Traditional Sheet Metalwork and Fabrication

Traditional Sheet Metalwork and Fabrication Overview

Martin Robey Engineering has provided a wide range of fabrication services to the UK and beyond for over 40 years covering a wide range of sectors from Automotive to Aerospace. Having a comprehensive range of equipment and skills at our disposal, we can meet all of your requirements under one roof.

Using traditional and modern techniques our highly skilled and well-equipped craftsmen at Martin Robey Engineering can produce high-quality hand-finished products including bespoke one-off handcrafted items.

Small to large batch fabrications and assemblies can be produced in various materials such as aluminium, brass, mild and stainless steels etc in our welding and fabrication department using a combination of pressings, metal sections, sheets, plates, tubes and bars etc.

By combining the skills of our craftsmen and our comprehensive range of machinery at Martin Robey Engineering we can produce the highest quality products to meet your requirements.

Click here to take a look around our Fabrication Workshop with our 360° Virtual Tour

Our Sheet metal and fabrication department equipment includes -

• Pullmax Cutting & Forming Machine
• Guillotines and Notching Machinery
• Power and Hand Rollers
• Press Brakes and Hand-Folding Machines
• English Wheels
• Hand and Powered Shrinking and Stretching Machines
• Powered Clinching Machine
• Flanging and Swaging Machines 
• Stud Welders
• Mig Welders
• Tig Welders
• Resistance Spot welders
• Resistance Stitch Welders
• Resistance Seam Welders
• Arc Welders
• Gas Welders and Brazing
• Bar and Tube Cut-Off Saws

Traditional Panel Beating & English Wheeling

Panel beating is an art that requires precision and skilled craftsmanship. Our highly skilled sheet metal engineers at Martin Robey Engineering meticulously reshape and form sheet metal to produce bespoke and low-volume Classic Automotive body panels. Having amassed over 40 years of experience and knowledge, which has been passed down through the generations of our employees, we pride ourselves on offering an extensive apprenticeship program to continue the legacy of this skilled craft to the next generation and beyond.

Case Study - Fabrication of a complete Classic Jaguar MKII Front Wing

To demonstrate the skilled craftsmanship required to produce one of our products, below we have covered an in-depth breakdown of all of the manufacturing steps of our Complete Jaguar MK2 Wing Assembly. 

The wing consists of 5 separate panels which are joined to form a single piece by our skilled craftsmen:

1. Nose Section - Pressed panel which is then detailed using our 5-Axis Laser
2. Side Panel - Partially pressed panel for the wheel arch feature
3. Top Panel - Pressed panel 
4. Side Light Housing - Pressed panel which is then detailed using our 5-Axis Laser
5. Hockey Stick - Pressed panel 

The step-by-step process of creating the wing is as follows:

Nose Section
Firstly, this panel is pressed in-house, followed by precision laser detailing using our 5-axis laser. The panel is then clamped into a Jig (manufactured in-house), where it then gets reworked using specially designed chasers and hammers with varying radiuses to create a snug fit to each datum point. Once a final fit has been achieved, the metal finishing process begins. Using a combination of hammers, hand weights and metal slappers, our skilled craftsman smooths out the panel for a perfect finish ready for the next stage.

Side Panel
This partially pressed panel requires a high level of skill to create the final fit to the assembly jig. Firstly, using the Old English Wheel, the panel has shape wheeled into it to create the wing side radius. The process entails hundreds of forward and backward strokes along the full length of the panel, overlapping on each stroke to stretch the metal into the desired shape. The panel is then crimped using power crimpers to help tighten up the edge of the panel and contain the shape. Radius patterns are then used to check and guide the craftsmen as they form the panel. The back edge of the side panels is then edged using a jig tool to ½”, once the edge is knocked over to 90 degrees, the shaping process takes place. Using a hand crimper or hand stretcher, the shape can either be put in or taken out of the edge to create the correct profile, meanwhile using a profile gauge to check as the craftsmen work the panel. The metal finishing process takes place using the relevant tools to create a finished side panel of the wing. 

Top Panel
The raw pressing is clamped to the wing jig and using chasers the edges are hammered to the correct dimensions of the jig. A hand jenny is then used to create the style lines required for the panel. An English Wheel is then used to smooth out any imperfections. The metal finished process is then completed to achieve the final desired shape.

Sidelight Housing Panel
This panel is pressed out in-house and then has precision laser detailing using our 5-axis laser. The panel is then hand-finished to a high standard ready for fitment to the complete assembly. 

Hockey Stick
This panel is pressed out in-house and then trimmed into the wing rear edge ready for fitment with the correct profile from wing to door. Once positioned, it is then spot-welded into place.

Main Panel Assembly
Once all components are ready for assembly, they are placed onto the jig to create a final fit and meet all measurement specifications. First, the nose section is then stitch welded to the top panel and then metal finished until smooth. The side panel is then marked out and trimmed into the nose and top panel to create the full wing assembly. Finally, all of the joined panels are metal-finished to create a single panel with a seamless finish ready for the sidelight to be fitted. 

Sidelight Fitment
The sidelight is measured and fixed into place with a single spot weld, it is then lead-loaded to create a seamless final fix into the assembly. The lead is then filed away to a perfect finish ready for painting.

Click here to see the finished product
 

Contact us today to get a quotation or more information on the services available from Martin Robey Engineering Limited.

Our Contact Details are:

Our Opening Hours are: