MSP’s PerfectPart Cuts Pentaxia’s Composite Production Time by 50% and Removes Concessions

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Pentaxia, a leading advanced tooling and composite‑component manufacturer based in Derby, U.K., transformed its machining workflow by integrating MSP’s PerfectPart CNC metrology suite.

In a single project, the change cut production time for a batch of parts from 40 to 20 hours, eliminated all concessions, and enabled the delivery of 50 sets with zero rework.

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The first deployment of MSP PerfectPart occurred during a demanding contract to machine multi‑material composite parts. Variability and distortion in these materials made precise setup a nightmare for conventional tooling. Until then, Pentaxia depended on a labor‑intensive manual process—shimming, clocking, and decision‑making that could span several shifts per part.

“There was no reliable method to verify our setups, and the process didn’t cover all six degrees of freedom,” explains Lucian Lazar, Pentaxia’s lead technical engineer. “I doubt any part was truly 100 % correct; every one carried a concession.”

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Pentaxia also lacked visibility into machine performance, meaning issues were only discovered after machining had begun. “We were essentially machining blind, which created a stressful environment,” adds Lucian. “These parts were worth tens of thousands of pounds. None of the operators wanted to take part in this project because the pressure and risk were so high.”

Determined to make the project a success, Pentaxia upgraded to a new CMS machine and adopted MSP’s PerfectPart tools, tackling challenges across the CNC workflow. The NC‑Checker evaluates machine performance, while NC‑PartLocator automates part alignment.

NC‑Checker’s diagnostics are so critical that no part is machined unless the machine passes its assessment—sometimes requiring multiple checks per day.

Similarly, NC‑PartLocator revolutionised Pentaxia’s setup process, eliminating many high‑stress decisions. “The difference is extraordinary,” says Lazar. “We can generate alignment in a single operation and begin machining almost instantly.”

Although the solution started as a ‘leap of faith’ for one contract, its benefits have rippled across Pentaxia’s machining strategy, cultivating a more confident, controlled shop floor.

“Complex projects no longer carry a fear factor; they’re viewed as positive challenges,” Lucian remarks. “The process is reliable, repeatable, and shop‑floor confidence has skyrocketed. CNC manufacturing has always evolved—hand‑machining gave way to five‑axis CNC. Now MSP’s automation is the next logical step, freeing operators from manual setup.”