As our customers become more focused on core capability of system design and integration they are moving further away from machining just parts. Hence it’s becoming more essential that we become embedded at the design stage of any product to advise on functionality and manufacturability of the components.

With continual advancements in machining technology such as 5 Axis, cutting tools and CAM techniques, the boundaries of what is possible are ever-increasing. The design interface is our chance to create the best product at the optimum price and performance.

Getting it right at this stage saves long-term costs, compresses time and most importantly gets product to market on time or earlier providing significant financial and marketing advantages.

We operate the very latest CATIA V5 and UGNX5 CAD/CAM packages and have partners who are fully Aerospace approved for Stress and PFMEA activities.

Your project will be managed with the highest degree of focus and attention to detail. We assign manufacturing engineers with technology experience directly related to your product. They use controlled project plans and procedures, along with daily/weekly reviews to ensure milestones are achieved and communications are maintained throughout the program.

Once a project has reached full maturity and we have a steady state process, the day-to-day requirements are handed to our scheduling team and customer account management team to look after all your needs.

With all customers we operate a monthly customer account review process, supported by an account review pack detailing, On Time in Full (OTIF), Parts Per Million PPM, Order book alignment and new business development. The performance metrics are backed by an appeals process to ensure we have data clarity.

Precision machining and manufacturing facilities and also open, honest, wholesome values are fundamental to a great working relationship with all customers.

Having acquired a dedicated facility to support the manufacture of hard metal Aero Ducting components we have developed and refined techniques along with our suppliers for machining Inconel 618/725 and Titanium.

This capability is now being employed in conjunction with our very latest 5 Axis investments on complex defence products made from Titanium.

Our expansion plans are driven by the increasing need for our technical capability, and the industries increase in the use of complex hard metals will see the company grow the 5 Axis hard metal machining capability by 20 times in the next 5 years, with an increased capability for parts up to 3.6 metres in length and 2.0 metres in diameter.

Higar are renowned for pushing the boundaries of technology by leading academic study programs such as SMART awards to investigate new materials and techniques for cutting hard metals. We work both with suppliers and universities to create step change, adding to our profitability and our customer market positioning.

Operating “Lights Out” is all about refinement of the entire machining package from CAM Program to cutting tools, machine/fixture stability and advanced process monitoring systems. We are currently achieving 12 hrs un-manned operation on Titanium and expect to expend our investments with minimal manned running on hard metal projects.

Core to our investment program has been the recruitment of former Formula 1 motorsport employees. This resource has brought to Higar an in-depth understanding and experience of machining composite/metallic combined structures.

The techniques used are not obvious having been honed from hours of experimental trials in the F1 development arena. The change and clash of material density whilst dealing with composite de-lamination presents complex machining challenges for which our team has tried and tested methods.

With over 25 years combined experience in our specialist 5 Axis engineering team we are tackling some of the industry’s most complex products.

Where some competitors rely on machine tool suppliers or programming agencies for 5 Axis CAM support we prefer to keep control in-house.

Our latest and future 5 Axis investments are dynamic true simultaneous machines which provide superior space utilization, increasing the ability to reduce motion and set up. This is a level up from a ‘3+2’ 5 Axis and requires increased technical competence from our highly skilled programmers and operators who have been trained over the last 5 years.

Our 5 Axis capability is surpassing customer in-house performance and with ever decreasing capital investment budget our customers are rapidly developing long-term relationships with Higar to capture the benefits we offer to reduce lead-time, cost and improve quality.