Long before the material can be formed by the drop hammer, the design of the part must created, checked and then transferred to the molds that form the Kirksite dies used on the drop hammers.

The Tool & Die shop at Oxwell has expert and talented professionals with the capability of producing dies of complex contours.

Proper layout is needed for a high degree of tool repeatability and is an 'art' that is learned by years of experience and through apprenticeships.

Part uniformity must be consistent so the tool (die) will meet the most stringent design standards. The designs at Oxwell are typically drawn to several thousandths of an inch or less.

We only allow the most skilled craftsman to finish the dies for the drop hammer. In fact, from design to tool making, to part manufacturing, we always have the most senior craftsmen working on your custom project. Some times the craftsmen will have machinist apprentices assisting with layout and tooling.

Different metal alloys and thickness of material combined with the depth and size of the die will require a special drop speed and weight of impact. This is where the skill of the 'craftsman' will show through making the setup quick and with little waste.

Once a few drop hammer test articles have been produced, Quality Control checks the test articles for meeting specifications and full production can then proceed.

Repeatability, Each part will be exactly like the one before, and after, making all parts interchangeable, a necessary requirement for the modern assembly line and parts stocking systems.

Then parts can be stampeded out by the drop hammer as fast as the operators can load new flat stock.

During the production run all parts are inspected and pass our Quality Assurance.
The part is then packaged and shipped out to our customers with 100% assurance that the part is exactly what you ordered.