Masters of Sheet Metal | Magazine for Sheet Metal Processors
At Morgan, roadsters are built by hand, for true enthusiasts.
It holds and holds and holds …
The morgan motorcar, a british icon, stands for passion,
tradition and a great deal of handiwork —all cast in sheet
metal. That’s true enough, but under the hood you’ll find the
most modern of technology — and that is delivered by
Radshape.
The Morgan, that quintessentially English car, is the epitome of hand-built
excellence. That may be the prevailing image, but it’s not the full story. The
craftsmanship which symbolizes this brand is certainly very much alive and
well, but Morgan is also breaking new ground. It is now one of the most
high-tech automotive manufacturers around and this is reflected in its
models that range from pedal cars to supercars and the hydrogen fuel cell
powered LIFE car. And this diversity is thanks to the company’s adoption of
world-class manufacturing technologies. Many of these technologies are
provided through strategic partnerships with suppliers.
Precisely tailored
solutions for premium
vehicles
Who:
Radshape Sheet Metal Limited in
Birmingham, UK. Founded in
1967, 62 employees.
www.radshape.co.uk
What:
Tier 1 and Tier 2 supplier to
prestige automotive
manufacturers and the rail,
aerospace, commercial vehicle
and nuclear sectors. The
manufacture of aftermarket
spares for radio-controlled racing
A question of precision
Typical of this approach is Morgan’s alliance with the precision sheet
metalworking company, Radshape Sheet Metal, with which it developed its
bonded chassis. Morgan is therefore believed to be one of only four
automotive manufacturers in the world to embrace this technology, the
others being Aston Martin, Jaguar and Lotus. When Radshape started
manufacturing the Aero 8 bonded chassis in 1999, it produced
approximately 200 units in the first year and over the next ten years
Online: http://www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/masters/it-holds-and-holds-and-holds_1487/
cars is a new and burgeoning
business
How:
TruPunch 5000, 2 x TruBend
5130, TruLaser 5030
Page 1 / 5
Masters of Sheet Metal | Magazine for Sheet Metal Processors
Radshape manufactured between 1,000 and 1,500 chassis. And this gradual
escalation in demand proved vital to Radshape at a time when its other
major automotive customer was not faring so well.
Experienced employees work on these
high-quality products.
Just like a century ago: The Morgan roadsters are built entirely by hand. Purchasers wait
about two years for delivery.
Britain’s Morgan brand embodies passion,
tradition and costly hand work.
The sharp decline in global demand for Rolls Royce and Bentley cars in
2009 contributed towards Radshape losing business worth 1.2 million euros.
This outcome caused a significant drop in Tier 1 and Tier 2 order intake, but
it has since bounced back with a vengeance.
Radshape’s strong customer-oriented business strategy has been central to
this recovery. It has enabled the company to build on production
partnerships with niche manufacturers such as Morgan. Now it is not just
the proud supplier of the bonded chassis to the Malvern-based car
manufacturer, but also delivers several other panels, grilles, bumpers, cowls,
wind and side screens too.
Fits, bonds, holds
“We rely on our trusted suppliers to recommend technological
developments that will improve production and enhance our product,”
confirms Morgan Operations Director Steve Morris. “The decision to adopt a
bonded chassis is a typical example of how Morgan benefits from its
strategic partnerships.”
A specially built production cell at Radshape’s Birmingham factory
manufactures this bonded structure for Morgan and, in the past, similar
assemblies for the Gibbs Aquada amphibian vehicle. Crucial elements are a
TRUMPF TruPunch 5000 and two TruBend 5130 press brakes. “We’ve used
TRUMPF machines right from the start of this project. The series just got
better and better,” says Radshape Bonding Engineer John Harper. “This
chassis is self-jigging, there are no fixtures involved. So we have nothing to
rely on but the accuracy of the machines.” Manufacturing tolerance on the
chassis is 0.25 millimeters which is even more rigorous than the 0.5
millimeters standard required by Morgan.
The aluminum chassis components, 2.5
millimeters thick, are punched and then
bent on press brakes. They are then
transferred into the bonding cell for
wet-build and curing in the oven.
The Morgan – A
roadster with tradition
Morgan celebrated its centennial
of continuous manufacture of
cars in 2009 and is now the UK’s
longest established independent
car maker. The company was
founded by Henry Frederick
Stanley Morgan, more commonly
known as simply ‘HFS’, and was
run by him until he died in 1959.
His grandson, Charles Morgan, is
now at the helm.
Based in Malvern in
Worcestershire, in 2010 Morgan
produced 800 sports cars, all of
which are assembled by hand,
according to long-standing
tradition. The waiting time for
Online: http://www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/masters/it-holds-and-holds-and-holds_1487/
Page 2 / 5
Masters of Sheet Metal | Magazine for Sheet Metal Processors
Always getting better
one of its models is up to two
John Harper continues: “The TruTops CAD/CAM software has proved a
particularly good investment for us. It’s easy to use and has radically
changed how we make the tub (the chassis assembly). In the early days, we
needed to spend days working out the correct profile. Now we can do it in
an hour or so.” The 2.5 millimeters aluminum chassis parts are punched,
then formed on press brakes, and transferred into the bonding cell for
wet-build and curing in the oven.
been as long as ten years in the
years from order, although it has
past. Morgan’s success is born
out of being different and
although it is continuously
reaching out to new audiences
with new models, it does so in
complete harmony with its
heritage.
