Hone-All Precision Ltd

Encouraged by the success of the vaccination programme, businesses are looking forward to a safe and rapid transition away from lockdown and social distancing, back to normal working practices. However, even the most effective vaccination measures leave gaps through which vulnerable people may be infected, and although being vaccinated should stop you becoming ill, the extent to which it prevents you transmitting the virus to others is still unknown.

When opening up the economy, therefore, further measures are needed – at least in the interim – in order to reduce the risk of workplaces, hospitality venues and shops becoming new hubs of infection. As businesses have discovered over the past year, social distancing measures are time-consuming and expensive, and it is hard to avoid them denting productivity. The new air purification and ventilation system from Flakt Group is, therefore, particularly exciting, as it has the potential to reduce the risk of people catching and passing on Covid 19 indoors and enables a faster route out of lockdown.

However, this amazing product, and all the benefits it could bring to help the economy bounce back, is simply not receiving the level of support it deserves. The government is aware of the need for improved ventilation in buildings, particularly crowded areas as we explain below, but despite Flakt Group requesting and lobbying for support and providing evidence of the life-saving results of this equipment, they have received no encouragement or recommendations for where to further offer and agree trial installation, or to improve the awareness of their system. This is not exactly displaying the support the UK Government claim they are offering to UK Manufacturing!

The Importance Of Social Distancing And Ventilation

The main strategy for preventing coronavirus transmission is social distancing. So long as people keep at least 2m physically away from each other, and reduce social interactions, the infection rate goes down, and this is more or less borne out by the evidence. However, social distancing, masks, and hand washing have lesser effect in poorly ventilated indoor areas. Crowded spaces with low ventilation rates (e.g. late-night bars); activities that potentially spread the virus over a wider area, such as singing, exercise, and loud speech (e.g. gyms, churches, concerts); and cool, dry indoor spaces (e.g. air-conditioned offices and shops) were identified by a SAGE report as carrying a higher risk of virus transmission. The need for improved ventilation was also called for by the Shadow Health Secretary on the Andrew Marr show on the 14^th February – repeatedly!

Poor ventilation and the risks associated are some of the reasons the nation’s nightclubs and most theatres have been forced to remain empty since March 2020 despite social distancing, and also one of the justifications for the 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants introduced last autumn. If cost-effective air purification were more widely available, these businesses could, in theory, stay open later and in turn support the economy to get back on its feet. Furthermore, getting more people back to the workplace – in industries where work cannot be done from home – is essential for a full economic recovery. Many employers will need to make longer-term changes to their working environment to safeguard employees long after everyone has been vaccinated.

Giving people the confidence that the air they breathe is free from infection risk is a positive step towards a return to normality.

Flakt Group Air Purification Device

Flakt Group’s AP BIO air purifier series (model numbers 500, 1000, and 2400) has been specifically designed to decontaminate indoor environments from harmful viruses and bacteria, and has been proven effective in a recent trial in the Covid ward of a French hospital. AP BIO is currently the only commercially available bio-decontamination unit equipped with the ePM1 and HEPA H14 filters required to trap and deactivate the SARS CoV2 virus responsible for Covid 19.

The AP BIO air purifiers are portable, compact units that are fast and easy to install and enable rapid filter changes without specialist tools or training, and can be moved from room to room. This makes them suitable for a wide range of indoor environments, from schools and offices, to shops, factories, bus stations, restaurants, and hospitals – without the need to invest in complicated ventilation infrastructure.

How It Works

The AP BIO uses a two-stage filtration process that draws in and captures particles, bacteria, and viruses as little as 0.01 µm in size. This includes the SARS-2 coronavirus, influenza, rhinovirus, norovirus, measles, mumps, tuberculosis, and legionella, as well as dust, pollen, hair, and particulate fumes. The unit uses a fan to draw in air through the bottom of the unit, trapping particles in the two filters before recycling decontaminated air back into the room.

The air intake is deliberately placed at the bottom of the unit because drawing air through a top vent could aggregate virus particles already on surfaces in the room and throw them up in the air, where they could be inhaled. The filters are treated with a patented biocide powder; a nonchemical, plant-based solution that is scientifically proven to deactivate bacteria, viruses, and fungi (tested to comply with EN 14476). The filters remain effective for 3 to 6 months before needing to be changed.

About Flakt Group

Flakt Group are a Swiss ventilation, air conditioning, and air treatment equipment manufacturer with bases across Europe, including the UK. Since early 2020, Flakt Woods – a subsidiary of Flakt Group - have been actively involved in the manufacturing sector’s response to The Pandemic, designing ventilation systems for the UK’s Nightingale Hospitals, then collaborating with a consortium of companies to design PPE equipment. Their contribution included designing a face visor attachment that can be 3-D printed on-site at low cost.

The AP BIO series is their latest innovation and is another example of the concerted efforts of our fabulous, manufacturing industry to address the ongoing crisis.

As a young product with a short time to market and low entry cost, we encourage businesses, public sector decision-makers, and government bodies to actively explore this and other clean air solutions, as part of a wider exit strategy from lockdown. We couldn’t be prouder of the UK manufacturing sector – we truly are at the forefront of innovation so let’s call for the response we deserve, and support this fantastic equipment which this country needs to get back to living some form of safe, sociable life.

To find out more about how Hone-All is supporting UK Manufacturing and working with partners in the UK and Europe to support the recovery from Covid 19, please give us a call today.

Effective deep hole drilling demands precision to achieve close tolerances and an optimum surface finish, both of which are negatively affected by incorrect speeds or feeds. Drilling vibration, or chatter, can occur for a variety of reasons, including poor machine preparation, incorrectly chosen cutting tools, improper speeds, and sometimes cause excessive run-out.

The properties of different metals – their hardness, tensile strength, and quenching behaviour, for example – vary, so it’s important to set-up drilling equipment correctly to prevent tearing and to deliver outstanding results. So, what steps can you take to prevent deep hole drilling mistakes when machining steel, aluminium, or titanium?

Steel

Steel varies in hardness and tensile strength, with mild variants much easier to drill than their super alloy counterparts. Generally, the harder the steel, the easier it is to control deep hole drilling and secure a more satisfactory surface finish. When machining steel, it is important to ensure that the feed and speed parameters are correct, particularly in relation to the tensile strength of the steel. To prevent excessive vibration, it is important also to have a stable machine bed and to properly support the drill and component.

Aluminium

Although it is often regarded as a metal that is easy to machine, aluminium – like steel – comes in a variety of forms and consistencies, so drilling must be set-up specifically for the particular variant. Pure aluminium has a low density and is comparatively soft and ductile. Because of its resistance to corrosion, pure aluminium is chosen for a variety of applications. However, its soft qualities present a challenge when drilling, particularly if the swarf becomes wrapped around the drilling tool. The coolant flow may become blocked, leading to the tool failing and the component being scrapped. If you’re working with an aluminium alloy, deep hole drilling is easier due to the increased tensile strength.

Titanium

Titanium is prone to tearing during the drilling process due to its hardness and low thermal conductivity. Because of its use in the medical industry, it is important to machine titanium precisely, with incredibly small tolerances. Therefore, when drilling the metal, tools must be strong and durable and must be operated at slow speeds to prevent the rapid build-up of heat. Ample use of coolant is also recommended. Titanium is best machined steadily, without feed interruptions, as these can adversely affect the quality of the finished product.

Why Outsourcing Your Precision Engineering Makes Sense

Avoiding mistakes when machining metals, whether deep hole drilling, boring, or honing, is essential to protect your profits, avoid waste, and protect relationships with your customers. Using advanced equipment and harnessing the skills of experienced professionals can make the difference between acceptable and exceptional standards.

Outsourcing your drilling and boring requirements to Hone All is a cost-effective and logical decision. We can carry out a variety of precision engineering projects for your business, delivering exacting tolerances to meet your specifications. For more information or to obtain a free quotation, simply get in touch.

2020 was a year of great uncertainty for the UK’s manufacturing sector, but the year proved that the sector will prevail, with businesses becoming increasingly accustomed to finding workarounds to obstacles and prioritising collaboration over competition. So, in 2021, what will be the main manufacturing trends to look out for?

Reshoring

The devastating effects of COVID and the endless uncertainties surrounding the Brexit negotiations resulted in many OEM’s focusing and rebuilding their supply chains in the UK where components can be easily sourced, manufactured and delivered quickly and most importantly, safely and reliably. This is fantastic news for a World class manufacturing industry and we hope the lessons learned, and the momentum gained during 2020, will continue to be built upon during 2021.

Workplace Safety

While the rapid introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine is promising an end to the pandemic, it’s likely that social distancing measures will remain in place throughout 2021. 2020 saw a raft of measures imposed on manufacturing facilities, including social distancing, sanitisation, and the restriction of site visitors. With these steps becoming part of Health and Safety Executive expectations, workplace safety in relation to COVID will remain a priority in 2021, so ensure your tried and tested procedures continue to be applied in full.

Movement In The Job Market

The Covid-19 pandemic impacted on manufacturing businesses to varying degrees. Some, such as manufacturers of clear acrylic panels and hand sanitiser, discovered an unexpected surge in orders that required additional staff; others, however, had to furlough workers or make the difficult decision to make colleagues redundant. In 2021, the continued impact of the pandemic, the cost of workplace safety, and fluctuations in consumer demand will continue to shape manufacturers’ workforces, with a renewed focus on implementing technology to optimise work streams to compensate for the loss of staff.

