Full Speedio ahead at ALM Engineering

Contract machining firm ALM Engineering Solutions has strengthened capacity and expanded its automation-driven production following investment in a Brother Speedio W1000Xd2 machining centre. Supplied by Whitehouse Machine Tools, the three-axis machine arrived at the subcontractor’s Newton Aycliffe facility at the end of 2025 to enhance production capability, flexibility and lights-out manufacturing.

Established 31 years ago, machined components and assemblies produced by ALM find their way into air filtration systems for medical applications and nitrogen/hydrogen gas generation equipment. The latter are experiencing strong growth as part of the transition to green energy. In addition, ALM supports the entertainment industry with infrastructure for global artists, while the company also manufactures its own robotic tooling, assembly-line equipment and architectural hardware.

Bigger bed: Get ahead

The decision to invest in the Brother machine was driven primarily by capacity constraints, as Managing director Tony Thompson reveals: “One of the main attractions of the Speedio was the bed size, as we were previously limited by existing machines within our machine shop offering a maximum of 700 mm in the X axis.”

The Speedio’s 1,000 mm table enables the company to take on larger components and improve throughput while maintaining a compact footprint within ALM’s 14,000 ft² facility. Notably, the machine’s integration into a densely populated shop floor supports efficient material handling and high component output.

A key differentiator of ALM’s operation is the use of its own collaborative robots, branded Cobots Online. The Speedio is paired with one of the mobile cobots developed in-house, joining seven other systems already in service across the factory floor. Designed for rapid deployment, ALM can move the cobots between machines, where they become operational within minutes.

Featuring quick-change tooling, integrated hydraulics, simple connectivity via 13 A supply, ethernet connection and air supply, the company can also remove the cobots quickly when it needs to undertake manual machining. All operators are trained to program and use the cobots.

Weekends without workers

The integration of cobot automation with the Speedio is delivering a major productivity boost, as Tony asserts: “It’s massive really, giving us 24/7 flexibility. We no longer have to ask our staff if they can work over the weekends. We have someone come in on Saturday morning and then later in the afternoon, with the machine running unattended at all other times.”

This flexibility allows ALM to scale production rapidly in response to demand, moving from a standard two-shift pattern to continuous operation when necessary. The company reports an overall increase in production capacity of nearly 50% over the past two years following the wider adoption of automation, without any increase in headcount.

Despite representing a move away from ALM’s previous reliance on largely FANUC-controlled machines, the Speedio is proving straightforward to use. Equipped with Brother’s proprietary CNC-D00 control, the machine quickly hit production speed following training from Whitehouse Machine Tools, supporting rapid operator transition to unattended running.

Machine performance is also playing a significant role in improving competitiveness. The BT30 tooling, 16,000 rpm high-torque spindle, rapid traverse rates of 56 m/min and cutting speeds up to 30 m/min allow ALM to maximise productivity across a wide range of applications. Recent work included tapping M3 blind holes at 4,000 rpm, highlighting the machine’s precision and speed.

Versatility on tap

The combination of a large-bed machining centre with automated handling enables ALM to accommodate everything from small batch work to larger, more complex parts. Such high levels of versatility support the company’s strategy of offering a comprehensive manufacturing service that extends from machining and assembly to finishing processes like powder coating.

Tony believes automation has a significant role to play for SME manufacturers: “The biggest barrier to automation is that people think it’s only for big companies producing parts in high volumes. However, if you have a job that runs for maybe two hours, it makes sense to introduce a cobot as you can reuse the program if repeat orders arise.”

Looking ahead, the positive experience with both the Speedio and Whitehouse Machine Tools is expected to influence future investment decisions, as Tony confirms: “I’m really happy with the machine and the service we received, including the support in getting the Speedio machining centre up and running.”