Fintek at Mach 2024, Stand 19-16 : 42 Years Of Solving Surface Finishing Problems
42, according to Douglas Adam’s computer creation, Deep Thought, in his acclaimed book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything. It doesn’t take Deep Thought to know that a company dedicating 42 years to serving the post processing and surface finishing needs of UK component manufacturers, has learned a great deal and knows how to use this wealth of knowledge on behalf of their customers.
Founded by Jonathan Dean in July 1981, originally as Finishing Techniques, the company quickly established itself in the UK as experts in metal surface finishing. From Aerospace to F1 components, through medical devices, to mass finishing small and thin parts, the company has attained a wealth of cross-industry experience.
"Starting a business at the peak of a major recession and contraction in the manufacturing base, seems almost reckless when I look back now. However, change was coming, industry was also renewing itself and advanced surface finishing technology was in demand," Jonathan explained.
In the mid 90's, a step change came when OTEC Präzisionsfinish GmbH, then a little known German start-up, launched their first surface finishing machines. Fintek now supply exclusively in the UK, the full range of OTEC disc, drag, electro and stream finishing machines and offer extensive subcontracting services. OTEC has gone on to grow into a global company with significant research and development resources.
Jonathan expands, "We have been 'day-one' OTEC suppliers, starting in 1996. Very special to have been there at the beginning. It was clear, that their new machines were going to lead the market and that Fintek should bring them to the UK. I was also there for the first machine ‘switch-on’."
Fintek has grown significantly along with OTEC. All the CF and DF machines have been received well in the UK. However, the biggest game-changer came with the SF range. Stream finishing has opened-up many high-end applications, where increased controllability and precision are essential. Besides driving machine sales the advanced capabilities of the SF range has propelled the rapid expansion of Fintek's subcontract services. The new EF (Electro-Finishing) range, especially the EF Performance, will be of interest to manufacturers too.
"As a machine seller, our wealth of knowledge gained from real-world subcontract projects means we understand the challenges faced every day by engineers. We currently run 16 OTEC machines, eight of which are newer stream finishing systems, some with their patented 'Pulsfinish' and step-processing technologies. This gives us tremendous insight into surface finishing problems encountered across different industries," added, Jamie Phillips, Fintek’s General Manager.
Additive manufacturing is a maturing technology and surfacing finishing is advancing to meet the post processing needs of 3D printed metal parts. Removal of support structures, powder cakes, partially melted grains, and penetrating extreme geometry complexity and small diameter holes, requires a new approach. Forming a new partnership in January 2021 to bring to the UK the RENA Technologies’ innovative Hirtisation process, allows Fintek to offer manufacturers AM part post processing as a subcontract service.
“Fintek is in a unique position to offer under one roof AM part processing using Hirtisation, and should the customer want to take external surfaces to an even greater smoothness or mirror-like polish, we can use an OTEC stream finisher," concluded Jamie.
Find Out More
Jamie Phillips, General Manager, E-mail: info@fintek.co.uk, Tel. +44 (0)1706 283 927
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