previously machined bores. It is also used for creating special surface finishes for many different applications to a high level of surface measurement - for example, cross hatch patterns for oil retention on automotive engine blocks or smooth finishes for oil seals etc.

Alternatively, manual honing is a process where the spindle rotates but tool expansion and reciprocating speed (up & down) is controlled by hand. However, some conventional honing machines do have the capacity to have the stroke automated along with a timer type feed system.

Both CNC and manual honing are carried out using stone “sticks”. These are generally made from aluminium oxide or silicon carbide for common materials, and diamond and borazon stones for more exotic materials, among other mediums for special applications.

2) How Does CNC Honing Work?

CNC honing machines are highly specialist and require fully trained staff to operate them correctly. The key information required for set-up is as follows: -  

• the specification of material type
• pre-hone size requirement
• finish hone size requirement
• surface finish requirement
• and any application specific texture requirements such as cross hatch etc.

All of these parameters are entered into CNC control and this creates the basis of the program. Once the parts are loaded, and cycle start is selected, the program will run.

When the cycle completes the first component, it will be removed & inspected to confirm that it is within drawing specification. If it is found to be out, minor adjustments can be made to correct.

3) What Advantages Does CNC Honing Have Over Manual Honing?

While manual honing still has an important place in the industry, particularly for completing prototypes, thin wall components or small production runs, CNC honing is a faster and more consistently accurate option for large-scale production.

With a CNC honing machine, you'll be able to produce standardised results, even when the components you're dealing with have microscopic size differences. CNC honing can produce high-quality surface finishes, so it's ideally suited to high-precision tasks.

4) What Applications Does CNC Honing Have?

An array of manufacturing industries that require precision components can benefit from CNC honing. At Hone-All, for example, we work with businesses in sectors as diverse as motorsports, hydraulics, medical equipment manufacturing, aerospace and defence, and oil and gas.

5) How Much Does CNC Honing Cost?

As CNC honing requires the highest level of accuracy, the amount you'll pay will depend on the size and complexity of the component combined with the amount of material left in the bore to be removed by honing.

At Hone-All, we'll discuss your project with you in detail and provide you with a personalised, competitive quote including what stock removal we would recommend to achieve your perfect finish for the best possible price.

Get In Touch

To learn more about our working practices or the CNC honing process, please call 01525 370666 or complete our contact form today.

Tubular based components are used in tens of thousands of applications by manufacturers in a wide range of sectors. These components vary enormously in size, capacity and use, but the method by which each is made is broadly similar.

The precision engineering methods used to make industrial tubes and shafts include deep hole drilling, deep hole boring, gun drilling, CNC turning and CNC honing.

We have written a new Guide to Deep Hole Drilling, Boring & Honing Costs for two reasons:

• Firstly, to explain what these things are and why they’re important, and
• Secondly, to explain why you may get two or more very different quotes from different suppliers for the same job!

When approaching a supplier, how do you make sure you end up with the right specs AND get the best value for money?

Quoting for deep hole drilling, boring and honing is not always straightforward but it isn’t a dark art either. Some companies may provide standard quotations raised on a standard spreadsheet, but this isn’t always an accurate reflection of costs. The project could end up overshooting the agreed timescale, accruing additional costs or not measuring up to your technical specifications. To avoid this, we always quote on a bespoke basis and only after fully understanding the technical requirements of your product, application and the timeframe you are working to.

In our guide we explain our reasons for doing so, by revealing the factors that affect your quote and the overall quality of your product.

Sections cover topics such as:

• The manufacturing process
• Engineering quality standards and why they matter
• Why complete technical drawings and a thorough understanding of the application are important

We also try and clear up some common misunderstandings/misconceptions and provide solutions to some of the frustrating issues faced by manufacturers when dealing with suppliers. For example:

• What is ‘wander’ and how does it affect your end product?
• How do you achieve the right balance of cost versus quality?
• What is the best way to work with your supplier to guarantee consistent results and on-time delivery?

How To Claim Your Copy Of Our E-Book

You can access a complimentary copy of our guide by filling in the simple form on this website. Click here to visit the page. The Guide is a useful resource for any business considering contracting out deep hole drilling, honing or boring – and comes with no obligation to use our services. The same principles of accuracy, engineering standards and customer communication apply regardless of the supplier you choose to work with.

