COMPANY PROFILE

The Company was created in 1995 as a 'one-stop-shop' to specifically operate in the niche area of rapid high grade aluminium tool manufacture, quality inspection and low volume injection moulding.

Our Clients are companies requiring high tolerance technical mouldings on very small lead-times typically for development or pre-production purposes, and who may require from 1 to 50,000 parts from such tooling to support their project following approval stage.

As well as the supply of components for development use we find that the tool life of up to 50,000 shots can also match the life of certain Client product in many cases. As such they use our services for aluminium prototype tooling that will actually serve as production tooling but at greatly reduced cost and lead-times.

Unlike many other alternative prototype tooling techniques, the components produced from our tooling are moulded in production engineering thermoplastics, to very high tolerances, and are indistinguishable from parts produced from steel production tooling.

SPECIALIST PROTOTYPE AND PRE-PRODUCTION TOOLING SERVICES

Prototype and Development - Components for environmental and functionality testing in production materials and which are more representative than parts made by other prototyping processes.

Low volume production parts - Where conventional tool costs cannot be justified aluminium tooling can be capable of supporting production volumes of anything up to 50,000 parts.

Fast entry to market place - We can help you reduce the highly critical lead-time between design concept and the reality of components reaching market or approval.

Lower Costs - Typically traditional steel tools are 50% more expensive than our equivalent aluminium tooling and lead times are longer.

DESIGN

Dudley Associates continues to invest in the latest and most advanced hardware and software on the market to guarantee rapid processing and modelling of Client data.

Native CAD Data can be received from all major design platforms such as Catia, Solidworks, SDRC Ideas, Autocad, STL, VDA, ProEngineer, Step and Unigraphics. Native CAD files are received, virus checked, 3D CADCAM translated, and DNC linked directly into our high end multi-head CNC machines for rapid response and manufacture. Any issues with data are immediately discussed with the Client on receipt and in a pro-active manner to ensure lead-times are minimised.

Where appropriate Dudley Associates can update Client CAD data should engineering changes be needed before the Client can update and re-issue their data in-house. Full design and technical 2D/3D CADCAM support is available.

Client confidentiality is maintained and all drawings are issue controlled. Off site backups are taken to ensure complete protection.

EXPORT

Dudley Associates supply first and second tier Clients in the USA, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Holland and Germany.

Our reputation for on time delivery, technical ability and commitment guarantees that oversees contracts are properly serviced and development issues resolved quickly and in a proactive manner.

Components can be priority shipped direct to Clients' own Customer validation departments along with supporting quality documentation.

Our approach to tool manufacture and in-house moulding and inspection facilities in ensures a more responsive, cost effective, and controllable route for Purchasing Departments worldwide.

QUALITY - ISO9001:2000 AND MORE

Dudley Associates are accredited to ISO9001:2000. In addition we operate the PlasWare Manufacturing System (www.plasware.co.uk) and material batch traceability and AQP is as standard.

ISO9000 system requirements are further enhanced by AQP and Control Plans where requested and components are supplied with Certificates of Conformity and full ISIR or PPAP/PSW or PIST/PISC documentation. The Company procedures incorporate aspects of both QS9000 and VDA standards to allow First Tier direct sourcing.

IN-HOUSE INSPECTION FACILITIES

Our in house inspection facilities include a fully equipped Quality Department with an ITP 3 axis Co-ordinate Measuring Machine and Axil lite geometric tolerancing software as well as Shadowgraph with Quadracheck.

Issue controlled Patrol Records and Works Instruction Sheets are standard and boundary samples and 'first off' and 'last off' samples are retained.

Dudley Associates are Approved Suppliers to first and second tier automotive and electronics Clients and receive regular Supplier Audit and Supplier Rating Reports.