Profile of Tool and Gauge

The quality and viability of a product often completely relies on the mould or tool used to make it. Precision and accuracy are essential, while the tool or mould must stand the test of time to ensure the product is scalable and profitable. The importance of tool and mould design to the production process means many manufacturers turn to Tool and Gauge, an industry-leading precision mould and tool maker.

Tool and Gauge is a member of the Atlantic MedTech Cluster. Many of its clients are in the MedTech industry plus it also provides services to other regulated industries. This is in addition to providing services to other companies that require high levels of precision and accuracy in their tool and mould designs.

Gerry Rafter is a joint Managing Director of Tool and Gauge. He said: “There are a lot of tool and mould makers in the market servicing a range of different industries. Our USP, however, the thing that makes us stand out from the competition, is the experience and knowledge of tool and mould making that is in our business.

“We have built up this knowledge and experience over decades. It ensures accuracy and reliability whenever we design a tool or mould. Our clients regularly expect the moulds and tools we produce to be capable of manufacturing one million units without failing. We can deliver on these requirements.

“In addition, the knowledge and experience we have in-house give us the ability to provide our clients with expert advice. This particularly applies to advice on whether it will be possible to scale an idea into a tangible product that can be mass produced.”

Long History, Continuous Innovation, and Ongoing Investment

The knowledge and experience that Tool and Gauge has built up over the years is an essential part of its success, but it is not the only thing that keeps it at the cutting edge of the tool and mould making industry. Specifically, Tool and Gauge is fully committed to continuous innovation, while also seeking to improve its facilities and services through ongoing investment.

The company, which is ISO 9001-2015 accredited, is based in Tubbercurry in south Sligo. It operates from a 40,000 sq. ft. facility equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

The company itself has been in existence for over twenty years has a history that dates back to 1956, so is well-established in the area. Tool and Gauge is also an industry name that is well-known throughout Ireland and beyond. It has 50 employees.

As well as investing in its facilities, Tool and Gauge is also committed to upskilling and improving the capabilities of its employees. It achieves this through in-house training programmes as well as sending employees on external training courses.

Services Tool and Gauge Offers

Gerry Rafter said the company offers a range of services, but it specialises in product design and manufacturing.

He said: “We offer design advice and services that take into account the full manufacturing process. We also carefully consider tolerance levels as well as anticipating problems, so we can mitigate them before they occur.

“Some of the specific product design services we offer include DFM – which is design for manufacture – injection mould design, 3D printing, and prototyping. We also manufacture moulds including low-volume tooling and high-volume tooling. In addition, we manufacture tooling up to Class 101.”

Other services that Tool and Gauge offers include:

• Precision machining services
• Jig and fixture design
• Mould repair
• Tool validation
• Product validation
• Tool FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing)
• Research and development

The Future

Tool and Gauge has a strong and robust reputation in the tool and mould making industry, plus it has a reputation for quality, reliability, and providing expert advice. Gerry Rafter wants to strengthen that reputation further while continuing to grow the company in a range of markets.

“The MedTech sector is crucial to the future of the North West of Ireland as well as to Tool and Gauge,” he said. “We already work with a range of MedTech companies and are working hard to grow that division of our business. We are doing this by building relationships with new clients, continually investing in our facilities, and continually improving the skills of our already skilled and experienced team.”

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