Precision engineering firm JJ Churchill reduced the traditional response time by two thirds for parts required by Surface Technology International (STI) for asymptomatic COVID-19 testing equipment.
A prototype to the production process, in the large volumes required, would normally take in excess of 16 weeks.
JJ Churchill deployed its prototyping capabilities with the availability of a first development part within hours of receiving the drawings from STI, a specialist contract electronics manufacturer.
This enabled STI to draw on its own response times to put these testing machines into the hands of medics around the country as quickly as possible. The machined components are an integral part of the operation of the testing units. By enhancing the UK’s rapid test capability, both JJ Churchill and STI are working to limit the spread of COVID-19, protect UK jobs and avoid putting people onto furlough.
JJ Churchill is also celebrating the delivery of its 10,000th production part to the medical devices industry as it ramps up production.
Mark Cooper, JJ Churchill’s managing director, said: “Last year we played a small part in the Government’s ventilator challenge.
“Now we are pushing this to greater levels of speed, culminating in putting a development part into the hands of our colleagues at STI, within hours of receiving drawings.
“We can achieve this speed of reaction due to our highly skilled and experienced engineering and operations teams. We actively worked with STI through a complex prove out process where design tweaks were required at various stages. Working closely with our customers and understanding their needs, enables successful integration of critical requirements.
“Importantly JJ Churchill was able to match quality and delivery with value for cost, which enabled STI to secure a cost-competitive supply chain in the UK.”
Simon Best, chairman at STI added: “Healthcare professionals around the UK have stepped up to the plate relentlessly. However, to help save lives and protect their staff from the virus, they need state-of-the-art equipment and they need it instantly.
“Working with JJ Churchill has enabled us to produce asymptomatic test equipment at speed, and consistently to extremely high reliability. This is a great demonstration of British engineering working in partnership to produce exactly what the country needs in a time of crisis.”
