Dutch-Shape B.V.

Dutch-Shape has developed several tooling solutions specifically for composite products. The Company designs tooling optimized for efficiency of heat-up/cool-down rates, spring-back behaviour, accuracy and weight.

Tools are made from the best suitable and/or most economical materials, such as INVAR, or if possible from less expensive materials like steel, aluminium or carbon. They are milled out of billets or from formed sheets with egg-box frames. The Company can guarantee a minimal variation in wall thickness, to optimize the thermal behaviour of the tool.

Tools To Create Shapes
Dutch-Shape is known for its quality to create shapes. To create shapes the Company makes lay-up tooling, vacuum infusion tooling and resin transfer mould tooling all for composite parts. They also design and produce bonding tooling for aluminium and glare parts or stretch tooling for aluminium. Above all Dutch-Shape is specialised in making INVAR tooling.

Examples of tools to create shapes are:

• Stringer lay up tooling
• Flap lay up tooling
• Spar lay up tooling
• Fusilage section tooling for glare and composites

Trim Tooling
Dutch-Shape designs and manufactures tailor made holding fixtures for every imaginable secondary operation on parts or sub-assemblies. Examples of delivered fixtures are:

• Trimming fixtures for NC-milling or water-jet operation.
• Drilling fixtures
• Bonding fixtures
• (Laser) welding fixtures

Dutch-Shape’s solutions for trim tooling vary from very simple to complex tooling, with (semi)automatic handling, hydraulic, pneumatic or electric operations. Dutch-Shape delivers the optimal solution based upon customers' operational requirements.

Assembly Tooling
Dutch-Shape designs and manufactures tailor made assembly tools for every possible assembly operation. Tolerances of parts, pre- or subassemblies and assemblies get smaller every time. Dutch-Shape is very experienced in analyzing tolerance chains, to optimize the best achievable results. Examples of delivered assembly fixtures are:

• Tools to assemble doublers and stringers on skins
• Tools to assemble several skins to a section or sub-assembly
• Tools to assemble complete composite movable wing parts, using welding for composites
• Tools to assemble metal stringers on a skin using laser welding

Inspection Tooling
Dutch-Shape design and manufacture tailor-made inspection tools for inspection of parts, subassemblies and assemblies. These tools can be used as a reference base for inspection of 3D parts on CMM machines or other measuring devices.

For the automotive industry, Dutch-Shape designs and manufactures fixtures and jigs for the inspection of production parts. This can be for metal parts or for plastic components. The inspection fixtures are used for production control of the just-in-time delivered parts. Being measuring devices, they are very accurate and are certified. Furthermore they produce prototypes in aluminium or clay from sections or complete vehicles, up to 1:1 scale.

Dutch-Shape specializes in 3D shapes, complex and/or large constructions or difficult-to-machine alloys like nickel steel, titanium or armoured steel. For example machining of armoured steel parts for the defence industry, machining of wind-tunnel models, parts for the marine industry or high accuracy frames for the chip industry.

Engineering is the Company’s base for their production and quality control. Dutch-Shape’s engineers use extensive design and programming facilities such as CATIA V-5 for 3D design and analyses including FEM. Part of their products are engineered using Automated Tool Design and CNC Programming. Dutch-Shape keeps up with the latest production technologies that their costumers apply for composites and aerospace parts. The Company’s engineers are experienced in autoclave processes, RTM, injection moulding and SMC.

Dutch-Shape has enhanced specialised capacity to meet customers' standards. With their solutions the Company establishes new concepts for tooling that meet the highest demands to make customers' products.

• Dedicated project management
• Engineering in CATIA V5
• Work to customer standards
• Development of new concepts for tooling
• Working together with partners
• Cost-effective for customers

In their facility Dutch-Shape maintains an extensive range of state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, both multi-axis CNC and manual support equipment. Parts up to 12 meters can be machined with high accuracy on their high speed 5-axis machines. All machinery is included in a regular laser calibration programme.

Dutch-Shape offers the complete chain of cutting, welding, brake-form pressing, heat treatment, sand blasting and painting. Thje Company has delivered numerous tools with this structure up to 20 meters in length.