About Hone All

At Hone All Precision we are a family run engineering firm with extensive experience serving clients in the petrochemical, medical, packaging, printing, aerospace, motorsport, hydraulics and automotive manufacturing sectors. Our full range of services are carried out in-house at our Leighton Buzzard (UK) workshop by a team of experienced, qualified CNC engineers. If you’d like to chat with one of our engineers about a project you’re working on, or request a bespoke quote, please call us on 0845 5555 111 or 01525 370666.

Manufacturing products and shipping them to customers doesn’t just happen overnight by magic. Instead, the design and creation of products relies on a complex supply and resource management system that often extends beyond international borders, from the sourcing of raw materials to the eventual delivery of the completed product to the end user.

However, a supply chain isn’t simply about the physical product, but also features personnel, equipment, and logistics. If any part of a supply chain fails, the entire operation can be subjected to extensive and costly delays. Because of the complex nature of modern supply chains, effective management is essential to ensure complete end-to-end visibility. What are the benefits of good supply chain management (SCM)?

1) Better Collaboration

Problems in the transfer of information can cause delays and misunderstandings between supply partners. In a survey, one half of companies reported lost sales opportunities because of incomplete data sharing. Implementing automated SCM software can improve the flow of data between parties in the supply chain, ensuring businesses can make informed decisions and take advantage of sales opportunities.

2) Quality Control

Businesses that have control over their suppliers enjoy improved quality control, resulting in less wastage and better customer satisfaction. Laying down minimum quality standards, for example, encourages suppliers to partner with secondary suppliers who also meet expectations, ensuring conformity with your standards throughout the supply chain. Key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor include on-time delivery, scrap rates and reworks, complaint resolution time, supplier quality assessments, and product quality and customer reviews.

3) Optimum Efficiency Rates

Delays in manufacturing are rarely beneficial, so accessing real-time information about the availability of raw materials and manufacturing bottlenecks helps businesses to implement fall-back plans and prevent their production lines from grinding to a halt. Without access to real-time data, stock-outs and delayed shipments are commonplace.

4) Decreased Overheads

Warehouse storage is one of the highest overheads for manufacturing businesses, so SCM can help improve budget forecasts, eliminating the need to maintain large volumes of inventory. Optimising the layout of warehouses and implementing automated warehouse management solutions results in less need to store slow-moving inventory that occupies space with low revenue and facilitates the storage of high velocity inventory that drives sales and profits.

5) Managed Risks

Understanding the supply chain can expose potential risks so that businesses can design and implement backup plans if unforeseen circumstances arise. A reactive approach to supply chain problems results in a sluggish and ineffective response, whereas anticipating and preparing for issues means negative impacts can be minimised. Managing risk can also promote lean manufacturing and reduce the reliance on excessive inventory.

Hone All: Promoting Effective Supply Chain Management

At Hone All, we can help you streamline your supply chains by sourcing high-quality raw materials for the manufacture and delivery of reliable complex components, eliminating the stress and time of managing global supply chains. For more information about our services please give us a call or visit our website to understand more of how we can ease your supply chain stress.

1) High-Quality Results

Honing is a key process in the manufacture of parts for a wide range of components. However, it's one that relatively few manufacturing businesses have the plant and expertise to carry out in-house to the required standards. Honing is rarely taught on engineering courses, so it could be difficult for your company to find employees with the appropriate skills to carry out the work – and it may be something that is only needed occasionally during production, making it not cost-effective to invest in the relevant machinery and training.

While we now offer a host of precision engineering services, we began as a specialised honing company and the process still lies at the heart of our operations. Our engineers are highly trained, and we've invested heavily in research and development, designing our own honing tools and machines over the years. As a result, we can deliver exceptional results, even when handling the most challenging of projects.

2) Lower Overheads

Honing machines and tools are expensive and can take up a substantial amount of floor space. They also need to be operated by skilled engineers. Therefore, opting to carry out your honing work in house could be a costly affair. What's more, you may find that your machinery can't complete all of the tasks that you need it to or that it soon becomes obsolete (CNC controls and automation systems are developing rapidly at the moment).

