COROMANT CAPTO® TOOLHOLDING

Sandvik Coromant Capto® is the first universal quick-change tooling system suitable for turning, milling, boring and drilling. Combining Coromant Capto® toolholders with CNC machines shortens set-up times and increases your productivity.

Craftsman cube range stretches across the globe

Collection complements ‘Crafticube’ system With a client list spanning the globe and taking in major players such as Boeing, Hyde Aerospace, BNFL and BOC Edwards, Craftsman Tools forms an impressive success story. Within its workholding range, Craftsman is able to offer a complete series of cubes, either from its plain-faced standard stock, or via bespoke designs to meet exact process requirements. Each cube allows the loading of a horizontal machining centre pallet with the maximum number of components, helping maximise the productivity of both single and twin pallet machines. The plain-faced type mounts directly to a standard machine pallet so its faces are ready to take fixturing items. The faces are supplied finish machined, perpendicular to the integral base and edge locations, while “parallelism” is also assured. These can also be used to apply the “Crafticube” system, which gives incredible flexibility in the application of fixtures to horizontal machining centres. At its heart is the cube; a top quality hollow casting, stress relieved and precision machined. Its strong construction and integral base ensures dimensional stability and a capacity for arduous work. Two precise dowels on each face guarantee permanent datums and interchangeability of fixture plates. Other members of the cube family, including hollow tee brackets, triforms and angle brackets, can also accept fixture plates by applying the same principles. These are ideal for the mounting of a series of vice units and other modular arrangements. US engine manufacturer Dresser Waukesha, which is based near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been a client of Craftsman Tools for several years. They are worldwide leaders in the design, manufacture and marketing of highly engineered equipment and services sold primarily to customers in the flow control, measurement systems, and compression and power systems segments of the energy industry. Robert Johnson, said: “Dresser Waukesha is in the process replacing its entire manufacturing stock, and this is being carried out as it improves or launches new products. “As with the aerospace contract, Craftsman was chosen because of the stability and accuracy of our cube holding. “We’ve worked with Dresser Waukesha intensively over the past three years to put together a product that best suited their needs. “Our representatives in the US met their chief buyer not too long back who paid us the ultimate compliment by stating that the company will not go anywhere else for its cube systems. “With so many years experience in the design and manufacture of prismatic workholding systems, we have developed the highest level of expertise in this very important product. “Our standard range is available on very short delivery, while at the same time we have proved that we can design and manufacture bespoke items to suit any industrial sector.”

Craftsman Tools' Rebranding

Marketing information consolidated into three areas. Craftsman Tools has unveiled a rebranding exercise as it looks to strengthen its position in the marketplace. The project has been driven forward by marketing executive Claudine Dusseau, who hails from France. Soon after joining the business earlier in the year she was tasked with updating Craftsman’s sales brochures, which eventually brought about the rebranding. The company now has newly-designed logo, strapline – “Collaborating with the World’s Finest” – and a series of sales brochures. Claudine Dusseau said: “When I began looking at the existing brochures, what became apparent was that although the company has essentially three arms to it – toolholding, workholding and subcontract machining – there was an array of literature covering each area. “Coming from outside the engineering industry, my first impression of sales brochures, not only at Craftsman but across the sector, was that they were very ‘conservative’. “During the summer we had an intern working with us called Mike Urwin, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Leeds, who helped us with the initial concepts before we got in touch with a nearby marketing communications company, Phase 1. Robert Healey, account director at Phase 1, said: “Craftsman Tools approached us with a very thorough briefing document for us to work from. “One main aspect was that we could not tamper with the existing corporate logo too much. We kept the ‘mandrel’ insignia – because we didn’t want it to appear that the Craftsman brand had disappeared, then we added a silver ‘C’ around that and adopted new colours. “Craftsman works with some major blue chip companies, and this helped us greatly coming up with the strapline ‘“Collaborating with the World’s Finest’. “We also stylised the brochures by splitting them into the company’s three core areas; to help send out the message that Craftsman Tools is a major player. “The exercise was also mirrored for its USA sister company Chevin Tools, and this was officially unveiled at the IMTS event in Chicago.” Robert Johnson, Craftsman Tools managing director, said: “The rebrand has come at a really exciting time for us as we look to expand into other sectors and geographical areas. “A correctly though out rebrand, regardless of the company or sector, instills pride in the business, and ours has helped us redefine our position in the marketplace, as well as giving us renewed focus to help take the business forward.”

New Product: The Split Boring Bars

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new range of split boring bar holders. These boring bar holders have been designed for use with anti-vibration bars and they will also increase performance of standard boring bars. We currently have a range of tool holding suitable for Mazak, Doosen Daewoo, and Mori Seiki machines. The range is continually developing and more information will be posted shortly.

QUALITY

Craftsman Tools Limited has many years of successful experience in design, manufacture and installation of high quality equipment. The company is accredited to ISO 9001:2000 as well as following both our own in-house quality manual and any further quality plans required by our customers. * We supply material from approved suppliers with full certification and traceability. * We select sub-contract partners who meet our own quality requirements and provide fault-free, on-time deliveries. * We provide after sales technical assistance to ensure customer satisfaction In achieving these objectives, we aim to exceed the customer's expectations in terms of quality and service. Our inspection and testing is complemented by in-house pressure testing facilities and links with several external companies who provide further NDT services