Moving up the supply chain
WNT tooling on Di-Spark’s new Mazak Integrex j-200
Di-Spark is moving further up the supply chain thanks to investment in multi-tasking equipment and support from long-term cutting tool partner WNT that allow it to produce complex, high value components competitively.
Now entering its fourth decade, Horndean-based Di-Spark was set up as a small, sub-contract, supplier of wire eroded components for the toolmaking sector. As time passed the company added spark erosion technology to its portfolio, creating a need for the manufacture of electrodes and fixtures and the addition of other metal cutting machine tools.
In recent years investment has focused on five-axis and multi-tasking machine tool technology driven by customer demands to reduce costs and to re-engineer manufacturing processes. “We have made significant investments for a company of our size,” says David Light, Di-Spark’s managing director. “However, I view it as essential to continue to buy what I see as the best equipment for the job. Partnerships with our machine and tooling partners have also been significant in our achievements.”
Di-Spark’s latest investment is a multi-tasking Mazak Integrex j-200. This convergence of two machines into one is allowing Di-Spark to produce complex, high value, components competitively and move itself further up the supply chain. Tooling for this machine was supplied by WNT (UK).
“In order for us to develop we have to be in a position to manage and control the production of high quality products using good systems and this requires good supplier support,” says David Light.
To simplify the tool buying process Di-Spark has installed multiple WNT tool vending machines across the business. Not only has this simplified the process it has also removed cost from the business as WNT stocks these machines at no cost to Di-Spark, which pays only for the tools used. “Vending seemed so obvious to me,” says David Light “It followed the exact same principles that we were working to, namely using technology to remove labour from the process and ensuring continuity of production.”
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