Our Fabrication Capabilities
Non-metallic materials are widely used for custom fabrication due to their ability to minimize assembly weight, eliminate corrosion, reduce noise and vibration, operate with minimal lubrication, and reduce wear on mating components.
WS Hampshire, Inc. offers a comprehensive range of primary and secondary services and products using non-metallic materials, with the expertise to fabricate products according to exact customer specifications. In fact, we have never found another shop with the same range of material and fabrication options.
Much of what we do is in replacing traditionally used materials like brass, bronze, or steel with thermoplastics and thermosets that are better suited for their environment. These custom needs likely can’t be met by stock catalog products. Whether you need to reverse engineer an existing component, interpret an assembly drawing, or have us produce a custom part, WS Hampshire can help.
CNC Machining
WS Hampshire, Inc. operates high-speed, state-of-the-art, precision CNC fabricating machines, which offer the following fabrication capabilities:
We can accommodate tubes up to 48″ in diameter and plates up to 6″ thick. Our additional services include assembly, etching, finishing, and reverse engineering.
Common products our fabrication capabilities create include:
Plastic Thermoforming Services
Vacuum forming is a specific type of thermoforming that involves draping a plastic sheet over a mold to create a particular part of a shape. The sheet gets heated and vacuum-sucked onto the mold, ensuring there is no trapped air. The sheet is then removed and cooled. Finishing services, such as trimming, are the final steps in this process.
WS Hampshire, Inc. provides reliable thermoforming and vacuum forming services, with expertise in handling a wide variety of Timco Technical thermoplastics and fiberglass composites.
Our thermoforming services include:
- Deep draw capabilities
- Pressure forming
- Single or twin sheet vacuum forming
Vacuum forming is a quick, efficient, and inexpensive method that is ideal for prototypes or high-volume production runs. Since less tooling is required than in traditional processes, it is also an excellent alternative to injection molding and 3D printing.
Common products made through vacuum forming include:
Our vacuum forming and thermoforming services conform to various industry standards, which include:
ANSI: American National Standards Institute
ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
Mil-Spec: Military Specifications
RoHS: Restriction of Hazardous Substances
Stamping and Die Cutting
In fabrication, various techniques can be used to cut or shape material according to exact specifications. Stamping and die cutting are ideal for thin materials, such as plastic laminates, film, Nomex®, and polyester.
WS Hampshire, Inc. offers a broad range of high-quality stamping and die cutting services to meet the unique needs of various applications, including but not limited to electronic devices, generators, insulators, LED lenses, reflective films, and transformers.
Our capabilities include:
- Punch pressing
Punch pressing
A punch press is the mechanical component of a die cutter or stamp. Pressing it down onto the material punches out the appropriate shape.
- Rotary die cutting
Rotary die cutting
A custom cylindrical die is rolled over a substrate to cut the desired shape. This is a versatile option for repeatedly cutting multiple shapes from one piece of material with each rotation. The time-saving technique can effectively produce identical parts at scale.
- Slitting
Slitting
Slitting involves cutting wide rolls of material into a narrower width. Roll splitting services transform unwieldy rolls into a more manageable width for printing and press operations.
- Steel rule die stamping
Steel rule die stamping
A thin, custom-shaped metal blade punches a shape into a material on a flat die board. The technique is best suited for large sheets of soft materials, such as cork, rubber, or cardboard.
We also offer additional services that include in-house custom-built dies, tooling, fixturing, and hot bending.
Aeroponic and Hydroponic Grow Boxes
Both aeroponics and hydroponics provide a more environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to traditional soil-based farming. At Nova Aeroponics, a division of WS Hampshire, Inc., we fabricate grow boxes for both growing techniques, allowing plants to be closely stacked together for easy mobility, faster growth, and higher yields than other growing methods. Our custom systems are designed to produce healthy, robust plants.
Common applications for indoor growing and greenhouse facilities include:
- Growing Trays
- Flood Benches
- Molded Bench Trays
- Recirculation Systems
- Sub-Irrigation Systems
Our Products
Our core product offerings include but are not limited to:
Non-Metallic Materials We Work With
At WS Hampshire, we primarily work with the following non-metallic materials:
- Plastic laminates
Plastic laminates
Cloth, fabric, or paper impregnated with a polymer or plastic compound, and then layered using a thermosetting technique to bond multiple layers of the material into one sheet. The impact-resistant materials are available in a vast array of finishes and colors.
- Plastic reflective films
Plastic reflective films
Thin polymers with a dark tint or shiny outer surface that absorb heat and reflect UV radiation.
- Thermoset phenolics
Thermoset phenolics
- Timco technical thermoplastics
Timco technical thermoplastics
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), acetal, acrylic, glass-filled thermoplastics, HDPE (high-density polyethylene), HIPS (high-impact polystyrene), LDPE (low-density polyethylene), Nomex, nylon, PAI, PEI, PEEK, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PET/GL, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyurethane, PTFE, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), UHMW.
- Fiberglass composites
Fiberglass composites
Duradek Pultruded Grating, Duragrid Molded Grating, Extren Profile Shapes, GPO Glass Mat Polyester.
- Other non-metallic materials
Other non-metallic materials
Calcium silicate boards, glass polyester, Kapton, kraft paper, Lexan, platen press boards.
Value-Added Services
In addition to our main product and service offerings, WS Hampshire provides these value-added services to give our customers comprehensive solutions:
Contact WS Hampshire to Start Your Next Project Today
Founded in the 1890s, WS Hampshire, Inc. is a trusted custom fabricator of non-metallic materials with capabilities including vacuum forming, rotary die, stamping, punching, assembly, and close-tolerance thermoplastic machining. We produce large-scale, high-quality OEM-fabricated components as well as made-to-order, small-volume parts supported by a customized supply chain program.
Our fabricated components serve the electrical, OEM, heavy equipment/vehicle, pulp and paper, primary metals, MRO, and mining industries. Our recognized non-metallic brands of TIMCO technical thermoplastics and Ryertex composite laminates are best-in-class. When combined with our thorough application engineering and technical expertise, customers can expect the right results every time. Much of what we do involves replacing conventional materials with non-metallic alternatives better suited for the operating environment, leading to reductions in long-term expenses and downtime.
Contact us today to learn more about our fabrication services and see how non-metallic materials can meet the requirements of your next project.