Agile, future-oriented precision

In a Q&A session, Grob UK’s area sales manager, Carl Downing explains how the company’s 5-axis CNC machine tools are helping today’s leading-edge aerospace subcontractor machinists with the most productive and agile CNC machine tools.

The task of selecting any one of a number of potential CNC machining centres from a list of suitable candidates - especially when there are variety of opinions to consider - can be a complex task. A task made more difficult when there is very little to choose between any of them.

For any potential purchaser of a CNC machine tool, attributes such as fast cycle times, fast speeds, low-down ‘machined from solid’ grunt, accuracy and ‘done in one’ ability will always remain high on the proverbial shopping list. And this is where Grob comes in!

Q) Firstly, please bring us up to speed with your latest new product launches?

Our latest launch is the 4-axis universal machine series. Currently, we have three sizes available: the G440, the G640 and the G840. This has been mainly driven by our current customer base who are using the Grob 5-axis range. The focus for this range of machines is to offer a flexible, easily configurable solution that meets the tough requirements from a 4-axis machine tool.

Q) What are the types of performance demands placed on you by your customers?

Our customer relationships have and always will be at the forefront of our business, building into a partnership and making sure transparency throughout. Service or after-sales is key first and foremost of which we have globally invested vast amounts into services, such as our ‘web shop’. This is a live online portal that displays our customers’ machine/parts/support, etc. They can view technical drawings, order spare parts online - worldwide - at any time. Maintenance engineers love this function, logging into the system via a smart phone/tablet while next to, or inside the machine.

Q) What aspects of your latest machining centres are your customers most happy with?

After a customer demonstration/prove-out - or when the first parts start coming off - cycle time, accuracy and tool life are normally the key points our customers tend to report, of which our novel machine concept provides as a standard.

Q) What kinds of productivity benefits and synergies do your customers enjoy from the successful implementation and use of your products?

When we talk about productivity, this is something Grob has decades of experience in. We have used our own in-house production facilities to fine tune our Industry 4.0 packages, for example GROB4Line/GROB4Analyze/GROB4Track to name a few and with these software options ‘literally turned on’, the technology creates cross plant transparency throughout our customers’ entire production process. This is just the beginning of ‘paperless’ communication, which in turn is starting the journey to greater productivity. 

Q) What is the focus area of your current R&D efforts and are there any ongoing programmes you can talk about?

It’s no secret that we have been close technical partners to the world’s largest automotive OEMs, working closely to deliver the next generation e-mobility technology, which is advancing our vehicles as we speak. This is now a blueprint for aerospace propulsion technology in moving forward of which we will support now and in the future. Many more developments are taking shape within the Grob Group, but you will have to wait a little longer to find out exactly what!

Q) How much importance do you place on Industry 4.0 and the advent of ‘smart tools’ in general?

Industry 4.0 is critical now, and it’s such a large subject that I’m not confident we all understand it fully and just how advantageous it can be. Data is key to securing and enhancing the competitiveness for the industry. And let’s not forget that this technology is reachable by all down the supply chain.

Q) What do you feel are the most important assets of a company?

Grob UK has a tight bond throughout the company which works perfectly. Our managing director, Louis Hill always pushes the need for openness and honesty, and there is no such thing as a bad idea. We are given the freedom to express ourselves, which for me is great motivation to push, grow and succeed. Having these morals as the foundations - along with great concepts and very talented people the world over – means we can offer solutions that are unrivalled.

Q) What differentiates your company from the CNC machine tool competition and why should a customer use you over your nearest rival?

We bring experience, expertise and heritage within the industry, married together with a passion for achieving the end goal - whether that be cycle time saving/capability gains, etc. Whatever the challenge, we are all in one form or another, engineers who thrive on solving problems some of our competitors often choose to decline.

Q) What aspect has helped your company get through the pandemic, for example your agility, knowledge and experience gained over the last few years?

The pandemic has been tough for everyone, emotionally, physically and financially. The flexibility and dedication of our workforce throughout has been faultless, along with our customers/partners coming together, knowing that a collaborative mindset and working ethos is always the way forward.

Q) Has this pandemic-enforced downtime been a good time to effectively ‘reset’ and look at how efficiently you are running your business?

Throughout the pandemic, Grob UK has continued to grow and develop its team from internal restructuring through to the recruitment of new staff members - a trend that we are continuing throughout 2022.

Q) What kind of industry landscape are we facing now that everything is getting back to normal?

We are seeing the aerospace sector recover faster than anticipated, which could potentially lead to man-power and skill shortages. Therefore, the requirement for automated solutions is going to be greater.

Q) Would you say that your long-standing partnerships have brought huge benefits, particularly as trusted relationships can lead to a better way forward for all?

Grob puts its partnerships at the forefront - whether this concerns a client or supplier. A collaborative working is advantageous for all involved, and bringing together all the ingredients to deliver the perfect solution is the most important factor.

Q) What kind of machine tool developments will we be seeing in the future?

One of our main focuses has been automation, providing total in-house solutions that generate optimum spindle utilisation to give greater return on investments. When this is coupled with GROBIndustry4 productivity options, overall efficiency is maximised, maintained and monitored, resulting in the delivery of a one-stop package.

Q) Finally, any other business?

We look forward to seeing you at the MACH tradeshow at the Birmingham NEC this year!

www.grobgroup.com