 |
 |
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
Hitec Sheet Metal to Exhibit at UK Embedded Systems Event in Cambridge Hitec and Kaizen Alliance Offers Fast Time to Market for High Tech Firms Hitec Helps Vale-Tech Colour The World Hitec and SADiE Collaborate to Deliver World Beating Broadcast Audio Equipment Hitec Leads The Way with An Environmental Approach to Engineering Hitec Helps Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment Light Up the World LEDs light up our modern lives. Whether it's our mobile phones, our DVD players or even our car taillights, there is a good chance that LEDs play an important part in the technology we use every day. Cambridge based company Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment develops and manufactures the technology that makes LEDs possible. From an embryonic research organization, Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment has become a world leader in this field with a UK turnover of £25 million and a team of 70 people. ... "With a sheet metal company such as Hitec, we get a very responsive service that is capable of delivering the high quality components we require, in the tight timescales we often have to work within. This strategy has worked well for us."... "Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment is very much an example of Cambridge based research being transformed into a successful commercial entity," said Roger Hunter, Managing Director of Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment. "The company originally made systems for research organisations, but today we mainly supply very high value systems to our customers who are volume manufacturers in countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Korea and China. At this time, we have about a 70% share of the worldwide market in this type of technology." The key technology behind Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment's success is the manufacturing equipment that is able to form the 'Gallium Nitride' wafers that are essential for LED production. A central component within each system is a highly complex mechanical assembly called a 'showerhead', which is machined with a matrix of 16000 finely positioned holes. The value of each machine is reflected in the fact that they may only ship 35 systems each year.
"We are shipping very high value, low volume products," said Roger. "I think this is where UK engineering is at its best, applying our expertise and knowledge to high end technology." . .."The UK engineering sector is enjoying a welcome recovery and much of this is down to companies like Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment, who value the quality, flexibility and responsiveness of local engineering companies such as ourselves... Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment is expecting much further growth in the LED sector in future years. This growth will be driven by the sale of flat panel LCD screens where the LEDs are used in large numbers to back-light the screen, and also the increased use in automotive lighting systems, traffic signaling systems and mobile phones . For Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment, the future certainly looks bright, as it does for its suppliers also. Externally engineered components form a large proportion of each system. Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment outsources a great deal of work to local engineering companies in the Cambridge region. "A few years back we made the decision to outsource much of the mechanical engineering expertise," said Roger. "It has many commercial advantages to have this kind of expertise available locally; to call on when needed, rather than trying to maintain it in-house. With a supplier company such as Hitec, we get a very responsive service that is capable of delivering the high quality components we require, in the tight timescales we often have to work within. This strategy has worked well for us." Hitec Sheet Metal, based in Soham, specialise in providing racking systems, small and large format enclosures and precision engineered components to the technology sector. Hitec have been providing sheet metal engineering services to Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment for many years. "We've been very grateful for the engineering work that Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment's technology brings into this region," said John Stevenson of Hitec. "The UK engineering sector is enjoying a welcome recovery and much of this is down to companies like Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment, who value the quality, flexibility and responsiveness of local engineering companies such as ourselves. Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment is a very impressive company and we are pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to their success." A part of Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment's future strategy is to further improve and develop their outsourcing capability to enable fast and rapid responses to market changes and to help introduce new products to the marketplace. With the anticipated growth in the LED market and Thomas Swan Scientific Equipment's commitment to outsourcing locally, this can only be good news for the Cambridge engineering sector. Hitec Sheet Metal to Exhibit at Cambridge Embedded Systems Event Metalworkers to the Cambridge technology sector, Hitec, will be exhibiting at the forthcoming Embedded Masterclass to be held near Cambridge on the 3rd May. Over 700 embedded software and electronic engineers have registered to attend previous Embedded Masterclass events. This event has become respected as an excellent forum for engineers to meet with some of the industry's leading vendors of development tools, hardware and software. In addition to the vendor exhibition, there will be an agenda of technical presentation that will focus on the latest technology that can accelerate product development.