We have state-of-the-art honing equipment on site, including modern computer numerical control (CNC) honing machinery, which allows us to remove more stock without sacrificing the finish quality. We've also completed bespoke projects for many leading manufacturers in the aerospace, medical equipment, and motorsport sectors, so we are experienced in providing cost-effective solutions for complex tasks that standard honing machines are unable to perform.

When you use Hone-All, you won't need to worry about the costs involved in hiring and training specialist engineers to carry out your honing, as you'll have an entire team of specialists to hand.

3) Increased Productivity

If you don't have the right employees, machines, or tools to carry out precision honing to tight deadlines, the efficiency of your production line will suffer. Outsourcing your honing work to Hone-All will enable you to streamline your operations effectively and boost your company's productivity.

By choosing to work with a UK-based company, you'll also have peace of mind from knowing that your operations won't be impacted by international shipping delays. This will enable you to reduce lead times, improve customer satisfaction and maximise your profits.

Find Out More

To learn more about our honing and CNC honing services, please complete our contact form, or call 01525 370666 to speak with one of our engineers.

The impact of coronavirus on supply chains in 2020/21 has been immense. What started as a problem for China rapidly evolved into a global catastrophe, with supply chains experiencing considerable disruption due to trade restrictions and material shortages.

With the US-China trade war and Brexit causing uncertainties, UK manufacturers are facing increased pressure to review their global supply chains. From increasing their reliance on domestic suppliers to accumulating inventory, there are positive steps businesses can take to safeguard their operations in future.

Supply Chain Risk Management After Coronavirus

The Covid-19 crisis is not over. While the vaccination programme in the UK is turning the tide of the virus, infection levels in Europe and some other parts of the world continue to soar. In a world in which supply chains are heavily influenced by global affairs, ongoing disruption cannot be discounted. And it’s not just a pandemic that causes problems; extreme weather, political unrest, armed conflict - even a container ship obstructing the Suez Canal - all have an instant impact on global supply chains. Therefore, future-proofing your supply chains is important to mitigate the problems experienced during the current crisis.

Identify Weak Points

A supply chain can involve many links, all offering specialist services that are mutually dependent so that, like a food chain, a shortage in one area can lead to scarcity for everyone. Businesses who manufacture complex products often subcontract components to specialists who, in turn, may rely on other suppliers for parts or services. Understanding the structure of the supply ecosystem will identify potential weak spots, while engaging with suppliers who, like Hone All, carry out all their services on-site without subcontractors, will help to avoid complications.

Carry Out A Risk Analysis

If your business is part of a complex supply ecosystem, it’s tempting to save time by focusing on the main suppliers who account for most of your expenditure. Once, supply chain disruption that simultaneously affects all your main suppliers would have been unthinkable; Covid-19, however, has taught us that anything is possible, with disastrous effects for businesses whose entire supplier base was crippled.

Mapping the supplier ecosystem means grading each supplier according to individual risk, so that potential vulnerabilities can be identified. Not only does this enable you to consider the ‘what if’ factor, but also means you can plan for disruption by widening your supplier base or accumulating excess stock as a safety net.

Hold Safety Stock

As the world went into lockdown in 2020, Coronavirus supply chain disruption led to some surprising shortages on our supermarkets’ shelves, including toilet roll, gaming consoles, and cat food. Holding safety stock may pose logistical and financial challenges – the cost of storage, for example – and goes against the principles of lean inventory. However, being able to draw on safety stock is critical during times of disruption, to enable your business to continue to meet lead times for your customers and prevents reputational damage to your brand.

Embrace New Technologies

As new technologies emerge, existing suppliers may become obsolete due to intensive costs, slow shipping, or high minimum orders. Businesses can boost their environmentally sustainable credentials by reducing their dependence on overseas suppliers. New technologies – automation, 3D printing, or continuous-flow manufacturing, for example – don’t have to be delivered in-house: sourcing a UK supplier who is committed to cutting-edge technology is a rewarding option that facilitates a streamlined supply chain, while securing the benefits of working with a domestic partner.

Widen Your Supply Base

Increasingly, many businesses are reshoring, abandoning policies of seeking cheap labour or goods from China and the Far East. UK businesses, for example, are increasing their reliance on domestic suppliers or those in Europe, eliminating some of the risks of relying on global supply chains. Forging supplier relationships within the geographical region in which you sell offers additional benefits, such as lower freight costs, shorter delivery routes, and easier communication.