More Reliance On Predictive Maintenance

Having to repair unexpectedly failed equipment can be catastrophic for manufacturing businesses, affecting output and damaging profits. Gradually, however, many manufacturers are switching to predictive maintenance strategies, a trend that will grow in 2021. Technology that constantly monitors equipment, detecting the earliest signs of a mechanical problem, enables plant managers to implement remedial action immediately before a major problem arises.

Greater Engagement With The Internet Of Things / 4IR

The Internet of Things (IoT) and 4IR have grown in stature and importance in 2020, particularly as businesses were forced to consider alternative ways of operating to stay afloat during lockdown. From remote access controls to automated production cycles monitored at a distance, technology has a major role to play in adapting manufacturing processes and improving access for diagnostics. The use of IoT, for example, can provide a way for technicians to identify problems and design solutions within equipment remotely, helping you access expert technical assistance and return your manufacturing plant to full operation more quickly.

What Does 2021 Hold For Your Business?

If you’re looking to drive your business forward in 2021, speak to Hone-All today. We provide expert precision machining services, including deep hole boring, honing, and deep hole drilling, using the latest cutting-edge machining tools and methods. Our commitment to excellence ensures we achieve the best outcomes for our customers, so you can focus on growing your manufacturing business. For more information or a free quote, give us a call on 01525 370666 today.

I was so thrilled when Andrea contacted me and offered me the opportunity to join Hone-All.

Due to Hone-All being one of our valued suppliers as well as a competitor, I had visited previously and had been impressed with the processes and procedures on show. So much so, I did try and emulate and implement some in my previous company but didn’t really have the time to complete them before the decision was made to close us.

However, what you don’t see when you visit, and what I hadn’t appreciated until my training started, was the depth and complexity of what sits behind the processes I’d seen as a visitor.

The book “cover” was great but what was within the pages was so much more!

My training has shown me the huge level of detail involved, the methodology which backs up every stage of the process plan, and the justifications for implementing those decisions, has been the biggest challenge to understand and learn during my first three months.

The simplest of things such as giving the customer a full operation listing as a part of their quote was not something I ever did before – we simply sent an e-mail with a unit cost. Supplying process layouts is sometimes seen as giving away trade secrets but during my sales process training, it was made clear that as a business, Hone-All want our customers to have clarity and consistency in their estimates, so the customer can be confident in the service and quality they are being offered.

I do think the “why” sometimes gets missed by the customer though. For example, how we add a prepping operation to the gundrilling or deep hole boring process to ensure that drill wander is minimised and therefore improves the overall quality of the job for the customer, as well as potentially saving them costs on material start sizes too! The Guide To Deep Hole Boring Costs does explain this further and was one of the first documents I familiarised myself with when I joined.

I was also amazed to see that we also send a copy of the RFQ and the drawing we are quoting against back when we reply to the quote. Initially, I couldn’t quite see the reason for the extra work this created but then I saw how this not only helps customers who send multiple, similar enquiries but also enables the customer to check that what we are quoting is correct to their requirements and query if necessary. Also, all the documents being sent back on one e-mail ensures the traceability is second to none and allows quick and easy access when orders are placed, both for Hone-All and the customer!

I’ve really enjoyed learning about the internal plans which Hone-All use to control quality and process improvements too. It’s sometimes difficult as a sub-contractor when you are asked to quote the same job for numerous different customers who all want a slight change or level of work on the job. Hone-All’s controls are outstanding, utilising internal plans to identify different requirements and then using the internal plan revisions to add feedback from the engineers throughout and upon the completion of jobs to ensure expertise and knowledge is retained, as well as improvements implemented on next orders, often saving costs and time for the customer in the long run!

This last week I’ve been learning more about the overall process and even the goods in, goods out processes have more layers of process requirements than I’ve ever seen, but you can see that each one protects Hone-All, protects the customer and ensures that the highest levels of service and quality are always maintained – even down to photographing goods before they are packed, once they are packed, and before they leave!

There have been so many other aspects of the business which have impressed me (and at times, overwhelmed me with wondering when I will learn them all!) but I am looking forward to developing my skills, continuing my training, and helping Hone-All achieve their ambition of not necessarily being the biggest but always being the best!

Contact us today and see for yourself the levels of professionalism, quality, and outstanding customer service Hone-All can offer! I hope to receive your quote soon so I can add it my training!

Trepanning is a specialist machining technique for drilling large holes in materials, particularly in situations where limited machine power is available, or if you wish to retain the core material from the bore instead of reducing it into swarf chips. Unlike conventional solid core drilling, trepanning only drills an annulus, or a ring, at the fringe of the hole, leaving the core intact so that it can be easily removed. Due to the lower amount of power required, since the core is not being drilled, the method is a suitable alternative if sufficient machine power cannot be attained. If you’re considering trepanning metal for your next engineering project, it’s worth considering the following key questions, to ensure that you plan every aspect to achieve the best possible results.

1) What Materials Do You Want To Use Trepanning For?

Firstly, it’s important to consider whether the materials you intend to use can be trepanned. Fortunately, trepanning can be used with a variety of metals, including aluminium, chrome, stainless steel, titanium, nickel (and nickel alloys), and superalloys such as Inconel and MP35N.

2) Do You Need To Retain A Solid Core?

One of the main advantages of trepanning over solid-core drilling is that you can reclaim the core material from the inside of the hole after it has been drilled. If cost-effectiveness is a priority for your project, opting to trepan metal is a prudent decision. Reclaiming the solid core from the trepanned material can cut down on waste and lost revenue, as it can be recycled, reused in other projects, or sold. Bar, or billet, can frequently be reused, although it should be remembered that the properties of the metal may have changed due to the trepanning process and therefore the original certification is no longer to be relied upon for quality purposes.

3) What Will You Do With The Waste Material?

Solid core drilling produces a large amount of waste, as the core material from the hole is broken down into tiny fragments - swarf. During the machining process, the presence of debris from the hole can often be problematic, obscuring the vision of the operator and accumulating around the drill head. Sometimes, the process must be paused while the swarf is cleared which can potentially cause quality issues.
Once trepanning has been completed, the core material can be removed, offering considerable savings in the future. The waste material can be recycled for other jobs, reducing the need to purchase new raw materials, or sold if the metal is particularly valuable.

4) What Is The Turnaround For Your Project?

Unlike deep hole boring, trepanning only creates a ring around the periphery. The core can then be easily removed in one single section. Consequently, the time taken to complete trepanning is much quicker than conventional drilling methods.

5) What Bore Diameter Do You Require?

Trepanning is typically used to bore larger holes in metal, particularly larger than 100mm in diameter. Often, it is useful in situations where using a standard drill head is not considered to be cost-effective or when further machining is be carried out as the requirement is simply for a process bore.

6) How Tight Are Your Tolerances?

Compared to standard drilling, trepanning tolerances are much greater, so this method is suitable when your project doesn’t require high levels of accuracy.

Contact Hone-All For Our Trepanning Solutions

Trepanning is, typically, more cost-effective, more energy-efficient, and more environmentally friendly than drilling, producing less waste, lower power consumption, and quicker completion times. At Hone-All, we offer trepanning solutions that ensure you receive high-performance parts that meet your exact specifications. For more information, call us today on 01525 370666.

In a post-COVID-19 world, the nature of global manufacturing supply chains will have to change substantially to be sustainable. Growing concerns about the environment, the role of the national economy in day-to-day life, and national unemployment also mean that businesses are beginning to shift their priorities when it comes to how they want to manage their production.

While outsourcing and 'cheapest bidder' options have dominated the previous few decades of low to mid-tech UK manufacturing, support is growing for a new, potentially better, and cheaper way of doing things - 'reshoring'.

What Is Reshoring?

Reshoring is the act of bringing back manufacturing, processing, and distribution to the country in which the finished items are going to be marketed and sold. Reshoring can take the form of expanding businesses by hiring more employees, starting new ones, or selecting local suppliers over distant ones to stimulate demand and productivity.

Reshoring has become more common as countries have globalised relative to the 1980s and 90s (the heyday of offshoring, the inverse of reshoring) and become more homogenous. It also tends to be implemented more in times of crisis and low investor confidence - the 2008 'great recession' saw a wave of Western companies returning their factories to their homelands.

Commonplace Products, Local Suppliers And Makers

Why is reshoring the future for UK manufacturing? As a global, inescapable threat to human wellbeing, COVID-19 has raised labour and transport costs, exposed the vulnerability of long-haul supply chains and inflexible, fixed 'Just In Time' (JIT) delivery to sudden shocks, and made moving cargo between nations more difficult. Acute short-term shortages and overstocking have also highlighted the need for fast, local controllability of non-perishable goods.

There is also the economic impact to consider - with the UK facing recession, companies who rely on manufacturing for sales and services will have less money to spend on speculative ventures, contracts, and optimising procurement costs. Consumers will also prioritise vital spending in the years to come - meaning that a source of discounts and savings must be found by public-facing businesses and suppliers wanting to stay solvent.

