1 2 3 Case study 1 Filter repellent gasket Case study 2

Case study 1
Filter repellent gasket
A challenging brief from a major
Japanese OEM.
We were asked to laminate a
5mm Neoprene sponge to a
liquid repellent scrim, without all
the materials creasing. The main
problem to overcome was how to
keep the laminating adhesive away
from the centre to allow sound to
pass. Working as a team with our
material suppliers and a machine
manufacturer, we developed a
Case study 2
Open gasket
way to laminate two adhesives, a
Neoprene Sponge and Scrim, cut
them to shape, whilst leaving no
adhesive in the centre and giving
the customer sprocket holes to help
with general alignment. We are very
proud of the fact we achieved this
at our specialist facility using an
in-line process, with no creases and
a production time of ten hours for
500,000 components.
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2
Complete material preparation service
Components formed to your exact specification featuring, for example, precision
die-cutting of high performance plastics, multi-material lamination, partial adhesive
backing, surface coating and skeleton waste removal - all formatted for manual or
automated assembly.
Surface coating
Base material
Choose from EPDM,
Neoprene, Polyethylene,
Polyurethane etc to
suit various
applications including
anti-vibration parts,
dust and waterproofing
seals, gaskets and
general cushioning.
Adhesive backing
Coverage may be partial or
selective from a range of
specialist adhesives to suit
every application, including
temperature, water resistant,
permanent, peelable,
aggressive and low tack.
Allows assembly to have,
for example high or low
friction properties.
Multi-material
laminates
Multiple shapes
laminated together
can give different
physical properties
to different areas
of the assembly,
eg sound, particle or
fluid filtration.
Backing sheet
Finished
components
Available to suit
customers’ own
specifications.
3
Waste removed and
precision punched
to suit various
automatic assembly
systems.
Gasket design in an enclosure is as
critical in forming a good seal as the
gasket material itself. The design of
the gasket will have a direct impact
on functionality and performance.
Avon Group have developed, over
the last year, a die-cut gasket which
eliminates corner seals, reducing
waste and cost for our customers.
The innovative ‘fold-out’ gasket
allows the die-cut to be expanded
to its final form (illustrated above)
without compromising corner sealing,
minimising potential wear
and leakage.
Avon Group continues to push the
boundaries of design and innovation.
We can help reduce the cost of base
materials by supplying precisely the
product size or shape you require and
eliminating wastage. We maintain
our quality standards and product
performance, reducing rejection rates
and simplifying volume production
and assembly systems.
Processing capabilities
•Adhesive coating & laminating
•Aerosol, gaskets & seals
Avon Group Manufacturing Ltd.
30 Vale Lane,
Bedminster, Bristol
BS3 5RU
United Kingdom
AER Stafford Ltd.
Bellsize Close, Norton Canes,
Cannock, Staffordshire
WS11 9TQ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)117 904 3355
Fax:+44 (0)117 904 3366
enquiries@avon-group.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1543 270002
Fax:+44 (0)1543 278046
enquiries@aer-stafford.com
Avon Engineered Rubber Ltd.
Maerdy, Ferndale,
Mid Glamorgan,
South Wales
CF43 4FP
United Kingdom
Avon TSA Ltd.
Blaenant Works,
Brynmawr, Gwent
NP23 4BX
United Kingdom
•Die cutting/kiss cutting
•Extrusion & lathe cut washers
•NVH solutions
•Phosphating, rubber to metal
& plastic bonding
•Plastic injection moulding
(rigid & flexible)
•Rubber 2K & rubber overmoulding
•Technical rubber & polyurethane
foam moulding
•Textile shapes & assemblies
•Tool production & technical design
•Vacuum forming (rigid & foam)
•Water cutting
Tel: +44 (0)1443 735000
Fax:+44 (0)1443 735209
enquiries@aerlimited.co.uk
P & D Manufacturing Ltd.
Unit A11, Fiveways Trading Estate,
Westwells Road, Hawthorn,
Corsham, Wiltshire
SN13 9RG
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1495 312666
Fax:+44 (0)1495 312819
enquiries@tsa-ltd.co.uk
Avon Engineered Rubber Inc.
843 Commerce Parkway,
Carpentersville, IL.
60110, USA
Tel:001-224-293-6170
Fax:001-224-293-6172
enquiries@aerlimited.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1225 812900
Fax:+44 (0)1225 812600
enquiries@pdmanufacturing.co.uk
PP Injection
Moulds & Mouldings Ltd.
