![\"Ben](\"http:\/\/mfgtechupdate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Sur-Gen-4-red.jpg\")
<\/a>Ben Halford, who founded Surface Generation in 2000, now has 30 employees<\/p><\/div>\nSurface Generation claims its patented Production to Functional Specification (PtFS) technology provides manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive and consumer electronics sectors with a significant improvement in cost, quality and delivery for precision moulded parts. The Haas VF-2SS was purchased 18 months ago and has been proven very quick at cutting hard metals.<\/p><\/div>\n\u201cFor example, last year we were given a part to make, which incorporated a logo that wasn\u2019t mouldable using typical processes. But, I\u2019m happy to say we solved the problem with 100% yield. In another case, we\u2019ve taken a cycle time down dramatically from 2 hours to just 20 minutes. Our process delivers that kind of very significant difference.\u201d
\n\u201cMost composite parts are \u2018cooked\u2019 \u2013 heat cured, in an autoclave,\u201d says Mr. Halford. \u201cBut that\u2019s an isothermal process, where the temperature the part is exposed to is constant. If you want to make parts of varying sectional thickness, perhaps using a combination of different materials, it can\u2019t be done in an autoclave, as different areas of the part need to be heated to different temperatures and cooled at different rates.\u201d
\nThe secret behind the success of PtFS is how it uses a custom designed chequer board configuration, where each square on a mould tool is heated and cooled individually, with pressurised air, controlled by a computer. All types of materials can be processed, up to 850\u00b0C, including thermosets, thermoplastics, metals and glass.
\nSurface Generation has quickly built a reputation for engineering solutions when, according to Mr. Halford, a customer reaches an impasse because no other processes appear to be working. \u2018Torture parts\u2019, as he calls challenging projects, are normal, every day problems. \u201cThese are components where the general consensus is that they\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0<\/em>be manufactured.
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\nSurface Generation\u2019s success is also down to solid investment decisions such as, for example, the latest CAE technologies, including SolidWorks and PowerMill. The company has also acquired three US designed and built Haas VF CNC vertical machining centres from UK distributor, Haas Automation UK, Ltd. The VF-3 machining centre, with WIPS (Wireless Intuitive Programming System) arrived first, in 2012, followed by a Haas VF-2SS super speed around 18 months ago and, most recently, a Haas VF-4.
\n\u201cPreviously, we were subcontracting parts to job shops, which just didn\u2019t give us the necessary control, quality or flexibility,\u201d says Mr. Halford. \u201cHowever, this was addressed immediately with the arrival of the VF-3. We looked carefully at two or three other brands of CNC machine tools, but liked what Haas were doing. Haas UK had an extremely good engineering and support team, which also gave us a great deal of confidence.\u201d
\nA normal mould base at Surface Generation comprises around 200 hours of machining, and among the main challenges is the production of deep pockets in confined spaces. Here, the through-coolant capability of the VF-4 helps enormously. Another challenge ably accommodated by the Haas machines is shear edge details on compression moulds. The company maintains a gap of between 25 and 50 \u00b5m on a compound surface while trying to follow what it describes as \u201ca nasty contour\u201d.
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