At Hone-All, we carry out all our services at our UK facility in Leighton Buzzard, as this enables us to enjoy total control over our supply chain, procurement, and lead times. By partnering with us, you can be assured of quicker, more cost-effective services without detriment to quality.

Hone All: Providing A UK Solution For Expert Precision Machining

We offer expert precision machining services for UK and overseas customers in the defence, aerospace, and hydraulics industries, among others. If you’re looking to safeguard your supply chains in the post-Covid world, get in touch with our specialists today.

At Hone All, we combine the latest cutting-edge deep hole drilling technology with superior technical knowledge to provide precise machining solutions. Our gundrilling services offer an accurate, cost-effective solution for businesses, matched by rapid response times.

So, what is gundrilling and what advantages does it offer?

What Is Gundrilling Used For?

Gundrilling is a form of deep hole drilling that utilises a long, thin cutting tool, to create holes in metal with high depth-to-diameter ratios (up to 400:1). Effective in producing holes with diameters between 2mm and 25mm, gundrilling is unlike conventional rotational drilling, as the tool uses a single cutting edge to remove chips in the material as it advances. During the operation, high-pressure coolant is flushed through the central hole to support the movement of the drill tip and to remove the swarf safely.

Originally developed for the manufacture of gun barrels, gundrilling harnesses the latest technology, including CNC deep hole drilling, to deliver highly precise machining for a wide range of industries. Gundrilling offers important benefits over other types of metal drilling:

1) Cost Efficiency: Gundrills can be reground and re-tipped numerous times by specially trained machinists, offering a long service life that makes the method more cost-effective than conventional twist drilling. The feed rate is also extremely quick and efficient in comparison with traditional drilling.

2) Superb Drilling Quality: Whether you need shallow or deep holes, gundrilling can produce outstanding results quickly. Close tolerance holes can be made with excellent surface finishes, free from burrs, consistently over long lengths. Additional machining, such as reaming and honing, is not usually required.

3) Precise Cutting Performance: Compared to conventional drilling methods, gundrilling is consistently more accurate, delivering superior accuracy with minimum centreline deviation. Consequently, gundrilling makes it more possible to deliver to exact specifications for a range of projects and industries.

4) High Reliability: Because of the way in which they are formed and the use of a high-pressure coolant, swarf can be continuously removed from the cutting area, improving quality and repeatability, and reducing machining time (with the process up to six times faster than conventional twist drilling).

Contact Hone All

By working closely with you and discussing your needs fully, we aim to meet your exacting requirements and to deliver cost-effective services that make accuracy and quality a priority. To find out more, download our free Guide to Deep Hole Drilling, Boring, and Honing Costs or get in touch to discuss your next project.

When you’re in need of a precision machining specialist, but the marketplace is crowded with many competitors from which to choose, it can be challenging to know which will best suit your business’ needs. From large multinational companies to small, family-run enterprises, there is an assortment of precision engineering businesses offering similar services.

Small-scale precision machining businesses, embodying a ‘family business’ culture and service ethos, are a feature of the manufacturing sector in the UK and, like Hone-All, offer a depth of knowledge and expertise crafted over many years. But, if the services they offer are broadly similar to their competitors, what are the benefits to working with a smaller, more personally led, precision engineering firm?

Shared Ethos And Vision

Precision engineering businesses with a ‘family-led’ ethos value long-term staff retention, development, and continuous improvement to deliver the finest services for customers, both now and in the future. Business planning is sharply focused on meeting the needs of customers, giving customers more confidence that they will be looked after, and achieve value for money in their engineering projects.

For the business run with a personal touch, it is imperative that every member of staff buys into the company ethos. With a more tangible sense of community, colleagues are committed to producing superior results, not solely for personal profit or gain, but to reinforce the company’s reputation as an industry leader.

Forward-Thinking Promotes Innovation

In family-ethos precision engineering businesses, technological advancement is more likely to be at the forefront of their work. Because engineers, department heads, and support staff are valued as individuals and not merely for the roles they perform, internal communication is often better and trust more widespread – not just among the management team but extending to all employees, who enjoy a sense of ownership of the brand.

Trust, familiarity and freedom of expression mean there’s a readier exchange of business ideas within the company which, when focused on achieving outstanding service for customers, yields greater engagement with the latest ideas and technologies for superior and cost-effective precision engineering.