"Most of our clients are from the technical sector," said John Stevenson, Managing Director of Hitec. "Working with developers of electronics and computer systems has become one of our strength, so we are pleased to have been invited to participate. We'll be exhibiting some of our more complex designs of enclosures and internal chassis systems. We like the fact that this event has a technical focus, it should be a good environment to meet with development engineers and discuss new projects. We are looking forward to it." Other exhibitors include European contract electronics manufacturer Barric, Swedish real-time OS developer Enea, embedded computer company Arcom and Cambridge debug tools experts XJTAG. The presentations will cover such topics as the development of graphical user interfaces, accelerating FPGA development and using 'middleware' to accelerate telecoms development. "We are very pleased to have Hitec on board," said Richard Blackburn of Energi, the organisers. "Every embedded system needs an enclosure, in fact, this is often what differentiates the product and can also be key to how it performs in the real world. Hitec are leaders in this field and understand embedded systems better than most. I think engineers will value the chance to meet with some of Hitec's engineers to discuss some of the current challenges they face such as RF screening, achieving better aesthetics and maybe even weight and stability issues." The Embedded Masterclass is free to attend for embedded engineers and technology project managers, however, delegates will need to register through the Embedded Masterclass website www.embedded-masterclass.com . Early registration is recommended as seats for the presentations are limited.
Cambridge metalwork company, Hitec and electronics manufacturer, Kaizen Technology have formed a strategic alliance that will offer high tech firms a 'one-stop-shop' for fast turn-around prototypes and volume manufacture. This alliance brings together a wealth of manufacturing expertise and high value manufacturing technology, offering European technology developers possibly the best opportunity for fast product development. "In the technology sector, getting to market early is a big issue," said John Stevenson, Managing Director of Hitec. "Often the first to market with a design can expect to secure a bigger market share and a better price. Also, being able to change designs at short notice in response to market demands and advances in technology is becoming a key issue. For many years now, we have been experts in supplying metalwork to the technology sector, we think that this alliance will provide technology developers with the fast and flexible manufacturing support they need to compete." Hitec have become a leader in the provision of enclosures and machined components for the technology sector. They provide metalwork for broadband routers, printing machines, audio systems, ink mixing technology, telecom rack systems and even agricultural technology and heating systems. Using the latest technologies such as CAD/CAM systems, laser cutting and advanced CNC machinery, Hitec's engineers have become recognised for their expertise in this field. Kaizen Technology are experts in manufacturing electronics and have recently invested over £100,000 in new technology for the assembly of lead-free surface mount and BGA technology components. "This is an exciting time for us," said Richard Kaval, Operations Director at Kaizen. "The new equipment is the very best. Its fast, accurate and reliable, so we are well positioned to offer a first class manufacturing service. I think that, between us, Hitec and Kaizen share very powerful technology and a lot of expertise. We feel confident that this alliance will bring many benefits to the technology community." Hitec Helps Vale-Tech Colour The World "There is a lot of chemistry that goes into modern inks to make sure they work well in the printing process and ensure that once printed, the ink is durable," said Mel Hughes of Vale-Tech. "Our equipment is controlled using complex software to ensure every mix is perfect according to the formula for a given type of ink. This knowledge base has been developed over many years." "We've been helping Vale-Tech with the development and production of the mechanical aspects of the design," said John Stevenson of Hitec in Soham. "These machines have to be engineered for a long life as well as many of the parts being complex and needing to be machined very accurately. It's been a challenging but rewarding project. I think the Carousel ink mixing machine is very innovative for its market and offers both companies exciting prospects for the future." Vale-Tech and Hitec are currently working on a version of the Carousel for the UK and European markets. Differences in the format of ink containers between the US and the rest of the world, requires several different mechanism to be developed for the new European version. "Following our success in the US, we are very keen to introduce the Caroursel into Europe," said Mel Hughes of Vale-Tech. "Now we've proven that this technology offers considerable commercial and operational benefits