Gould Engineering says it plans to diversify into new markets as well as to accelerate production of Formula 1 racing cars following the installation of a Zünd S3 M-1200 digital cutter.
Initiated as an extension of a racing car hobby started in 1970, Gould Engineering was founded in 1992 as a specialist in speed hillclimb cars before reaching the pinnacle of motorsport, F1. From its Berkshire HQ, Gould Engineering manufactures components for top F1 teams using pre-preg carbon fibre.
After several years of using the same cutting machine, Gould Engineering decided to upgrade to a faster, more efficient model with a smaller footprint and rolling bed. After researching the cutting systems available, the Gould team attended the Composites Engineering Show in November 2014 to see its preferred candidate – the Zünd S3 M-1200 – in the flesh.
"We go to the Composites Engineering Show every year for the racing car technology," explains Sean Gould, Owner, Gould Engineering. "We had looked at a lot of different manufacturers beforehand but Zünd UK showed the best quality on the market so we made sure of visiting its stand at the show."
Following the event at Birmingham's NEC, Gould Engineering representatives visited Zünd UK's demonstration suite in St Albans for a more hands-on view and to discuss the company's needs; each Zünd modular digital cutting machine is tailor-made for each customer, installed with the necessary high-quality tools and the ability to be reconfigured as requirements change.
The S3 M-1200 will be installed at Gould Engineering in February with Zünd's camera digitising system Capturez, plus the Autonest high-performance nesting software.
"The rolling bed and nesting equipment will make production much faster and easier than with our current machine," says Sean Gould. "The S3 is more versatile and very simple to use so you don't need heavily trained staff to operate it. Using the Capturez equipment, templates can be turned into moulded products quickly and easily."
Zünd UK's modular cutting machinery is used throughout a range of industries including aerospace, textiles and specialist items – markets Gould Engineering is now interested in exploring.
"We've always been successful at the Composites Engineering Show with sales made at each appearance," comments Nick Reed, Product Manager, Zünd Plotting Systems (UK) Ltd. "Gould Engineering is already at the top of its game so it's exciting to see how it will develop further within F1 motor racing and beyond – the company's expertise paired with the versatility of the Zünd S3 will make for some really interesting design and manufacture projects."
Zünd UK will be exhibiting at the Composites Engineering Show in 2015, while its demo centre in St Albans has been recently renovated and is now available for visits. Machine suppliers are invited to host open days demonstrating how Zünd technology can be complementary in a range of sectors' workflows. For further information or to book a meeting at the demo suite, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call 01727 833003.
