Significant investment by AWI in new machinery has given it the capacity to increase the size of the flat and shaped profiles it can now manufacture in more than 60 different alloys.
The installation of a custom-built production line makes it possible for the company to offer its customers access to wider and thinner or bigger cross-section profile (up to 100mm2), as well as offering them the chance to purchase in quantities ranging from as small as 10 metres to as large as 1000kg. Better still, this can be delivered within 4 weeks to any client, in any country.
“We are continually talking to our customers and finding out what would make their life easier,” explained Angus Hogarth, Sales Director at AWI.
“One of the main points they kept coming back on was being able to buy flat and shaped profiles in a wider variety of sizes, especially in bigger profiles. We listened and decided to commission a bespoke machine that could deliver just that and we’re already seeing significant orders placed that we perhaps would not have won before.”
He added: “This new profile equipment means we can also give customers larger and heavier reels/spools – up to 250Kg. We can even switch from spools/reels to the alternative packaging form of ‘Pancake’ coils for flat profiles.”
The dimensions achievable on the new finished profile range are dependent on the alloy and the width to thickness ratio of the flat or shaped profile.
Some example sizes, include:
AWI’s range of materials is growing by the month and it currently has more than 60 available to choose from.
If it’s a flat or shaped profile that needs to survive very corrosive conditions there is the Hastelloy alloy range, the cobalt alloys ‘Phynox’ and ‘MP35N’. On the other hand, if your wire is going to be used in a high temperature component, the Inconel range, Incoloy or Nimonic alloys might be the preferred choice.
For less severe environments, but equally critical applications, other materials like AWI’s range of 18 stainless steel grades are available and all governed by AMS, ASTM and ISO 9001 standards.
Angus concluded: “Quality is crucial to everything we do and our technical and inspection departments ensure our clients receive the very best product. In order to keep up with enquiries from the aerospace and defence sector, we have also secured the AS9100 accreditation.
“Our profiles are used for aircraft engine retaining rings to architectural grills, whilst some of our spring making customers use our wider flat wire for stamping out parts”.