to printers, we are working hard with Hitec on the development of the European version. In this respect, having such a responsive supplier as Hitec for the mechanical aspects of the design has been an important factor in our success." More about the Vale-Tech project ... Hitec and SADiE Collaborate to Deliver World Beating Broadcast Audio Equipment Cambridge metalwork company Hitec and professional audio company SADiE are celebrating the launch of the SADiE LRX2 Location Audio Workstation. The LRX2 is one of the most technically advanced location audio recording devices available world-wide for remote projects such as TV and film soundtrack capture, sports event coverage and live music recording. The LRX2 is the culmination of many months of development and refinement and has recently proven itself whilst being used for the soundtrack recording of the BBC's Sport Relief charity cricket match in Mumbai, India. "Technically it is very sophisticated, as the LRX2 Audio Workstation has been designed to give sound engineers a new level of sound quality and flexibility when working on location," commented Joe Bull, Managing Director of SADiE. “We are very confident that the release of the LRX2 will help us maintain our position as a worldwide leader in the development of digital workstation solutions for the professional audio and broadcast industry." Since its formation in 1991, SADiE has been a recognised pioneer in the field of high quality digital recording. The company estimates that at least 50% of CD's produced have been mastered and produced with the aid of their equipment. SADiE production editors are the defacto standard at many major broadcasters worldwide, including the BBC who have well over one thousand systems involved in radio production. In the music and post-production industries, SADiE products are similarly held in high regard and may be seen in daily use at such high profile facilities as the world famous Abbey Road recording studios. Hitec specialises in providing metalwork to the technology sector and have been closely involved in the mechanical development of the LRX2. SADiE's equipment is shipped worldwide and often subjected to harsh environmental conditions, so the mechanical aspects of this type of design are critical to its performance and survival. "The LRX2 is a great example of UK technology leading the world and we are very excited to see it going into production," said John Stevenson of Hitec. "Our main involvement has been the rapid prototyping of the metalwork, using our laser cutting technology to turn SADiE's engineering designs into high quality precision parts. SADiE had very exacting deadlines involving many design revisions, so there has been a lot of pressure but we fully understand the importance of getting the design right at the outset and the importance of getting innovative products such as the LRX2 to market at the earliest possible opportunity." One of the unique capabilities of the LRX2 is its ability to record up to 48 discrete channels at a professional level of recording quality, which for its size and robustness puts the LRX2 way ahead of the field. Coupled with a host laptop PC connected via a USB2 interface, it has many other advanced features such as motorised faders, a full editorial interface and the benefit of powerful software support. "Rolling out the LRX2 within this timescale has been a fantastic achievement and we really could not have achieved this without Hitec's enthusiastic support," said David Cousins, SADiE Production Manager. "Hitec really buy into the projects we present them with and work diligently to understand our market. We explain what we need, supply them the designs and then they deliver the perfect parts so crucial to the project, so that we can concentrate on the electronics and software aspects." Hitec Enables Copytrax to Develop World Beating CD Printing Technology "We are very excited with the launch of Project 37," said Steve Woods, Managing Director of Copytrax. "For many in this industry it's a quantum leap forward as Project 37 brings the printing of CD and DVD into the digital age. Key to Copytrax's development has been the involvement of Hitec who have worked closely with Copytrax providing the precision-engineered parts that were necessary for the success of the project. Hitec specialises in providing metalwork for the European technology sector and has become a recognised leader in this field. "Mechanically, Project37 is quite an achievement," said John Stevenson, Managing Director of Hitec. When the engineers at Copytrax first conceived of this project they knew that being the first to market with this technology would assure them of commercial success. With the target date of the next main industry exhibition, Media Tech in Frankfurt, they set to work developing the first machine. "Without Hitec's support, I don't think we could have made the deadline,” said Steve Woods. "During the development phase Hitec were very helpful and flexible. They understood our situation and worked hard to provide us with the mechanical parts we needed and were always very fast and accurate. In addition to this, Hitec proved