Source: Simpson Technology / 09-12-2022

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Q-Fin: The small powerhouse for rounding and deburring

KIYO ENGINEERING
Kiyo Engineering is a progressive, forward thinking metal fabrication and design business with a wealth of experience across major industrial sectors. Based in Redhill, Surrey, it combines proven expertise in cutting-edge, high-quality fabrication and sheet metal and precision machining with the latest technologies in production, design and projects/contracts.

The company works collaboratively with clients to identify and provide the best solutions. Underlying its success is an ongoing commitment to precision engineering of the highest standard delivered in a timely and competitively priced way.

It has been in the business of engineering and design, specialising in the welding and fabrication of aluminium, stainless steel and mild steel products for an ever-increasing client, base since 2007. Kiyo Design Limited commenced operations in 2007 with its primary areas of expertise being engineering design and metal fabrication. Following a successful launch and five years of operation, Kiyo Engineering was introduced as the company’s trading name.

In 2017, it expanded into a custom-built factory space located near Gatwick Airport affording 11,000 sq ft of new production, fabrication, design and storage areas. Within 18 months, driven by its continued growth, the decision was taken to expand the factory with the addition of a further 20,000 sq ft which was completed in 2019. Richard Wilson, director of operations, says: “We moved to our current premises six years ago and there were five of us and now there are 55 of us. Now we have 35 XYZ machines and we have two CNC routers, three Addison saws. As we produce thousands and thousands of parts every month, up to 40,000 parts, we do a lot of deburring.

“As a company, we will look at any job. The good thing is if we cannot do the job, we know people who can do it. Altech are very good friends of ours and I have known the owner for twenty years and we share work. All of my sheetmetal work is subbed out to other companies and then brought back here.”

Progressive design and engineering

Substantial and ongoing investment in the latest plant and machinery together with robust technologies has placed us Kiyo at the cutting edge of its industry. It is a progressive and forward-thinking business with a wealth of knowledge across many sectors. Its expertise in design is complemented by a full range of advisory services including guidance on the most cost-effective production methods for projects and contracts of all sizes. Very much a family business, Bernard Wilson, Richard’s father, is the managing director and director of engineering. Richard Wilson explains: “In this factory there are 55 people, of which I would say 25 are family and friends. I have two aunties, two uncles, a sister-in-law, my mum, my dad, my stepdaughter working here and also my son from time to time.“

Investing in a Q-Fin F200 XL machine

Due to Kiyo Design’s increasing requirement for high volume and high-speed deburring, it required a machine which could handle these demands. A visit to Altech proved to be fruitful as Richard Wilson explains: ‘’I was actually visiting Altech and I was having a chat with Ian and Arron Westley. As we went through their factory and I walked past the Q-Fin F200 XL machine, I was intrigued as it was new. Ian could not wait to give me a demonstration of it and I quickly realised that I needed one of these because it is perfect for our router work as our router does not debur. Ian provided me with Simpson Technology’s contact details and having seen some samples of what the machine could do, we placed an order instantly. The order was placed prior to MACH 2022 and our machine was taken to the exhibition. It arrived at our facility the Monday after the exhibition ended. Having seen the other Q-Fin machine that they had available, I decided to purchase a second machine from Simpson Technology.”

The small powerhouse for rounding and deburring sheet metal parts

The F200 XL is a 3-station machine suitable for deburring, grinding and/or rounding small sheet metal parts. This deburring machine has a grinding unit as the first processing station, followed by two bowl brushes. The grinding belt removes burrs or, if required, gives the product a nice line finish. The brushes round off the product and give the surface an even finish. The F200 XL has two counter-rotating brushes which ensure optimal rounding.

The F200 XL has been developed by Q-Fin to finish, at high speed, small flat plate parts up to 200 mm wide. Q-Fin deburring machines are available in the UK from Simpson Technology who are based in Greater Manchester.

Richard Wilson continues: “On our router, on any given day, we can produce anywhere between 100-200 parts, but there is a lot of deburring required by hand which could take one and a half to two days. This is only an hour’s work for the Q-Fin machine. Therefore, investing in this machine was an absolute no-brainer for us. We used to have piles and piles of deburring to do, but this is now done so quickly and the machine is very easy to operate.

“We can do so much with this machine now. For example, sheet metal wise, I can get things laser cut and they can now be deburred so quickly. It is just a fantastic machine and the time savings are immense.”

Q-Fin machine creates new opportunities

It is clear that continued investment in high-end machines is a key part of Kiyo Engineering’s plans for ongoing growth. Richard Wilson says: “Now that I have the machine, I have contacted Gatwick Airport as we are now able to do jobs that we have turned down in the past thanks to the Q-Fin machine. We are only going to get bigger and better if we invest in bigger and better machines. The aim is to make machining quicker and easier for our employees. We are always developing and trying to make things quick on the shop floor in order to get the work out. It took me just five minutes to convince my brother to purchase the first Q-Fin machine.”

So will Kiyo continue to invest in Q-Fin machines in the future? Richard Wilson concludes: “It is certainly a possibility and perhaps even a larger Q-Fin machine. I have even looked at their laser machines. Q-Fin are great machines and we have been very impressed with them.”