Our tool room offers a comprehensive suite of tooling services from routine maintenance and refurbishment right through to design and manufacture. Substantial investment in new technology and machinery means that we are able to take on the most complex of projects.
We were ideally placed to assist quality audio equipment specialists Rega when they decided to re-shore production of their clear acrylic turntable dust covers; they specifically sought a manufacturer with combined expertise in both plastic injection moulding and tool making, able to meet their exacting standards.
Rega’s products are world-class and known for their minimalistic design. Not just an aesthetic choice, but a serious technically based decision. Rega state “Mass absorbs energy and lost energy equals lost music”. Victims of their own success in a way, Rega had originally produced their minimalistic dust covers by hand, but as demand increased, production was placed with a Danish moulder, problems developed. It became necessary to mould in tinted acrylic to hide blemishes and after three different mould tools, the decision to re-shore was made.
On Rega’s own admission, the dust cover breaks every basic design rule for injection moulding. It has no draft angles - a major issue for de-moulding, features sharp corners and edges, not to mention the clear material with no tolerance for imperfection. Tackling all concerns head-on, we initially struggled with moulding from the existing tool. Not only because of the design constraints but we discovered two vital processes in the making of the tool had been missed and that the quality of the tool steel used was unsuitable. Combining skills across all our departments, we proposed a material to match the quality and appearance Rega desired, plus cost savings. Our 3D printer enabled us to build test samples to show Rega our re-design vision in a clear tangible format, helping in visualising and agreeing to our recommendations.
