Yorkshire Profiles provides laser cutting, folding and sheet metal fabrication services for engineering companies throughout the UK.
“Engineering” covers an enormous range of applications, and over the years we have manufactured components for businesses ranging from small specialist engineering firms through to larger manufacturers, infrastructure contractors, equipment developers and multinational organisations.
The work we undertake can vary from a single prototype or development component through to repeat batches of production parts.
We regularly manufacture:
- Laser cut plates
- Folded sheet metal components
- Mounting brackets
- Support brackets
- Machine panels
- Guards and covers
- Base plates
- Adapter plates
- Flanges
- Spacers
- Shims
- Gussets
- Braces
- Frames
- Enclosures
- Equipment mounting plates
- Fabricated assemblies
- Components requiring subsequent machining
- Prototype components
- Development parts
- Repeat production components
Because engineering projects frequently involve commercially sensitive designs and new product development, Yorkshire Profiles is also happy to work under a non-disclosure agreement where required.
Whether you are developing a new machine, replacing an obsolete component, outsourcing repeat production or simply need additional manufacturing capacity, we can support your project.
Building Management, Facilities and Property Repairs
Engineering companies involved with building maintenance and facilities management regularly encounter components that are damaged, obsolete or simply unavailable as standard products.
Laser cutting provides an effective way of manufacturing replacement and bespoke components without requiring dedicated tooling.
Typical components can include:
- Custom-sized washers
- Oversized washers
- Square washers
- Slotted washers
- Packing plates
- Spacer plates
- Shims
- Mounting plates
- Wall brackets
- Floor brackets
- Ceiling brackets
- Support brackets
- Equipment brackets
- Reinforcement plates
- Repair plates
- Corner braces
- Bracing plates
- Gussets
- Cleats
- Base plates
- Cover plates
- Access panels
- Inspection covers
- Service panels
- Door reinforcement plates
- Door brackets
- Gate brackets
- Hinge plates
- Latch plates
- Handrail brackets
- Balustrade fixing plates
- Pipe support brackets
- Duct brackets
- Cable support brackets
- Plant mounting plates
- Pump mounting plates
- Motor brackets
- HVAC equipment brackets
- Air conditioning mounting plates
- Boiler mounting brackets
- Tank support plates
- Equipment guarding
- Protective covers
For repair work, components can often be manufactured from an engineering drawing, CAD file, dimensioned sketch or an existing part used as a reference.
This can provide a practical solution where replacing a complete system would be unnecessary simply because one relatively simple metal component is no longer available.
Welding Trials and Test Plates
We manufacture accurately cut steel plates and test pieces for welding trials, procedure development, training and qualification work.
Typical requirements can include:
- Welding test plates
- Procedure qualification plates
- Welder training coupons
- Butt weld test pieces
- Fillet weld test pieces
- Practice plates
- Material test coupons
- Destructive testing samples
- Weld development plates
- Trial fabrication components
- Production representative samples
- Plates with prepared locating features
- Repeat batches of identical test pieces
Laser cutting makes it straightforward to produce consistent test pieces in repeat quantities, particularly where dimensional consistency between samples is important.
Different materials, grades and thicknesses can also be supplied depending on the requirements of the welding trial.
Railway and Infrastructure Engineering
Yorkshire Profiles has supplied components to companies involved in railway infrastructure maintenance and associated engineering work.
Rail and infrastructure environments can require a large variety of fabricated and laser cut items, including:
- Equipment mounting brackets
- Sensor brackets
- Signalling equipment brackets
- Cable support plates
- Cable management brackets
- Equipment enclosure panels
- Equipment mounting plates
- Cabinet components
- Protective covers
- Guards
- Base plates
- Support plates
- Equipment frames
- Spacer plates
- Adapter plates
- Strengthening plates
- Repair plates
- Access panels
- Inspection covers
- Walkway components
- Handrail brackets
- Post mounting plates
- Sign mounting plates
- Trackside equipment brackets
- Electrical equipment supports
- Communications equipment brackets
- Equipment installation templates
- Maintenance replacement components
Where components are intended for safety-critical or regulated applications, the required material, specification, tolerances and applicable approval requirements must of course be defined by the customer or responsible engineer.
Our role is to manufacture accurately to the supplied specification.
Safety Systems and Industrial Protection Equipment
We have worked with engineering companies manufacturing safety systems for industries including rail, manufacturing and steel processing.
These types of systems commonly require a wide variety of sheet metal components such as:
- Sensor mounting brackets
- Detector brackets
- Camera brackets
- Safety switch brackets
- Interlock mounting plates
- Emergency stop mounting plates
- Control panel components
- Electrical enclosure panels
- Equipment guards
- Machine guards
- Safety screens
- Protective covers
- Barrier components
- Base plates
- Floor mounting plates
- Post brackets
- Sign brackets
- Cable protection plates
- Cable support brackets
- Equipment mounting frames
- Beacon brackets
- Alarm mounting plates
- Control equipment brackets
Safety equipment manufacturers frequently need both prototype components during development and repeat components once a system enters production.
