PRECISION ENGINEERED
NOT JUST “OFF-THE-SHELF”
Since day one we've spotted opportunities to improve on the components that we use to make up our lights. In fact, the majority of our products and components are custom manufactured right here in Cape Town, something we're fiercely proud of. We draw on proven production methods from the past while embracing the latest technology when it comes to manufacturing our bespoke items.
We'd love to introduce you to some of the machines we use to achieve precision made parts.
THE LATHE
A staple of our production process is the lathe. Back when we started, we cut our teeth on an old British Myford lathe. Since then we've graduated to some more advanced options, which have allowed us to keep raising the bar. We use these to create cylindrical parts of various shapes and sizes. The primary material we work with is brass, which we typically work to a "brushed" finish. The old Myfords still have a special place in our hearts, and are still used by our team for some less demanding day-to-day tasks.
THE MILLING MACHINEMilling machines are typically used to machine metal into geomtric shapes, making holes, grooves, slots, and flat faces. We make use of both conventional and CNC milling machines through the design and manufacturing process. Our in-house machine shop empowers us to be versatile and flexible when it comes to finessing components. |
THE LASER ENGRAVER
We make use of a laser engraver to add markings where needed. This was something that we originally did using age-old acid etching techniques. We still use elemtns of those traditional methods, but the laser adds an additional level of precision resulting in a superior end result. It also means that markings can be easily customized or omitted based on the clients requirements. Let us know if you have something specific in mind.
THE 3D PRINTER
3D printing allows us to very quickly test ideas, and run through iterations of ideas before moving onto the more robust, but more time consuming methods of testing and creating prototypes. We have both Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Resin Based Stereolithography (SLA) based 3D printers in-house so turn around times are quick no matter the needs. SLA prints tend to produce high levels of detail however, parts are brittle and generally better for solving aesthetic challenges, while FDM prints are typically a little more robust and are sometimes a great way of testing production jigs before investing in more robust tooling.