Service
Tooling, jobwork and how a new part starts
All Alpine Stampings products are made to customer drawings. This is how we set that work up and keep it running.
Tooling
Alpine Stampings builds its own progressive tooling, including auto-stack and auto-skew, from tungsten carbide or high-speed steel to suit the part. Tools are built to our own standards by long-standing, dedicated toolmakers.
We maintain tools on the same floor that runs them, so a worn tool can be sharpened in house on our dedicated grinders.
A tool is only needed where a part is not already tooled. The standard E and I transformer lamination types are the exception on this site: those are tooled, listed with every dimension, and need no tool cost at all.
Jobwork
Alpine Stampings does jobwork stamping and conversion using your tooling and your material at the Daman works. We apply the same inspection cadence as to our own material.
That cadence — first-off at setup, in-process during the run, and final inspection before packing — is set out in full under what we check, and when, and it does not change because the material arrived from you rather than from a mill.
Starting a new part
Step 01
Drawing and grade
Send us the drawing with the grade, thickness, coating and monthly volume. If the grade is not settled, we will tell you what we can supply against the application.
Step 02
Tool layout and costing
We prepare the tool layout and quote the part rate alongside the tool cost and its amortisation.
Step 03
Sample and first-off approval
We submit samples against the drawing. We agree tolerances per part and confirm them at first-off inspection before releasing the run. Samples are typically ready 60-90 days from receiving drawing and order confirmation.
Step 04
Running schedule
Once approved, the part runs against your schedule, with the same first-off, in-process and final inspection on every lot.
Common questions
How tooling, jobwork and a new part actually work here.
- Do you do jobwork on customer-supplied material?
- Yes. Alpine Stampings does stamping and conversion work using your tooling, and applies the same inspection cadence to that work as to its own material — first-off at setup, in-process during the run, and final inspection before packing.
- How is tooling handled, and how is it paid for?
- Alpine Stampings both builds its own tooling and runs customer-supplied tooling for jobwork; how a tool is handled is agreed per part. Where we build the tool, its cost is amortised transparently in the costing. The tool layout and the tool cost are quoted alongside the part rate, so you see both before you commit.
- What kind of tooling do you build?
- Alpine Stampings builds progressive tooling, including auto-stack and auto-skew, from either tungsten carbide or high-speed steel to suit the part. Tools are built to Alpine's own standards by long-standing, dedicated toolmakers, and are maintained on the same floor that runs them, so a worn tool is sharpened in house on Alpine's own grinders.
- How does a new part start?
- A new part at Alpine Stampings starts with your drawing, stating the grade, thickness, coating and monthly volume. Alpine then prepares the tool layout and quotes the part rate alongside the tool cost and its amortisation, submits samples against the drawing, agrees tolerances per part and confirms them at first-off inspection, and releases the part to run against your schedule.
- How long does it take to get samples?
- Samples from Alpine Stampings are typically ready 60-90 days from receipt of the drawing and order confirmation. The part is released to run only after first-off inspection against the agreed tolerances.
- Do you make anything to a standard catalogue, or is it all to drawing?
- All Alpine Stampings products are made to customer drawings, with one exception: the standard E and I transformer lamination types listed on the E&I chart, which are already tooled.
Related pages
- Standard E and I types
The one range that is already tooled, with every dimension listed. No tool cost, no sample lead time.
- What we check, and when
The inspection cadence applied to jobwork and to our own material alike.
- How a coil becomes a packed lot
What happens between a released first-off and a labelled crate.
Request a quotation
Send us the drawing with the grade, thickness and monthly volume. If the grade is not settled, say so and we will advise against the application.