FOCUS ON STAMPING
Press tryout and commissioning
The experienced team at Phoenix carries out extensive try-out testing and commissioning on all new projects . Its over £ 1 million investment in new equipment is designed to ensure that all new tooling and commissioning meets the exacting standards required , with each component verified against its CAD data . Customers can view the progress of their tooling trials .
To ensure that all new tooling enters full production without any issues , the company ’ s latest acquisitions include the Chin Fong GTX 500-D and a Tomac TLF4 coil handling equipment that allows for fully simulated mass production stamping . The new equipment enables trial tooling of up to 3.5 metres in length , whilst the tonnage monitoring apparatus captures data from each stage of the press cycle .
Multi-slide tooling is tested and commissioned on either the company ’ s Bihler GRM50 or RM40 dedicated try-out machines . The in-house equipment facilitates the handling of coil material enabling Phoenix to run firstbatch volume production to ensure handover of new tooling to its customers .
All tools pass through an internal commissioning phase , where tools are fully tested and prepared ready for production . Alternatively , where required , tools can be commissioned at the customer ’ s own premises .
Prototype manufacture
Prototype tooling and low volume manufacturing are key areas of engineering where the Phoenix team has a longstanding and proven track record of delivering rapid turnaround solutions .
“ With our fully equipped in-house facilities , we can keep lead-times to a minimum . As all processes from 3D design , CNC manufacture , CNC laser cutting , pressing capacity up to 500 tonnes and the latest laser scanning are all [ carried out ] on-site , each project can be controlled more effectively as the risk of relying on subcontract processes is removed ,” explained the tooling specialist .
Phoenix has completed many lowvolume projects where soft tooling has been manufactured , laser cuts made and parts formed . Typical prototype volumes have ranged from 50 to over 10,000 parts produced and supplied in accordance with customer timelines .
In many cases , Phoenix has received production tooling orders with the additional requirement of supplying “ off form stage ” prototypes prior to full tool completion . These useful additional services can be managed in parallel with full tool manufacture to ensure that the customer receives both pre-build prototypes and full production tooling within the agreed time scales .
Phoenix also offers press tool repairs , servicing and modification . In line with Phoenix ’ s continued investment in the latest processing , the company ’ s line-up of TRUMPF 600L Twin Head Combination Laser punch presses are designed to create flat components and the strip layouts required for the development stages of each new tooling project . n
The Chin Fong GTX 500-D press .
www
. worcesterpresses . co . uk
www . phoenixtooling . co . uk
The WP management team .
About Worcester Presses
Worcester Presses is a leading UK provider of mechanical presses ; hydraulic presses ; processing equipment and press transfer robot lines . It also provides its ownmanufactured Worcester mechanical presses ; Chin Fong mechanical power presses ; Yeh Chiun hydraulic presses and Tomac coil processing equipment , as well as a variety of press shop ancillary equipment .
Its sales team can specify individual machines and full turnkey packages , tailored to specific requirements . The service department provides technical backup , routine preventative maintenance and service contracts with emphasis on rapid response . Central stores enables it to issue most spares from stock .
The GTX 500-D is the latest installation in what has been one of Worcester Presses ’ busiest years , supplying more than 20 machines all over the UK . This has seen its turnover accelerate towards £ 4 million and driven the need for new appointments in its administrative and engineering teams . Investment in a new CNC machine has given the Dudley-based company the capability to manufacture replacement parts for its presses quickly and efficiently .
Phoenix ’ s new GF + Mikron machining centre with ‘ WorkPartner ’ automated palletising . The Phoenix team ( right ) with Worcester Press ’ s Russell Hartill in front of the new press .
54 | ismr . net | ISMR June 2023