Burcas Expands Aerospace Subcontracting With First 5-Axis Machining Centre

In August 2008, family-owned tooling manufacturer and subcontractor, Burcas Ltd, installed its first 5-axis machining centre to supplement 3-axis prismatic metalcutting and extensive multi-axis mill-turning at its Birmingham factory.

An early job put on the trunnion-type, 5-axis Hermle C 40 U (UK agent - Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools, Gosport) was a mild steel component for a well- known UK aero engine manufacturer.

The outer part of the circular component requires complex features to be machined around the inside circumference, while the outside of an inner section has similar milled features.

For reasons of confidentiality, the accompanying photographs show the 780 mm diameter component clamped on the machine table with only the first feature milled. To access the inner surface of the component, a right-angle milling head is held in a fixed position in the spindle while the table is rotated.

Other components currently produced on the Hermle include stainless steel brackets and complex aluminium components such as aero engine housings.

Commented Mike Burrows, Managing Director of Burcas, "Our manufacture of consumable tooling has been shrinking since the 1980s, but we are still active in cutting tools and have become a major kanban stockist.

"Last year we actually increased this side of our business, buying a Kellenberger grinder to manufacture punches and dies for supply to the UK's leading munitions manufacturer. We are also one of the world's top five manufacturers of carbide knives for the paper industry.

"The aerospace sector has been growing rapidly year on year and will continue to do so until at least 2015. So we are building this side of our business and already have approvals from GE Aviation, Messier Dowty, Bombardier and Goodrich.

"Forty per cent of our £5 million turnover is currently related to aerospace subcontracting and we intend to double that part of our business in the next few years."

It was back in 2002 that Burcas first became involved in aerospace work, having been approached by Alstom in Lincoln, which knew that the Birmingham company operated a large Boehringer CNC Lathe. The relationship progressed quickly, resulting in the purchase by Burcas of five more, similar Boehringer lathes, representing a substantial investment.

In 2005, Mr Burrows went on a trade mission to Japan and came back with a 10-year contract to produce actuators for the Airbus A330, for which purpose he bought another, even larger mill-turn centre. Further related business has since been won for producing lower side stays for the same aircraft.

At the end of 2007, knowing that Burcas operated several large, capable lathes, a local aerospace manufacturer offered the subcontractor some turning work for Boeing as well as some prismatic machining for the same OEM.

The latter required high precision, 4- and 5-axis machining capability, which prompted the acquisition of the Hermle C 40 U.

Stated Mr Burrows, "The UK is the second largest aerospace parts manufacturer in the world, behind the US, but it is difficult to break into supplying the sector without significant investment plus the right approvals.

"We always buy top quality machines, as we have found over the years that they hold accuracy better, last longer and need less maintenance.

"Particularly when machining tough materials like stainless steels, Inconels and titanium alloys, there is no substitute for choosing the kind of quality that is built into machines like the Hermle; and having such plant on the shop floor impresses customers and helps to win new business."

A mild steel component being milled by Burcas on its 5-axis Hermle C 40 U machining centre.

Close-up of the 780 mm diameter component, showing the first of a series of complex features machined on the inside circumference using a right angle milling head.