Reshoring and localising helps to reduce costs, unknowns, and risks alike by adding predictability, shorter transportation distances between steps and shops, and easy expandability to a manufacturing line. The lack of third-party barriers created by local networking and in-house, direct manufacture (over many sites), and expertise networking can also help to save even more money.

It's also easier to add centralised data tracking and command and control features to a one-country production line. The manufacturing process is simply much more transparent. Together, all of these quality-assured, optimised steps will give manufacturers, retailers, and consumers the confidence they need to trust British-made products once again.

Local Solutions For UK Clients From The Specialists At Hone-All

Do you need to add expert precision machining services such as deep hole boring, honing, or drilling to your UK-based metalwork supply chain? Hone-All specialises in supplying precision machined components up to 3 metres long to a wide range of industries and clients working in Defence, Aerospace, Hydraulics, and Fuel Extraction to name but a few. While we're more than willing to work with British businesses left adrift by COVID-19, we can also ship and supply our products worldwide. Call or e-mail us today to learn more and get a direct, personalised quote for your custom requirements.

CNC turning has become an important manufacturing process for a wide variety of applications, utilising modern technology to create more precise components and parts. When precision, reliability, and accuracy matters, this process can make a big difference.

How CNC turning works

CNC turning uses a variety of interchangeable tools to complete a complex subtractive machining process. The most common form of CNC turning has a piece of raw material rotating, while the CNC tool shapes it. The lathe is operated by a computer-controlled sequence, and can achieve an extremely precise result, creating complex geometric shapes which are otherwise difficult or time-consuming to process manually.

The initials CNC stand for "computer numerical control", but this name can be somewhat deceptive. CNC turning requires computer input, but its success still ultimately rests on the skill of the operator. This is an extremely specialised process. Precise results demand precise workmanship, so CNC turning should only be attempted by experts in the field. The highly skilled engineers at Hone-All understand the intricacies of CNC turning, and as a result, always produce precise results.

What shapes are possible with CNC Turning?

A standard CNC lathe is primarily used to create tubular components, although some more complexity of form is possible. A basic CNC lathe can form a thread, a taper, bell shape, and more. 

However, more sophisticated machinery can be used to create extremely complex, intricate shapes with CNC turning. Hone-All currently focus on 2 axis machining as the demands for our high precision, close tolerance tubes are constant. However, our next investment will be a multi-axis CNC lathe with live tooling giving us the opportunity for milling capabilities.  This advanced version of a lathe allows the formation of detailed components with a high degree of accuracy and tight tolerances. With this type of lathe, just about any shape can be created, with all the detail that you need. Thanks to the CNC process, the result will be highly precise, with accurate detailing.

When to use CNC turning

CNC turning can achieve fantastic results - but it is not suitable for all parts. Volume is usually the main consideration when it comes to CNC turning. The time taken for programming versus volume must be assessed and then the level of complexity factored in. Highly skilled engineers can achieve fantastic results with a manual lathe but if you have a run of 5 or more components, production will be quicker and repeatability more guaranteed if programmed and run on a CNC lathe. 

Is CNC turning right for your parts?

If your business is looking to make prototypes or short runs of parts, CNC turning could be the solution. To find out more or discuss your project, please get in touch with Hone All on 01525 370666 and we'll take a look at your specific situation. If CNC turning is right for you, we'll raise you a personalised quote. If not, we'll find another solution that better fits your needs, even if it isn’t here with Hone-All. At the end of the day, we’re here to help, and to support UK Manufacturing, in any way we can! 

There are several reasons why you may choose to outsource your drilling and boring work to a specialist company such as Hone-All. It may be that your business doesn’t possess the specialist equipment necessary to complete tasks precisely or quickly enough to meet expected lead times. Alternatively, you may be swamped with orders and don’t have the capacity to fulfil all competing demands at one time. Or, perhaps, you recognise the benefits of trusting a team of drilling and boring specialists to deliver the high standards within your timescale, to help to cement your business’s positive reputation with your customers.

At Hone-All, we can provide a variety of solutions for all your drilling and boring needs, including CNC gundrilling, deep hole boring, deep hole drilling, CNC honing, and CNC turning. We have one of the widest ranges of capacity and tooling within the UK and expertise is unsurpassed leading to hundreds of customers trusting us with their projects on a monthly basis.

Providing Expertise In Drilling and Boring for Industry

The lead time for different projects depends on several factors such as: -

• the quantity required
• the complexity of the machining you wish us to undertake and whether you require a single operation or the complete manufacture of your component
• whether we are supplying the material and the availability of the material specification
• if you wish us to include any sub-contact operations such as heat treatment or grinding etc.

At Hone-All, we use cutting-edge technology and equipment to ensure that we provide a responsive service in a fraction of the time, without compromising on the quality of the final product. While we mainly serve the oil and gas, aerospace, hydraulics, and defence sectors, we welcome projects, large and small, from all businesses and every industry.

Our customers, who have provided positive approvals of our work, include Collins, BAE, Rolls Royce, and Babcock International, and we are certified to exacting international standards, including EN9100:2016 and EN9001:2015.

A Flexible Solution For Our Customers

By carrying out all of machining services in-house, we can maintain total control over costs, quality and the lead times of our customer’s orders, and we offer a flexible approach that meets our industries’ needs.

Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, we take into account each customer’s requirements, adjusting our service to ensure that we meet deadlines on time, without compromising on standards.

For more information on Hone-All’s drilling and boring services, please call us on +44 1525 370666, or use our online form to tell us about your project.

Have you ever paid over the odds for drilling, boring or honing? If so, you’re certainly not alone. 

Drilling, honing and boring costs are notorious for being something of an arcane secret for people who aren’t ‘in the know’ about the process involved. We have attempted to shed some light on the world of pricing in our latest downloadable e-book: The Guide To Deep Hole Drilling, Boring & Honing Costs. You can download a copy by clicking here.

With a focus on tubular component manufacture, but also dealing with CNC machining more generally, we explain the different factors that contribute to the quotes you receive, and why in some circumstances the final bill may be more than you originally expected. If you seek out five quotes for deep hole drilling, boring & honing, the likelihood is you will receive five wildly different figures. Why is that, when the process and technologies used are very similar?

Precision Machining Pricing Variables

The reason is the number of variables involved in pricing, and this is an area where, unfortunately, some companies are less than transparent.

There are some solid reasons for differences in price, of course. These include the complexity of the component, the materials used and the order volume – standard factors. Compliance is also a factor. For instance, parts used in the aerospace manufacturing industry have to comply with EN 9100 procedures for all components, whereas this is not obligatory for other sectors. This can affect price due to the administration and inspection requirements but can at times enormously increase the quality and reliability of the final product.

The Problems With Standard Quoting

Other factors are not so easy to predict at the quoting stage, which is why standard quoting is not always the best approach for deep hole drilling, boring or honing services. It is natural for businesses to want to standardise their quoting mechanism. Many quotes you request will be quickly generated on a standard spreadsheet. However, this rarely takes into account the issue of drill wander, which can be accounted for but never avoided entirely. When you have ended up paying more than you had initially thought for your job, chances are it is due to unforeseen expenses occurring from drill wander. You may have also experienced delays with that job for the same reason.

For a standard quote to work accurately, it also assumes that your technical drawings are pinpoint accurate. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Incomplete or inaccurate technical drawings will adversely affect the accuracy and suitability of the final product, adding cost and time to your work.

Bespoke Quotes For Drilling, Boring And Honing

These are the reasons we do not have a standard quoting policy. Every quote is bespoke. We like to sit down with you, or chat through your requirements on the phone, and will never issue a comprehensive quote until we are sure your technical drawings match your required outcome. This is something we can help you with. We have decades of experience working with industrial components of all varieties, and can help get your technical specs up to speed, so you can use them again and again without issue for many years to come, whether with us or an alternative supplier.

By closely examining the technical specs and carrying out a contract review process on the enquiries we receive, we are better placed to predict and compensate for those variables that always occur during the machining process itself – drill wander being the most obvious example.

Transparent, Accurate Pricing

So if you have been frustrated with boring, honing and drilling prices, take a look through our e-book. It explains the quoting and pricing mechanisms of the precision engineering industry in clear detail, and gives you the information you need to expect and receive accurate pricing on all your quotes. We have a unique way of working with our customers here at Hone All, based on your specific performance requirements, budget and timeframe. To find out more, please give one of our team a call. The number is 0845 5555 111. You can also request a call back at a time of your convenience by using our contact form or e-mailing us at sales@hone-all.co.uk 

Drilling is one of the most important processes in manufacturing, enabling holes of different shapes and sizes to be made in a variety of materials. However, drilling machines vary considerably, as they are designed to carry out different jobs, so it’s essential to understand which type is most suited to your production needs.

At Hone-All, we deliver expert drilling using several types of manual and CNC drilling machines, providing your business with a reliable, highly accurate service upon which you can depend.

Our Drilling Services

By drawing on the latest technology with outstanding technical ability, at Hone-All we provide precision drilling for a range of industries including the petrochemical, aerospace, and hydraulic sectors, offering a cost-effective, responsive service that refuses to compromise on quality.

Deep Hole Boring

Deep hole boring is a process of creating long holes in solid bars and is one of our specialities at Hone-All. Specialist drill heads are expertly assembled with bearing pads, inner and outer tips and is then fitted into a high precision drill tube. With this tooling, we can create precision bores from 20mm and up to 203mm in diameter, using the latest machine tool technology to achieve superlative accuracy, close finishes, and excellent surface finishes.

