3 D Printed Plastic components. The resultant parts are similar to injection moulding – virtually layer-free with consistent isotropic and predictable mechanical properties.
We offer a range of 3D printing equipment, capable of producing high-resolution models in a wide range of materials. This enables our clients to have physical tangible parts and products in their hands for form and fit functionality allowing for quick design iterations during early product development. This approach often identifies features that could increase the cost of production parts and tooling. By combining customer knowledge with our design, material and manufacturing expertise, the process of developing new technologies are streamlined and optimised. If you are developing a product from a concept, you will need a team that will focus their time on developing your idea. From start to finish, we are with you every step of the way. We assist with product design and development, and can also create a CAD file for your order if you don’t have one available. Of course, we have DLS, FDM as well as SLA printers, so rest assured that we have the capability to manufacture a single part or a small production run.
The DLS process (digital light synthesis™) prints up to 100 times faster than traditional 3D printing methods. It uses a software-controlled chemical reaction process to grow parts. The resultant parts are similar to injection moulding – virtually layer-free with consistent isotropic and predictable mechanical properties.
The SLA process starts with a 3D printer containing a tank of UV-curable resin. When a print begins, the build platform is submerged in the tank and a laser beam traces the contours of a part, solidifying the layer of liquid resin. Once the layer is complete, the build platform is lowered, making room for the next layer SLA (stereolithography).
Raw Material Selection for the manufacture of CNC machined components and for the fabrication and welding of Sheetmetal items required in present-day manufacturing environments.
Accutool has chosen materials for projects such as Electro Static Discharge (ESD), high impact plastics such as PEEK, tough durable steels, specific stainless steels with higher than normal levels of constituent chemical properties, Plastic's required to operate at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius, plastics with resistance to high acidity or high exposure to chemicals, ceramics, sintered and cast materials for various strength and mechanical properties. Aluminium bronze for hardness and durability in bushings and gear chains. Aluminium grades such as HE30 for good anodising properties, tooling plate 6160 for flatness and stability. Steels in ranges AISI 1020 to carbon steels in the AISI range 4140.
We offer various services through our ISO 9001 QMS qualified subcontractors:
- Clear and PTFE anodising
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- Hard and PTFE anodising.
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- Hard black anodising
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- Colour anodising
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- Electroless nickel plating
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- Stainless steel passivation
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- Chrome conversion
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- Halar coating for clean line baskets.
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- Stripping
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- Sandblasting
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- Spray painting
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- Graphlon© 611
- Graphlon© 611
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- Graphlon© 612 spray teflon
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- Techsol
- Techsol
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- Graphlon© Dry FIlm Lubricant
- Grit Blasting
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- Graphlon© Hard N2
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Accutool Ltd. works with a wide range of materials as detailed below. Materials are sourced with full traceability back to source and supplied with a materials Certificate if required, all stock is catalogued on our in-house production management system.
Aluminium
We work with the following standard alloys 1050, 2014, 5083, 6082, 6061 and 7075, together with fully released L111, L113 and L115 material, rolled plate and extruded profiles. Our experience with these materials will enable us to work with your own designated material if not shown above.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is stored separately from other steels and care is taken where required to the type of tooling and finishing used in order to minimise surface contaminants. Typical grades of stainless steel handled include 304, 316, 303, and 309 as well as 416 and 500 series materials
Aluminium Bronze
We use aluminium bronze for many applications including bearing brushes, aircraft landing gear components and marine applications, both billet and cast formed and have experience with the production of aluminium bronze components for frictional applications.
Titanium
We work mainly with Ti-6Al-4V (grade 5) although have experience with Ti-6Al-4V ELI (grade 23). Because of titanium's tendency to gall it is necessary to maintain sharp tools which mean regular tool changes and observation. Another common feature of titanium is its elasticity which causes chatter and requires firm holding to mitigate. For particular operations such as drilling, and tapping we use carbide tooling in place of steel tooling which is prone to wear and breakage and pay particular attention to low cutting speeds, fluids and constant high feed rates.
Copper
Free machining copper (C109 & C111) like many coppers tend to demonstrate sticky machining qualities and so require appropriate cutting fluids and low cutting speeds. Additional problems associated with copper include chip removal from drilled holes, and staining resulting from inappropriate use of cooling fluids. Copper is used widely in the electrical and electronics industries as well as the water and marine industries.
