NUTECO: quality and production
Quality first
NUTECO has a certified quality management system to ensure we consistently deliver products that meet the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard and aim to constantly enhance customer satisfaction for the products and services we provide.
Thanks to our certified standard of quality, we work with major brands and leading companies in a broad range of sectors. We employ systems and tools to monitor, control and improve quality, assuring customers of product conformity and traceability during every step of production.
Our production process: from engineering to the final quality control
A key feature of our production process is how we combine many different technologies and highly skilled manual craftsmanship within the same project. This enables us to deliver the best technical and quality-led results and solutions for our customers. Products are checked at every stage of their creation.
- Model preparation: we produce the Ureol model starting with a 3D design by our engineering department or supplied by the customer.
- Mould preparation: from the model we build the mould by laminating carbon fibre prepregs. The mould may also be made from aluminium.
- Cutting the prepreg: the glass, carbon, or Kevlar epoxy prepreg comes in rolls of fabric which have been pre-impregnated with an epoxy resin, and are stored in a cold storage unit maintained at a constant temperature of -18°C. The prepreg is cut to the shape or profile required for lamination using a computerised plotter/cutter.
- Lamination: as the core production process at NUTECO, this is when all the parts are actually made. Performed entirely by hand, the moulds are layered with the pre-cut prepreg.
- Vacuum bagging: a vacuum is applied to the laminated component, so it can then proceed to the polymerisation process.
- Curing and de-moulding: curing is carried out in a special oven called an autoclave in which the temperature, pressure and voids can be controlled. The temperature inside the autoclave can reach 250°C, depending on the type of material. The autoclave is brought up to pressure, even as high as 0.1-10 BAR. Once the part has completed the polymerisation process, it can then be released from the mould by hand using special tools.
- Quality control: the parts are inspected by eye and with a range of measuring instruments with which we check that the part is exactly as the customer requested.
- Trimming: the parts are cut, drilled, and fettled, and any imperfections are removed. Finally, they are polished and/or lacquered before the final inspection and quality control. Trimming is done by hand or CNC machinery.
