Hanwha sliding-head turning centres from Dugard make impact at MCS

Machined Component Systems (MCS) stands as a centre of manufacturing excellence in the heart of the Midlands. Operating from its facility in Redditch, this progressive subcontract machining specialist has built a reputation for delivering precision-engineered machined components to diverse sectors that include automotive, petrochemical, environmental, transport technologies, marine, healthcare technologies, and white goods.

Founded by his father, MCS has been under Warren Gray’s leadership for the past decade. During that time, the company has transformed from a traditional engineering firm into a sophisticated manufacturing hub. This has been possible with investment in cutting-edge technology that includes three Hanwha sliding-head turning centres from Dugard.

Enforcing the message of what sets MCS apart is Warren’s unwavering investment philosophy: “We’re very proud of the people that we employ. Without our people and the investment that we’ve made in the machine tools, we’re nothing. It’s what takes the company forward. Moreover, we’ve just invested in CADCAM software to parachute the company forward – and we’re training four people on that at the moment.”

Opting for Dugard

By 2022, MCS faced a critical decision regarding its sliding-head capability.

“We’d had some very good sliding-head machines from another manufacturer over a number of years. Those machines were beginning to age, so we went out to three or four sliding-head suppliers. We went to each with the same suite of parts, asking them to tender and provide a complete turnkey proposal – and Dugard won.”

The selection process wasn’t simply about specifications or price comparisons. Warren insisted on a comprehensive evaluation that would reveal real-world capabilities.

“Dugard invited us down to Brighton,” he says. “I took my lead setter and a senior sliding-head machine setter. We spent the whole day reviewing Dugard as a company, and looking at the Hanwha machines in action.”

What distinguished Dugard in Warren’s evaluation was the machine tool supplier’s complete approach to customer service and a level of support infrastructure that clearly resonated with Warren’s emphasis on reliability and long-term partnerships. The company now has three Hanwha machines: the XD20II-V NHY, XD26II-V NHY and XD38II-R NHY. These six-axis turning centres have a diameter capacity from 20 to 38mm with an ability to turn parts up to 545mm long.

The Hanwha sliding-head range features a comprehensive line up ranging from 3 to 42mm diameter capacity, with high-end CNC units and comprehensive tooling platens and configurations.

According to Dugard, what stands out against competitor machines is the high-rigidity machine structure. This construction philosophy sees Hanwha make the machines 20 to 30% heavier than machines of similar capacity. This additional mass translates into performance benefits, with customers reporting improvements in heavy cutting capabilities, tool life and cycle times.

The proof of any investment lies in its real-world performance, and Warren’s assessment of the Hanwha implementation is unequivocally positive: “The Hanwha machines have come into this business and they are very, very good.”

The collaboration between MCS, Dugard and Hanwha represents more than a simple supplier-customer relationship; it exemplifies how strategic partnerships can drive manufacturing excellence when built on shared values of quality, reliability and customer service.

Warren’s methodical approach to vendor selection, combined with Dugard’s customer service and Hanwha’s technology, has created a synergy that benefits all parties.