A Yorkshire manufacturer has invested £200k in new equipment that will increase its capacity.

Haworth-based Airedale Springs says the machine, a Wafios FMU16+, will help it meet increased manufacturing demands and forms part of a wider plan to improve efficiency across the company.

The leading spring manufacturer says it chose to invest in the Wafios FMU16+ because it offers the greatest product diversity while increasing performance by up to 10% compared to earlier generations of the machine. The firm says the boost in performance will allow it to effectively and efficiently meet its customers’ orders in a reasonable timescale, without compromising on the quality of the final product. The Wafois FMU16+ will sit alongside and support Airedale Springs’ wide range of modern CNC coiling and wire-form machines.

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Airedale Springs’ new Wafios FMU16+ in action. Image courtesy of Airedale Springs.

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Airedale Springs chairman, Tim Parkinson, said: “The WAFIOS FMU16+ offers a multitude of spring manufacturing technologies at a very high standard. It comes with an optical measuring system that offers 100% quality checking of parts manufactured on the machine.”

The Wafios FMU16+ will provide Airedale Springs with much more than simply an increase in manufacturing capacity. The quick retooling options make it easy to transition between wire sizes, which is ideal for moving between small and large batch sizes. The addition of IQ spring simulation software enables operators to design and program parts away from CNC machines, resulting in faster and more efficient production solutions.

The new machine is also well suited for apprentices and less experienced operators. The simplified programming option serves as a valuable tool for trainees, allowing them to gain confidence and develop the necessary programming skills.

Airedale Springs aims to have the new Wafios FMU16+ integrated with the 123insight system by the end of 2022. Integration with the ERP system – which seeks to automate and streamline processes from start to finish – it will further strengthen productivity, minimise error margins, and reduce the time employees spend doing routine tasks.

Tim Parkinson added: “The Wafios FMU16+ complements our already vast fleet of Wafios machines, bringing with it the latest technology with a higher production rate capability. The new camera technology will ensure our customers receive the best products possible.”