FOCUS ON STAMPING
Tooling designed and manufactured by Phoenix Tooling & Development Ltd . Multi-slide tooling .
Tooling in focus
This is a major development for the Aldridge-based business , as the company is now able to give its growing customer base full confidence that the tooling produced will stamp components to the required customer production rates , quality and consistency before it arrives at their respective factories . The business also has the equipment needed to simulate full production testing and support a seamless handover process to its clients . “ We relocated to Shenstone Drive last year and had to make the decision whether to persevere with our 1930s Wilkins and Mitchell 300-tonne press ,” explained Martin Mulvey , Managing Director , Phoenix Tooling & Development . “ After careful deliberation , we took the decision to use the move to our new home as the perfect time to search for a new , more powerful press that had better control as well as for ancillary equipment that could speed up our try-out & commissioning processes and give us the ‘ proving out ’ capacity that we wanted .
“ Worcester Presses has been superb . Russell Hartill and his team spent lots of time exploring our requirements , challenging our approach and then identifying possible solutions . The best one is the impressive Chin Fong GTX 500-D and Tomac three-in-one TLF4- 800 coil line ,” he added .
Phoenix Tooling & Development , which has also invested in a new GF + Mikron machining centre with ‘ WorkPartner ’ automated
The company ’ s latest acquisitions include a Chin Fong GTX 500-D mechanical press and Tomac TLF4 coil handling equipment that allows for fully simulated mass production stamping
palletising , pushed the £ 750,000 button on the press investment and started to plan for its installation .
“ The new 500-tonne ( 3.4m bed length ) press line , with roll feed and coil handling , will help support our tool hand-over procedures to customers . The aim is to supply a full detailed report for each tool supplied . The report would include information such as the force results for each stage of the tool , the angle of the forces within the cycle , the speed achieved etc . We aim to be able to test our tooling within a production environment to ensure a smooth , clear buy-off and hand-over procedure to our customers ,” added the company .
Installation and logistics
Midlands Machinery was appointed by Worcester Presses to put the Chin Fong press in place . This required taking the roof partially off Phoenix Tooling & Development for two days , removing part of the outside verge to accommodate the crane and building a onefoot-deep pit in which to house it . Installation took place in December 2022 .
“ The press , which weighs about 55 tonnes without the ram , would just about fit under the roof if we moved the air receivers to the side ( something that Worcester Presses was able to facilitate ),” explained Martin Mulvey , who started his working life with Phoenix Tooling & Development ’ s sister business , Cooke Brothers .
“ It took about two weeks from start to finish to get the press in place , commissioned and ready to accommodate our ongoing press tooling projects . Five of our staff have been trained on how to get the most out of it , giving us full flexibility on the shop floor ,” he continued .
Russell Hartill , Managing Director , Worcester Presses , added his support : “ This is such an impressive purchase for Phoenix Tooling & Development , opening over £ 1 million of new opportunities for the business . The Chin Fong press delivers expert control , precision quality and , with the GTX 500-D , 30 strokes per minute . It features front and rear light guards for enhanced safety and to give engineers the chance to work around the tool .
“ Tool monitoring and protection has been fitted to improve tool life , whilst the Tomac automatic coil feed replaces the need to manually feed the straight strip into the press . It is a game-changer for the team ,” he added .
The new press line at Phoenix Tooling & Development Ltd .
Left to right : Peter Marshall and Martin Mulvey ( Phoenix Tooling & Development ) with Russell Hartill ( Worcester Presses ).
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