Tiny Dies, Big Machines

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31047, 30 April 1966, Page 12

Tiny Dies, Big Machines

(Sneciallti written for “The

(opeciuny “■ 1 Press'’ by

A. J. PETRE)

AN industry that helps keep industry going—that is Mace Engineering, Ltd., of Durham street, Christchurch. The firm started in Durham street as the New Zealand Grinding and Gear Company about 1920, and about 1941 became Toomey’s Grinding and Gear Company. Mr C. W. Mace joined the firm as manager in 1945, and in 1952 he bought the business. Before long he had enlarged and almost completely re-equipped it. Since 1945 the staff has increased about five times to more than 100 persons, and turn-over has increased about tenfold. Many connect Mace’s only with car parts, but this is only

the best available. The building, with additions now being completed, provides about one acre of covered floor space, all fully utilised. Where necessary, assembly areas and work areas are equipped with heavy duty overhead rail cranes—another Mace product. The machines, which are replaced regularly, include many different lathes, grinders, hones, tool and cutter grinders, milling machines, borers, pantographs, drilling machines, planets, shapers, slotters and a spark eroder. Several of the machines have tracer control to permit them to copy a mastern pattern automatically. Special Moulds The range of work undertaken is extremely wide. Industries serviced by Mace’s include the aircraft, motor trade, footwear, construction, clothing, electrical, engineering, food, plastic, printing, rubber and transport industries. Visitors from overseas often express amazement at

others making moulds for hot water bottles, boot soles and heels, bathing caps and plastic home-appliance parts, and another machine repairing or making a huge mould for tractor tyres. In contrast to this latter, another may be making the tiny die which will imprint a trademark on the plastic handles of thousands of New Zealand-made electric jugs. At the same time, of course, the automotive section, the best-equipped and one of the largest in New Zealand, is busy reconditioning engines, clutches and engine parts with the latest equipment. A complete range of exchange car engines is kept in stock. Mace’s not only repair specialised machines, they also make them to their own design, to that of customers, or under licence. For instance, the firm makes a full range of specialised hydraulic presses for the rubber industry, in addition to reconditioning all types of plant and machine tools.

Exports AU types of industrial engraving are undertaken and a very complete range of die and mould work is also done. Moulds and dies for glassware, footwear, mats, tyres, soap and dozens of other items are made regularly. The firm has exported to Australia, the United States, and the Argentine. A large Mace-designed and built dynamic balancer for engine assemblies was recently

■ exported to Singapore, and the export side of the business is becoming steadily more important. The tan runs its own apprentice training section, probably the only one of its type in the country. There, under the supervision of a skilled instructor, 12 to 17

youths train for the first two years of their apprenticeship. Many small items are made or machined in the apprentices’ department. The apprentices of course, also attend the Technical College. The steel merchandising department supplies to manu-

facturers, and the car parts division supplies pistons, rings, bearings and other motor spares to the trade. Mr Mace, who is also president of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, keeps in close touch with overseas developments, and has made several trips to overseas

machine tool exniutuons io get ideas on the latest equipment for his factory The pictures show an engineer watching a boring bar operating on a six-cylinder car engine and one of the firm’s apprentices adjusting a lathe.