Family-owned subcontract CNC machining company YPEL has taken a significant step forward in its inspection capabilities with the investment in a new Baty SM350 shadowgraph with FT2E, supplied by Bowers Group. The upgrade is already proving to be transformative for the business, delivering sharper accuracy, reduced inspection times, and greater reliability across its operations.
YPEL, managed today by brothers Sam and Jack Laybourne, has been part of the Laybourne family for generations. Founded by their parents, Michael and Lynda, the business has grown from its early beginnings into a trusted supplier of precision-turned and milled components for industries ranging from medical and oil and gas to automotive, food, agriculture, and brewing.
Sam Laybourne, Managing Director, explained that the company’s mission has always been built on quality. “If you come to us, it will be right,” he said. “That’s how we’ve earned our reputation and why customers keep coming back to us after more than 20 years. Our entire business is built on quality, both in the product we deliver and in the way we communicate with customers.”
For more than a decade, YPEL relied on a Baty SM300 shadowgraph for inspection. While it had served the business well, the limitations of the ageing machine began to show. The screen had become less clear, making it harder to guarantee the accuracy that YPEL’s customers expect. The reduced clarity introduced the potential for human error and inspections were taking longer, which slowed down production and reduced efficiency.
Recognising the need for a solution, YPEL turned once again to Bowers Group and invested in the new Baty SM350. The machine has brought a host of improvements, most notably edge detection technology that eliminates operator subjectivity, a sharper and clearer screen for more reliable inspection, and a large interactive touchscreen that makes dimension capture easier and faster.
The SM350 is now used daily across the business. It is employed to check turned and milled profiles, measure thread forms and angles, verify chamfer and countersink sizes, and assess the concentricity of components. It has also proved invaluable when inspecting medical components, allowing YPEL to confirm that internal holes are free from burrs or foreign bodies.
Because every engineer at YPEL has been trained to use the equipment, the shadowgraph is not limited to the two dedicated inspectors in the quality department. Operators also use it during setup and in-process checks, embedding quality assurance into the heart of production. This has reduced the risk of undetected errors and ensured machines can remain in operation with minimal disruption.
The results have been immediate. Sam estimates that inspections are now carried out around 40 per cent faster than before, enabling more parts to be checked in less time. “The clarity of the SM350 machine has been welcomed by all of our engineers and has sped up inspecting our parts, meaning the engineers can focus on keeping the machines running, making us more profitable,” he said. “The edge detection has eliminated human error, inspections are quicker and more reliable, and we’ve seen huge time savings.”
The usability of the machine has also been a key benefit. “The shadowgraph and software are both very user-friendly, and the engineer who came to set it up was extremely knowledgeable,” Sam explained. “Because we already use Aberlink CMMs, there were a lot of transferable skills, so training was straightforward. The touchscreen is brilliant, pulling dimensions off is so much easier and more interactive. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the upgrade.”
Sam also highlighted the value of working with a fellow BTMA member. “Bowers are a fellow BTMA member and it was an absolute pleasure to work with them. It’s also fantastic to know their products are manufactured here in the UK. We’re very happy with our new shadowgraph, and it’s already proving to be an essential part of our inspection process.”