Our laser cutting and folding capabilities allow the same digital component data to be used throughout this process.
Scientific Instrumentation and Laboratory Equipment
Scientific and technical equipment often requires relatively small, highly specific metal components.
These may form part of the instrument itself or provide the framework, enclosure or support system around sensitive equipment.
Potential components include:
- Instrument mounting plates
- Sensor brackets
- Detector mounting plates
- Optical equipment brackets
- Camera mounting plates
- Electronics mounting plates
- Equipment chassis panels
- Instrument enclosures
- Control panel fascias
- Front panels
- Rear panels
- Internal partitions
- Equipment trays
- Shelves
- Cable management plates
- Cable entry panels
- Ventilation panels
- Fan mounting plates
- Equipment covers
- Protective guards
- Test rig plates
- Calibration fixture components
- Sample holders
- Laboratory equipment brackets
- Equipment frames
- Base plates
- Precision spacer plates
- Adapter plates
- Prototype housings
- Development components
Stainless steel and aluminium are commonly specified for scientific and laboratory equipment, although mild steel and other materials can also be used depending on the application.
Telescopic Mast and Elevating Systems
Yorkshire Profiles has also manufactured components used within telescopic mast and elevating equipment.
These systems can be used for lighting, communications, surveillance, monitoring and specialist equipment deployment.
Sheet metal components can include:
- Mast mounting plates
- Mast base plates
- Mast brackets
- Support brackets
- Guide plates
- Reinforcement plates
- Equipment mounting panels
- Camera mounting plates
- Antenna brackets
- Communications equipment brackets
- Lighting brackets
- Cable guide components
- Cable management plates
- Winch mounting plates
- Motor mounting plates
- Gearbox brackets
- Control box panels
- Equipment enclosures
- Protective covers
- Access panels
- Locking mechanism components
- Latch plates
- Spacer plates
- Limit switch brackets
- Sensor brackets
- Transport brackets
- Vehicle mounting plates
- Trailer mounting components
Because many mast systems are themselves bespoke, laser cutting works particularly well where dimensions or mounting arrangements differ between projects.
Components for Subsequent Machining
A significant amount of engineering work involves supplying laser cut components that are subsequently machined by the customer or another specialist supplier.
Laser cutting can remove a large amount of material before machining begins, reducing the time required on CNC milling machines, machining centres and other equipment.
Typical examples include:
- Machine blanks
- Profiled blanks
- Flange blanks
- Bearing housing blanks
- Gearbox mounting plates
- Motor plates
- Pump plates
- Valve plates
- Manifold blanks
- Base plates
- Tooling plates
- Jig plates
- Fixture plates
- Adapter plates
- Spacer plates
- Thick brackets
- Linkage components
- Lever blanks
- Arm profiles
- Structural plates
- Machine frame components
- Large profiled plates
Features can often be laser cut undersize or left with machining allowance where final dimensions are to be achieved through milling, boring or other machining processes.
This can significantly reduce the amount of material that needs to be removed during subsequent operations.
Jigs, Fixtures and Production Tooling
Engineering and manufacturing companies also require numerous components simply to support their own production processes.
We can manufacture parts for:
- Welding jigs
- Assembly fixtures
- Inspection fixtures
- Drilling jigs
- Locating fixtures
- Production tooling
- Assembly tables
- Welding tables
- Test rigs
- Checking fixtures
- Alignment tools
- Positioning templates
- Drill templates
- Assembly templates
- Go/no-go gauges
- Fixture base plates
- Locator plates
- Clamp brackets
- Stop plates
- Support blocks
- Spacer plates
- Equipment mounting plates
These components are often unique to the manufacturer’s production process and can therefore be ideally suited to digital manufacturing methods such as laser cutting.
Research, Development and Prototype Engineering
One of the major advantages of laser cutting for engineering development is the ability to manufacture components without investing in dedicated cutting tooling.
This makes the process particularly suitable for:
- Research projects
- Prototype machinery
- New product development
- Proof-of-concept equipment
- Test equipment
- Experimental systems
- Development vehicles
- Automation projects
- Robotics projects
- Production trials
- University engineering projects
- Research equipment
- Technology demonstrators
A designer can make changes to the CAD model and have a revised component manufactured without requiring a new cutting tool.
This enables designs to evolve through several iterations before moving into repeat production.
Automation, Robotics and Special-Purpose Machinery
Engineering companies building automated equipment and special-purpose machinery can require hundreds of individual sheet metal components within a single machine.