Lower Bevers Brook Industrial Estate,
Redman Road,
Calne, Wiltshire
SN11 9PL
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1249 823100
Fax:+44 (0)1249 823103
enquiries@ppmoulds.co.uk
www.avon-group.co.uk
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is accurate as of September 2014.
Avon Group reserves the right to introduce at any time modifications, or changes to their products. E&OE.
Please recycle. Printed in the UK on paper from sustainable sources. © 2014 Avon Group. All rights reserved.
AG-TSA-01-9.14
Textile shapes and assemblies
Making a big noise in acoustic
material technology.
World class engineering solutions
Textile shapes and assemblies
The Avon Group of companies encompasses capability, passion
and engineering excellence built up over 40 years.
Acoustics/materials lab and
environmental chambers:
Avon Group has invested heavily in its
test and laboratory facilities as they
form a core part of our continued
innovation, new product development
and validation. The flexibility, inherent
in our manufacturing systems, ensures
a wide scope of customer challenges
can be met through speed and
innovation and brought quickly
to market.
Our TSA plant harnesses everything
we know about noise reduction from
innovating through prototype to
production, utilising all materials from
PU to rubber, plastics, foam, and fibre.
Suppliers for many years to the
automotive and electronics industry,
we have built up unrivalled expertise
and are able to offer innovative,
cost effective solutions to the most
exacting requirements.
We continue to invest in our people,
our technology and our infrastructure
enabling us to be market leaders in
our field.
Capabilities include:
• Heat sealed edge cutting
• Die stamping
• Kiss cutting (and waste removal)
• Plastic injection moulding
• Rubber moulding
• Vacuum forming
• Adhesive coating
• Water cutting
• Extrusion and lathe cutting
• Oscillating knife cutting.
Bespoke acoustic solutions
Throughout the world there is a growing emphasis on quality of life, coupled
with intense pressure to protect our environment. Working in partnership with
our customers, we have built up considerable experience of the needs of
differing market sectors.
Electronics,
leisure and
industrial
This knowledge and experience,
together with our comprehensive
acoustic testing facilities
and laboratories, ensures a
complementary resource, which
our customers find invaluable when
problem solving is critical.
Our in-house development and
production facilities offer rapid
response, advanced engineering
design and fast-track problem solving.
Prototype components are produced
and tested rigorously on-site before
the product is manufactured in
our own plant to exacting quality
standards. Expertise in the use of low
weight, high performance materials
ensure Avon Group customers can
compete in global markets with the
most effective products.
The following list is a small example
of the variety of materials and
components we currently provide for
the automotive industry related to
acoustics;
• Adhesive backed felts for anti-rattle
applications within dashboard and
door panels
• Cut felt and foam parts for sealing
areas in heating systems
• Insulation and sound proofing
materials for boot, tailgate and
under bonnet
• Sealing strips for light clusters
• Anti-squeak panels placed between
different surfaces
Thinsulate
As well as leading the
way in specialist vehicle
acoustics, Avon Group is
an established gasket,
seal and plastic mould
partner with a wide
portfolio of clients in the
electronics, leisure and
industrial sector.
Avon Group’s range of knowledge and
expertise, combined with our first class
on-site facilities, has driven forward
innovative, cost-effective technologies
in these sectors. Avon Group supplies
a wide range of gaskets presented in
different formats using a broad range
of machinery into these industries.
Automotive solutions
Depending on the nature and
complexity of the finished product,
we can also support our client base
through dedicated in-house bespoke
machinery design and manufacture for
more intricate component assembly
and finishing operations.
An integral and invaluable part of the
product development and validation
chain are the Avon Group laboratories,
where nearly all elements of acoustical
and environmental (life-cycle)
validation may be performed.
In-house project management
Avon Group are specialist manufacturers
of technical textiles components for
automotive applications. We have
been established in the automotive
supply chain since 1971 and currently
sell into the major brands purchased
in the European area, on either tier 1
or tier 2 supply basis. We primarily cut,
produce and finish a wide variety of
products, all of which can be supplied
with or without an adhesive backing.
Avon Group is a technology and
knowledge led company and operates
an automotive quality system as
defined under ISO/TS 16949. We
are able to offer full in-house project
management, incorporating product
design and development, CAD modelling,
tooling design and tooling manufacture.