Long-Term Dependability

Many family firms have been in existence for generations; the stability they offer can develop confidence and trust among customers who return time after time, confident of securing the same high standards for their projects. While Hone-All doesn’t fall into this category, we share the long-term commitment of a family business to sustainable growth and good business decisions over years and decades rather than a short-term view. Instead of working with purely profit led precision engineers who rarely offer consistent personnel, methods, or standards, customers of family-ethos businesses can be assured of a personalised service that delivers the same high-quality results every time.

Contact Hone-All For A Service That Puts Our Customers First

At Hone-All, we pride ourselves on our approachability, teamwork, and accessibility, which enables us to achieve outstanding results every time. Our highly trained engineers take genuine pride in their work, utilising outstanding expertise and knowledge to deliver superior results for a range of industries, including Aerospace, Oil and Gas, Medical, Defence, and manufacturing. To find out more, or to discuss a project, please give us a call today.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) turning is a practical and efficient way of manufacturing custom components. However, while CNC lathes are capable of producing consistent results in a speedy and cost-effective manner, there are things that can go wrong with the process. Let's look at four of the most commonly experienced CNC turning problems and examine what can be done to resolve them:

1) Your components are poorly finished

There are a number of factors that can mean that your components aren't being finished to the standard you'd expected, so you'll need to do some detective work. Firstly, you may be using a cutting tool that's too blunt or that's unsuitable for the job. If that's the case, it will need to be replaced. It's also possible that you haven't used the most appropriate settings for the job so check all of them (including coolant) and make any necessary adjustments before trying again. Finally, there may be dirt or debris in the machine. This situation can be avoided by putting a regular maintenance schedule in place.

2) The machine tool is too hot

If the tool overheats, it can have a negative impact on your results and even cause long-term damage to your CNC lathe. Sometimes dirt can be the culprit, so regularly cleaning your machine is essential. It's also important to lubricate the spindle properly to prevent friction, as this could generate unnecessary heat. CNC lathes can also be sensitive to environmental factors, so try to keep the temperature and humidity in your factory constant 24-hours a day.

3) The programme isn't running as expected

The most likely cause of this issue is human error. Contemporary CNC lathe machines are extremely reliable, but they need to be operated by skilled workers. If incorrect data has been entered into the machine or it's been put in the wrong mode, errors will occur. To avoid this type of issue arising, ensure that anyone operating the machine has been fully trained and that they have the relevant instruction manuals to hand.

4) The machine is vibrating or chattering

If your CNC lathe is vibrating more than usual or making a "chattering" sound, something is amiss. If you don't resolve the situation immediately, your components may not be manufactured to the necessary standards and you could cause costly damage to your machine. You may need to adjust the spindle speed or check the wear and tear on your spindles and drives in order to resolve the problem.

Outsourcing Your CNC Turning To Hone All

The easiest way to minimise the number of problems that you experience, however, is to outsource your CNC turning tasks to an excellent partner within the sub-contract precision engineering sector. At Hone-All Precision, we use state-of-the-art machinery and our staff are trained to the highest standards, so you'll get outstanding results on any precision engineering project. Complete our online form to request a free quote.

For your business to thrive in the post-Brexit and post-pandemic environment, your supply chain must be cost-effective. However, in order to make improvements to it, you'll need to identify how much you're spending and where that money is going. Let's discover how you can analyse your supply chain costs and manage your operations more economically.

How To Identify Your Supply Chain Costs

The simplest way to fully understand your current expenditure is to produce a supply chain cost model for your company. This is a visual representation of the data you hold about these costs. To do this, you'll need to conduct a total cost analysis. Total cost analysis in supply chain management refers to an assessment of every direct and indirect cost that your company incurs during the life of the products or services that you provide. The figure that you arrive at for each unit is known as the total cost of ownership (TCO). The aim is to reduce the TCO without disrupting your supply chain or compromising the quality of your product or service.

The Main Types Of Costs In Supply Chain Management

1) Facilities and resources costs

Purchasing or leasing premises can be an expensive business and these costs need to be taken into consideration. You'll also need to take your staffing, equipment, and utilities costs into account.