Typical parts can include:
- Robot mounting plates
- Robot pedestal components
- Sensor brackets
- Proximity sensor brackets
- Photoelectric sensor brackets
- Camera brackets
- Vision system mounting plates
- Light mounting brackets
- Conveyor brackets
- Conveyor side plates
- Motor mounting plates
- Gearbox mounting plates
- Bearing plates
- Pneumatic valve plates
- Pneumatic cylinder brackets
- Hydraulic cylinder brackets
- Electrical cabinet panels
- Control panel components
- Machine guards
- Interlocked guarding
- Access doors
- Machine covers
- Drip trays
- Catch trays
- Equipment trays
- Cable management panels
- Cable chain brackets
- HMI mounting plates
- Control screen brackets
- Emergency stop panels
- Machine feet
- Base plates
- Levelling plates
- Frame gussets
- Strengthening plates
- Equipment supports
Laser cutting and CNC folding are particularly effective for these applications because large families of different components can be manufactured without requiring separate cutting tooling for every part.
Industrial Machinery and Equipment
We manufacture components used by companies designing and building industrial machinery across many different sectors.
These may include:
- Machine frames
- Machine chassis components
- Base plates
- Side panels
- Cover panels
- Access doors
- Inspection covers
- Guards
- Belt guards
- Chain guards
- Drive guards
- Motor plates
- Gearbox plates
- Bearing mounting plates
- Pump brackets
- Valve brackets
- Tank supports
- Hopper components
- Chute components
- Conveyor components
- Machine feet
- Levelling plates
- Control panel housings
- Operator panels
- Maintenance panels
- Tool storage panels
- Drip trays
- Swarf trays
- Collection trays
- Internal partitions
- Stiffening plates
- Gussets
- Braces
- Mounting brackets
We also have a dedicated section covering our work within machine manufacturing, where these applications are explored in greater detail.
Energy and Process Engineering
Engineering companies working with process equipment, utilities and energy systems may require components such as:
- Pipe support brackets
- Pipe clamps
- Pipe support plates
- Valve mounting plates
- Pump mounting plates
- Instrument brackets
- Meter mounting plates
- Sensor brackets
- Control panels
- Tank brackets
- Tank supports
- Heat exchanger brackets
- Equipment skids
- Equipment base plates
- Access panels
- Safety guards
- Cable trays
- Cable support brackets
- Ventilation panels
- Equipment housings
- Filter housings
- Duct components
- Flanges
- Gaskets
- Inspection covers
- Service access plates
These applications can involve mild steel, stainless steel, galvanised material or aluminium depending on the operating environment.
Marine, Environmental and Outdoor Engineering
Where engineering equipment operates outdoors or in demanding environments, corrosion resistance can become particularly important.
Typical components might include:
- Weatherproof equipment panels
- Equipment enclosures
- Stainless steel brackets
- Mounting plates
- Outdoor control cabinet components
- Monitoring station brackets
- Sensor mounts
- Environmental monitoring equipment components
- Pump brackets
- Water treatment equipment components
- Drainage equipment plates
- Filter equipment components
- Protective covers
- Outdoor guards
- Access panels
- Equipment frames
Stainless steel, aluminium and galvanised materials are frequently chosen for these applications.
Materials for Engineering Components
The engineering industry uses an exceptionally broad range of sheet and plate materials.
Depending on the application, we regularly work with materials including:
- Mild steel
- Structural steel grades
- Galvanised steel
- Zintec
- Stainless steel
- Aluminium
Material requirements can vary from thin sheet used for covers and enclosures through to significantly thicker plate used for machine bases, structural brackets and heavy engineering components.
Where components are subsequently machined, welded, coated or subjected to specialist processes, the appropriate grade and condition can be specified by the customer.
Laser Cutting, Folding and Additional Processes
Engineering components often require several manufacturing processes before they are ready for assembly.
Depending on the project, our services can include:
- CNC laser cutting
- CNC press brake folding
- Drilling
- Tapping
- Countersinking
- Deburring
- Welding and fabrication
- Powder coating
- Surface finishing
- Prototype manufacture
- Repeat batch production
Providing several processes through one manufacturing route can reduce the number of suppliers involved in a project and simplify procurement for engineering companies.
Confidential Engineering and Product Development
We understand that engineering drawings can represent significant intellectual property.
New machinery, inventions, production equipment and developing products frequently need to remain confidential until they are released commercially.
Yorkshire Profiles is therefore happy to review and sign non-disclosure agreements where appropriate before receiving confidential drawings or project information.
This allows customers to discuss development projects with confidence while obtaining manufacturing support during prototype and production stages.
From a Single Component to Repeat Production
Engineering customers often require flexibility from their manufacturing suppliers.
One project might involve a single replacement bracket needed to repair an existing machine, while another could involve hundreds or thousands of repeat components forming part of a new product.
Laser cutting is well suited to both.
Because components are manufactured directly from digital drawings, relatively small quantities can be produced without dedicated cutting tooling, while the same files can subsequently be used for repeat production.
Whether you are a mechanical engineer, design engineer, industrial equipment manufacturer, maintenance company, R&D department, machinery builder or specialist engineering business, Yorkshire Profiles can manufacture the sheet metal components you require.
If your particular engineering sector is not mentioned above, that does not mean we cannot help. The variety of engineering work we undertake is far broader than could reasonably be covered on a single page.
Call Yorkshire Profiles on 01904 737095 to discuss your engineering project.
