Toolform

The Toolform project's aim is to provide companies in the UK involved in metal forging and forming, with the technical expertise, advice and wealth of experience available from TWI and Cti, in order to develop new technologies and processes, increase sales and create or stabilise jobs in South Yorkshire, Yorkshire & Humber regions, and throughout the rest of the U.K.

Typical Toolform Beneficiaries

  • Forgers (closed/open die forgings, shafts, disks, blisks, gears)
  • Ring Rollers (formed and rolled rings)
  • Metal Formers (extruded shapes, tube, forming)
  • Raw Material Suppliers (nickel, steel, titanium alloys)

Scope of Technical Services

  • Joining and cutting processes
  • Materials (evaluation, testing, analysis)
  • Surface engineering
  • Structural integrity and performance
  • Quality and process control (heat treatment)
  • Design and manufacturing engineering
  • Non-Destructive Testing
  • Training and certification

Toolform is the ideal platform to carry out work which may otherwise be difficult to expedite during a fast-paced production schedule. It allows companies to evaluate new processes, procedures and production methods. Research and development can be performed in a manufacturing environment for near-market exploitation.

Typical Toolform Project could be -

A typical short project could be: duration 3-6 months, whereas a longer project: 6-12 months (more in-depth). With Toolform, the practical work is already part-funded, so all that the company needs to provide is in-kind contribution (materials, man-hours etc).

Toolform Project Examples

  • Die material selection and repair
  • Die repair for GFM forging tools
  • Laser welding to join forged/formed components
  • Laser powder deposition for resurfacing guide rolls
  • Development of die heating/cooling technology, cast dies
  • Evaluation of new forged parts, assistance with qualification procedures for new equipment

Case studies

Further information.

Or contact the following:
Eliana Fu eliana.fu@twi.co.uk or Roger Fairclough roger.fairclough@twi.co.uk at TWI Technology Centre (Yorkshire) Ltd, Wallis Way, Catcliffe, Rotherham, S60 5TZ, Tel 0114 269 9046, Fax 0114 269 9781.
Dave Howse ( david.howse@twi.co.uk) at TWI, Granta Park, Gt Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL (previously CB1 6AL), UK. Tel 01223 899 000, Fax 01223 892 588.
Peter M. Haigh ( pmhaigh@castingstechnology.com) at Cti, 7 East Bank Rd, Sheffield, S2 3PT. Tel 0114 272 864, Fax 0114 273 0852.

Toolform is a project joint funded by the DTI, Yorkshire Forward and Objective 1. The programme is managed by NAMTEC, with technical help and assistance from Casting Technology Ltd (Cti) and TWI.

TWI logo Casting Technology Ltd logo NAMTEC logo
ERDF logo   Yorkshire Forward logo DTI logo

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