FOCUS ON LASER CUTTING
The OPTIPLEX 3015 NEO fibre laser cutter with open doors .
THE RIGHT PROFILE
A move into fibre laser cutting has increased productivity and lowered the cost per part for machining and fabrication UK subcontractor , DC Developments .
“ A combination of fibre laser , waterjet and plasma cutting technologies , with machining and fabrication , has turned DC Developments into a true one-stop shop for its customers .”
DC Developments is a one-stop shop subcontractor in the UK that has seamlessly combined laser processing , CNC machining and fabrication under one roof . Tucked away in the Norfolk countryside , only a short distance from the headquarters of Lotus Cars , it has taken a circuitous route to its current destination of being a true precision machining and fabrication one-stop shop .
“ The business was set up by my father and started doing precision fabrication in the 1980s ,” said Matthew Campbell , Director , DC Developments . “ We were doing a lot of production car work and prototyping , mainly for Lotus as well as for the likes of McLaren , Jaguar , Rolls Royce and Bentley ( all through my father ’ s contacts ).”
The company has boosted its credentials as a one-stop shop for its customers with the addition of key cutting , machining and fabrication technologies at its headquarters in Norwich ( Norfolk , UK ).
The laser journey
Laser processing capability was added to fabrication in the late 1990s , when the company ’ s relationship with Mazak started .
“ The lasers were an add-on to the fabrication side and then the machining side was an add-on to help support all the other components we needed . With all our capabilities , we have been able to move into new sectors and are now strong in oil and gas , agriculture , automotive , pharmaceuticals and defence work ,” explained Matthew Campbell .
Mazak supplied an STX laser in 1997 , with a further two machines purchased over the next few years . At the same time , the company increased its CNC machining capability with a Mazak lathe in 2000 , followed quickly by a twin-spindle lathe and milling machine in 2003 .
One of DC Developments ’ new Mazak OPTIPLEX 3015 NEO fibre laser machines .
Laser cutting on metal sheet .
Matthew Campbell , Director , DC Developments .
38 | ismr . net | ISMR March 2025