Accumet, an advanced processing manufacturer for new and legacy materials fabrication, precision laser services, lapping, polishing, and critical component assembly, is celebrating its golden anniversary, 50 years at the forefront of American engineering. Accumet Engineering Corporation first opened its doors in 1970, when the American landscape was post-industrial, but pre-automation. They started off in a small factory in Hudson, Massachusetts. The company provides some of the most innovative manufacturing techniques in the industry—techniques they not only perfected over the past half-century but invented.
Their accomplishments over the last 50 years include:
- Moving from paper job tickers and spreadsheets of the past to a fully integrated ERP system
- Continual investments and improvements in manufacturing and test equipment
- Completing ISO and AS9100 Certification and maintaining that quality standard since 2005
- Merging with fellow manufacturing pioneer Laser Services in Westford, MA, to pave the way for pure dominance in advanced materials processing
- Being recognized as an industry leader by Microwaves and RF Magazine
Accumet Meets Laser Services
In 2015, current President and CEO Greg Sexton, then the owner of Laser Services Inc. located in Westford, Mass, acquired Accumet Engineering. Sexton has said, “Since purchasing Laser Services back in 2007, I quickly learned that lapping and polishing were complementary businesses. At Laser Services, we routinely subcontracted to Accumet for our lapping and polishing needs. Likewise, Laser Services was Accumet’s go-to laser house. I decided to purchase Accumet in 2015 so that I could offer our clients “one-stop shopping” in relation to materials processing. The combination of the two allows us to process a vast variety of materials to precisely match client specifications.”
Soon after he acquired Accumet Engineering, Sexton merged the two services under the elder company’s name, and the current iteration of Accumet was born. Bringing Laser Services in the house meant they could now offer customers a one-stop-shop for all of their advanced materials processing needs. This smart supply chain approach meant that the company could provide clients with an unparalleled experience: namely, one that could exceed even the most stringent deadline by dramatically shortening turnaround time.
Planes, Sprains and Automobiles
Accumet has amassed an incredibly diverse customer base over the decades. From machining parts and materials for the automobile industry to providing ceramic substrates, metals, tubes, foils, adhesives, frozen epoxies, plastics, RF absorbers and even EMI materials for an array of private technology companies. In fact, in 2020 Accumet was recognized as being one of a few critical partners and industry leaders by Microwaves and RF Magazine.
Accument has pioneered and remains at the forefront of every advanced technique for ceramic lapping and polishing and laser processing, and because of this commitment, they are a leading supply chain partner of microelectronics components to every corner of the RF/microwave industry. But arguably, it’s their work in the public sector for which they have rightfully earned a reputation as a materials processing mainstay. For example, recent advancements within the field of laser-drilling, coupled with Accumet’s commitment to investing in up-to-date equipment, have enabled them to stay on the literal cutting edge of manufacturing for the biomedical device, implant and tooling market. Such advantages are invaluable in crafting an array of medical devices and surgical tools, including innovative stents, heart valves, orthopaedic devices/assemblies like prosthetic tibias and collar bones and minimally invasive devices commonly used in ophthalmic surgery, laparoscopy and arthroscopy, among others.
Accumet also boasts a prolific roster of aerospace and national defense contracts. Over the years they have worked on turbines, motors, body parts, electronics, semiconductors, interconnects, flight suits, armor, RF absorber, EMI control, instrumentation, tactical equipment and communication components related to nearly every aspect of airborne, Satcom, radar, electronic and ground warfare applications. In fact, since 2019, Accumet has been continually certified compliant with AS9100 standards, a certification which verifies a company committed to a Total Quality Management System as, “applicable to laser scribing, drilling, cutting, marking, welding and other processing for materials to include ceramics, metals, plastic and adhesives used in the microelectronics, medical, aerospace and commercial industries.” The qualification was assessed and approved by National Quality Assurance, USA, an accredited organization under the Aerospace Registrar Management Program. Accumet is also registered with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls and maintains compliance programs that support the monitoring and control of regulated exports.
Facing New Challenges
While Accumet celebrates the past, they can’t help but also look forward recognizing that, as ever, the future is uncertain. The novel coronavirus has upended the country, lives and the whole world, in ways that have yet to be entirely realized. Just as the company was born to a nation on the verge of so much change, it celebrates that birth in the midst of an equally tumultuous landscape. And as they close out the past 50 years, they do so with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Now more than ever, recognizing the value of everyday heroes.
