After researching the market, a sliding-head, mill-turn automatic was chosen due to the supplier's reputation for good service back-up, which is essential for users that are new to a technology.

In 2001, the turned parts division of subcontractor, MSP, started to sell some of the 27 cam-type multi-spindle automatics it had used since 1969 and replace them with computer-controlled turning machines. It was in response to the loss of long runs of 100,000 and above to countries such as China and India. By this summer, four CNC sliding-headstock turning machines from Star and five fixed-head lathes had been installed at the Birmingham site and the number of multis had shrunk by a third to 18.

Commented MSP's managing director, Bob Taylor, 'The split between CNC and multi work here is now around 40:60 and I can see the latter reducing to 20% in the next two to three years.

You need a run of at least 20,000 parts to justify setting up one of the multis, or a minimum of 100 hours work, whereas the Stars are economic for smaller quantities.

We do, however, try to secure orders for 2,000 and upwards if we can, which we supply to customers in batches of typically 200 to meet their just-in-time delivery requirements.' Based on this versatility, BTMA member MSP positions itself as a 'one-stop-shop' for precision turned parts, with the emphasis on quality, prompt delivery and customer service.

It has 40 live customers at any one time, the automotive industry accounting for up to 40% of turnover.

Exotic alloys and hard stainless steels are frequently machined on the Stars, as their robust build allows such materials to be processed to high accuracy.

Many subcontractors try to avoid this type of work, so it tends to be easier to acquire and can be of higher added value.

Additionally, the growing medical sector requires these types of materials to be machined, presenting a further business opportunity.

Taylor advised that they work to tolerances of the order of +/-0.05mm on most days.

He went on to describe how MSP came to acquire its first sliding-headstock lathe - a Star SV-32 - in October 2003.

An automotive customer was regularly taking quantities of large diameter components which were being machined on the CNC fixed-head lathes.

Part of the contract entailed machining a smaller component in two parts that were subsequently brazed together.

However, problems with the final assembly led the customer to ask MSP to redesign the component and make it in one piece, the shape of which dictated the purchase of a slider and also a bending machine.

After researching the market, the Star lathe was chosen due to the supplier's reputation for good service back-up, which Taylor pointed out is essential for users that are new to a technology.

Despite the subcontractor's lack of experience in sliding-headstock mill-turning, MSP was able to complete the redesign and, with Star's assistance, manufacture the first batch of components in five days from the first discussion with the customer, which suitably impressed them.

On the back of this success, an entry-level Star SB-16 was installed one month after the SV-32, followed by an SR-20RII and an SV-32JII in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

'There will be a place for some multis here for the foreseeable future,' stressed Taylor, 'Because some industries continue to place orders for larger batches on UK suppliers.

A case in point is the gas sector, which requires very high precision parts to avoid leakage in domestic meters, for example.

Suppliers to the gas industry are very nervous of placing work abroad in case the quality of parts is sub-standard, so they tend to stay with European subcontractors just to keep on the safe side.

'A similar safety-first approach is practiced by the offshore and aerospace industries.' As a postscript, Taylor advised that modern CNC lathes such as the Stars have a further significant advantage over multis in that the latter require highly skilled setter/operators whereas the former are relatively straightforward for semi-skilled staff to set up and program.