JSR Precision Engineers Limited

12/8/2020
  • Laser Processing Machine

 

 

Customer Profile

Founded in 1981 as a family-run business, JSR Precision Engineers Limited (JSR) offers subcontract sheet metal work, machining, laser cutting and part manufacturing services, supplying everything from one-offs to small batches and high volumes from two sites in Sheffield. The company has grown considerably since its establishment, forging an enviable reputation in the steel and engineering industry through continued investment in the latest laser cutting, CNC milling and turning technology.

 

Steel City Certified 

When a prominent, Sheffield-based precision engineering company needed to replace a faltering laser processing machine, it turned to Yamazaki Mazak to maintain the high standards synonymous with the Steel City.

JSR Precision Engineers Ltd

JSR’s continued success saw it become a limited company in 2006 and gain ISO 9001 accreditation in 2008. It now employs 20 members of staff and enjoys a turnover of over £2 million per annum, with its dedication to quality and efficiency meaning the business has retained its ISO standard since it was first awarded. JSR is also a proud, accredited license holder of the ‘Made in Sheffield’ trademark – an internationally famous mark of quality for manufactured products.

“In nearly 40 years of business, there aren’t many industries we’ve not worked with. We have an exceptionally diverse customer base which reflects the company’s versatility and flexibility, and ability to provide services and precision parts across a wide spectrum of industries, including, among others, the construction, automotive, nuclear, medical and railway sectors.”

Simon Pepper, Sales & Business Development Manager, JSR Precision Engineers Ltd. (JSR)

Improvement to Productivity

One such example of a difficult project made easier by the OPTIPLEX NEXUS’ innovative design was a recent enquiry for 1500 mild steel parts, made up of 190 drawings of components ranging in thickness from 5mm to 20mm. Utilising JSR’s programming software to record off-cuts that could be repurposed, the OPTIPLEX NEXUS was able to quickly machine parts while keeping waste material to a minimum. As a result, the customer was able to save money while enjoying highly precise processing work and a lead time of only three days from initial enquiry to order delivery.

Simon concludes: “The innovative design of the new laser processing machine means it has fitted seamlessly into our existing operations and become an integral part in a highly important and continually expanding part of the business. Next year is our 40th anniversary, and will be very important to us. Yet with the support of well-designed Mazak machinery such as the OPTIPLEX NEXUS, we are confident that the company can maintain a level of success befitting this anniversary.”

Alan Mucklow, Managing Director UK & Ireland Sales & Service Division at Yamazaki Mazak, adds: “We pride ourselves on the precision and reliability of our machinery, and are flattered that JSR Precision Engineers, a company with a reputation for high-quality work, share this opinion."

“The flexibility and productivity offered by the OPTIPLEX NEXUS speaks for itself, and we are confident it can continue to assist the company in its mission to reduce lead time and costs, while maintaining a competitive edge in an increasingly demanding marketplace.”

 

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science we put the spotlight on Jas Cordelle, a Mazak Apprentice now making her mark in our Spindle Service Centre and on the racetrack.

Yamazaki Mazak’s apprenticeship programme has grown dramatically over the last decade with the company currently putting more than 60 apprentices through training.

One of Mazak’s priorities with its apprentice scheme is encouraging more women into engineering, and one of the early success stories is Jas (short for Jasmine) Cordelle, who joined the company nearly 10 years ago.

“I didn’t really like exams at school because I learn better from physically doing something rather than studying,” explains Jas. “I’d always been around engineering because my dad is a design engineer and I have been involved in drag bike racing from the age of 10, so I was probably predisposed towards engineering as a career.”

Jas’ interest firmed up when her dad took her to a number of careers fairs to find out more about local companies. “That was when I first met people from Mazak, and they became my first choice as a future employer.”

After leaving school at 16, her first year as a Mazak apprentice involved studying for her Higher National Diploma (HNC) in Mechanical Engineering, a Level 3 qualification that was based in a local training centre studying the basics of engineering. Year 2 was more factory-based, working three-to-four-week rotations in different areas of Mazak’s European Manufacturing Plant in Worcester. In their third year the apprentices begin to specialise, and Jas chose Mazak’s Spindle Service Centre (SSC) as her area of expertise.

The SSC is a dedicated resource within the factory that aims to maximise spindle performance, one of the most important parts of any machine tool.

“There are 45 employees in the SSC and I found the atmosphere very welcoming and friendly. Also, no two days are ever the same – I can be in the SSC one day and the next be out and about with a customer helping to solve their problems.”

Jas says that the prospect of working in what was, at the time, a male-dominated factory was daunting at first. “When I started there was only one other girl on the shopfloor. But I’d been in a very male dominated sport with my drag racing, so I was used to working alongside men.”

Nowadays, Jas is far from alone as a female engineer at Mazak. “There are half a dozen girls just on the shopfloor now and more coming through the apprenticeship scheme.”

In her spare time, Jas continues to race drag bikes over the standard quarter mile track, reaching speeds of more than 160 mph. “I’m the youngest racer in my highly competitive class, and last season I achieved a personal best of 7.58 seconds. This season my goal is to be even more competitive and put in a good showing at Nitrolympx at the Hockenheim Formula One track in Germany in August.”

And Jas’ career plans? “I’m currently studying for my HNC Level 5 and my line managers are really encouraging me. Despite its size, Mazak is still a family company with a supportive culture. The older, more experienced engineers recognise that it’s part of their role to bring on the next generation, so it’s a great place to learn and to work.”

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