Toolmaking: CASE STUDY

"Cokers have been an excellent partner in our tooling needs. They understand the challenges faced and go above and beyond to meet our specific requirements and tight deadlines. The expertise and knowledge Andy has is second to none in the toolmaking industry and we really value our relationship with Cokers”.

Dean Wealleans | Managing Director

Ley Holdings, including Ley Rubber and COH Baines.

COH Baines are a market leader in the production and supply of rubber and plastic extrusions and mouldings. An independent UK Company with more than 80 years’ experience; they stock a wide range of extrusion profiles and moulded products to supply a diverse range of industries; from Aerospace, Automotive, Construction, Electronics, and Engineering to Leisure Industries including, Caravans, Classic Cars and Marine with a variety of moulded items. 

They are also the sister company of Ley Rubber Ltd, a long established and well-regarded supplier of extrusions and mouldings.

COH Baines approached Cokers in late 2018 with a tool making proposal. They had identified a number of products that would expand COH’s product offering to their customers, particularly those in the classic car market.

A number of rare OEM parts had been sourced which were no longer readily available in the marketplace. They were looking to find a UK tool maker, with the capabilities and experience to reverse engineer these parts and supply COH Baines with their own custom-made tooling which they could then mould in-house. The array of tools needed meant they needed a committed supplier that would work to their priorities and deadlines.

Tooling Design

Many of the parts supplied were deteriorated from weather conditions, notably a variety of rubber quarter-light window seals. 

Interpreting and replicating the parts was the key challenge faced by our CAD design specialist.  For example, a quarter-light would have multiple profiles within it, each necessary to form the exact fit to the door and window frame. 

Each separate section had to be scanned and modelled and like a jigsaw puzzel, put back together again. With Andrew’s knowledge of the practicalities of rubber moulding and de-moulding, Andrew was able to use this expertise in the design process, to enable to complex parts to be made using compression moulding techniques.

From the simple to the complex, Cokers are proud to supply tool making services to COH Baines, and their sister company Ley Rubber with custom made tools.

www.coh-baines.co.uk