When it comes to metal processing, ASD is a name you can trust. With a commitment to innovation, quality and customer service, we have become one of the leading providers of metal products and processing services in the UK. Thanks to our team of in-house experts and state-of-the-art facilities, we can handle even the most complex metal-processing challenges and serve clients across various industries including construction, energy, heavy machinery, transport, marine, defence and nuclear.
Our recently introduced high-integrity production cell at Dudley features flat laser, water jet and press brake machines and offers our customers the benefits of greater efficiency coupled with heightened focus on quality, safety and dependability.
Our high-integrity cell comprises a controlled ‘stainless only’ environment where water jet, flatbed laser and press brake activities are conducted under conditions that manage cross-contamination and foreign-object debris, with emphasis on nuclear safety and quality awareness.
Darren Craven, Project Engineering Manager at ASD
At ASD we like to get involved at the beginning of projects, which gives us the opportunity to break down the information into the finest details. From this we can look at any quality requirements, processes involved, implementation of value engineering, and assess costs-down opportunities from efficiency gains. Typical examples of project analysis include material specs, UKCA/CE marking, legislations, carbon emission targets and project deadlines. This way we can make sure it all matches the final solution and delivers on [the] customer’s expectations.
Read on to learn about the different metal-processing capabilities we offer our customers that set ASD apart.
FIBRE AND CO2 LASER CUTTING
ASD’s flatbed laser portfolio includes the latest technology for both fibre and CO2 processing. Our in-house capabilities include:
- Capacity to process large volumes as well as small batch profiling
- Material designated machines (to eradicate material cross-contamination)
- Cutting of Carbon, Stainless and Galvanised Steel, Aluminium and Cor-ten® or weathering steel
- UKCA/CE marking to execution class 4
- Maximum length 6000mm and width 2000mm
- Cut tolerances (+/− 0.25mm)
- Maximum cutting thickness 30mm on stainless steel 20mm on mild steel and 15mm on aluminium
- Etching identification (part numbers can be automatically etched onto the profile).
WATER JET CUTTING
Our water jet facilitates cutting without causing metallurgical changes in the processed material as there is no heat transferred in the process. Water jet cutting allows efficient production, resulting in high component accuracy and excellent surface quality at the cut edge. What’s more, with water jet cutting, no pollutants are created during the cutting process, so it’s environmentally friendly too. Our capabilities include:
- Cutting up to 200mm thick material
- Cutting Stainless steel, including Duplex and Super Duplex types
- Maximum length 4010mm and width 2010mm
- Cutting tolerance +/− 0.25mm.
FORMING/BENDING
We specialise in custom 3D shape bending/pressing using our Bystronic Xpert press brake. It can produce high-quality bends on parts up to 4100 mm in length with 320 tonne pressure. We ensure clean results by using separate tools for mild and stainless steel.
PROFILING
We can process large area plates up to 14m x 3.2m in a number of grades, ranging from structural steels through to pressure vessel, boiler and offshore grades. Our team of experts can also help with technical advice where needed. We are equipped to handle both volume and small-batch profiling and can provide material traceability along with quality assurance certifications on request.
Last year, we also added the Gemini Ficep to our portfolio to offer efficient plate processing for our customers. This new machine can perform multiple processes easily including oxy-fuel and plasma cutting, countersinking, drilling, milling, tapping, bevelling and scribing.
Our capabilities:
PLASMA PROFILE CUTTING
- UKCA/CE marking to Execution Class 4
- High-definition cutting up to 80mm thick
- Full cutting capabilities up to 3000mm wide and up to 13,000mm in length
- Standard tolerance +/− 2mm, with tighter tolerances available on application
- Full plate etching available across all machines
- Bolt hole technology
- Plasma bevel cutting.
OXY-FUEL PROFILE CUTTING
- UKCA/CE marking to Execution Class 4
- Cutting capability up to 180mm
- Full cutting capability up to 3200mm wide and up to 13000mm in length
- Individual piece weight of 18 tonnes
- Standard tolerance +/− 3mm, with tighter tolerances available on application.
PLANAR MEASURING
Our in-house planar measuring system improves the precision and accuracy of manufactured parts, ensuring that they conform to the specified standards. It allows us to streamline the production process, driving faster turnaround times for our customers and leading to overall cost savings. This tool is highly valuable to us as it enhances the quality of the products we supply and helps us meet required specifications.
To find out more about our processing capabilities, contact our team here
ASD’s Processing Capabilities: Meeting Your 3D Processing Requirements
ASD’s Processing Capabilities: Expert De-coiling, Slitting, and Blanking Solutions
ASD’s Processing Capabilities: Advanced Sawing, Drilling, Shot Blasting, and Painting
ASD’s Processing Capabilities: Adding Value with Section Bending, Routing, Punching & Shearing