Toolcraft Plastics (Swindon) Ltd

Machined Models - Visit our website

To produce plastic prototypes we use a range of specialist techniques, including Stereolithography (SLA) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). We also offer CNC machining – this is the best option if you need models in specific plastic materials or with properties that are close to the finished moulding. CNC processes can also be used for low-volume production, particularly in situations where variants of the product are offered (in such cases that it would be uneconomical to produce separate moulds for each variant). Find out more about our prototyping and low-volume production techniques by visiting Toolcraft Plastics online.

Plastic Model Design - Visit our website

Whether you need help getting a plastic product design ready for production or require assistance with a 3D design concept or working model, Toolcraft Plastics is the company to call. Here are some reasons why...

• Experience – We have been making mould tools, plastic mouldings and vacuum formings for decades, so we know when a design is ready for production. 
• Security – Our confidentiality agreements give you complete peace of mind knowing that your design ideas are protected.
• Price – We agree on a fixed price so that there are no unexpected costs down the line. 
• Models – We can produce concept or working models to help convince potential customers or investors of your ideas. These can also be used for testing prior to manufacture.

Precision Injection Mould Tools - Aluminium Alloy Mould Tools - Visit our website

Our aluminium alloy injection mould tools are made using alloys developed by Alcoa and IBM. They are much stronger than standard aluminium tools (which are soft and generally only suitable for a few mouldings), they are quicker and cheaper to make than steel tools, and they are highly resistant to stress, distortion and post-mould shrinkage. These are all reasons why aluminium alloy tools are the best choice for short to long run projects (100s to 100,000s). Find out more about the advantages of aluminium alloy tools by visiting Toolcraft Plastics online.

Injection Mould Tools - Chinese Injection Mould Tools UK Guaranteed - Visit our website

Having your tools manufactured in China can save you a lot of money, but it often comes at a cost: miscommunication, delivery delays, inferior quality and various importation complications. However, with Toolcraft at your side you can avoid such problems. We have developed an excellent working relationship with our Chinese partner so that our clients have access to low cost tools without the usual hassles. We take care of all communication, briefing our client thoroughly so that they know what you need; we handle all of the import paperwork so you don’t have to; we test the moulds right here in the UK to ensure they meet the standard required; and we provide a single point of contact to make things as easy as possible.

Rapid Production of Precision Injection Mould Tools - Visit our website

Rapid production of injection mould tools forms part of our complete injection mould tooling, precision moulding and vacuum forming service. We have several different CAD/CAM seats and can import drawings or models created in various formats, including DWG, DXF, JPEG, IGES, Parasolid, PDF, Pro-Engineer, Solidworks, STEP and STL. With these files we can eliminate some of time normally required for design and production and can therefore offer rapid production of injection mould tools at much lower costs.

Injection Mould Tools - Insert Only Plastic Mould Tools - Visit our website

Insert-only mould tools are ideal for situations where you need to be in production very fast and at a low cost. This is because you only pay for the mould tool insert – this can be made to fit one of our standard-sized bolsters, significantly reducing the time and money spent on tooling. We have a number of bolsters which can take plastic mould tools from 100mm wide to 300mm wide. Please get in touch to find out more.

Injection Mould Tools - Steel Precision Mould Tools - Visit our website

The growing need for shorter lead times and lower production costs means that more and more injection mould tools are being made from aluminium alloy. However, steel precision mould tools are still the best option for projects involving the production of millions of mouldings, or in situations where the tool needs complex, precision mechanisms that are likely to rub together during production. In both scenarios a steel mould tool is likely to be the most durable solution and the most cost-efficient in the long run.

Antistatic Mouldings & Conductive Plastic Packaging Trays - Visit our website

One of the areas in which we specialise is the production of custom-made antistatic and conductive plastic mouldings. These are often used to store static-sensitive products in clean room environments or as packaging to protect items in transport or whilst being moved between work cells. They typically have a volume resistivity of  =10³ and a surface resistivity of =10⁴. You can see some examples of our packaging/storage trays on the Toolcraft Plastics website.

