“We use latest technology tube manipulation equipment and expect to get the best from it. This is because of our combination of tube manipulation expertise and experience in the design and manufacture of tooling, both for our own use and for other sub-contract and in-house tube manipulators.”

In addition to the new swing tube bender, Acorn Engineering Services also has a BLM three-axis NC832 CNC tube bender and a BLM CNC tube end-forming machine. Capable of forming, machining and rolling operations on tubes up to 80mm outside diameter, the AST80 CNC end-former enables Acorn to supply tube components ready for assembly into, for example, hydraulic pressure systems and automotive assemblies.

Acorn Engineering Services was set up to provide a design service to tube manipulators, covering anything related to tube, especially tooling, and also to design special-purpose machines, one example being a machine that assembled windscreen wiper units. However, the actual production of tooling was sub-contracted out until, says Jim West, “it dawned on me that I was giving away hard-won knowledge”. It was then that he decided to set up his own tool room and subsequently to take on tube manipulation work.

“There is no conflict of interest as regards our sub-contract tool room service because we tend to be offered the tube manipulation jobs that no-one else wants,” says James West. ”This is usually because they are too difficult or because they are relatively low volume. We have over the years been involved with a lot of automotive work and, despite the impact of low cost global competition and other factors, still produce car seat frames and off-road vehicle access ladders as well as steering column tubes.”

Tel. 0121 459 3900