Brass
Most of our brass machining is CZ121 which allows for high-speed machining. Typical applications include hose couplings and fluid handling equipment. Other brass alloys such as CZ124 can be used where higher ductility is required for secondary cold forming processes.
Inconel
Inconel is a difficult metal to work with due to the way it work-hardens after a single pass, as such aggressive but slow cuts with a hard tool are required. Most of our experience is with Iconel 718 which is typically used for high-temperature applications such as turbines, combusters, pressure vessels and heat exchange equipment.
PEEK
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a plastic typically used for aerospace, semiconductor and high-technology applications such as seals, insulators and wear strips. Although easily machined, as with many plastics thermal expansion is many times higher than metal and so localised heating is avoided.
PTFE
PTFE is a difficult material to work with and has a number of variants. Combining low tensile strength, resilience and high thermal expansion, PTFE can prove elastic under machining, more so with turning and can even alter in its dimensions after machining is complete. PTFE is commonly used as an insulator in electrical applications, food and pharmaceutical equipment and laboratory apparatus. PTFE has applications where exposure to aggressive compounds occurs such as acid and caustics for its electrical resistanceas well as for high temperature environments and because it is chemically inert for food and medical and pharmaceutical applications.
Acrylic
We have experience with cell cast, continuous cast and extruded acrylic and utilise differing techniques for each material including varying the type of cutting tool used in order to prevent melting and discolouration. Acrylic has wide applications across all industries and is primarily used for its weatherability, strength and optional transparency.
Phenolic Resins
Phenolic resins, high pressure thermosetting industrial laminated plastics made of composite layers of paper or glass cloth impregnated with a synthetic resin comes in a wide range of forms. Machining is generally easy but each form will require close attention to suppliers specification sheets.
Delrin
Delrin, which is a brand name for acetal resin engineering plastic is a hard-wearing self-lubricating material which is often used as a metal substitute. Most of our experience is with Delrin 150 SA and Delrin 550 SA. Typical applications include medical components, washers, nozzles and for semiconductor components.
Ertalyte
We have experience with the machining of both Ertalyte and Ertalyte TX, which has high wear resistance.precision part that have to sustain high loads. Typical applications include mating surfaces in valves and mechanical housings and food equipment.
Building & architectural stainless steel
- Architectural stainless steel
- Outdoor art, objects and decor made from metal such as the recently
completed "Number One" stainless steel sculpture at Heuston South
Quarter supplied by Accutool - Stainless Steel building systems and related products in the glass wall
manufacturing area (compare picture of spider components) - Extruded Aluminum sections cut and welded
- Connection cleats and systems
- Tooling related to manufacturing specialised sections
Defence Sector
Our warehouse carries more than 200 line items for supply to the military defence
industry, such as specialised gearboxes to use in rough terrain, hardened and
ground shafts for high-quality braking systems or products used in simulated
training modules and for the Robotic sector, we manufacture precision components for track assemblies, GPS positioning and motion control casings, precision linkages for the robotic arm and manipulation elements
Other outsourced processes such as hardening and tempering, painting, anodising, irradiating, chromium coating,
nitriding etc. are managed by our ISO 9001 Quality Management System
We have experience of making machined parts under contract to the high standards that the Oil & Gas industry requires. We source materials such as carbon steel, austenitic and martensitic stainless steel, Inconel, Beryllium Copper, and Titanium. We also manage outsourced processes such as heat treatment and finishing processes by certifying our sub-suppliers processes and systems within our ISO9001 QMS
Accutool are approved by the leading manufacturer of AIRCRAFT engines to machine
engine components controlled by the Federal Aviation Authority and to
undertake certain remanufacturing patented fixes to airworthy parts under license.
This is a highly regulated sector requiring annual Quality Audits with strict adherence
to quality and procedural issues.
Accutool also supplies ground support tooling for various workshops associated with the maintenance of Aircraft such as test fixtures for Hydraulic landing gear. Typical Materials machined in this sector are Inconel and Alloy 718 which are pretty difficult to machine.
Accutool was selected as the winning tender to supply Gatwick Airport with baggage handling/transport equipment and are a qualified vendor to the GAL group i.e. to the City of London Airport, Edinburgh Airport & Gatwick
by the
Delivering engineering solutions to Clean Rooms, including Full Plant duplication projects (workstations). Packaging and tabletting stations, Capping machines, Gowning stations, Racking solutions Sterilization Depts, Purification areas, Laboratories as well as quality & inspection departments. Our technical salesperson will visit your cleanroom to help and support your engineers on-site to establish the required solution.