2) Procurement and production costs

These will usually include expenses such as:

• The cost of raw materials and parts;
• The machinery and tooling required to manufacture your products;
• Machine maintenance and repair costs;
• Outsourced manufacturing costs.

3) Inventory management costs

These include the costs associated with:

• Storing your stock and ensuring that it's secure;
• Moving it into, out of, and around your warehouse;
• Picking and packing items;
• Purchasing, running, and maintaining your warehouse management system (WMS);
• Dead stock – including damaged items, waste, returned products etc.

4) Transportation costs

These include the costs involved in transporting parts and raw materials from your suppliers to your business premises, and delivering your products to your customers.

5) Administrative costs

You also need to include the costs of dealing with legislative and regulatory matters, handling orders, billing customers, and paying suppliers when performing your analysis.

How Working With Hone All Can Make A Difference

One of the most effective ways of reducing your supply chain costs is to ensure that you're working with the right suppliers.

Hone-All can purchase fully traceable material and machine your components complete for you, so you can keep your in-house facilities, procurement, and production costs under control. We're based in the UK, so you won't need to worry about the transportation and administrative costs involved in overseas shipping, or about international delivery delays that could impact your inventory management costs.

Our service is impeccable, our deliveries of the highest quality and speed, and our costs minimised by carrying out all of our operations in-house. To find out more, call 01525 370666 or contact us online.

The UK has a legally binding target to reach ‘net zero’ carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. This bold target has already done much to affect the landscape of UK manufacturing, and is set to dominate the conversation over manufacturing strategies and technologies for the next 30 years. Reaching net zero, or carbon neutrality, necessitates reducing overall carbon emissions, and offsetting those emissions that can’t be avoided – e.g. by tree planting and other removal strategies. In order to reach the target, the UK will need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 – scarily that’s only 9 years away!

Covid-19 and the Green Recovery

Since the net zero target became law in June 2019, the economy has been rocked to its foundations by the Covid-19 pandemic which did not factor into anyone’s plans when creating the framework for how the target is to be achieved. The net zero agenda is now complicated by the need to radically rebuild the UK manufacturing sector, both to make up ground lost during the pandemic, and to forge a new identity on the world stage following Brexit.

Is carbon neutrality set to be quietly brushed under the carpet, or is there a way to achieve both zero carbon and increased productivity?

We believe there are reasons to be optimistic on both counts.

Increased adoption of digital automation strategies in manufacturing, alongside energy efficient technologies, are the key components of the so-called Green Recovery, in which the manufacturing sector builds back greener and stronger from the damage caused by the pandemic. This approach has wide support among UK manufacturers, who have a critical contribution to make if the country is to meet its net zero target.

A roadmap for change

Make UK, the professional organisation representing UK manufacturers, recently published an ambitious roadmap setting out the tools, resources, and best practices necessary for the sector to meet its carbon reduction targets at key milestones leading up to 2050.

For the green recovery to be future proof, resilient and genuinely sustainable, the changes across the industry need to be widespread. The silver lining to the pandemic was the way the crisis illustrated the potential of manufacturers to work together to share resources and direct research at pressing issues, without losing the sector’s diversity or competitive edge. Business-led initiatives in the field of PPE, automation, ventilation, and medical logistics (e.g., cold storage for vaccines) kept the economy moving during the lockdowns of 2020/21 and made a genuine contribution to the fightback against the virus.

Business leaders now have greater confidence in the ability of the sector to implement ambitious short-term actions, and have the networks in place to collaborate widely with other industry sectors, the government, and non-governmental organisations.

Demystifying Net Zero

Businesses of all sizes have a role to play in the green recovery, opening up exciting possibilities for growth, as well as contributing to the overall success of the sector in reducing emissions. In an effort to improve green networking and establish common ground among manufacturers, Make UK is organising a series of six webinars throughout the summer aimed at ‘Demystifying Net Zero’. There will also be a new Net Zero Hub on the Make UK website, in which collaborating businesses can share guides, blogs, research findings, and best practices.

