Company insight
Partner up to increase etched shim production
A dependable, high-integrity chemical etching service, UK-based Precision Micro is one of the world’s largest and longest established chemical etching companies.
or manufacturing companies looking to scale their operations quickly and affordably, leaning on the expertise of their supply chain can be highly impactful. It’s this approach that enabled a leading manufacturer of medical components to increase its production of nebulisers while maintaining high standards of quality.
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Through the process of photochemical etching, Precision Micro has been able to quickly move from prototyping to large- scale production of critical components, while keeping costs down.
What are nebulisers and how do they work?
As a vital piece of machinery relied upon across the medical industry, nebulisers are typically used to treat respiratory illnesses by turning liquid medicines into mists, which can then be inhaled. At the heart of a nebuliser machine is a number of intricate components that facilitate its reliable operation, including a precision shim washer, which is supplied by Precision Micro.
Made of stainless steel, which is used widely across the medical device industry thanks to its versatility and durability, this small shim is instrumental in the nebuliser’s operation.
Critical shim washer design features
As a stress-free component, which is required to be completely flat and clean, the process of photochemical etching delivers shims where there are no unaltered physical properties – precision crafted to specification. This commitment to quality has been at the heart of the relationship between Precision Micro and the medical component manufacturer, which has seen the businesses working together since 2015.
Support growth with supply Now producing more than 100,000 precision-etched shims for its customer, Precision Micro’s process of photochemical etching has scaled its operations cost- effectively, without compromising on quality. Combining sheet metal with a CAD-image-printed photoresist mask, the components are then etched with chemical etchants – photochemical etching presents a less intrusive, more accurate and repeatable option.
Alongside the quality of the final components, photochemical etching benefits from extremely low tooling and set-up costs, which facilitate the turnaround of components in short timescales. Capable of producing parts to the same exacting quality every time, components can be produced at differing volumes and at short notice. Photochemical etching enables the creation of highly complex components quickly and consistently, while maximising value for money by reducing set-up time and tooling costs. This meant that, in its early days of working with the medical component manufacturer, Precision Micro was able to accommodate low volume, enabling its customer to lay the foundations for growth before scaling its operations.
In the production of the nebuliser component, as the tooling has not required revalidation, Precision Micro could use the same tooling and set-up to help realise overall cost savings and maintain speed of production. Alongside these benefits, high standards of component quality have been consistently achieved, while customer service and technical support have also strengthened the businesses’ relationship.
A strong relationship is key The highly effective relationship between Precision Micro and its customers
Medical Device Developments /
www.nsmedicaldevices.com
showcases the possibilities of cross- border partnerships in supporting continued growth and success. Despite Brexit, Precision Micro has been able to maintain its commitment to the highest levels of service and support, which has been critical to supply chains at a point of high growth. Markus Rettig of Precision Micro says, “As manufacturers across Europe and elsewhere around the world look to strengthen their positions by enhancing quality, leaning on the expertise of their supply chains to do that is essential. We’re proud to have been working with our EU-based customer for many years now, and that’s allowed us to develop a genuine understanding of their business – of their challenges and their requirements. This relationship, combined with our process of photochemical etching, makes for a genuinely successful foundation for growth.
“This example of components for an innovative nebuliser machine really demonstrates how working as partners can lead to success. Our process has allowed for consistent, cost-effective scaling as demand has increased – something which would be difficult to replicate with other machining processes where scale and complexity generally results in increased costs. We’re looking forward to continuing our relationship and working closely to bring out even more benefits of photochemical etching in their business.”
By working together when the needs of this particular EU customer were small, Precision Micro was able to lay the foundations for growth through its specialist machining process. This has resulted in scaled production, which consistently and cost-effectively delivers quality. ●
www.precisionmicro.com 33
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