Case Study: Manufacturing Shut-Off Components for the Valve Industry

Situation

Capabilities Beyond Engineering was invited by a UK-based valve designer and manufacturer to produce a critical shut-off component used within specialist valve assemblies. The customer is recognised for designing and manufacturing valves proven across hydrogen stream and water applications, with products engineered to deliver exceptional reliability.

As part of the initial trial, CBE was tasked with producing 20 components to specification. The original scope was to machine, plate, manufacture and insert seals, producing the part from customer-supplied, pre-profiled free-issue material.

A key advantage for the customer was CBE’s ability to carry out multiple processes in-house at a single location. This eliminated the need to dual-source the work, reducing lead times, handling, and associated costs.

Task

Capabilities Beyond Engineering was initially engaged to CNC machine and plate the components to specification.

However, once the customer recognised CBE’s manufacturing expertise and broad range of in-house capabilities, we were asked to provide a complete end-to-end manufacturing solution for the shut-off component, including full project and supply chain management.

Action

CBE managed two component variants through the manufacturing process. One part was produced from sourced raw material through to final assembly, while the second was manufactured from a customer-supplied free-issue casting. In both cases, quality and efficiency were maintained throughout every stage of production.

The process included:

Material sourcing – Procuring stainless steel to the required grade.
Waterjet cutting – Managing outsourced profiling of component blanks, including supplier coordination and quality control.
Wire EDM machining – Producing the precision T-slot feature using wire EDM to achieve optimal dimensional accuracy.
Bespoke fixturing design – Designing and manufacturing a custom in-house fixture to securely clamp the component and maximise machining efficiency.
5-axis CNC machining – Precision machining to specification on a 5-axis milling centre.
Deburring – Removing sharp edges and preparing surfaces for treatment.
Glass bead blasting – Cleaning and refining the component surface finish prior to plating, resulting in a superior finish compared to the previous supply, as noted by the customer.
Surface treatment and electroless nickel plating – Providing pretreatment and electroless nickel plating to a medium-phosphorus specification for enhanced durability and corrosion resistance.
Seal component manufacture – Producing an additional ceramic-filled PTFE soft seal in-house.
Final assembly – Investing in a hydraulic press and manufacturing a bespoke fixture to press-fit the soft seal into the finished component, ensuring secure and accurate placement. A critical requirement was ensuring there were no adhesion issues at the seal seat.

Result

CBE successfully delivered the initial shut-off components to specification, resulting in the project progressing from a machining-and-plating requirement to full manufacturing responsibility.

By consolidating machining and plating within a single facility, CBE streamlined production and reduced handling and transport costs compared with the customer’s previous dual-source supply chain.

The quality and consistency of the finished components secured repeat follow-up orders, reinforcing customer confidence in CBE’s ability to deliver complex, multi-stage manufacturing solutions for high-performance valve applications.