We appreciate we’ve missed the first two but they’re available on YouTube and tickets to the remaining Demystifying Net Zero webinars and workshops can be booked using the links below:

• Net Zero Workshop 1: The Basics, what it is and why do I need to pay attention (Available now for free on YouTube: Demystifying Net Zero: The Basics - YouTube)
• Net Zero Workshop 2: Getting started - dealing with your emissions (Available now for free on YouTube: 2. Demystifying Net Zero: Getting started - Dealing with your emissions)
• Net Zero Workshop 3: Where and how to obtain funding - 27th April (13.00-14:30)
• Net Zero Workshop 4: Net zero and your supply chain - 26th May (13.00 to 14:00)
• Net Zero Workshop 5: Reporting and communications – 29th June (10:00-11:00)
• Net Zero Workshop 6: Setting a Net Zero strategy - 21st July (13.00 to 14:00)

Find out more

To find out more about our services and how we can help your business grow and thrive during the green recovery, feel free to give us a call, connect with us on LinkedIn, or click here to send us a message.

The impending corporation tax hike from 19% to 25% for businesses reporting profits of £250K or more was one of the less welcome changes brought in by the 2021 budget and met with a mixed response from the business community. The changes come into effect from April 2023, with corporation tax being applied on a sliding scale, from 19% on small businesses filing £50,000 or less in annual profits, to the full 25% on everything in excess of £250,000. Many businesses were critical of the move because, like many tax increases, the bulk of the burden is likely to fall on successful SMEs rather than large corporations, with the risk of the 6% hike deterring investment in growth at a time when it is sorely needed.

‘Super Deduction’ On Capital Asset Investments

This being said, there was a silver lining to the tax increase in the form of temporary but generous corporation tax relief on some capital asset investments in the two years from April 2021 to 2023. This is set to especially benefit engineering and manufacturing companies who take this opportunity to invest in new plant and machinery.

For new plant and machinery, the measure allows a ‘super deduction’ of 130% of the value of the machinery – a potentially huge tax windfall and saving on major capital investments. This includes a 50% allowance on most new plant and equipment investments in the first year. So, for SMEs that have been considering upscaling their machinery, or replacing their current production plant with newer models, the years 2021 to 2023 provide a golden opportunity.

The question on everyone’s lips is, of course: is the incentive enough to encourage companies to bring investment plans forward and to get the manufacturing sector moving again? We are hopeful that yes, it will. If companies are making profits, the tax relief could save them 25p per pound on their tax bill, so if they’re making money, it’s sensible to make the move to invest now.

Next Steps – Time To Grow!

If you’re thinking of investing in new machinery, or of using the Covid recovery to expand your business into new markets, have a chat with our engineering specialists at Hone All today and see how we can help. After a difficult and challenging year for the sector, the future is finally looking more hopeful.

In a previous article, we speculated on trends that may play a greater role in the manufacturing industry throughout 2021 and beyond. These included a greater emphasis on workplace safety, increased adoption of automation and machine monitoring, and greater engagement with the Internet of Things in response to remote working and flexible shift patterns.

Beyond these technological and procedural changes, the greatest lessons of 2020/21 lie in the realms of networking, supply chain re-shoring, and collaboration between companies on shared projects.

Last summer, we caught up with Garry Myatt, Sales Director at PP Control & Automation, to discuss his latest role in helping set up UK MFG Unite. We recently had the chance to sit down (over Zoom!) with Garry again to reflect on the last year, the changes to UK manufacturing, and what we anticipate in the near future…

What Is Re-Shoring?

Garry reckons the big story of the first two decades of the 21^st Century was globalisation – and for manufacturing businesses, this involved the creation of complex supply chains strung out across the globe, coupled with a just-in-time purchase model to minimise costs. In a stable world with cheap international transport this made good economic sense but, faced with global natural disasters (e.g. the pandemic), greater ecological awareness, and restrictions on free movement, International supply chains began to look increasingly vulnerable.

Re-shoring involves bringing more elements of the supply chain home to the UK, focusing on upskilling workforces rather than employing specialists from outside the country, and cultivating relationships with UK supply partners.

How Re-Shoring Helps UK Businesses

The re-shoring model shortens supply chains and makes them more robust, while increasing the strength and value of the manufacturing sector as a whole. Re-shoring doesn’t mean turning your back on European and international markets and supply partners, but it does necessitate a renewed focus on bringing purchase orders back locally and dealing with people and companies within a local geographical radius – not just chasing the lowest international prices.

