Larkshill Engineering…Big ambition and big parts need big PRECISION machines

Established over 25 years ago, Larkshill Engineering specialises within the design and manufacture of precision machinery and associated workstation fixtures.

Their principle product range includes special purpose machines, moulds, press tools and jigs and they supply a range of industries from automotive and aerospace to nuclear, oil and gas.

All projects undertaken are completed in house from start to finish with the majority including big, heavy fixtures often being difficult to machine.  For this reason their purpose built factory in Birmingham City Centre is equipped with state of the art CNC technology including Dugard machine tools which offer large capacity and reliability on all applications.

There are two sides to the business, the first of which machines larger product including castings for fixturing in the automotive and aerospace industries. For this, the company have found that Dugard’s range of machine tools are the most suitable.

The remaining side of the business machines more intricate parts and uses smaller machining centres giving Larkshill a well-rounded capacity list.

Larkshill have brought several Dugard machine tools to meet the needs of their business including a You-JI 1600 ATC vertical boring machine. This offers a 1600mm outside diameter turning capacity allowing the company to turn parts up to this diameter. An additional functionality feature for this machine is a tool changer and C axis, which provides the business with the flexibility to be able to do more than just turning on the machine.

Other machines include TOS vertical borers, specifically used for high precision boring and milling. The Tos machines also have significant capacity enabling Larkshill to win contracts for larger components that most other engineers can’t satisfy.

Managing Director, Frank Murphy says, “Dugard had a solution to many of our machining requirements and I didn’t feel like they were simply trying to sell me a machine. The installations we’ve had from them have been superb and they have always put the needs of our business first. With complete flexibility and a first class service, Dugard have exceeded in meeting our expectations and provided us with first class machine tools.”

Larkshill have recently bought an MTE BF 3200 travelling column bed mill from Dugard, which features a 3.2 metre X-axis providing the opportunity to machine parts, whilst setting up the next component further up the machine bed. This not only saves time but also offers masses of flexibility. Also with a 3.2 metre bed, large component machining can be satisfied which unlike many other engineering companies puts Larkshill in a field of their own. This MTE machine also has a rotating multi function head allowing them to machine more than one face in one set-up.

Frank Murphy concludes, “At Dugard, directors are on the front line and I think the fact that it’s a privately owned company really shows they care.”