Plastic Injection Moulding - Visit our website

Our injection moulding expertise enables us to produce many different types of plastic moulding in a wide range of materials and colours - and we use all of our 30+ years of experience to ensure a quality finish every time. Typical plastic components produced using the injection moulding process include:

• Electrical connectors, plugs and moulded terminals
• Instrument gears and ratchet wheels
• Lighting covers and colour tinted goggles
• Various antistatic items
• Plastic screws
• Disc drive components

Plastic Trays - Visit our website

Toolcraft uses the vacuum forming process to produce a range of plastic trays and racks suitable for a variety of applications. With plastic trays there are no tooling charges and you don’t have to wait for the tools to be produced. Of course, we can also offer custom made trays and parts if needed – these can be produced in any size up to 1330 x 620 x 406mm, in a range of colours and up to 6mm thick. A third option would be to modify one of our standard trays – this is generally a lot less expensive than producing an entirely new tray design as you only pay once to modify the existing tool.

Custom Vacuum Forming - Visit our website

As is the case with injection mouldings, vacuum formed parts require a special tool which emulates the design of the product. However, these tools generally cost hundreds rather than thousands of pounds, because instead of being made with hardened tool steels or alloys they are made from wood, resins or low cost aluminium. Yet despite the lower cost of tooling, plastic formings will often cost significantly more to produce than injection mouldings – this is because they require an operator or technician to produce each one. Vacuum forming is therefore much more suited to low or medium volume requirements.

Pad Printing & Hot Foil Printing on Plastic Mouldings & Parts - Visit our website

Pad printing and hot foil printing on plastic mouldings is carried out in-house at our facility in Swindon. Using these techniques we are able to apply things like logos, identification text or web links, not just on flat surfaces but on curved ones too. Our printing equipment includes:

• 1 x Falcon Print 100 Pad Printing Machine
• 1 x Teca Print 460K with adjustable pad printing head angle (0 - 90°)
• 1 x Dae Lim DLC 622R Machine with 2 pad printing heads
• 1 x Hot Foil Printing Machine

With these facilities at our disposal we can complete a range of printing tasks. Find out more by visiting Toolcraft Plastics online. 

Memory Chip Trays - Visit our website

Toolcraft Plastics has recently developed four different vacuum formed trays which have multiple slots in the sides for accommodating standard memory chips or PCBs. If required they can also be fitted with plastic dividers so that the trays are partitioned to suit other, non-standard PCB sizes and non-memory-chip items. The trays are vacuum formed from an antistatic material and are therefore ideal for holding memory chips and other static sensitive devices. Alternatively they can be formed from an eco-recycled, oil and chemical resistant standard plastic suitable for non-static sensitive items only.

Insert Moulding - Visit our website

Insert moulding is where two or more materials are combined to produce one product or part – for example, a pair of scissors with a plastic handle and metal shears. The insert can be placed inside the plastic moulding during or after the injection moulding process.

The insert moulding process can be entirely automated, with the insert being loaded robotically into a plastic injection moulding machine. This results in significant cost savings on large production runs.  

Toolcraft has a great deal of experience producing insert mouldings, and our engineers have a solid understanding of how materials respond to each other. This allows us to achieve excellent results every time. 

2 Part Overmoulding - Visit our website

This is an injection moulding process where two different plastic materials are combined to produce a product or part. It is often used to create a colour effect or to produce a product that is partially transparent. At Toolcraft we have a considerable amount of experience producing all sorts of overmoulded products, from wristbands and remote controls right through to traffic cameras. Overmoulding can be an expensive process, particularly for those requiring low volumes only. However at Toolcraft Plastics we specialise in making it financially achievable for shorter runs, without compromising on product quality. Visit us online or get in touch to find out more.