User report: Since procurement of a Hermle machine, turnovers at Seyer Industries have soared to new hights

In the third generation, Seyer Industries’ now has more than 150 employees specialize in manufacturing high-level assemblies for the aerospace and maritime industries as a major supplier for Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Gulfstream Aerospace and the armed forces of the United States.

The company supplies aircraft parts and subassemblies. Before investing in their first Hermle, Seyer Industries’ bread-and-butter was providing that ground support equipment. But in the world of aviation, 99% of the market is for component parts for planes or helicopters, leaving just a fraction available to those who supply ground support equipment. Due to the excellence they demonstrated supplying best-in-class support equipment, Seyer began receiving requests from customers to expand their offerings into the components side of the industry. There was only one problem; support equipment was a 3-axis proposition. To meet the exacting specifications of precision aerospace parts, the company needed the capabilities only a high-end 5-axis machine could provide.

By 2010, Seyer Industries knew they needed to invest in a 5-axis machine. The growing demand from customers simply could not be met by anything less than 5-axis machining. Seyer Industries looked at number of options, but before long it was clear that Hermle was a machine with which they could both learn 5-axis machining and continue to grow their capabilities. When asked what stood out about Hermle, Seyer’s lead engineer made it clear that it was all about precision. “Our team quickly realized the possibilities of a precision machine that can measure out to three decimal points" he said. The first Hermle purchased by Seyer Industries was a C40 U, which greatly expanded its capabilities to deliver precision parts. As its ability to meet the supply needs of the aerospace industry grew, so did the demand, leading them to invest in three more Hermle machines. This time the team chose the C 400 U model. Among the strengths Seyer Industries has today, due to the ability of its Hermle machines, is the ability to manufacture components to high profile and perpendicularity tolerances far beyond the possibilities of standard machine Tools. That level of precision has allowed the company to machine rotor bearings for various helicopters and arresting hooks used to land aircraft safely on carriers at sea.