“Originally, we were simply responsible for the chassis up to the bulkhead,
but now we build up the front end, too, and install sound-deadening
material,” explains Radshape Managing Director Keith Chadwick. “Indeed,
over the years, we have suggested around 600 ideas for improvement,
more than 65 percent of which have been taken up.” One major change
originated by Radshape was the development of the universal tub to
replace left- or right-hand drive versions. Belief and on-going commitment
in the apprenticeship system is another common thread between Morgan
and Radshape. Steve Morris was a fully trained sheet metalworker who,
having completed his apprenticeship at Morgan, has risen through the ranks
at the company to operations director.
www.morgan-motor.co.uk
A real advantage: Well trained employees
Radshape’s Keith Chadwick tells a similar story. He served his
apprenticeship at Rolls Royce Motor Cars in Crewe and, in his 25 years with
the company, experienced every area of manufacture before taking a top
post in purchasing and supply development. “When I became managing
director in 2005, I wanted to turn the clock back to my apprentice days in
the 1970s at Rolls Royce. The benefits of such a program are huge for a
customer-centered business such as ours,” Keith Chadwick adds with great
enthusiasm. As a result, even during the period of business decline,
Radshape continued to take on apprentices.
“How can you tell someone how much a part is going to cost if you don’t know how to
make it?” asks Keith Chadwick, who rotates his apprentices through every department.
Two particular apprentices provide Keith Chadwick with a good example of
why he thinks the rounded education provided by modern apprenticeship is
so important. In the process, both Jamie Sproson and Tom Gwynn have
Online: http://www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/masters/it-holds-and-holds-and-holds_1487/
Page 3 / 5
Masters of Sheet Metal | Magazine for Sheet Metal Processors
learned everything they can on Radshape’s shop floor and recently moved
into the sales office as commercial engineers. And their background
experience certainly gives Radshape an important edge in its dealings with
OEMs. “How can anyone talk about how much a job will cost if they don’t
know how to make it?”, Keith Chadwick asks. “These lads have the
experience to look at a drawing and point out, for example, that the design
would present a problem and recommend solutions to resolve it based on
the knowledge they have attained during their apprenticeship. It adds value
to the process and gives Radshape the edge on customer service.”
Open to new ideas
The company is also keen to consider and adopt services that are common
in other sectors, the consumer industry being one of them. Keith Chadwick
continues: “There are so many good ideas out there, bar coding, allocating
delivery slots, and even the use of webcams so the customer can see their
part being made! I can’t see that being introduced, but we will certainly
consider it if the customer thinks it’s important. Attention to detail is
everything.” It’s this high level of customer service that has proved such an
important element in Radshape attracting more business from the prestige
automotive sector. Its relationship with Bentley now accounts for 35 percent
of Radshape’s revenue and includes the supply of radiator and bumper
grilles, wing vents and various other parts and spares for the
top-of-the-range niche vehicles. Typical of this low-volume, high-quality
business is the stainless steel and electro-polished grille for the new Bentley
Mulsanne, elements of which interlock like an egg box. This prestige
component is produced on a TRUMPF TruLaser 5030 to a manufacturing
tolerance of ± 0.05 millimeters.
Succes in small sizes
Typical of this low-volume, high-quality business is the stainless steel and
electro-polished grille for the new Bentley Mulsanne, elements of which
interlock like an egg box. This prestige component is produced on a TRUMPF
TruLaser 5030 to a manufacturing tolerance of ± 0.05 millimeters. In
common with many UK automotive suppliers, Radshape is seeking to
diversify to safeguard its business. Rail, aerospace, commercial vehicles
and nuclear sectors are all playing their part, but it’s another take on
“automotive” that is poised to boost growth in the coming years. Radshape
is now making its mark on the radio-controlled race car market.
This initiative came from Radshape Business Development Director Chris
Dickinson, and it has spawned a thriving new division of the company.
RadshapeRC produces aftermarket metal spares on its TRUMPF machines to
strengthen, modify and enhance various brands of RC cars. “We’re the only
company making metal parts and they have proved immensely popular with
hobbyists,” Chris Dickinson explains. “Within just four months, RadshapeRC
trademarked spare parts are selling to twenty-four countries across the
world and we just developed our own, as yet unnamed, RC vehicle.”
Keith Chadwick concludes: “We are confident that in five years, this division
of Radshape will represent up to twenty percent of our business. And here,
Online: http://www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/masters/it-holds-and-holds-and-holds_1487/
Page 4 / 5
Masters of Sheet Metal | Magazine for Sheet Metal Processors
too, the TRUMPF machines are proving crucial in providing time-saving
CAD/CAM and flexible sheet metalworking as we scale up production on this
new venture.”
Contact:
Scott Simpson, Phone: +44 (0) 844 482 0188, e-mail:
scott.simpson@uk.trumpf.com
This article was first published in spring 2011.
Online: http://www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/masters/it-holds-and-holds-and-holds_1487/
Page 5 / 5