Streamlining Precision with Bowers & Wilkins

Bowers & Wilkins, renowned globally for its high-quality loudspeakers used in top recording studios and by audiophiles, produces the iconic Nautilus and the flagship 800 D3 Series loudspeakers with Diamond tweeter technology at their UK manufacturing base in Worthing. The intricate design and manufacturing of the wooden speaker cabinets for the 800 D3 Series require wood to be machined to extremely high tolerances, resulting in each cabinet taking 31 days to manufacture.

To improve efficiency and facilitate faster tool changes without sacrificing accuracy, Bowers & Wilkins implemented zero point mounting systems from ROEMHELD.

Chief Engineer, Jerry Gray, explained that Bowers & Wilkens had seen “ROEMHELD Zero Point systems in action being used for rapid tool changing in another large woodshop, so we contacted ROEMHELD on the basis of that recommendation.”

Integration with Woodworking Production

Senior Production Engineer, Derek Saunders, led the project to fit Stark Easy Click Zero Point systems to 12 machining tables across seven machines, five of which were twin table machines and the other two were single tables, accommodating the existing vacuum holding capability of the CNC tables.

Derek Saunders further explained, “Inca Geometric did a good job making the tables which made fitting the 180 ROEMHELD Easy Click Zero Point components into pockets very easy. Each table had a minimum of 6 Easy Click Zero Point elements, and the largest table was 2mx1.25m. We modified the current jigs to add on the new Zero Point components.

This integration had to align with Bowers & Wilkins’ production schedule. With the company’s woodworking production having three shifts a day, operating 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, ROEMHELD ensured parts were ready to fit and delivery was scheduled precisely. Once ROEMHELD systems were placed, setup times were reduced from 2-4 days to just a few hours.

Jerry Gray commented, “We had two measures of success: we had to be able to take the tool out and put it back without any alterations to programming or tooling; and we had to be able to change the product over, load the tools and the only change allowed was to set the tool lengths. We achieved both of these measures as well as significantly reducing our set up times. This makes us more flexible and agile as a company since we can work on smaller batch sizes and undertake 2 or 3 tool changes a day.”

Components in Speaker Manufacturing

The ROEMHELD Easy Click components are integral to the machines manufacturing Bowers & Wilkins’ flagship 800 D3 Series loudspeakers. These speakers feature a sculptural, curved fronted, reverse wrap cabinet designed to minimize the surface area around the driver, thereby enhancing sound accuracy. The internal bracing system employs criss-crossed interlocking panels of thick, solid plywood, augmented with metal components to maximize cabinet rigidity, tailored for each model in the series.

Crafting these aesthetically pleasing yet highly engineered cabinets requires working wood to exceptionally high tolerances. Layers of peeled beech or birch ply are meticulously pressed together to form thick cabinet panels. For finishing, Bowers & Wilkins selects the top 10% of Grade A knife-cut walnut veneers to ensure each cabinet pair matches perfectly.

Partnership with ROEMHELD

In addition to integrating Easy Click Zero Point components, Bowers & Wilkins also implemented ROEMHELD Quick Die Change (QDC) carrying consoles, ball bars, and hydraulic clamps on three hydraulic presses, significantly improving die change times.

The successful implementation of ROEMHELD’s solutions at Bowers & Wilkins underscores the effectiveness of their partnership. This collaboration was not just about integrating new technology but about achieving tangible improvements in manufacturing efficiency and flexibility. Reflecting on this successful venture, Ian Shelley, ROEMHELD Southern Area Sales Manager, shared insights into the project and the role ROEMHELD played in meeting Bowers & Wilkins' precise requirements.

“We have supplied workholding components to woodshops before to enable rapid tool change so when Bowers & Wilkins approached us, we knew our products could help improve their set-up times and flexibility.  They designed what they needed to implement and meet their project objectives and we worked with them closely to ensure they achieved their goals within their exacting timescales.”

For over 50 years, Bowers & Wilkins has been a leader in manufacturing high-quality music systems, cinema systems, and more recently, wireless music systems and headphones. With a global workforce of over 900 employees, including 300 based in Worthing, the company prides itself on its in-house design and development expertise, supported by an R&D team of over 100 people. To maintain the highest standards of quality and precision, critical components are produced in-house. The company promotes productivity with efficiency boards visible on the shop floor and initiatives like 5S. Committed to developing future talent, Bowers & Wilkins partners with a local college to employ four apprentices.

The Worthing site also produces the iconic Nautilus, a product of an ambitious research and development project aimed at creating the perfect loudspeaker. The Nautilus features a curved, seamless exterior molded from 10mm-thick GRP, with a pearlescent finish achieved through 12 lacquer coats containing aluminum and mica particles, followed by a unique baking and curing process. This model has earned a Millennium Award and has been showcased at the Design Council and the Design Museum London.

With an annual turnover of approximately £130m and exports to over 80 countries, Bowers & Wilkins has twice received the Queen’s Award for Export and a Silver Award for Investors in People.