Product category:
Press tools - design, manufacture and usage, CAD/CAM, software
News Release from: FSG Tool and Die | Subject: Press/forging tool and die
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 15 January 2004
Tooling deal helps run rings round the
competition
A deal with a subcontract tooling supplier that uses the latest tool manufacturing equipment has helped an automotive transmission synchronisation ring supplier to keep well ahead of competition.
Quality, service and experience are the key words that VTL Automotive uses to describe itself - and those are the qualities it looks for in partner-suppliers such as FSG Tool and Die which creates complete sets of tooling, enabling VTL to manufacture over 10 million synchroniser rings each year
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 11 Nov 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Established in 1919 as Sagar Richards, and latterly known as Valeo Transmission, VTL is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers to OEMs of synchroniser rings for manual transmission worldwide.
At its plant in Halifax the company uses the most up to date machinery and equipment to manufacture rings from forged brass, steel and sintered steel, which are available in single, double and triple cone configurations - depending on the application - for customers including Renault, Volvo, Ford, New Venture Gear (Daimler Chrysler) and more recently Toyota (Poland).
Naturally, for such demanding, world-class clients, only the highest quality and accuracy is acceptable, which is why the development of a strong business relationship with its toolmaking supplier is of such key importance.
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Moulds for container's reach fast cycle times
When a container manufacturer approached Im-Pak Technologies to help it decrease production cycle times, the high quality moulds required for the job were manufactured by FSG Tool and Die.
Quality tools reduce injection mould times
When a container manufacturer wanted decrease the production cycle times for an existing product, high quality moulds reduced cycle times by over 40%.
Originally VTL carried out tooling work in its own in-house toolroom, but it soon became clear that rapid developments in equipment would necessitate major ongoing capital investment if the toolroom was to keep pace with technology.
It was therefore decided to focus on the company's core manufacturing skills.
By 1998 VTL had already worked with FSG on a number of projects and had therefore established confidence in the quality and reliability of its products when the decision was made to buy-in the tooling.
Now Pontypridd-based FSG manufactures complete sets of tooling for VTL on an ongoing basis, using the most advanced technology to provide the benefits in speed and accuracy that only a specialist and dedicated toolmaking company can provide.
In VTL's high speed production environment each tool may make as many as 130,000 parts in a continuous 24/7 production process.
In order to ensure that that level of production keeps running smoothly FSG also keeps a consignment of stock parts for VTL so that a tool can be called in and delivered the next day.
David Clegg, VTL Sales Director, explains the company's manufacturing philosophy, "We are continuously striving to be at the forefront of technology, not only with our forging, but in the methods we use to handle and machine our products.
Our business relationship with FSG is part of the same ethos, making sure that each part of the operation is optimized to provide our customers with continually improving benefits.".
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