For over 50 years, Beverston Engineering has specialised in manufacturing precision machine parts for demanding industries like aerospace, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and nuclear.
To meet customer demands and maintain its market-leading position, Beverston continuously seeks improvement. As part of its investment in Industry 4.0, the company partnered with VICIVISION UK to enhance inspection processes, enabling instant part inspection and reporting directly on the shopfloor.
Project Brief:
Facing intense competition and the high demands of their industries, Beverston needed to stay ahead of its competitors.
Inspecting parts in the quality department, away from the shopfloor and using CMMs, caused delays in part approvals. This often led to CNC operators producing multiple incorrect parts before faults were identified, resulting in reduced productivity, higher scrap levels and increased costs.
Recognising an opportunity to boost productivity, Beverston sought a solution that enabled instant part checking directly on the shopfloor.
Rod Wah, Beverston Engineering Managing Director, said: “The company has survived for so long because we’re constantly evolving and changing, and in our business, continuous improvement is the name of the game.
“Because we’ve done that, we’re able to supply our customers with the right price, the right quality and deliver on time.”
With a drive to modernise and streamline production across the manufacturing process, Beverston required an inspection solution that would streamline the process while also giving CNC operators visibility on the parts they are producing almost instantly.
The Solution:
Beverston first invested in the VICIVISION M309 optical measurement machine. Recognising its benefits, they soon added a second machine, the M614, which accommodates larger part sizes.
Rod said: “We learned about the VICI machines through OGP, which is a member of the Carfulan Group, and once we bought our first machine, we realised how good it was.
“Everybody was queuing up to use the machine and there was now a backlog. People were waiting and I thought I need to buy another one because it’s causing us delays on the shopfloor. So we bought another one and that’s helped relieve the backlog.”
The VICIVISION machines are strategically positioned on the shopfloor, next to machine tools. Operators can quickly inspect freshly-made components by running pre-programmed routines at the press of a button.
In minutes, operators receive visual indicators showing whether part features are within tolerance. If adjustments are needed, they can modify the next production cycle, preventing a series of scrap components.
The Benefits:
Implementing VICIVISION optical measurement technology has significantly impacted Beverston, strengthening its position for future growth and enhancing customer relationships.
Rod said: “We’ve now got a forward order book that is the best it’s ever been and that’s all come about by investing in new machines, new ideas and new equipment like the VICI.
“This is what’s keeping Beverston at the forefront of our competitors and with our customers.”
For the CNC operators on the shopfloor, the convenience of inspecting parts right next to their machine with VICIVISION gives them complete confidence in the parts they are making.
This confidence translates into increased productivity, enabling higher-quality parts to be produced while inspections are conducted during the next production cycle.
Jay Wright, Precision Engineer at Beverston, said: “The cycle time is approximately 60 seconds. I can immediately see if a part is correct by glancing at the screen and histogram, without needing to take components to the CMM room or quality department for results.
“I can measure on the shopfloor, which allows me to catch any deviations as they happen. That saves a great amount of time which, compounded over the course of the year, could be hundreds if not thousands of hours.”
He added: “For some components, it would be nearly impossible to record the number of dimensions at the speed VICIVISION allows. Without it, we couldn’t achieve our current production volumes.
“It is just so simple to use, it’s fast and convenient. I can’t think of any better measuring device that I’ve used or come across in the engineering industry.”
Why VICIVISION UK?
An on-site demonstration of VICIVISION measurement technology convinced Beverston of its production benefits.
Rod said: “We have found working with VICIVISION UK very good on servicing, very good on installation and very good on training. The machines are so user-friendly that minimal training is required, often just half a day is enough to get operators up and running.
“We don’t have many problems but when we have contacted the VICIVISION team for help, it’s always been very quick and very responsive.
He added: “The return on investment on the VICI machines has been very quick. I reckon within six months we got a return on our investments.
“There is no doubt we are busy. We are increasing our workforce, our order book is going through the roof, so I expect to be buying a new VICIVISION machine fairly soon.
“Based on my experience, I highly recommend VICIVISION machines to any company. They are user-friendly, a true asset and deliver exactly as promised.”
