Engineers at a cutting tool specialist have developed a process that has slashed the production time for key fighter aircraft components from three days to five minutes.

Their work will ensure BAE Systems can achieve its target of delivering an F-35 Lightning II a day by 2015.

For achieving this, Brighouse-based Brunswick Tooling has been recog-nised with the BAE Systems Chairman’s silver award.

Production of precision bores using a carbide-tipped system was undertaken in co-operation with BAE’s Samlesbury Integrated Services near Preston.

Managing director Paul Briggs said: “Having achieved a bronze award for work done with BAE Systems, we are extremely proud to have gone to that next level. To be chosen from 2,000 submissions is a major achievement.”

The project started 12 months ago when Brunswick Tooling was approached to carry out cutting trials on a range of titanium and stainless steel components destined for the F-35 With a 100 per cent, right first time, success rate, this will enable BAE Systems to achieve its target of delivering one F-35 a day by 2015.

Brunswick Tooling is one of the UK’s leading creaters of carbide-tipped and indexable insert cutting tools for the engineering manufacturing sector.

Its range of reamers and pre-reaming cutters help to reduce costs in many industry sectors.