Our manufacturing sites contain
a wide array of processes, meaning
that a very substantial range
of component complexity and
production volumes may be
accommodated.
These processes include...
Oscillating knife
cutting
Rubber
moulding
EPT
Non phenolic
Recon
Anti-rattle tape
(chip foam)
Thinsulate
Permanent
adhesive
Reticulated
foam
Closed cell
sponge
Perm-peel
adhesive
Polyurethane
(low density
/high density)
Heat sealed
edge cutting
Die cutting/
stamping
Kiss cutting
Plastic injection
moulding
Vacuum forming
Water cutting
Extrusion &
lathe cutting
Adhesive
coating
Material solutions for industry
Avon Group can supply the very best non-metallic
material solutions for a wide range of industries.
Automotive
Rail
The complete range of materials
for all applications throughout the
vehicle, under bonnet, IP and interior
trim. From simple anti-rattle tape to
seals, gaskets & NVH materials.
We can offer rail specific materials
such as Basotect, with or without
foil lamination and present the
products in kit form to help with
your assembly.
White goods
Brown goods
Whether it’s double-sided tape for
trim applications, protective film for a
delicate area or simple foams for the
movement of air.
Whether it’s anti-rattle tape for
the bezel of the TV, or a high
performance PU Foam.
Air conditioning (HVAC)
Medical
Avon Group can offer the full range of
materials to act as seals and gaskets.
We can also laminate films to the top
surface to improve the performance
of the material.
We can manufacture bespoke
packaging that will protect your
medical implant or instrument. All
materials used meet FDA standards.
Whatever your manufacturing
problem, we have a solution.
We have developed
unrivalled expertise
in meeting the needs
of our individual
customers.
Andrew Francis
Andrew Francis
Sales Director
Avon TSA Limited,
Brynmawr, Gwent.
As suppliers to the automotive and
electronics industries for many years,
we have developed unrivalled expertise
in meeting the needs of our individual
customers. Our services go far beyond
the simple die-cutting and converting
of non-metallic components. We go into
the realms of full slug and waste removal
of specialised gaskets and double sided
tapes. We are always investigating new
and better ways of improving production
capability, quality and environmental
management by investing in the latest
machine technology and in training
excellence. Because of this we can offer
the most innovative, cost effective and
flexible solutions to our customers. We
have recently invested in new modern
office space which creates a warm and
pleasing environment for staff and
customers alike.
Converting
Avon Group specialises in providing customised solutions to individual customers’
needs. With in-house tool making, a range of cutting machines and with over
40 years of expertise we are able to produce the right results, for the right price,
time after time.
Kiss cutting <25mm
We can make and present bespoke
products for your assembly line; we
can add easy peel tabs or partial
adhesive to exacting requirements,
including waste removal. Kiss cutting
can produce a very user friendly
product and is the solution of choice
for both labour intensive, manual and
robotic production lines.
Die/water cutting <2m
We can offer cutting with or without
adhesive including seal cut edges
(subject to material), we can also
supply parts in kit form for ease of
assembly.
Adhesives and laminating
With capability up to 1.5m wide,
1m diameter, we can apply our own
low cost product or laminate a wide
range of double sided tapes. We can
adhesive coat (high/low tack) most
materials in either sheets or rolls,
including laminating (open cell foam
to closed cell foam).
Die cut
With the ability to produce our
own tools and a choice of cutting
presses, we are able to meet the
most demanding requirements. From
cutting millions of washers, strips or
discs through to larger components
in smaller quantities. Our skilled
machinists are able to choose the right
machine for the right process, ensuring
exacting results every time.
Assembly
Avon Group components can be
assembled onto third party products.
Adhesive tapes can also be applied to
more than one surface.
Technical capabilities
Analysis is carried out in Avon Group’s in-house, state of the art laboratories where the
development specialists and partners (3M & Nitto) are constantly seeking to create
new, innovative and commercially successful products for all our customers’ needs.
Avon Group’s long-term investment plans for R & D ensure current products continue
to progress, as well as innovating pioneering concepts to introduce into the market.
Avon Group is able to provide
prototyping, design, tooling,
manufacture and testing services, as
well as ongoing technical support.
Environmental impact is always at
the forefront when creating any new
product. We use sustainable and
recycled materials wherever possible,
sourcing materials locally, reducing
the manufacturing carbon footprint,
making every solution as green
as possible.