to be a good supplier on a personal level, always welcoming the chance to meet and discuss the projects progress and understand the issues. I think between us, we have really shown that UK engineering can still lead the world when it comes to innovative technology." Described in the industry as a revolutionary digital single-pass, uv-cure, inkjet cd/dvd printer that's capable of printing over 1000 discs per hour, Project 37 is expected to win business were low and medium volume production is required. From an engineering perspective Project 37 is impressive, it is controlled by proprietary software and incorporates a unique fixed inkjet array using 24 print heads, which ensures unrivalled photo-quality resolution. The discs are presented using a linear motor driven carriage with robotic handling and laser positioning from initial input to the final output of the finished discs. For more information about Copytrax and Hitec Hitec Lowers The Cost of RF Screening Can Development Cambridge metalwork company, Hitec, have announced a new service that will lower the cost of screening can development for European technology companies. Using computer aided design software and computer controlled metal punching technology, Hitec are able to create rapid prototypes without the need for expensive and timely tooling development. RF screening cans are essential components in today's electronic equipment. They are used to limit the emission of radio frequency signals that is generated from electronic circuits. Developers often have to ensure that radio frequency emissions comply with current regulation; Hitec's services will help developers achieve compliant designs in the shortest possible time. Although Hitec are able to develop custom screening devices, their standard product is based on using 0.6mm mild steel with a tin plated base and zinc plated upper lid. "We've been working closely with the technology sector for many years and over this time I think we've manage to perfect the art of developing and producing screening components," said John Stevenson, Managing Director of Hitec. "The traditional method of machining these components was by using a chemical etching process or hard tooling, these can be very expensive and time consuming. In addition to making the screening components, Hitec's designs are also used as circuit security devices. These components are of a similar nature to the screening cans but once soldered into the PCB will offer a circuit or silicon device protection from interference by service technician or anyone attempting to modify the equipment. Hitec have shipped many thousands of both the screening and security components and can offer a fast turn around for any new customers seeking a new supplier of screening devices. More Details on RF Screening Cans
Hitec Leads The Way with An Environmental Approach to Engineering Metalworkers for the technology sector, Hitec, have declared their intention to lead a green revolution in the precision engineering sector. Hitec have stated their intention to adopt low energy methods for the production of metal based components for their broad range of customers and intend to encourage new designs that are more suited to low energy manufacturing methods. "The environment is a big issue at the moment and we are keen to do our bit," said John Stevenson, Managing Director at Hitec. "For example many modern components are manufactured using laser cutting technology that uses massive amounts of energy, we are planning to move back to some more traditional methods of production for volume work." Although Hitec's extensive collection of hi-tech machinery includes a lasercutter, this will now only be used for rapid prototype work and almost all production work will be done on more environmentally friendly machines such as computer controlled punching and folding machines. "In terms of energy saving, shifting production to these other, more traditional machines, makes a very big difference," stated John. "It may Hitec are also tracking new sheetmetal machinery that has been purposely developed to use less energy in comparison to existing machinery. "When we next buy in machinery, this will certainly be an important factor," said John. "This new generation of low energy machinery is exciting to see and Hitec will certainly be wanting to support this shift towards a more environmental approach to engineering." About Hitec
|
||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||
Photography by Sally of Energi Feb 07 
Photography by Sally of Energi. 
Vale-Tech's Carousel ink mixing machine has been designed to be compact so that it can be used within a printing factory. The printers can then mix their own inks rather than have to wait on an order with an ink supplier. In addition to having ink on demand, they will also be able to mix the quantity they need, rather than have to order a minimum volume and put excess into stock. Vale-Tech have already shipped systems to the US where they are proving to enable printers to be more competitive with their pricing and more responsive when customers require short time scales for delivery. 
Photography by Sally of Energi
