In-house tool room
The tool makes the part. We design and build our own thermoforming tooling under one roof — from quick MDF and 3D-printed patterns for a first sample, through Sika-block, epoxy and FRP tools for medium runs, up to temperature-controlled, solid-billet machined aluminium for high-volume production. Choosing the right tool for your stage and volume is the difference between a fast, economical programme and an expensive one.
Discuss your toolStart from where your part is and how many you need — each row jumps to the tooling that fits.
| Your programme | Recommended tooling |
|---|---|
| Rapid prototype / first sample | 3D-printed · MDF · Sika block |
| Master pattern & fine detail | Sika / modelling board · cast epoxy |
| Large simple parts, low volume | MDF · high-density wood |
| Large curved covers & panels | FRP composite · cast aluminium |
| Medium-volume production | Cast aluminium · cast epoxy |
| High volume, tight tolerance | Solid-billet machined aluminium |
| Fastest cycle & dimensional stability | Temperature-controlled aluminium |
| Deep draws & thick gauge | Cast / billet aluminium + plug assists |
Every tool below is designed and made in-house — the full ladder from a same-week prototype pattern to a production-grade aluminium mould.
Medium-density fibreboard
The fastest, most economical way to a first-off tool — machined and sealed in-house for early samples and simple large shapes.
Best for: Prototypes, design validation and short vacuum-forming runs.
Densified hardwood / plywood pattern
Denser and more durable than MDF — holds edges and detail over longer runs where a robust pattern tool is needed.
Best for: Larger covers and panels at low-to-medium volume.
PU / epoxy tooling board
Grain-free polyurethane and epoxy modelling board, CNC-machined to a fine, dimensionally stable surface — the go-to for master patterns and detailed prototypes.
Best for: Master patterns, fine-detail prototypes and low-volume tools.
Fibre-reinforced plastic mould
Composite moulds laid up off a master pattern — light, strong and economical for large, curved covers and body panels.
Best for: Large enclosures, body panels and curved covers at medium volume.
Aluminium-filled epoxy tool
Cast epoxy tools — often aluminium-filled for better heat transfer — that reproduce fine detail faster than fully machined metal.
Best for: Detailed parts and bridge tooling between prototype and production.
Cast + finish-machined
Aluminium tools cast to shape then finish-machined — with integrated vacuum holes and cooling channels for repeatable production.
Best for: Complex production moulds where geometry suits casting.
5-axis CNC from solid billet
The premium production tool — 5-axis CNC-machined from a single solid billet for the tightest tolerances, finest vacuum detailing and longest life.
Best for: High-volume, tight-tolerance thin- and thick-gauge production.
Water / oil-channelled aluminium
Aluminium production tools with integrated water or oil channels holding the mould at a set temperature — for fast cycles and consistent, low-stress parts.
Best for: High-volume runs demanding cycle-time and dimensional stability.
Additive moulds, plugs & fixtures
Additively manufactured tools, plug assists and fixtures — for rapid prototypes, complex geometry and bridge tooling with a very short turnaround.
Best for: Rapid prototypes, bridge tooling, plug assists and fixtures.
Production tooling
On a production aluminium tool, water or oil channels hold the mould at a set temperature. The sheet cools evenly and predictably, so every part comes off at the same size, with less moulded-in stress and warpage — and the cycle runs faster. It is the single biggest lever on quality and cost at volume, and it is why the best production tools are channelled aluminium, not bare wood or board.
Repeatable cycles
A stable tool temperature means a stable cycle time, run after run.
Tight tolerances
Even cooling holds dimensions across the whole part and the whole batch.
Low stress & warpage
Controlled cooling relaxes the part, so it stays flat and true.
Better surface
Consistent tool temperature lifts detail and finish off the mould.
A mould on its own doesn’t make a finished part. We build the whole forming and finishing cell in-house.
Syntactic-foam and felt plug assists that pre-stretch the sheet for even wall thickness in deep and complex draws.
5-axis CNC trimming fixtures and drill jigs so every part is cut, bored and finished to the same datums as the mould.
Fine vacuum holes and venting engineered into the tool for crisp detail pick-up and fast, mark-free forming.
Matt, gloss, leather and geometric textures worked into the tool surface — no secondary graining needed.
Design, machining, build and validation — all under one roof, so the tool is right before it runs.
We review your part for draft, radii, undercuts and wall thickness, then model the tool and plug in CAD before any material is cut.
Formable design, first time
Pick the right tool — MDF or board for prototypes, FRP or epoxy for medium runs, cast or billet aluminium for production volumes.
Right tool for the volume
Master patterns and metal tools are 5-axis CNC-machined; cooling channels, vacuum holes and venting are built in.
Precision cut in-house
The mould is assembled, surfaced and textured, and matching trim jigs and plug assists are built alongside it.
A complete forming cell
We form first-off samples, check dimensions and finish against the drawing, and tune the tool until parts are signed off.
Proven before production
The validated tool runs in production, with in-house maintenance, repair and modification keeping it dimensionally true.
Long, reliable tool life
In-house tool room
Send your drawing or 3D model. We’ll recommend the right tool for your stage and volume — prototype pattern to temperature-controlled production mould — and quote it back with a DFM review.
ISO 9001:2015 certified · Most quotes back within 24 hours