In fact, Covid-19 has clearly exposed the vulnerabilities of overreliance on personnel, training, and supplies from outside the UK. Off-shoring critical areas of manufacture is now a big risk if borders are suddenly closed due to a new pandemic or political crisis, and the ability to employ specialists from other countries is no guarantee in the ‘new normal’.

The next few years offer fantastic opportunities for British companies to develop their markets within the UK, especially in light of the boost to infrastructure investments and R&D in the latest budget.

The UK manufacturing sector has a fantastic research and development community that isn’t fully utilised. And while the skills shortage is a real problem, new companies and technologies are emerging all the time, with skills that can help manufacturing businesses develop their product base.

How Do Businesses Make The Most Of These Opportunities?

Here, again, the past 12 months provide valuable lessons. Faced with an unprecedented national crisis and severe restrictions on normal modes of business, many companies were forced to drastically restructure their operations and work more closely with other local businesses. As Garry says, with the help of manufacturing networks like UK MFG Unite, rather than operating in a silo making specific products or whole units, businesses started to communicate more widely among local networks, using LinkedIn and other channels. The success of this model was demonstrated by the wide scale collaboration of manufacturing businesses to bring ventilation and PPE products to market, and to keep the UK economy moving despite lengthy lockdowns.

This combined with a focus on collaboration, rather than competition, has resulted in a huge increase in networking and maximising the opportunities of our clients and contacts by sharing best practice, knowledge and opportunities. Looking to each other for help, guidance and to locate work within our own supply chains is a huge opportunity and one which is truly displaying the great spirit and co-operation of our World-class UK manufacturing sector!

A Brighter Future

As the UK emerges blinking into sunlight again after the ravages of the pandemic, there is the potential to rebuild better and stronger than before, using the lessons learned weathering the storm of Covid-19.

Drilling is, in simple terms, the process of creating a hole in materials using a variety of drilling tools to vary the size or depth of the hole. In precision engineering, however, drilling is more complex, yet it’s a common and important process that uses advanced, specialist machinery to deliver outstanding accuracy and speed. The type of equipment best suited to drilling depends on several factors, so it’s vital to select the right technology for the job. Here is an outline of the five main drilling technologies, the majority of which we can provide here at Hone-All.

1) Deep Hole Boring

At Hone All, we specialise in deep hole boring, in which long holes are drilled into solid bars. Specialist drill heads are fitted into a precise drill tube, which is used to produce bores which range from 20mm to 203mm in diameter. We use cutting edge machine tool technology to ensure exceptional accuracy and superb surface finishes over lengths of up to 3 metres.

2) CNC Gundrilling

CNC gundrilling, also known as deep hole drilling, is used to machine holes from 3mm to 28mm in diameter, to depths of up to 2500mm. Instead of used a conventional twist drill that rotates, gundrilling uses a single carbide tip cutting edge to remove chips from the material as it gradually advances through the component. Gundrilling is suitable for achieving precision bores that have high depth-to-diameter ratios in metals.

3) Trepanning

Typically, drilling destroys the material in a bored hole, reducing it to swarf chippings – think about how drilling a masonry wall results in a large accumulation of debris that is a nuisance to clean up. Trepanning is a specialist drilling method that removes only the perimeter of the hole, leaving the core material untouched. The cylindrical core can be removed for reuse or recycling, reducing costs and waste. Trepanning is quick, consuming less energy than traditional drilling, and can be used to drill diameters from 100mm upwards.

4) EDM Drilling

EDM drilling is used to make rapid and accurate deep holes in conductive metals. The method uses a rotating tube electrode combined with high pressure flushing to burn a hole through the conductive substrate, ensuring exceptional straightness accuracy. EDM drilling is particularly suitable for high volume applications in the aerospace industry.

5) Spark Erosion

Spark erosion is a valuable method for machining intricate or complex shapes that conventional drilling cannot produce. Using electrical discharges (or sparks) between two electrodes separated by a dielectric liquid which is subject to voltage, spark erosion carefully removes material from the substrate, achieving high levels of accuracy. With spark erosion, there is no mechanical abrasion.

Contact Hone-All for professional advice about drilling

Unsure which method of drilling is most suited to your manufacturing needs? Get in touch with our experts at Hone-All. We can provide specialist advice about which method will deliver outstanding results for your business, so give us call on 01525 370666 and even if we can’t help with your requirement, we will put you in touch with someone who can.