Delivering excellence
About Flexible Machining Systems
Based in West Sussex, UK, FMS is an engineering services provider that has been supplying clients across the UK, European Union and Asia for over 40 years. Following recent investment in new assets and a purpose-built manufacturing facility, we are proud to offer our widest ever set of capabilities across precision machining, sheet metal fabrication and assembly.
Our site in Horsham now houses three factories with a broad range of manufacturing processes that enable us to provide a one-stop-shop solution for many of our customers. Alongside this, our AS9100D and BS EN ISO 9001 certifications ensure we can meet the requirements of multiple industries, including the extremely exacting standards required by the medical, semiconductor, defence, space and construction sectors, for example.
Our commitment to providing top tier service to every customer, large or small, extends to our continuing investment in our staff and processes. This takes into account internal and external audits, and employee and customer feedback, and is designed to enable us to meet our company’s vision and attain our goals while staying true to our values.
This brochure gives you an overview of our company and capabilities. We would be delighted to tell you more, so please get in touch to discuss how we can fulfil your precision engineering, fabrication, assembly or other project requirements, whatever your industry or timescales.
Russell Levell, Managing Director
Increasing Our Capabilities
In recent years, FMS has made significant investments in our engineering services. Our core competencies in precision machining, sheet metal fabrication and assembly are supported by a dedicated, dynamic team working across three factories in a purpose-built facility.
Our investment in new automated CNC machines, with robot or pallet loading capabilities, enables us to provide a wide range of complex, high precision parts, on time and in small or high volumes.
- Tools stores
- 5 Axis CNC pallet m/c
- CNC lathe
- CNC lathe (twin spindle)
- CNC robot arm
- CNC mills
- Lifting equipment
- Inspection room
- Large CMM
- Small CMM
Small and large assembly areas, with clean room facilities, ensure mechanical and electrical assemblies, kits and modules can be built and assembled to exactly match each customer’s specifications.
- Clean room assembly area (mech & electrical)
- Ultrasonic cleaning
- Large assembly area
- Lifting equipment
- Stores & stock control
- Goods in/out
A purpose-built factory unit opened in 2021 with the latest laser cutting technology, 5 tonne lifting capability and tooling to support the manufacture of fabricated products, such as power control units and switchgear cabinets and enclosers.
- Pemserter machine
- Lifting equipment
- 5 tonne lifting capability & large storage
- 3 x new break press
- 1 x new shear
- New factory unit
- CNC laser technology for cutting sheet metal
- Fabrication bending
Our Mission
At FMS, our mission is encompassed in our vision, values and goals. It has its foundation in our 40-year heritage in precision engineering services and charts our path to continued growth over the next 40 years, centred on a commitment to technical and service excellence by every member of our growing team.
Vision – Become a top tier supplier to all our customers/OEMs by providing world-class precision machined, fabricated and assembled products and exemplary service.
Values – We believe all our customers deserve first-class service, excellent quality output and on-time delivery, and empower our staff to deliver this through our company’s ‘family’ culture.
Goals – Provide customers with top tier engineering solutions and excellent service every time, from inception to delivery. Become a single or dual source supplier to OEMs.
Meeting the Highest Standards
British standards
AS9100D
BS EN ISO 9001:2015
We meet the highest standards for all the components and systems we produce, as demonstrated by our AS9100D and BS EN ISO 9001 certifications. We deliver on time to your exact specifications.
People and processes
We’re proud of our heritage that stretches back to our foundation in 1982, and that includes our commitment to our staff. We have invested in training selected employees in project management and continuous improvement techniques to a recognised British industry standard.
We can support our customers with a new production introduction (NPI) process where needed, and manage special or complex projects from pre-award to shipment.
Capabilities
In recent years, we have made significant investments in people, processes and assets to ensure we meet the latest requirements and standards of every sector we supply. We have three factory units, all on one site, dedicated to CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and mechanical and electrical assembly.
We’re particularly proud of our latest 5-axis automated CNC machines and our expansion of the FMS premises to house the operations of our sister company Horsham Sheet Metal, which was fully integrated into FMS in 2021.
Services and performance
Being co-located on one site is particularly beneficial for projects that use our combined services.
Many of our engineers and management team have a strong background in Lean and Six Sigma, so we are always driving a continuous improvement culture. Lean tools, such as 5S, total productive maintenance (TPM), setup reduction, root cause analysis and process management, are used to improve our performance.
