Automotive steering systems manufacturer, Pailton Engineering, has installed five new machines at its site in Coventry, UK as part of an investment programme to replace legacy equipment, expand production capacity, and bring previously outsourced operations in-house.
The most significant of the new equipment is the Sykes V400 gear-cutting machine, which is capable of generating both internal and external steering gears. Its installation enables Pailton to produce internal gears on-site for the first time.
Supporting this is a Barber-Colman gear cutting machine, which provides additional capacity across gear manufacturing operations to help meet growing demand.
For turning operations, the company has installed a Puma DNT2100MB machining centre, which arrived in January, replacing equipment that had been in service for nearly 25 years. The new machine offers improved reliability and faster processing, and is compatible with the collaborative robot (cobot) previously introduced to the factory floor.
A Pedrazzoli SB160 swaging machine has also been added, replacing an older unit to strengthen production reliability. A replacement TT1800SY turning centre has additionally been introduced into the shaft cell; Pailton says the fully recommissioned machine offers improved performance compared with the equipment it replaces.
“This investment is all about making our operations stronger and more resilient,” said Dave Pound, managing director at Pailton Engineering. “By upgrading our equipment and bringing more processes in-house, we’re boosting reliability, increasing capacity, and better positioning ourselves to support our customers.
“These upgrades also build on the recent addition of a new collaborative robot. It’s part of our move toward smarter, more connected manufacturing. The six-axis robot works safely alongside our team, helping with precision assembly and component testing. It improves repeatability and efficiency, while still complementing the skills of our people,” Pound added.
