CNC Machinist

About the role

British Mica is a UK manufacturer producing hundreds of products across machined metal parts, GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) products, battery parts, marine parts and rail components, including rail repair work.

We are looking for a skilled CNC Machinist to set up, program and operate CNC lathes, 3-axis machining centres, a CNC press and a CNC router. You will produce accurate, right-first-time parts in metals, composites and engineering plastics, working from engineering drawings to tight tolerances and supporting our quality improvement goals.

Key responsibilities

General machining

Read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, job cards and work instructions.

Set up machines: load programs, fit and align workholding, set tool and work offsets.

Write, edit and prove CNC programs at the control (G-code / conversational) and from CAM output.

Select cutting tools, speeds and feeds suited to the material and finish required.

Run first-off parts, adjust offsets and hand over to production once approved.

Carry out routine machine maintenance, coolant checks and report faults promptly.

CNC lathes

Set up and run CNC turning centres for shafts, bushes, threaded and bored components.

Set chucks, collets, soft jaws and tailstock; manage tool turrets and nose-radius compensation.

Achieve diameters, threads and surface finish to drawing tolerances.

3-axis machining centres

Set up vices, fixtures and datums; probe or edge-find work coordinates.

Machine prismatic parts: pockets, profiles, drilled and tapped holes, bores.

Plan multi-op setups and minimise changeover time.

CNC press

Set up and operate the CNC press for punching, forming or pressing operations.

Fit and set tooling and dies safely, following lock-out and guarding procedures.

Check formed and pressed parts for dimensions, burrs and distortion.

CNC router

Set up and run the router on sheet and panel materials, including GRP, composites, plastics and aluminium.

Nest parts to reduce waste; manage vacuum bed and hold-down fixturing.

Control dust extraction and wear the right PPE when cutting composites.

Quality

• Inspect parts with micrometers, verniers, bore and height gauges, thread gauges and CMM where available.
• Complete first-article, in-process and final inspection records accurately.
• Raise and quarantine non-conforming parts; contribute to root-cause and corrective actions.
• Follow the quality management system and customer requirements, including rail and transit customers.

Health, safety and housekeeping

• Work safely to company procedures, risk assessments and COSHH guidance.
• Keep machines and work areas clean and organised (5S).
• Suggest improvements to cycle time, tooling, setups and scrap reduction.
• Train and support less experienced operators when required.

Skills, qualifications and experience

Essential

• At least 3 years' hands-on experience setting and operating CNC machines in a production environment.
• Proven setting experience on CNC lathes and 3-axis machining centres.
• Experience on at least one of: CNC press or CNC router, with willingness to train on the other.
• Confident reading engineering drawings and working to tolerances of 0.02 mm or better.
• Able to edit and prove programs at the machine on common controls (e.g. Fanuc, Haas, Siemens, Heidenhain).
• Skilled with standard measuring equipment and recording inspection results.
• Good maths, attention to detail and a right-first-time attitude.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.

Desirable

• NVQ Level 3, City & Guilds, BTEC or a completed apprenticeship in engineering or machining.
• CAM experience (e.g. Fusion 360, Mastercam, Edgecam, SolidCAM).
• Experience machining composites, GRP or plastics as well as metals.
• Knowledge of quality systems such as ISO 9001 or rail standards (e.g. IRIS / ISO/TC 22163).
• Experience with CMM inspection, 5S or lean / continuous improvement.
• Forklift or overhead crane licence.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 14- 16 per hour 25,000 - 30,000 per year (depending on experience

Benefits:

• Company pension 3%
• 20 Days + Bank Holidays
• Voluntary Sick Pay Scheme above Statutory
• Great working hours
• Overtime 1.5
• Career progression

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