The high stability of the DMU eVo allows us to machine titanium components for the aerospace or medical industries with maximum precision.

The origins of JK Engineering, which was founded in the UK in 2001, are as manufacturing service provider for Formula 1, where precision parts are the order of the day. The company in Kings Langley fulfils similarly demanding manufacture for the medical, dental and electronics sectors and – since its certification to AS 9100 and ISO 9001 – in the aerospace and defence industries as well. 25 competent and dynamic specialists are employed by JK Engineering. A modern workshop consisting of 14 machining centres and turning machines from DMG MORI form the subcontractor’s core manufacturing capacity. 5-axis universal milling and automation are prominently represented.

“We operate in a fast-moving market with high demands on quality” John Kenny, Managing Director of JK Engineering, states in summarising the daily challenges. His team has quickly learned not only to comply with these market requirements but to exceed them. “We can only remain competitive if we consistently expand our know-how and invest in the most modern machining technology.” The introduction of 5-axis machining seven years ago was a result of this philosophy. “The DMU 50 from DMG MORI was in our opinion the first really reliable 5-axis machine” John Kenny remembers about the purchase. Besides that, the compact model with its small footprint fitted perfectly into our production environment. “With 5-axis machining we were able to significantly reduce the number of set-ups, which gave us a big advantage over our competitors.” At that time the competition was still using 3-axis machines.

JK Engineering has been loyal to DMG MORI ever since. Ten of the total of 14 DMG MORI machines are 5-axis models: three DMU 50, five DMU 40 eVo and two DMU 60 eVo, the latest with a pallet changer. John Kenny points out another decisive feature of the machines: “Thanks to the stable construction and the powerful spindles we can work productively and accurately, especially during heavy duty machining.” Accuracies of 10 μm are routine. “The temperature management of the DMG MORI machines also contributes towards precision.” The fact that JK Engineering manufactures in air-conditioned factory units makes their pursuit of top precision self-evident.

For JK Engineering, 5-axis machining was only the first step towards sustainable process optimisation. “Automation is the key to the most efficient utilisation of our capacity”, according to John Kenny. Robots and loading equipment are indispensable for unmanned manufacturing overnight and at weekends. “The robots provide additional flexibility for small series production, because we can easily adapt order priorities as required ? and without long set-up times.” In addition, automatic loading of the machines eliminates inaccuracies due to manual set-up. John Kenny looks to the future with optimism: “Our technical competencies combined with reliable and accurate machines from DMG MORI are helping us to deliver the most demanding components quickly and at competitive prices.”