Tooling designed for blow-moulded barriers

NPL Technologies, the UK's largest patternmaker, designed and produced the tooling for a completely new concept in road works and traffic/crowd control barrier products.

NPL Technologies, the UK's largest patternmaker, designed and produced the tooling for a completely new concept in road works and traffic/crowd control barrier products.

The new barrier is a blow moulded product for Melba Products Ltd and produced by Weltonhurst in the UK's most modern blow moulding factory in Blackburn.

With a 110,000 sq.ft.

facility and 15 blow moulding machines Weltonhurst also offer design and technical support capabilities.

The road/traffic management/crowd barrier consists of blow moulded 2m x 0.8m panels which can be clipped together to form pens or long barriers.

Moulded from high-density polyethylene, the barriers do not embrittle like PVC planking, which can fail in cold weather.

The new barrier concept has already resulted in considerable demand and Weltonhurst expect shortly to be producing 4,000 mouldings per month.

It is a major market; in London alone the local authorities have need for 50km of traffic and crowd barrier systems.

Initially NPL Technologies were provided with a 2-D drawing of the component by Weltonhurst/Melba Products.

Rendered images were supplied for approval and these were also used in the marketing of the concept to potential customers.

Steve Snodin, sales manager, body tooling, NPL Technologies, said: "Each barrier unit is made up of a large panel, two vertical uprights, all blow moulded and a rubber foot for stability.

"Its advantages are flexibility and strength and extreme ease of installation.

NPL Technologies had previously produced the tools for dustbin moulds for Weltonhurst and Paul Wareing, production director, Weltonhurst, said: "We are particularly interested in niche markets requiring large technical mouldings in this sector and we have established a positive relationship with the NPL Technologies' team " One of the key factors in the blow moulding process for a product such as the traffic/crowd control barrier was to build in strength and rigidity.

This was obtained by profiling the rear face of the barrier and its extremities.

Another advantage of the new barrier is fewer components compared to steel barriers which means ease of installation and a reduction in cost because components are not mislaid.

Simple clip linking of panels to legs results in cost effective flexibility.

Paul Wareing, Weltonhurst, added: "We are already discussing new projects with NPL in connection with our capability to produce large, flat mouldings and their skill in CAD and tool design and tool production through a combination of people experience and investment in high speed CNC machinery.

Established for 39 years, NPL is the largest UK patternmaker.

Its major business is foundry tooling, patternmaking and prototype parts in the automotive powertrain industry with significant sales in model making and tooling for the vehicle body, motor sport and aerospace industries.

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