B Hepworth & Co, the market-leading design and manufacturing specialist of bespoke marine, rail and defence windscreen wiping systems, washing equipment and integrated control systems invests in two new DN Solutions’ multi-tasking lathes from Mills CNC.
Installed in December 2025, each machine forms the core technology component of (two) highly-customised automated manufacturing cells which were designed by Mills CNC’s application engineers in close collaboration with technical and commercial staff from B Hepworth.
Incorporating a sophisticated material loading (i.e., bar stock) and finished part extraction capabilities, these turning cells are helping the company significantly increase its productivity and improve its processing efficiencies by automating and optimising its small turned part machining operations.
The machines, both installed at the company’s machine shop facility in Redditch in December 2025, are equipped with the latest Fanuc 0iTP control, and have been integrated with HydraFeed X-Files-s bar feeders to create (two) highly-customised automated manufacturing cells.
The larger of the two cells also features the innovative HydraFeed ‘Return Speed’ workpiece extraction system that automatically removes machined (finished) parts, through the lathe’s sub-spindle, transferring them to an integrated and high-capacity safe storage magazine.
Since being installed, both cells have been put through their paces machining, in small batches (typically up to 30-off), a range of small diameter, variable length components, that go into the company’s pantograph and pendulum marine and rail wiper systems and assemblies.
These application-specific parts are machined from solid bar stock made from a diverse range of materials that include -: mild steel, stainless steels, brass and, on occasion, some exotics too.
The machined parts are characterised by their high tolerances (+/- 0.2mm), intricate features that include splines, threads, keyways, flats, tapers, chamfers etc., and super fine surface finishes (Ra 0.2µm)
“We produce thousands of machined and fabricated parts and assemblies every day, and our two new automated manufacturing cells are pivotal in helping us achieve our small turned part production requirements.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co
Investment decision – context
B Hepworth & Co’s windscreen wiper systems are renowned, globally, for their high quality and reliability. Used extensively, and increasingly specified, across the domestic and international marine, rail and defence sectors as well as in natural resources sectors such as mining, demand for the company’s advanced wiper systems is at an all-time high.
In addition to manufacturing and supplying its wiper systems and solutions to new and existing customers worldwide, B Hepworth & Co, working in partnership with a global network of agents and distributors, also manages an extensive aftermarket operation (i.e., wear and replacement parts, servicing, repair and maintenance) from its Redditch facility.
“There are lots of moving parts to this business, and our machine shop is central to the success of our design and development, manufacturing, after-sales and service operations.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co
B Hepworth & Co relies on accurate and detailed data-driven planning to help coordinate its activities and resources in order to increase productivity and optimise manufacturing and process efficiencies for its customers.
To ensure the company meets its growth targets, B Hepworth & Co regularly invests in its people, in its plant and equipment and in its processes and systems.
This commitment to continuous improvement means that the company regularly monitors and benchmarks the performance of its many in-house operations, including its machine shop, to identify actual and potential production choke points and bottlenecks that, if not addressed, could affect turnaround and lead times.
Investment decision – rationale
B Hepworth & Co is no stranger to machine tool technologies supplied by Mills CNC.
In 2021 the company invested in a compact Lynx lathe to help improve its small turned part processing operation and, since 2024, has been in active discussions with Mills CNC’s Turnkey and Automation Solutions Department to investigate ways to increase the capacity, capabilities and efficiency of its turning operation, still further, by replacing its older (standalone) lathes with two new automated turning cells.
“Some of our existing lathes had, in truth, reached the end of their useful lives. Purchased in the late 1970’s the machines were prone to breakdown and the staff members, who knew the machines inside-out and could get the best from them, had either already left the company or were close to retiring.
“As a consequence, we were in the position of having to ‘by-pass’ our in-house turning resource and ‘sub-out’ an increasing volume of turned part work to third party suppliers.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co
This clearly was not ideal.
As well as difficulties in maintaining part quality and controlling manufacturing costs, the subcontract route was also affecting lead time fulfilment and the company’s ability to meet customers’ demands.
“We had approached Mills CNC, owing to their turnkey solution expertise and knowledge of small turned part batch processing, to help us revamp and re-energise our turning resource.
“Through extensive and in-depth discussions, we agreed that we would replace four of our older existing lathes with two innovative and automated turning cells – each one with a new DN Solutions’ multi-tasking lathe at its heart.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co
The intention
B Hepworth made the decision to invest in a new, box guideway Puma lathe for one of its automated cells, and a new long-bed Puma sub-spindle, Y-axis lathe for the other.
“The objective, with both cells, was to improve process efficiencies and achieve continuous, lights-out unattended production, as far as was possible. To do this, we decided to integrate one of the Puma’s with a high-speed, high-capacity bar feeder, to handle smaller batch quantities, and integrate the other Puma with the same model bar feeder as well as a sophisticated parts extraction system, for larger batch volumes.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co
Work in progress
B Hepworth’s two automated manufacturing cells have been in operation for a few months, and are now producing a range of parts in-house that, prior to their arrival, were being ‘subbed out’ and machined by third party suppliers.
The two cell investment has already delivered a number of business benefits:
- Outsourcing costs have been reduced.
- Part quality (i.e., accuracies, repeatability’s, surface finishes etc.), have been improved.
- Customer lead times and deadlines are being met more easily.
“Our two automated turning cells represent a significant upgrade on what we had before – but there is still work to do.”
“We are working closely with Mills to further optimise the bar loading and workpiece extraction capabilities of both cells to help realise their full productivity potential and increase their ability to run lights-out, unattended…overnight and over the weekends too.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co
By manipulating the lathes’, bar feeders’ and extraction unit’s control systems, and the interfaces between them, it is hoped that batch processing of different length parts can be achieved, quickly and seamlessly, in one set up with no manual intervention.
“We’re not quite there yet, but, having said that, what we have already achieved so far with our two cells is light years ahead of where we were, and we are grateful for Mills CNC’s collaborative efforts in helping us push these machines to their limits.
“To us, Mills CNC is a partner we can count on, and we are impressed with the service they have delivered.
“The investment we have made has helped us ‘raise our game’ and, by significantly increasing work throughput, and output, we are now in a much better position to meet our customers’ lead times and quality expectations for the future.”
Edward Eddy, Commercial Director at B Hepworth & Co