We understand that performance and quality are critical for the sectors we supply and that is central to every order we work on.
CNC Machining
Our manufacturing engineers work closely with customers to review their designs and models using the latest CAD/CAM software. Engineers utilise offline programming software and techniques, working alongside our skilled and experienced CNC production engineers.
FMS has a wide range of automated CNC machines and equipment, allowing us to produce parts to a broad range of sizes and specifications.
We are proud of our 3-, 4- and 5-axis CNC milling capability. This includes multiple pallet loading and automated machines. We also have a wide range of CNC lathes and turn-mills that will support both small and large batch sizes.
Our CNC machining teams are supported by small and large coordinate-measuring machines (CMM) and our experienced Inspection and Quality team, who can carry out 100% inspection and support to meet any customer first article inspection requirements.
Visit our website for an extensive plant list, with machine specifications.
Assembly
We have ultrasonic cleaning tanks, and can build and assemble small or large mechanical and electrical assemblies in our large open plan assembly area and clean room.
Our lifting capabilities in all our factory units ensure that customer products and projects are assembled in a clean and controlled environment.
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Our manufacturing engineers work closely with customers to review designs and models using the latest CAD/CAM software, working alongside skilled, experienced welding and sheet metal fabrication engineers.
Our large twin pallet, laser-cutting CNC machine can laser cut material up to 16mm thick using compressed air or gas.
A wide range of bending and forming machines and equipment enable us to manufacture products exactly to each customer’s specification.
You can find an extensive plant list with machine specifications and sizes on our website.
Project Management
We manage customer orders using robust production capacity planning, project management tools and processes.
For complex projects, our specially trained project managers can provide full project management services, including regular updates and full visibility of your project's status, to provide effective risk management.
Our service includes engineering design, pre-award requirements, assembly and 'Factory Acceptance Tests'.
Our Sectors
We work in any sector where there’s a need for precision engineering, fabrication and sheet metal assembly, or any combination of our services. We can provide high volume production parts, one-off units in specialised materials or complex systems involving multiple elements, and hold AS9100D and ISO 9001 quality certifications.
These are a few examples of the sectors we work in:
Medical – Our processes ensure your components comply fully with the critical safety and regulatory standards required by the medical sector, with full traceability for every part.
Semiconductor – FMS provides customers with machined parts and fabricated kit/cabinets or fully assembled modules to support a wide range of products and complex projects.
Space / Science – Manufacture of components and assemblies for satellite systems, including critical and high value one-off parts, with comprehensive inspection reports.
Defence / Security – High quality production of parts and assemblies that meet the sector’s strict and demanding guidelines, including parts for military vehicles, defence systems and fighter jets.
Automotive / Motorsport – Manufacture of simple and complex parts in a wide range of materials, including aluminium and exotic materials.
Aerospace – Our AS9100 accreditation covers all machined components and parts, including those using specialist alloys. First Article Inspection Reports to AS9102 can be provided for every part.
Printing – Machined parts, sheet metal and fabricated enclosures, and mechanical and electrical assemblies; projects include customer FAT, final inspection and contractual release.
Construction – Sheet metal and fabricated enclosures for power control and ventilation systems, suitable for both regeneration and new build projects.
Power generation / Renewable energy – Parts, enclosures and power control units for the oil and gas industry, and for government renewable energy and offshore projects.
Our Plant List
At FMS, we continue to invest in plant and equipment as we expand our extensive range of engineering services to meet customer demand.
CNC Machining
- Matsuura MAM72-35V
- Mazak Variaxis 730-5X
- Mazak VTC300C-2
- Mazak VTC 200B
- Mazak VTC30
- Mazak VTC300C-3
- Mazak VTC200C-2
- Mazak Quick Turn 350MY
- Mazak Quick Turn 350MSY
- Mazak Nexus SQT 200-2MY
- Mazak SQT 250M
- Mazak Nexus SQT 200MY
- Hydrafeed Robojob – robot arm
Sheet Metal Fabrication
- Mazak Laser Cutting Machine
- Durma Brake Press ADR 30-175
- Durma Brake Press ADR 301785
- Durma Brake Press ADR 1260
- Amada punch press
- Durma guillotine
- CEA spot welder
- Pemserter
- Handheld plasma cutter
- 6 x TIG welding sets
- 6 x MIG welding sets
- 6 x MMA welding sets
- 2 x stud welders
