Best Extrusion Die Design Specialists 2025 – Australia Established in 1998, this on the back of the extensive manufacturing and extrusion production experience possessed by the minds behind it, CQI Australia is a tool manufacturing design company specializing in engineering those devices used in the creation of extruded products (which are those shaped by being forced through a die). Alongside this, the company helps its clients ensure their projects can all be made within the standard constraints of extrusion tolerance, making it a trusted partner for these organizations. David West, the company’s MD, was on hand for more. With expertise lying in both the design and manufacture of aluminium extrusion tools – aluminium is the metal of choice as a result of its lightweight, durable, and versatile nature – CQI Australia is a company passionate about streamlining processes and shaking up the sector with a healthy blend of innovation. Taking its name from ‘continuous quality improvement’, a common catchphrase in modern manufacturing, CQI Australia goes beyond just spouting these words, which instead serve as its very foundation. It was Duncan West, David’s father, whose willingness to challenge the well-established, ‘unchangeable’ beliefs of this industry led to concept that blossomed into CQI Australia in the first place. An engineer and a first-class toolmaker, Duncan’s decision to look beyond the accepted norms and pioneer new ways of doing things is reflected in the company’s spirit all the years later – as well as being seen through its daily operations. “We later advanced the business to suit modern times through training, language, and software growth.” CQI Australia’s pioneering mindset means that this Adelaide-based company has caught the attention of some big names in this space, including Extrusions Australia in Melbourne, its main client. David and the team manufacture a series of Australian-made dies at a factory that is adjacent to Extrusions Australia’s operation, but this is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to both its operation and its reach across the APAC region. Diving deeper into some of the processes behind the company, a great deal of its tooling is manufactured by companies in nearby Indonesia, with these partners taking the technical drawings prepared by CQI Australia’s staff – all of which are developed in accordance with Australian quality standards – before producing equipment of this highest calibre. These tools have all been designed AIM-Sep25228 for use within the Australian market, and – regardless of whether they are extruded or power coated – more than meet the accepted reliability standards. The strong ties that CQI Australia has to Indonesia is something that comes from David himself. His passion for the nation is reflected in him having studied its official language for three years between 2017 and 2019, with a month across each of these years being spent undertaking cultural projects, including a trip to Jakarta. In his third and final year of study, David passed his post-advanced, with this qualification solidifying the bond that he and his company have with their invaluable, quality-driven partners across Indonesia. This operation’s inherent diversity reflected the change needed in this sector, which, at the time of the company opening its doors in the late 1990s, was about overcoming limitations in production growth and recovery rates, often out of a reluctance to embrace newer ways of working. In the 25 years since it began, CQI Australia has worked tirelessly towards this aim, with an operation that prioritises efficiency by having just a couple of toolmakers manage the workload. This is achieved by limiting die attention between its product runs. “The process begins with a thorough inspection and preparation of the die, followed by nitriding”, David told us. “Once the die is nitrided, it is set up for a maximum metres-run cycle, where the die continues to be used until it reaches a predetermined cycle measured in metres run.” He continued: “Throughout the cycle, the dies retain their aluminium until the specified metres-run is achieved. At that point, they undergo re-nitriding. After renitriding, the die may be prepared again, but polishing is not performed during our cycle.” As for why exactly it chooses to omit the polishing process – which is a traditional practice and one that some of its staff have had trouble moving away from – CQI Australia simply believes that polishing the dies in no way enhances their efficiency. “In fact, we believe that they slow down the process of returning dies to production and necessitate a significant commitment of staff resources that is both enormous and unnecessary”, added David, underpinning the dedication to resource optimisation seen across the company. On the back of this useful bit of information, it is also worth mentioning that CQI Australia also prides itself on offering expert advice for tool manufacturing to those interested, with just one of the areas it is particularly proficient in here being recommendations on minimising non-machine contact with the tools, helping to preserve their integrity. Similarly, the team offer their guidance on new manufacturing concepts, undertaking detailed assessments to ensure that any new item can be produced reliably and fulfil the desired function. With this knowledge to boot, it should come as no surprise that another feather in CQI Australia’s cap pertains to it offering comprehensive training services for toolmaking staff, through insights focusing on the areas of tool maintenance and technical data assessments. Such encompassing training reflects the ‘continuous quality improvement’ strived for by the company, in this case by enhancing tool functionality and longevity. However, this is just the beginning , and there is a ‘communication circle of success’ behind the company that has proven key in it hitting this aim across every area of the business. Exploring this concept further, David explained: “The primary participant in this process is my brother, Nick West, who
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