Gundrilling / Deep Hole Drilling

In CNC gundrilling - sometimes referred to as deep hole drilling – the tool is a fluted tube with a carbide tip and is used to drill deep holes in metals at high depth-to-diameter ratios. Using a single cutting edge instead of a conventional twist drill, gundrilling removes chips from the substrate as it advances. Our range of gundrilling machines drill holes between 3mm and 28mm, to depths of 2500mm.

Trepanning

Unlike deep hole boring, trepanning only cuts away the outer edges of the hole when drilling, so that the central core of material can be collected from the hollow. By contrast, drilling destroys the material in the hole, turning it into chips or swarf.

Trepanning is a rapid operation that consumes less energy, even when boring into hard metals, and produces less waste. It is also ideal for boring diameters larger than 100mm or when high levels of accuracy are not required.

EDM Drilling

EDM drilling produces quick, highly accurate, small deep holes, making it the perfect solution for the rapid machining of conductive metals. EDM hole drilling utilises an energised rotating tube electrode with high-pressure flushing to achieve outstanding accuracy; if you have high volume applications and require a responsive service, ask about our EDM drilling.

Spark Erosion

Spark erosion, or Electro Discharge Machining, is an invaluable method for machining more complex or intricate shapes, using electrical discharges, or sparks. By using discharges between two electrodes that are separated by a dielectric liquid, material on the substrate can be carefully and precisely removed. During the process, electrical energy is converted to heat, which stimulates melting between the electrodes, allowing for the high standard of surface finish and the drilling of tiny holes.

Hone-All: For All Your Drilling Needs

At Hone-All, our experts can advise you which drilling method is most suited to your application, so for more information, get in touch on +44 1525 370666. Alternatively, click here to obtain a free quote, and we’ll be in touch promptly.

At Hone-All we are committed to the belief that simpler is better when it comes to supply chains. Most people know Hone All for our practical services in advanced honing, boring, and CNC machining. However, we’re also dedicated to trouble shooting, project management, and ironing out supply chain creases.

Here’s an example taken from a recent machining and honing project:

Parts Manufacturing Project

The problem:

A part is needed in Germany and the material is purchased there.

The part needs heat-treating so is sent to Eastern Europe.

Machining is carried out back in Germany.

It then needs honing, so is sent to England.

It is then sent back to Germany, where everybody has taken a very lengthy coffee break whilst waiting for it.

We’ve all been here. It’s not the fault of companies or of shipping suppliers. It’s usually because vital skills are spread around in places that algorithms struggle to understand.

Costly Supply Chain Delays

Manufacturing complicated parts results in an increase in cost and reduction in productivity.

While the necessary part spends several weeks meandering around the globe, the entire supply chain suffers. Racking up extra shipping, transport, storage, and tax duties, any unnecessary stop-overs can lead to spiralling costs.

Project Management For Parts Manufacturing

With our wealth of experience in manufacturing parts, we were able to take command of the entire supply chain.

We project managed everything. This included organising:

• Buying the material
• Heat treatment for the parts
• Machining
• Honing
• Delivering the finished part

This prevented repeated onshoring and offshoring, and also rapidly accelerated the process.

Reliable Precision Machining Company

As well as managing cost and productivity, good supply chain management is also about reliability. There are some industries, such as aerospace, defence, and medical equipment, where reliability is the deciding factor in which company secures the best tenders.

At Hone-All we always look for ways to offer our clients a competitive edge. This might be producing a part with minimal striations, microscopic accuracy, or metallurgic quality. Equally, it might mean offering project management that achieves all the above with streamlined efficiency and a massive reduction in costs.

Becoming integrated into broader supply systems has benefits for both suppliers and clients. At the end of the day, everybody wants a reliable, cost-effective solution to their needs – especially with the uncertainty surrounding Brexit at the current time.

If your current solution isn’t as watertight as you would like it to be, you’ll lose nothing by asking whether Hone-All can help. In our opinion, quality parts should not have to take a world tour to reach their destination, and delays should not have to ruin a contract bid!

If you’re planning an engineering project in which you’ll need to drill holes into metals, it’s essential to choose the most suitable method of drilling to achieve the optimum results. Drilling and trepanning are two options, but it’s vital to understand the difference, and the advantages, to make an informed decision.

What is Trepanning?

In conventional solid core drilling, the rotating drill bit destroys the core in the diameter of the hole as it advances through the metal, converting it to fine chippings, or swarf. This irretrievable material must be disposed of as it serves no useful purpose; however, with high-quality drilling equipment, the hole is drilled with a good finish and a high degree of accuracy.

Trepanning is suited for drilling large diameter holes where high levels of tolerance are not required, or if the core material in the diameter of the hole is to be retained. Instead of drilling out the entire core, only an annulus (ring) is drilled, so the core material in the hole - the slug - is intact and reclaimable. Trepanning is usually carried out on rods and plates, on ferrous or non-ferrous materials, often where a hole more than 100mm in diameter is required. Occasionally, it is used to create circular grooves for seals, such as O-rings, to be seated in snugly.

Key Advantages of Trepanning

Trepanning offers several advantages over conventional solid core drilling:

1) Superior Energy Efficiency

Solid core drilling involves boring through hard metals, a process that requires considerable effort and energy to complete. In trepanning, however, only the annulus around the core is drilled, so the process is easier and quicker. Consequently, the amount of power and energy required to operate trepans is less, saving money and time, and improving your business’s credentials as an environmentally aware organisation.

2) Reduced Waste

As trepanning leaves the core of the drilled hole intact, rather than breaking it down into tiny chippings, there is considerably less waste to contend with. This can improve the quality of the drilling process, as swarf isn’t produced that can obstruct the machinist’s view or interfere with equipment; consequently, trepanning is rapid and accurate.

The core material from the trepanned metal can be reclaimed, either for recycling, salvage, or reuse, eliminating the need to dispose of potentially hazardous waste material and reducing costs in the process.

3) High Cost-efficiency

The lower running costs of operating trepanning machinery, and the reduction in waste, contribute to a higher cost-efficiency than solid core drilling. Lower energy bills and waste charges, coupled with the income earned by selling or recycling the reclaimed core after drilling, will contribute to a healthier financial position.

Also, increased productivity – a result of faster drilling times, with less need to stop to clean debris from machinery – also boosts cost-effectiveness, making trepanning the first-choice method in many situations.

Obtaining a No-obligation Quotation From Hone-All

At Hone-All, trepanning is one of several drilling methods we deliver to yield high-quality results that meet our clients’ specifications. To obtain a free quote, complete our online form, or feel free to chat with us about your project by calling +44 1525 370666.

If there is one thing that we all want to be sure about when heading into a hospital environment, it is that we are stepping into a world of precision equipment. A review of medical literature shows that even routine procedures are fraught with difficulty. For instance, a typical lumbar puncture has five primary areas of risk, and that is before the quality of the tube begins to even enter the equation. As doctors explain: “what we need to achieve is difficult enough without equipment also being a factor”.

Yet, as in aerospace or any other precision engineering environment, the quality of equipment always is influential. Indeed, after the capabilities of the human minds that operate the instruments, quality is the factor.

Delicacy. Precision. Quality. Reliability. Predictability.

They are words that everyone wants to stamp in bold letters on their products. When working in medicine, those words are not just desirable goals. They are life-changing. They need to realise their full semantic potential.

Tube Manufacturing Challenges

Most people are familiar with the picture of a magnified needle. If you aren’t, and you want to be spooked, look at this Science Direct article. It shows that precision is about more than what can be viewed with the eye. Metal quality is just one aspect to consider when inserting tubes into the body. Weight, tolerance, and component complexity also play a vital role.

Military Grade Precision Tubing

The level of precision that is required means that the gauge scale is a starting point rather than a textbook. The US Military GG-N-196 specification is the foundation, and development of new equipment constantly expands this scale.

Achieving these levels of precision, whilst also ensuring that variables such as weight are taken into consideration, means combining industry-leading technology with the highest of precision engineering. Alignment is paramount, edge condition is vital, and process quality is crucial.

Tube Manufacturing: The Basics

1. Choose The Metal

Many different materials may be required for medical tubes. Aluminium and titanium – valued for their strength, lightness, and incorruptible properties – are rapidly becoming the industry standard, especially for long-term implants. Nobody wants their bones pinned together by something that is going to react with chemicals in the body, nor by something that is going to weigh them down! Hone-All focuses upon perfecting the art of working with these materials.

2. Understand The Metal

Each metal has its own unique properties. When working with each, many variables have to be taken into account in order to achieve precision. These include how the metal is treated, the drilling speed, and managing the heat and pressure created by machining. There are videos available here that offer advanced understanding in this area.

3. Ask The Right Questions

However, there are some key questions that should always be considered in the manufacturing of this type of precision metalwork. Ask your supplier how they manage not only the process but the cleanliness during manufacture as metals can easily become contaminated from body oils and other materials.

What Else?

It’s helpful to choose a supplier who has a long and proven experience in tube manufacturing. For companies with limited capabilities, the process can be lengthy. The margins of error are so small that only engineers with the correct tools will be able to guarantee that a job is delivered on time and most importantly, right first time. This is always the case in precision engineering. However, in medical sectors the volume demand means that production reliability means everything. Our free guide explains more, and our engineers are ready to be drilled on the details.

