Manufacturing

At C-Tech our design engineers are extremely knowledgeable in all areas of manufacture, particularly injection moulding, extrusion, machining, fabrication, rapid prototyping/machining etc.

Design for Manufacture

When designing a new product, C-Tech always considers how it is going to be manufactured at a very early stage in the process. This ensures that the final design is both feasible and economical to produce in the relevant quantities.

Our engineers have experience of many different manufacturing techniques, and can confidently recommend the best route to take to meet our clients’ requirements.

When designing for manufacture we take many factors into consideration, such as material, quantity, part cost, tooling cost, quality, tolerances etc. We take the approach that it is easier, quicker and cheaper to design a component to suit a particular manufacturing technique at the beginning, rather than designing a component and then having to find a way of making it at the end.

Design for Assembly

As well as considering how a product is manufactured, we also consider how it is to be assembled. Design for assembly is another process that C-Tech performs as early as possible during the design process.

We first consider whether the assembly process will be manual or automated, as the design considerations will vary for each. We then look to design features into the components, or select the materials accordingly, so that assembly is easier, quicker and cheaper.

If necessary, we can also design assembly jigs/rigs to improve the assembly process. We are also able to write assembly methods for our clients, or can liaise with their production staff in order to ease the transition from pre-production to production.

Prototyping

C-Tech has an in-house workshop, with milling, turning, fabrication and welding facilities. We can therefore quickly produce working prototypes for initial evaluation and testing. If any changes are required as the product is developed, we are well placed with our own facilities to make these changes rapidly.

We have also built up close relationships with key suppliers for rapid prototyping and rapid machining services. We can source rapid prototypes in representative materials within a few days of the CAD model being complete, and can also arrange for pre-production tooling within a couple of weeks.

Material Selection

With many years of experience in different industries and varied applications, our design engineers are well placed to advise clients on material selection for their specific needs.

There are several factors that we take into consideration such as quantity, cost, manufacturing process, chemical resistance, thermal expansion, strength, etc.

Some of the specific industries where we have knowledge on material selection are food (FDA approval), chemical and pharmaceutical, vacuum, electrical, medical and consumer products.

Manufacturing Consultation

As well as designing for specific manufacturing processes, C-Tech can also offer a consultation service. Our engineers can advise on the best/quickest/cheapest route to manufacture, and are happy to liaise directly with the manufacturer on behalf of the client. We are able to project manage the development process from CAD model to pre-production parts to final manufactured components.

We can source the best supplier for any particular part, and also arrange for the assembly, testing and packaging of the final product.