Can anyone on PH make this ? (steel section)

[marshalla]

Or recommend someone who can ?

Not the greatest photo, I know, but I'm looking for someone who can produce or source lengths of this section. It was originally done in folded steel, but we'd be happy to look at aluminium or stainless steel if those are an option. It's for a car window frame.

[Steve57]

are those sizes really mm? rather small if that is 1mm,

how much you looking for? not something we do as such but i have sourced similar in the past. If lots then you can search for extrusion specialist who will make a template and then can run off pretty much any amount you need.

[marshalla]

Typical crime scene scale, I'm sorry to say. The small intervals are 1mm.

How much we would buy depends on price, but it will be 10s of m. most likely, possible rising to a couple of hundred if we can find something suitable at the right price.

[FiF]

I think you might get a shock at the minimum quantities involved.

For aluminium try Sapa or Capalex.

Metalfin are stockists and may be able to give you other pointers.

For steel or stainless will be expensive as it has to be hot extruded and then cold drawn. Not sure who there is now.

Osborn steel extrusions? Not sure what they're called now. RTI something?

[marshalla]

The original was made by folding - is this is a lost art now ?

[FiF]

Probably not that's why suggested metalfin. There's a chance they can point you in a direction. Quantity you want is more in a stockholder area than a manufacturer. They should know who can do what.

High set up costs for folding perhaps. Dunno not my field.

[marshalla]

Thanks - I'll give them a shout. Meanwhile, if anyone else has ideas, please let me know!

[Simpo Two]

It might be worth a call to www.seaglaze.co.uk in Norfolk. They make marine windows but the frames are extrusions and their window catches are bent metal.

[Steve57]

i'll gladly give it a go folding but dont think our box and pan folder will managed that profile.

[cptsideways]

That looks very much like a boat or caravan type window trim

[tight fart]

Have you tried Aalco?

[marshalla]

Over the last 18 months, I think I've tried just about anyone who can be found on the web, including caravan & boat suppliers.

They either don't reply or have nothing suitable.

[Fishtigua]

Try Trend Marine in Norfolk, they do all the windows for Sunseeker.

http://www.trendmarine.com/marine-glazing-products...

[Frenchda]

I am rather clueless about all of this but has 3d printing got this far yet. Would plastic be strong enough?
Can it be made strong enough?

[marshalla]

Frenchda said:

I am rather clueless about all of this but has 3d printing got this far yet. Would plastic be strong enough?
Can it be made strong enough?

I doubt it. Even the steel is a bit too flexible at times.

[b0rk]

Looking at the piece it's not folded but rather has been cold rolled.

We do not have a suitable machine or rollset but I can think of a few competitors that do have the machinery however you'd need to talking lots in the 10,000's make it economic as they'd need to get bespoke tooling made up.

For the volumes your talking about you'd be best off getting the piece(s) machined.

[FiF]

If you look at the bottom legs in the photo, there are clearly two layers. It looks like a fold there.

But I agree that I suspect this has been rolled from flat strip. Possibly in more than one operation step. Or if quantities permitted, and in car manufacturing they usually are eye watering quantities to normal batch manufacturers of bespoke products, it could possibly be a multi stand roll setup, flat strip in one end, section out of the other end.

As posted earlier the min quantity will be almost certainly far more than the OP desires.

One thought, presumably this is for a vehicle where there maybe many still running as classics. Any others from the same manufacturer? Could it be worth talking to any of the main restorers of the marque. Maybe that's you? Bit of a punt though.

[Birkin1932]

You need to set up an extrusion supplier, albeit expensive

http://www.capalex.co.uk

[b0rk]

FiF said:

If you look at the bottom legs in the photo, there are clearly two layers. It looks like a fold there.

The top has a form of semi-dutch bead and bottom section is basic double back roll, not complex with the right kit. You'd flower the larger upward leg first then incrementally bring down the lower legs. The hardest thing would be controlling straightness through the machine. I'd suggest 30 to 40 passes could do it all in-line at speed. Assuming it's under 2mm thick pre-galvanised steel volume production would put the section well under £1 a lin meter but the tooling would run well passed 40k.

uPVC window reinforcements are TBH substantially more complex profile wise and still cold-rolled from flat strip.

[cold thursday]

Pultrusion in GRP or Carbon ?
Loads of uk Companies in that line.

http://www.angliacomposites.co.uk/products/pultrud...

http://www.evergrip.com/products/composite-product...

http://www.duracomposites.com/dura-profile-fibregl...

...............etc Search for "pultruded profiles".