Tube Manufacturing In The Medical Industry

The medical industry is one that rapidly evolves. Innovation-focused, it is an arena where manufacturers who do not keep their eye on the ball can quickly fall behind. The reason that Hone-All are committed to investing in the latest technology is that the medical industry demands continuous improvement and development. Nothing about this area of engineering is generic. The word to keep in mind is precision. Demand precision from your supplier, and your product is guaranteed.

There are dozens of different variables involved when manufacturing precision rollers for the printing and packaging industry. This is due to the diversity of materials used in packaging, from coiled steel to aluminium foil, and the temperatures and rotational speeds needed to process adhesives.

Without careful planning and attention at the roller design stage there is a lot that can go wrong. Even slight variances outside the optimum temperature range, for example, can cause problems with your adhesive binding to the packaging material. Slightly increased vibrations or a reduced line speed can alter your flow rate, causing clogging in the roller and spoilage in your materials.

These are the two most common mistakes that lead to these errors:

1. Incomplete Roller Drawings

When manufacturing industrial rollers, it is critical that your precision roller manufacturer has complete, accurate technical drawings to work from. This is more difficult than it sounds, with problems occurring because of how manufacturers and print businesses traditionally work with technical drawings. 

For decades, print and packaging roller technology was fairly static. This means that technical drawings were used over and again for decades, from supplier to supplier. Invariably, changes were made to the specifications over time but this was often ‘retained knowledge’ held by individual engineers. The drawings themselves weren’t often updated. This is fine, so long as the personnel and company ownership remain the same. 

It becomes an issue when staff move on or retire, or when a company changes hands. As the retained knowledge is not added to the technical drawings, the next time they come to be used, inaccuracies are detected.

For a supplier inheriting technical drawings in this way, the learning curve is steep. The customer quite rightly expects industrial printing components to be produced as they always have been and is frustrated when discrepancies occur in the end product.

Solution:

To avoid incomplete drawings, we place great emphasis on the consulting and design phase. When working with a customer’s existing drawings, we have found it avoids problems down the line to take a ‘belt and braces’ approach to technical specifications. We assume there will be some inherited inaccuracies and go through a thorough process to detect and address them.

This involves discussing your actual requirements and working backwards from there. This enables us to amend the drawings, specifications, surface finishes, interference fits etc. to ensure your precision roller drawings are accurate going forward. This means the design and on-boarding phase takes a bit longer, but in our experience it saves a lot of time during roller manufacturing and inspection. It also avoids the risk of performance issues when your rollers are installed in your application.

2. Prioritising Low Prices Over Quality

Packaging and print rollers are high-stakes equipment; meaning that when something goes wrong, the impact is likely to be far-reaching. Unfortunately, businesses are also under intense pressure to keep their manufacturing costs as low as possible. With a limited budget, it can be tempting to go for the lower priced of two quotes, without paying full attention to long-term life-cycle costs. With industrial rollers, lower quality components cost more than higher quality alternatives.

You may pay less upfront, but a low quality component is far more likely to develop performance issues, requiring more frequent replacement and maintenance. You may also experience increased spoilage and downtime as a result of equipment errors.

Why should you be wary of lower-priced components? The short answer is that manufacturers have to make the savings somewhere. They can either save money on materials by using lower grade alternatives, or they can try and save time and money on the manufacturing process itself.

Most low-priced manufacturers go for the second option, saving money by skimping on the balancing and inspection phase. This is a recipe for problems, as an imbalanced precision roller may not perform well under stress, losing rotational speed or developing excessive heat due to vibration.

Solution:

The solution isn’t always to choose the highest priced unit, but when looking for quotes, pay attention to the process your supplier uses. Seek out transparent suppliers who explain exactly what is involved and what everything costs. This puts you in a position to understand a roller supplier’s prices, letting you assess the option that gives you true value for money.

Industrial rollers work hard under challenging conditions. There are any number of things that could go wrong during their working life. Therefore, it is almost always more cost-effective to pay for the best quality and best design, with a thorough inspection process, rather than take the risk of something going wrong with a lower quality component.

Avoid Costly Mistakes When Buying Industrial Rollers

The subject of industrial rollers is covered in depth in our new Industrial Rollers Guide, which is available for free download by clicking here. Access your copy to find out how to select the right rollers for your project, how to get the best value and what mistakes to avoid.

CNC honing is an excellent way to achieve tighter tolerances and better surface finishes on a wide range of precision machined components with a round bore. Here's a simple guide to this sophisticated process.

What Is Honing?

The honing process consists of stroking an abrasive stone within an internal, round bore. This abrasive stone acts as a tool travelling along a controlled path and the action results in the creation of a precision, polished surface.

Ultimately, the goal of honing is to refine a surface. This could involve achieving the desired size and tolerance, improving its geometric form, or changing the characteristics of the surface (for example, by applying cross hatching).

CNC Honing

CNC stands for "computer numerical control", and is a more sophisticated version of the classic honing process. Unlike in standard manual honing where the component is manually stroked along a stationary but rotating tool, in CNC honing, the tool rotates, moving in and out, while the piece of raw material remains stationary. With in-process gauging on some CNC honing machines, the need for continuous monitoring of size whilst machining is also removed.

Because of the difference in process, CNC honing can often achieve better results than classic, manual honing. You can mostly expect a more precise finish, with a far greater degree of accuracy and repeatability. However, there are certain components and finishes which can only be achieved by manual honing as CNC machines simply cannot replicate the amazing feel and sensitivity of the human hand!!! Also, manual honing is also the only option for extremely small batch runs or one-offs to ensure competitiveness for the customer.

The CNC honing process is an extremely specialised area of manufacturing. Although computers are involved, this does not remove the need for a skilled operator. Ultimately, a highly skilled operative must still be at the heart of CNC honing, or you are likely to achieve unsatisfactory results.

When Is CNC Honing Used?

Using a CNC honing machine has a number of advantages over other honing techniques. Set up is often a little longer but the need for manual labour for processing is removed.

CNC honing is used in a variety of industries and works particularly well in situations where close tolerance achievement is essential. Components such as bearings, fuel injectors, valve components and automotive gears are all common targets for the CNC honing process.

CNC honing can achieve high levels of precision, but also consistency. This makes the process ideal for long production runs, where accuracy is essential, and parts must be identical. A CNC honing machine, used correctly, will deliver identical results over and over again - one of the most important factors in the manufacturing process.

Learn More About CNC Honing

At Hone All, we have spent decades perfecting our knowledge and expertise within honing. Although we also specialise in other manufacturing processes such as Deep Hole Boring, Deep Hole Drilling, CNC Turning, Honing remains at the heart of our business, and we are always happy to discuss your needs and help you decide if CNC honing is the right process for you. Get in touch with us on 01525 370666 to talk through your project today!

In this article we would like to talk about quotes; specifically, why specialist CNC engineering companies charge what they do. There is a cost versus quality debate in every industry we can think of. The argument possibly goes that the lower the quote, the more corners must need to be cut at the suppliers’ side in order to achieve the price while still returning a reasonable profit. This usually leaves a fairly wide margin for flexibility, but it also means that a race to the bottom towards ever lower prices is rarely beneficial for either customers or suppliers in the long run.

In the field of precision machining, the price versus quality debate can, fortunately, be quite accurately quantified in terms of what is included in the quote. Unfortunately, being highly specialist services, Deep Hole Boring and Drilling are not too widely understood, even within the manufacturing sector. Of course, no company in the world is going to suggest that they don’t provide a quality service, no matter how low the quote. It is therefore easy to misunderstand the real term value delivered by a quote, relative to the price charged.

A Question Of Drilled Hole Tolerance

Tolerance is a major variable when carrying out Deep Hole Boring and Drilling. A skilled machinist can use a Gundrilling machine to drill to a tolerance of +/- 0.05mm for a standard 10 mm diameter bore. As the diameter increases, so does the safe margin of tolerance. A bore above 15 mm, for instance, should aim for a tolerance of no more than +/- 0.1mm. For deep hole drilling in excess of 20 mm diameter or more, the standard industry tolerance for a drilled or bored hole only is +/- 0.25mm.

If the tolerance required is tighter than these margins, honing will be required. This is an additional process which adds to the cost of the project. However, many low-priced quotes include drilling or boring only and not honing.

Unexpected Additional Costs

This allows the supplier to reduce the cost of the quote upfront and maybe secure additional business. However, by excluding honing, a quality result is not always guaranteed. If the final bore falls short or wide of industry-standard tolerances, the customer may need to undertake further honing at extra expense. This is frustrating and can cause additional costs and delays.

For projects on a ‘Deep Hole Boring or Drilling only’ quotation, this will blow the agreed price out of the water, as the quote suddenly no longer reflects the full cost of the project. The customer will find themselves faced with escalating costs and missed delivery deadlines, with no control over the final outcome.

This is not a good situation for either the machinist or the customer; and is why we always choose to be cautious, carefully review the complete requirements of the component and place quality controls and the possible requirement for honing at the heart of every project we undertake. We also request that our customers carefully check the tolerances quoted on alternative quotes as they can often be omitted or quoted at a different tolerance to that stated on the drawing but is indeed, the standard offered tolerance from the company quoting. 

