Sector focus: nuclear research

The customer:

A major European research institution specializing in particle physics. This valued customer reached out to us for help with a high-impact R&D project.  

The problem:

A valued customer reached out to Goodfellow, excited for their new project. They needed a custom alumina part to function as an insulator – a crucial component for their upcoming R&D project, with the potential for large-scale production in the future. The project timescale was pressing: they needed to receive the materials and start the work within six weeks.  

Examining the customer's technical drawings, Goodfellow’s Technical Experts identified that although the alumina part is certainly an option, it’s not the best one, bearing in mind the overall requirements. The initial design called for diamond grinding after sintering. While achievable, this extra step threatened to derail the customer's six-week R&D timeline (up to 9-10 weeks).  

So, our Technical Solutions Team advised a more cost- and time-efficient option. 

The (technical) solution

Eager to keep the project on track, the Goodfellow’s Technical Solutions Team set out to find a workaround that satisfied both the quality standards and the urgent timeline. 

How we helped: 

• Review technical drawings: Our materials experts have 75+ years of experience in analyzing technical drawings and suggesting tweaks to optimize designs. 

• In-house scientists: Our Technical Team can advise on the right materials, in this case for example, the manufacturing processes and achievable tolerances both for alumina and MACOR® to strike the right balance between precision and time. 

• Unmatched product range: Goodfellow’s selection of 170,000+ specialist products offers near-limitless options for innovation. 

The team proposed to use MACOR®, a machinable ceramic, as a brilliant substitute for the alumina prototype. Since MACOR® is machined from a solid state, it’s a perfect choice for prototypes, offering exceptional speed and agility. As Goodfellow is an official distributor of MACOR®, we can offer no minimum order limit – even as little as a single manufactured part. This can also lead to reduced machining setup time and costs. 

“I love working with clients who are ready to challenge the status-quo and innovate. It’s my honor to play a small part in their journey and I was delighted to find better solutions for this customer to save them time and money.” - James Taylor, Technical Solutions, Goodfellow 

The results

Thrilled with the solution, the customer gave the green light for MACOR® samples. We delivered them within the six-week timeframe, ensuring R&D stayed on schedule.  

This material switch-up unlocked impressive results: 

• Up to 50% cost reduction compared to alumina 

• 3-5 weeks lead time saved 

• Smooth transition from prototype to full-scale production 

[insert image of machined / finished product] 

With Goodfellow as their trusted partner, the customer was ready to take their project from prototype to production, armed with a cost-effective solution and expert guidance every step of the way. Now that's what we call a success story! 

“Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Goodfellow. Supplying advanced materials is just a small part of our business: we also provide the technical knowledge and manufacturing capabilities to deliver meaningful results for our customers. I’m proud that our teams could help this client innovate and do it the most optimal way possible.” - Simon Kenney, CEO, Goodfellow