Conversion facilities
Avon Group takes individual customer
requirements very seriously, it lies
at the heart of everything we do. As
supplier to the world’s largest OEM’s
we are committed to providing the
right products on time, every time.
To do this we invest in the latest
conversion machinery capable of
finishing customers’ products to
exacting requirements.
Cutting tables
Our cutting tables enable us to
produce intricate components
without the need for tooling. Our
CNC machines can be programmed
from CAD drawings. Our experienced
operators are able to produce precisely
cut parts, first time, every time with
optimal material usage.
Logistics
All our customers’ projects are
important to us. We will work with
you to deliver parts on time, packed
or ready for use, as one delivery, or in
batches to suit your requirements.
Cutting tools
With our own tooling facilities we are
able to stay in control of the whole
service, able to offer speed of service
and total control of projects.
We work with our customers to
reduce labour and assembly times
by producing product solutions that
enable enhanced efficiencies, from
kiss/butt/part cut to easy peel/tabbed
backs, we do the hard work so you
don’t have to.
Testing facilities
Acoustics, materials lab and
environmental chambers.
Based at our AER facility, the
acoustic and materials laboratories
offer a complete service to support
the product development and
engineering functions of the Group.
Where possible, all testing or material
validation follows the most relevant
international standards, guaranteeing
the quality and reproducibility of the
results. The Avon Group laboratories
were established in 1997 and are
continually reviewed and updated.
The staff have a wide range of
competencies and experience. A
new ‘vehicle sized’ development
area is being developed that will
provide the ideal platform for
product benchmarking (physical and
acoustical), as well as automotive
acoustic system refinement.
Customer participation is welcomed
and encouraged at all stages during
the development and refinement
process.
Capabilities include:
Lathe slitting
We can cut all materials (up to
1500mm) from light weight foams to
hard wound production tape.
Rewind slitting
For materials difficult to lathe slit such
as cloth tapes and fibrous materials.
Guillotining
For single/double sided tapes
(including laminating of different
materials).
Die cut facilities
Avon produces its own dies so we
really can cater to all requirements
from simple to complex.
Polyurethane (PU)
Polyurethane (PU) foam is made from a viscous material that sets in a mould rather
than being pressed out. It is widely used in high resiliency flexible foam seating, rigid
foam insulation panels, microcellular foam seals and gaskets, durable elastomeric
wheels and tyres, automotive suspension bushings, seals and gaskets.
Automotive
Avon Group are pioneers in the use of
PU in the Automotive industry. This
experience and expertise results in
lower tooling costs and the ability to
form more complex shapes involving
right angles and stand ups, all
benefiting our customers. This cannot
be done using rubber as the action of
the tool destroys the component and
material. In recent years, the price
of rubber, driven by the world supply
has significantly increased by up to
400% in many cases. In contrast the
PU alternative has not been subject
to such a substantial increase in the
cost of its base material, resulting
in PU material being a serious
alternative. This is a significant
element in OEM decision making when
sourcing products to suit a particular
requirement.
Special grades
PU can be developed to give
specific properties or add to
existing grades;
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Automotive foam types
Anti-microbial & biocide additives
to resist growth of mould/mildew
Flame resistant/self extinguishing
Edge weldable
Water seals
Low permeability
Thermoformable
Anti-static
Avon Group PU is significantly lighter
than solid rubber due to its unique open
cell/cellular construction.
Innovating new materials and processes
Avon Group are proud partners of
For an engineering business to be
successful, innovation has to be a
core activity.
We strive to stay ahead of our
customers’ expectations by looking
into future product requirements.
Our market never stands still and we
are constantly looking for greener,
lighter, stronger, smaller solutions to
our customers’ needs which means
Environmental
and
continually innovating and introducing
new materials and processes. Working
closely with our partners 3M and Nitto
we continually discuss new ideas that
can be developed into new products.
This means we never stand still,
constantly reviewing the products we
produce, always looking to enhance
and improve the materials we use and
the way we use them.
The Avon Group takes its R&D very
seriously; re-investing profits and
always looking for new product and
material innovations. R&D doesn’t
end with new product development,
another focus is the optimisation of
our manufacturing processes and
project management capabilities,
continually looking to provide the
very best products at the right cost,
right on time.
Avon Group stock cleaner, greener foams
that exhibit lower emissions and sulphur
free materials, now available from our Nitto
product range.