Standardised & Quality-Based Quotes

As you can see, simply quoting for Deep Hole Boring or Drilling without honing does not consider the full scope of work involved in a project. A company that quotes only for boring will undoubtedly be able to offer a lower price upfront. However, this places the customer in a risky position, as honing is not included.

Deep Hole Drilling And Boring Quotes From Hone-All

We don’t believe in this method as we feel it does not benefit anyone in the long term and simply jeopardises quality and the long-term success and reputation of both companies, so instead of giving you a standard ‘nuts and bolts’ quote covering specific actions only, we quote according to the amount of work required to not only meet, but also exceed, the desired finished quality.

‘Quoting for quality’ is therefore a more accurate assessment of the cost and lead time of the project. This is why we don’t generate quotes using standardised spreadsheets and why we won’t give a quote without fully reviewing your technical drawings and conducting a full contract review at the quotation stage mapping out the implications of the job, not just at our first or second stage of machining but taking into consideration the final requirements of the project after further machining and treatments.

It is also why our quotes are not always the lowest on the market: they take into account the possible preparation work required on the material (such as facing or straightening when required) in addition to any honing work that may be required to get you the results you need. On the other hand, our quotes do give you enhanced peace of mind, as you can be assured of the accuracy of the final result and that you will not be saddled with additional expenses or potential delays you, or your end customer, hadn’t accounted for.

Our thorough approach allows us to identify potential issues at the quotation stage, equipping us to provide a more cost-effective, high-quality solution than a standard ‘price per inch’ quote could ever do.

In the middle of a viral pandemic, you simply can't afford to waste time and energy by waiting too long. You can't run the risk of moving anything that might harbour or transport pathogens across tight borders and lockdown zones. It's also crucial to support your local manufacturers during lockdown - without orders to keep them going, many may have to scale back or shut down, once lockdown has finished for good.

It's for these reasons and many more that companies who need to source precision components for their equipment and products are localising their supply chains to cope with COVID-19. Sourcing critical parts from closer to home allows you to streamline and speed up your company's manufacturing supply chains, keeping productivity and morale high during these unpredictable times for the UK and the world.

Why Domestic Manufacturing?

With the majority of overseas shipping and manufacturing being delayed or disabled entirely by the global Coronavirus outbreak, UK manufacturers have returned to their roots.

Globally, a smaller pool of workers and fewer shipping opportunities (particularly with air freight) has made outsourcing tricky to find and often prohibitively expensive. Overseas shipping also carries with it a hefty wait time - a severe issue for time-critical parts in countrywide demand (such as valves and tubing used in medical and resuscitation equipment).

By sourcing parts within the United Kingdom and shipping solely by road, already tight production schedules can be shaved down dramatically. It's far easier to pool industry expertise by using a solely British network of firms. Limiting long-distance freight as much as possible also helps to keep the worldwide spread of COVID-19 under control.

Staff expertise can also transfer between companies and group projects set up with ease. New tools such as the UKMfg Unite inter-industry online network have already started to shape the future of manufacturer collaboration in the UK.

By relaying information about neighbouring, useful contacts and companies to manufacturers, a more robust, streamlined chain of makers and creators can be segmented into full, UK-exclusive production lines.

The new focus on local manufacturing has already aided critical medical projects. The Ventilator Challenge UK consortium developed a new model of ventilator through friendly, internal competition and resource sharing that has been made available to hospitals and surgeries worldwide.

UK-Based Drilling, Honing, Boring And Finishing From Hone-All

If you're a UK company looking for precision machining such as deep hole boring, deep hole drilling, honing and finishing closer to home, Hone-All can help.

We specialise in manufacturing high precision, close tolerance and superb-quality metal components for oil and gas, defence and aerospace supply chains and custom-built hydraulic systems and assemblies.

It is so easy to get stuck in your groove in manufacturing. Once you have a proven setup, model or process plan, and years of experience on your CV, it is easy to believe that there is nothing left to learn. In a big organisation, over confidence can also set in - if your company can make almost everything, your current staff will know almost everything.

Yet despite the wisdom that (sometimes) comes with age, it is always beneficial to at least listen to newer, younger or different voices within our industry – even if just for a fresh perspective!

Fresh recruits have new perspectives and concerns, new ways of doing and building, and if you’re lucky, also have experience with the latest, cutting-edge training, techniques, and technologies. Just as specialised start-up companies tend to push the limits of what's currently possible, new engineers can bring the same motivation and magic into your production planning.

Beyond Stale Data and Simple Overviews

Sometimes, you have to move beyond simple output metrics and predictive models to find out what could enhance productivity and move your company forward.

Your engineers will have outside perspectives on how your company works, as well as first-hand knowledge of the challenges currently facing their part of their production process. By talking to people who can see 'beyond the numbers' and not just Business Improvement consultants, accountants, and analysts, you can find valuable windows into the human side of your production. New recruits will also be able to compare and contrast their prior employment to their new roles and therefore unwittingly share numerous examples of best, or bad, practice – if only they are asked!

Acting on qualitative feedback, not just quantitative, helps to improve employee satisfaction, their productivity and enables you to target improvements in service to your customers more effectively with the products that really matter to them as well as pick up on problems and enhancements that might not be readily apparent from the raw data.

A Strong Voice for Smaller Manufacturers

Many new employees will also start their careers in small-to-medium (SME) enterprises and limited companies. Often, the lack of an established network of industry leaders and hotlines to big players in their sector leaves the opinions, concerns, and expertise of SME owners and their employees (particularly junior ones) out in the cold.

The relative safety and solvency of closed-shop, large-scale manufactories can also mean that market shocks and challenges that affect whole production lines and economies can go unnoticed by the bigger fish. Newer employees will often have more to say on wages, conditions, job security, and micro-trends that might affect the future of how your company does business.

Additionally, the owners or managers of those SME’s within your supply chain could also enhance your processes and production performance by simply bringing in a fresh perspective to how performance is managed and achieved. Inviting your suppliers to visit and comment on your operations could bring added value to both parties. Here at Hone-All, we decided to move our entire factory in 2008 following a visit to a customer after being so impressed with (and envious of!) the layout of their shop floor and production processes. They in turn really appreciated our suggestions on our dispatch methods due to issues they were facing and discussing with us during our visit. As a result, both companies benefited massively just from taking a little time to listen, keeping an open mind, and accepting a fresh perspective or view on why things are done and how.

Remember, sometimes, we are too busy cutting down trees to sharpen the axe so let’s try to take a little time and listen to the alternative or newer opinions.

Deep Hole Drilling and Boring from Hone-All

We specialise in precision machining including, deep hole boring, CNC turning and honing for all industries. Our experienced teams will work with you to come up with the very best possible solution to your manufacturing issues or tubular tests.

Call or email today for more information and a personal quote – or maybe even to just ask for a fresh perspective – we are always willing to help!

At Hone-All, we are proud to be a part of this integral metal fabric that keeps the world functioning, developing, and exploring. Remarkably humble, these small marvels of design certainly get an appreciative nod from everyone here.

Metal tube manufacturers and clients often pair up for life. Whether it is a string of orders for bespoke parts, or regular orders, the correct choice of manufacturer is critical. As such, it – quite literally – pays to get it right.

There is generic advice on this topic easily available all over the internet, but the basics are to find someone who knows what they are doing, make sure that they can complete orders on time and check that they can communicate.

Everyone claims to be able to do all of these things. Here’s what to really look for, and how to do it properly.

Research Metal Tubing Manufacturers

For anyone with tight deadlines, the word ‘research’ can send shivers down the spine. Often time consuming, research can also be bewildering.

Therefore, the scientific advice is to keep it simple.

When it comes to metal tube manufacturing, focus on four key questions:

1. What is the priority: quality, cost or lead time?
2. What are the minimum qualification requirements?
3. How much follow-up support is needed?
4. How important is the development of the long term relationship?

These questions help to narrow the search parameters.

Quality Or Cost

If quality is the focus, then you know that you want to shop local. Foreign companies often have competitive prices, but the prices are usually low for a reason and the cost of queries or quality issues often outweigh any front-end savings. This is fine if precision is not paramount.

Determine your priority, and you will narrow your search parameters.

Tube Manufacturing Qualifications

If you require precision engineering, make sure that the company has the necessary capacity and credentials. As a minimum, check for the BS EN ISO 9001 Certificate of Registration, which should be easily available on the company website. For example, here’s ours. Experienced companies such as Hone-All will have a range of certificates and approvals.

Follow-Up

Many engineering projects are bespoke or complex. Sometimes it is helpful to know that an engineer is always a short distance away so that you always have access to expertise. Make sure that the manufacturer is willing and able to develop a relationship and works with you to ensure the best quality product can be produced and delivered in the most cost and time effective manner.

Experienced Tubing Manufacturer

The importance of time is related to experience. More experienced companies will be faster, more efficient, and more streamlined. However, everyone has to start somewhere. If you have all the time in the world, consider giving a new manufacturer a chance. If you have narrow time margins, or can’t afford the manufacturer to make a mistake, always opt for the bonus of tried-and-tested practice.

Tour The Facility

In the days where so much information is digitally accessible, touring a facility may seem redundant. However, in manufacturing it is often crucial to visit the premises. This is partly so that you can assess the manufacturer and establish the quality of the machinery and equipment – particularly inspection capabilities.

