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A deep dive into one of our latest machines, designed and developed from the ground-up for the Superlight Advance rear frame. Go inside with a Go-Pro camera and discover what the Roller Nut Machine does and why.
Since the early days, the design of the Brompton folding bike and its manufacture have been intrinsically linked. Doing everything under one roof means our engineers invent and develop tools and machines to build and assemble the unique Brompton frame and components.
The Brompton engineering team used Finite Element Analysis to study every millimetre of the existing frame. The 3D modelling techniques allowed them to add and remove material to impart greater strength, stiffness and robustness, yet reduce overall weight.
Focusing on weight-savings and increased durability, the manufacturing engineering teams partnered with experts at Henkel to create a new method and machine to fit the roller wheels to the new frame.
Fig.2: The Advanced Superlight Rear Frame the roller wheels are fixed to one single, larger diameter tube.
2. A small nozzle precision-sprays a measured quantity of adhesive to the inside of each tube end.
3. The threaded aluminium nuts (cross-hatched for the increased surface area) are fed into the machine.
When researching a new manufacturing process, the engineer teams carefully consider if the job best suits humans or machines. Efficiency and finance are factors but never the deciders. Quality and working environment are the priority. In this case, the automated Roller Nut Machine delivers unmatched precision and isolates the adhesives from human contact.
The team on the Factory Floor focus on assessing the machine’s work through touch, look, feel and experience.
Get to know a Brompton bicycle - take one out for free. See how it folds, feel how it rides. Discover the different options and find the right model for you. Use our store locator to find your nearest ride.