Transforming Production Capabilities with Hanwha

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

Founded by Warren Gray's father, MCS has been under Warren'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 Worcestershire-based MCS apart is Warren's unwavering investment philosophy. "We're very proud of the people that we employ. Without the people and the investment that we've made in the machine tools, you are nothing. It is what takes the company forward, and we've just invested in CAD/CAM software to parachute the company forward, and we're training four people on that at the moment."

Warren Gray's approach to automation demonstrates a deep understanding of manufacturing progression that has followed a journey from manual to automated operations. "Sliding head turning centres use barfeeds for automation anyway, but when you are making larger components on fixed head lathes, you may have started by opening and closing the door and actually having the billet in your hand with a person and hand feeding the machine. We've actually taken that away from the person by investing in collaborative robots, industrial robots, and then moving it even further, you then go on to machine tools with it, with its own pallet pool to increase the automation."

Opting for Dugard…
By 2022, MCS faced a critical decision regarding their 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, and we went out to three or four sliding head manufacturers, and we went to each of them with the same suite of parts, asked them to tender and provide a complete turnkey proposal for those parts, 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. I took my lead setter and a senior sliding head machine setter as well. The three of us went down to Brighton. We spent the whole day reviewing Dugard as a company, and also looking at the Hanwha machines in action, and on the back of the quotation they put together, they won our business."

This hands-on approach reflects Warren's belief in involving his team in critical decisions. By bringing his lead setter and senior sliding head machine setter to Brighton, he ensured that the people who would work with these machines daily had input into the selection process.

What distinguished Dugard in Warren's evaluation was their 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, the XD26II-V NHY and the XD38II-R NHY. The 6-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 lineup ranging from 3 to 42mm diameter capacity, powerful high-end CNC units, comprehensive tooling platens and configurations, and 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 competitors' machines of similar capacity. This additional mass translates into performance benefits, with customers reporting massive improvements in heavy cutting capabilities, tool life, and reduced 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 machine tools, and we are very happy," he states with evident satisfaction.

"We serve a vast array of different industry sectors, and the Hanwha's serve all those industry sectors which are automotive, environmental, medical and domestic gas. So, these machine tools could be making any industry components at any time," Warren explains, highlighting the versatility that makes this investment so valuable to MCS's diverse customer base.

The phased implementation approach that Warren adopted allowed MCS to validate performance, optimise integration, train personnel, and prove return on investment before committing to additional machines. This methodical approach reflects his broader management philosophy of making informed decisions based on evidence rather than speculation.

Warren's philosophy on quality is deeply embedded in the company culture. "Quality is not an option," he states. This commitment to measurement excellence is complemented by the precision capabilities of the Hanwha turning centres, creating a complete quality ecosystem that ensures consistent, repeatable results across all production runs.

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 Gray's methodical approach to vendor selection, combined with Dugard's comprehensive customer service and Hanwha's innovative technology, has created a synergy that benefits all parties. Warren's assessment of the partnership remains overwhelmingly positive: "The Hanwha machines are very, very good machine tools, and we are very happy." This success stems not just from the technical capabilities of the machines but from the alignment of values between MCS and Dugard.