However, it is also about the all-important relationship between manufacturer and client. Tube manufacturing is precision process, and manufacturers invest considerable care and attention into ensuring it is precise and robust. A good rapport between all involved is helpful, and experiencing the premises can help to build the bonds that can stretch for decades.

At the same time, understanding whether or not a manufacturer is up to the task requires seeing the performance in action. When touring the facility, look for several key factors:

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is vital in precision tube manufacturing. Contaminants can prevent machines from achieving their microscopic variables. If the workshop is not well-maintained, walk away.

Organisation

In order for production to be carried out on time, everything needs to be organised. If the workshop is calm, it is a good sign that the company are on top of their workload.

Investment

The industry is constantly evolving, and so too are the demands. Precision, time, and quality are of the utmost importance. Good companies will continually invest in new equipment, training and development. They will also communicate openly and comprehensively about their services. For Hone-All, ours are clearly explained in one of our free guides.

Friendliness

Friendliness is an indicator that an organisation has deep communicative capabilities at a cultural level. Good communication is linked to productivity, efficiency, and problem-solving. If staff are relaxed with each other and their clients, it usually means that the team is focused on quality and productive.

Asking The Right Questions

In the manufacturing world, the right link between manufacturer and client can produce astonishing results. In industries that constantly innovate, relationships can open new doors for everybody involved. However, choose metal tubal manufacturers with care. Quality, time, and experience are important variables. Ask yourself the correct questions and you will guarantee the best possible results in the shortest of time frames.

1. Accurate Consultation

When it comes to productivity, accuracy is everything. This begins at the planning and design phase, and nothing beats being able to discuss your requirements in person. This is true for all work, but is particularly the case for:

• One-off projects
• Complex assemblies
• High integrity (defence, aerospace, and medical) projects
• Unusual and urgent repair or replacement requirements

Never be tempted to rush the consulting and design phase. It is the best opportunity to take a thorough look at the specifications and trouble-shoot potential problems whilst they’re safely on the paper. Finding a local CNC turning specialist means that you are likely to:

• Get the desired result, error-free
• Avoid costly delays
• Plan time and budget accurately

2. Quick CNC Turning

Minutes matter when it comes to productivity. Choosing a local CNC turning service reduces the time and cost of transportation, getting you up and running quickly. Location does not guarantee that a machining service provider will be quick off the mark. Always check that:

• They offer a rapid response service
• They have the expertise to assess the viability of the whole job, not just the specific operation you are requesting
• They are carrying out all your processes in house

If your local turning company is going to sub-contract your order to another supplier – and you’d be surprised how common that can be – your ‘local’ may not be quite as local as it seems. It’s a good idea to visit the premises yourself and see the equipment and ask about timescales.

3. Emergency CNC Turning Services

Downtime is a major contributor to productivity loss. As soon as a machine is taken out of service, costs start to mount whilst productivity plunges. A good local cnc turning provider will be able to guarantee that they can assist you with the replacement part on an urgent basis. This means that they can:

• Quickly review your requirements in full
• Suggest the most accurate and efficient route for production, repair or replacement
• Offer support throughout

4. On-Going Communication

All the benefits listed above have one important factor in common: a personalised approach. It’s something that we at Hone-All have always valued. Communication is excellent for productivity and means that potential problems are spotted sooner, customers are confident about asking questions, and everybody has a clear understanding of project requirements, deadlines, and values.

Clarity means that mistakes are few and far between, and customers walk away with all their unique cnc turning requirements met.

Gundrilling is a specialised art, so there can be a lot of confusion about basic variables such as time, cost, and quality. This can create a headache for buyers, especially as clients – who arrive from a variety of demanding sectors, such as aerospace, defence, and automotive – need to know that the finished product will meet their specifications with absolute precision. Let’s take a look at gundrilling timings.

How Long Does Specification Take?

The design and specification phase is absolutely crucial to successful gundrilling. This is where a little time investment should be allocated, as checking all of the finer detail on technical drawings makes all the difference to a successful outcome. The crucial determining factors are the bore and concentricity tolerances, as these affect the requirements for additional honing or turning and, therefore, the lead time.

A good manufacturer will need to review and invest a little time into this part of the process. Some orders are very easy to calculate; others may be more complex. As such, the specification can be highly variable! On average, expect around an hour or so depending on the complexity.

How Long Does The Process Take?

High quality gundrilling is all about technique. There are four crucial variables that need to be calculated and controlled. Flow rate, pressure, speed and feed rate all must be harmonised. The calculations depend upon the material as well as the diameter of the bore. Other variables also need to be factored, which include preparing for material property variables or other machining issues. The size of the order will also make a significant difference.

As such, the length of the manufacturing process can be quite varied. An average feed rate is around 10-20mm per minute, but the real key is how smoothly the workshop operation is managed. Experienced engineers, well-maintained machines and accurate scheduling are the foundations that underpin the manufacturing timetabling. A more experienced company will – inevitably – be faster than one that is still finding its feet.

How Long Does Delivery Take?

Delivery depends upon the size of the order, and the locality of the company. A local manufacturer will be able to turn around a gundrilling order promptly and will have it with the client within a very short time frame. Using an overseas supplier adds considerable time into the process, not least because this doubles exponentially if returns are required. Customs can be wearisome for bespoke machined parts, and the shipping can take several weeks, so overseas order scheduling can be very unpredictable. Local is always swifter and easier to calculate and has high levels of reliability.

Here at Hone All, we usually dispatch orders within a week when they are for the gundrilling process only (depending on batch size) and use reputable and reliable couriers or our own transport.

Should bore tolerance or concentricity requirements be below the industry standard of ±0,1mm, then a honing or turning operation will be added which can potentially add a few more days to the lead time but inevitably ensures the overall quality of the part prior to the finish machining operations or treatment.

So, Overall?

The duration of a precision gundrilling order tends to be anywhere between one and two weeks depending on the variables listed. Therefore, the best way to understand how long it normally takes to fulfil a particular order is by asking.

Should your requirement be more urgent that this, then simply give us a call and see if we can create a little extra capacity for you as we are always willing to respond to exactly what you need, and more importantly, when you need it!

Get in touch with us today by calling 01525 370666 or visiting www.hone-all.co.uk.

There is a great saying – if you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got! It is a phrase we use often when those who are not technically qualified, or as experienced in machining, as others throw a wild or mad idea into the mix when brainstorming or problem solving.

It is so easy to get stuck in your groove in manufacturing. Once you have a proven setup, model or process plan, and years of experience on your CV, it is easy to believe that there is nothing left to learn. In a big organisation, over confidence can also set in - if your company can make almost everything, your current staff will know almost everything.

Yet despite the wisdom that (sometimes) comes with age, it is always beneficial to at least listen to newer, younger or different voices within our industry – even if just for a fresh perspective!

Fresh recruits have new perspectives and concerns, new ways of doing and building, and if you’re lucky, also have experience with the latest, cutting-edge training, techniques, and technologies. Just as specialised start-up companies tend to push the limits of what's currently possible, new engineers can bring the same motivation and magic into your production planning.

Beyond Stale Data and Simple Overviews

Sometimes, you have to move beyond simple output metrics and predictive models to find out what could enhance productivity and move your company forward.

Your engineers will have outside perspectives on how your company works, as well as first-hand knowledge of the challenges currently facing their part of their production process. By talking to people who can see 'beyond the numbers' and not just Business Improvement consultants, accountants, and analysts, you can find valuable windows into the human side of your production. New recruits will also be able to compare and contrast their prior employment to their new roles and therefore unwittingly share numerous examples of best, or bad, practice – if only they are asked!

Acting on qualitative feedback, not just quantitative, helps to improve employee satisfaction, their productivity and enables you to target improvements in service to your customers more effectively with the products that really matter to them as well as pick up on problems and enhancements that might not be readily apparent from the raw data.

A Strong Voice for Smaller Manufacturers

Many new employees will also start their careers in small-to-medium (SME) enterprises and limited companies. Often, the lack of an established network of industry leaders and hotlines to big players in their sector leaves the opinions, concerns, and expertise of SME owners and their employees (particularly junior ones) out in the cold.

The relative safety and solvency of closed-shop, large-scale manufactories can also mean that market shocks and challenges that affect whole production lines and economies can go unnoticed by the bigger fish. Newer employees will often have more to say on wages, conditions, job security, and micro-trends that might affect the future of how your company does business.

Additionally, the owners or managers of those SME’s within your supply chain could also enhance your processes and production performance by simply bringing in a fresh perspective to how performance is managed and achieved. Inviting your suppliers to visit and comment on your operations could bring added value to both parties. Here at Hone-All, we decided to move our entire factory in 2008 following a visit to a customer after being so impressed with (and envious of!) the layout of their shop floor and production processes. They in turn really appreciated our suggestions on our dispatch methods due to issues they were facing and discussing with us during our visit. As a result, both companies benefited massively just from taking a little time to listen, keeping an open mind, and accepting a fresh perspective or view on why things are done and how.

Remember, sometimes, we are too busy cutting down trees to sharpen the axe so let’s try to take a little time and listen to the alternative or newer opinions.

