Managing director Felim McNeela explains: “Our existing machines are capable of working to 10 microns or slightly less, which is pretty impressive. However, we are experiencing a growing demand for even higher accuracy and even greater repeatability, particularly in multi-cavity moulds for the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. There is a growing trend for customers to specify the Cpk value of mould cavities, and therefore to look for a higher degree of accuracy than is apparent from the tolerance on the drawing - this is where the Kern machine really comes into its own.”

The Kern’s workpiece positioning accuracy can be to within three seconds of arc on the fourth and fifth axis, due to the trunnion-mounted swivelling and rotating table, which has a torque drive motor which is temperature regulated to +/- 0.25o – essential to obtain such high levels of accuracy. Its hydrostatic drives and guides in the XYZ axes enable the machine to provide maximum surface finish at nano precision, due to their high dynamic rigidity and almost frictionless movements – even when moving in the smallest increments. In addition, the rigidity of the frame of the machine, which is manufactured from a polymer concrete, allows extremely fine surface finishes, Ra 0.05µm, to be generated.

Mr McNeela adds: “We have extremely skilled staff and a temperature controlled machine shop and the applicable tooling, but it is only now that we have the machine to reach the accuracy levels to take us into the micro machining sector. This is a culture change to the whole company. Our staff is undergoing training and our processes also have to change to meet the specialised micro machining industry. To demonstrate the level of change required, our new Kern machine is more accurate than our current CMM. The nature of our company is to continually drive forward. As we make steps into the micro market the Kern Pyramid Nano will be central to our machining needs.”