Deep Hole Drilling and Boring from Hone-All

We specialise in precision machining including, deep hole boring, CNC turning and honing for all industries. Our experienced teams will work with you to come up with the very best possible solution to your manufacturing issues or tubular tests.

Call or email today for more information and a personal quote – or maybe even to just ask for a fresh perspective – we are always willing to help!

At Hone-All Precision, we specialise in precision rollers for a wide range of industrial applications. Our products are manufactured precisely to your design and machined for optimum efficiency and cost effectiveness. Whether you need 20 identical parts or a single, custom roller for a one-off project, our roller manufacturing process is geared up to provide the highest quality components available on the market.

We have a wide range of CNC equipment at our facility which we use to fulfil our customer orders. Each project is different and we apply the most appropriate techniques in every case, but when you work with Hone All the following seven elements each play a part in the roller manufacturing process.

1. Send Us A Quote Request

We price each of our projects individually, so the first thing to do is request a quote. You can do this online by clicking here. Tell us a little bit about your requirements, including any project deadlines, and attach your drawings. Working from complete design drawings is crucial to successful manufacturing, so please provide the most accurate and up-to-date versions. We’ll take a look through and call you back if we have any questions. Or you can drop by and see us in person with your drawings.

2. Contract Review & Feasibility

Once we’ve received your industrial roller drawings we will assess them for manufacturing feasibility. This is an important part of the process, as it allows us to identify any potential challenges and suggest alternations to your specs if necessary. We aim to ensure your drawings reflect exactly what you need and also ensure all your parameters are achievable. The result is accurate drawings that you can use time and again on your projects – whether with us or with another precision roller manufacturer. A thorough analysis at this stage saves a lot of time further down the line.

3. Quotation Sent

We will send you a written quote for your new industrial rollers. We can review and adjust this based on budgetary constraints or changed requirements. Once approved by you we move onto the next step.

4. Precision Roller Manufacturing

Our CNC machines allow us to produce precision rollers to our customer’s exact requirements. We have the flexibility to create custom rollers for applications in any industry, including motorsport, pharmaceutical, printing, medical manufacturing and the automotive sector. Tolerances can be carefully defined through additional finishing processes.

5. Roller Inspection

We undertake a full dimensional inspection to ensure your parts exactly meet specifications. We carry this out in house with our own CMM machines and trained operatives.

6. Despatch & Delivery

On completion, we can deliver your roller parts by courier to any address in the UK.

The Ultimate Free Guide To Industrial Rollers

More information about industrial rollers can be found in our new Industrial Rollers Guide. This free resource can be downloaded directly from our website and contains useful information about how to source the best industrial rollers.

To discuss a project with one of our team, please give us a call on 0845 5555 111.

The Corona virus crisis has highlighted how important it is for us all to work together - albeit at a distance. In British manufacturing, this has meant pooling our collective knowledge and resources across hundreds of miles and awkward, rolling restrictions on movement to create the best possible response to the biomedical engineering challenges created by the pandemic. Complex, vital machines, such as ventilators, brought together experts from sectors as varied as precision automotive engineering and clinically rated metal finishing in response the call to action from the Government and the need of the whole population.

For decades, the UK manufacturing industry has been represented by a huge variety of trade associations and support bodies and the thousands of engineering and service directories you can be listed upon is mind blowing! It is also extremely divisive, often expensive, and hugely confusing to navigate to find exactly what you need quickly.

During the pandemic and the Ventilator challenge we saw what could be achieved through collaboration rather than competition and for the first, fabulous time in way too long, UK manufacturing was at the forefront of the media and the public's hearts and minds.

Industry recognised how vulnerable our supply chain was when international freight and movement of goods and people became impossible and the subject of onshoring or reshoring again came to the forefront of our strategies.

Additional websites and directories were created such as www.UkMfgUnite.co.uk and www.reshoring.uk to try and capture this new desire for strengthening and uniting the UK supply chain. Others were created such as the Governments own by Crown Commercial and Covid specific sites for PPE networks etc.

Unfortunately, again – despite some of these being hugely positive, business generating, and influential, these were still not a unified response to what the country, the manufacturing industry and our supply chains really need – a United Directory which brings us all together for one common purpose - to ensure that the UK has a strong, resilient and all-encompassing, robust supply chain at a national level to protect from future pandemic effects or other potentially imposed trade restrictions.

Hone-All has always championed and promoted connecting companies, shared contacts, and utilised personal and professional networks for the overall benefit of UK manufacturing. We believe if we look after our industry, it will look after us in return. Alongside this, we join these new trade directories and associations to attempt to continue the momentum and collaboration we saw over recent months, the relationships it created, and the lifesaving results it achieved.

But how do we all unite? Could this idea be taken further by a national body? Could UK engineering and manufacturing be brought together into a single, central registry to track and broker engineering skills, material sourcing, and expertise? Here's why we'd love to see a giant UK manufacturing directory created.

Everything in One Place

In many ways, it's surprising this idea hasn't come along before. British engineering often suffers from compartmentalisation and fragmentation of core services.

While this is somewhat inevitable with so many specialists working under one overarching umbrella, contact details or specialised services can often be tricky to find unless you know what exactly you are seeking. A centralised, targeted directory allows you to find smaller, better-fitting companies for what you need, as well as links with local manufacturers you might not have ever discovered unaided.

Streamlined Supply Chains

Too often, manufacturing supply chains suffer from sub-par weak links, unnecessary steps, and distant, expensive sourcing. By providing the full picture of what's truly available, a United supply directory could speed up processing and distribution while making sure every buyer picks the most appropriate choices for every stage of making their product in question.

Categorical Search Criteria

A search engine is one of the most powerful digital tools we currently have - yet internet trawlers are surprisingly haphazard when it comes to directing manufacturing procurers to where they most need to go. By building a better, field-based database of manufacturer listings that includes their sector, location, contact details, and interests, search, selection, and contact times could potentially shrink procurement times from weeks to a mere handful of days or even hours.

But How Do We Unite?

We’ve seen how uniting as a country works, how collaboration over competition results in success and we’ve seen a whole new level of adaptability and agility from our UK manufacturing companies.

So, let us work together. Approach your representative trade bodies, request your Government backed associations and panels to fight for what we know works, for what we need and believe in – a united supply chain for the United Kingdom. Let us collaborate to conquer the risks we’ve been exposed to and ensure we can protect ourselves, our companies and our country no matter what this next decade throws at us.

I started when I was 15 as an apprentice and Hone-All supported me through gaining my qualifications and over the last 32 years, I’m proud and thrilled to have played a key role in helping the business grow and develop from our tiny 800 sq. foot unit in Luton to our fabulous factory in Leighton Buzzard.

Times have certainly changed and so has the equipment!

When I started, we simply did honing and then we moved into gundrilling and then small turning. As each new process and machine was added, I was the first to jump in there and ask to be trained and as a result, I have an excellent understanding of all our processes – other than the Deep Hole Boring, I guess. By the time that arrived, I was heavily invested and needed on the CNC turning section and have focused my skills and specialism there.

I’ve loved watching the jobs become more complex and challenging as our expertise and confidence grew and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the larger and more heavy duty CNC lathes come in as a result of our success and growing reputation for quality – obviously, my excellent machining quality helps the most!

The tasks I handle are really varied but they all play a key part in making sure we can complete our customers projects to the highest possible quality and get them completed and delivered on time.

My first task of the day when I arrive at 6am: I always get myself a strong coffee to start my day on the right note. This helps with my initial responsibilities of the day – I check my machine, the coolant and oil levels, the guarding and ensure the area around my machine is clean and safe.

I then ensure I have all my tooling for the jobs ahead as one of the great things here at Hone-All is the variety of materials and difficulties. One minute, I’m machining Inconel and the next it’s aluminium - one could be simply facing and parting off, the next a complex, multi-start thread over 2 metres long!

The day then consists of my vape breaks with the lads, listening and competing against my section on Pop master followed by a discussion of last night’s football over my lunch of Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle!

Throughout the day my team and I are always keeping the area clean and tidy as we pride ourselves in being the most organised and cleanest section within the factory, and woe betide anyone who leaves something unnecessary in our section or on our machine. As for borrowing my gauges, they know better!!

At the end of the day, I clean down my machine, ensure all my tooling and gauging are put away and I then head off home to my beautiful wife and family, and relax and recharge ready for the next challenging day ahead.

The worst part of my job is when there are drawing queries as I like to be able to simply get on with the task at hand and anything which interrupts my flow frustrates me.

The best thing is that every day is different - probably why I’ve enjoyed my 32 years of service! No two materials machine the same and I never stop learning – every day is a school day!

The knowledge we’ve built over the years, particularly on machining thin wall or close tolerance tubular components is vast and as we note and learn from every new job, our quality is always excellent and repeatable – that’s why our customers keep coming back week in, week out, year in, year out. I’ve been machining parts for some customers from the first day I started in 1988 so I think that shows why Hone-All is so great at what it does – we look after our customers and in return, they look after us by remaining loyal, coming back and keeping me busy! Hopefully, they will continue to do so until the day I retire.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my career so far with Hone-All and in engineering as a whole, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves learning, loves variety and enjoys a job that includes daily banter and laughs with a great team. If you’re thinking of options for leaving school, look into an engineering course – in my opinion, you’ll never regret it and in the right company like Hone-All, you’ll have a job you enjoy every day for the whole of your life!