Huddersfield-based Bespoke Stairlifts was created by business partners Dave Burns and Gavin Finn to provide cost-effective stairlifts for people with limited mobility who live in properties with curved or complicated staircases (most suppliers focus on straight staircases, with maybe just a 90deg turn at the top).

Not having a manufacturing background, the partners initially re-fabricated second-hand stairlifts to create a bespoke solution for every installation and targeted customers through a UK dealer network, but the financial crisis caused them to also seek business in Europe.

This was so successful that the company had difficulty finding enough used stairlifts to re-fabricate. The obvious course of action was to develop its own stairlifts and make them from scratch.

However, there was a distinct lack of manufacturing experience at Bespoke, especially with regard to bending the tubular rails on which the stairlift runs. Simon Waddington, the company’s director of product development, says: “When it comes to re-engineering existing stairlifts, we have no problem, because we have gained masses of experience over the 11 years that we have been in business.

However, out and out manufacture was something completely new to us. We knew we would need to work with suppliers that were willing to help us along the way, so we looked at a number of potential suppliers for our tube-bending requirement.” The company finally selected an Elect 80 tube-bending system from BLM Group UK Ltd, Ampthill, Bedfordshire (www.blmgroup.com).

Bespoke’s requirement was unusual in that the company has a typical batch size of one, because every stairlift has a different configuration. This meant that whatever tube-bending system they chose, it had to have a control system that would allow them — as ‘novices’ — to quickly master the process of programming and setting the machine.

Complex bends

Further complicating the bending process was the fact that the rails required by Bespoke feature complex helical bends that need the machine to bend and twist the rail at the same time. Here, BLM provided the support and advice that Bespoke needed.

Mr Waddington says: “In one respect, it was good that we didn’t have any experience of tube bending, as that meant we didn’t realise how difficult it might be to create some of the shapes that we needed. We just got on with the bending, knowing that BLM were available to help — and not just with phone-based support. We also had back-up from their engineers, who went through the software and programming for the more complex forms we were producing. BLM delivered on everything they promised.”

The Elect 80, which forms part of a £1 million-plus investment by Bespoke to create its own product range, is part of the Elect series of fully electric CNC tube-bending systems with nine axes of movement, a bend head that offers left- or right-hand bending, variable-radius bending and a the multi-stack tool mount that allows up to eight tools to be used on the same tube in a single set-up; this facilitates multi-radii bends, bends with a minimum of straight tube between them and compound bends.

The machine is controlled via a Siemens PC-based system that includes BLM’s own 3-D visual graphic programming software (VGP3D). This allows the user to effect real-time bend simulation and automatically select the shortest and most efficient bending cycle, which in turn reduces cycle time and manufacturing cost. The system also highlights any possible collision points, and it suggests practical alternative bend sequences.

Another factor that simplified the decision for Bespoke was BLM’s B-Helix software option, which was developed in conjunction with some of Europe’s largest manufacturers of stairlifts and balustrades. This software option allows Bespoke to simply input two pieces of data (staircase lift and radius) for the required stairlift into the CNC control; the B-Helix software, running via BLM’s VGP programming and control software, automatic calculates the helix and shape needed for the stairlift rails. The rails are then produced using BLM’s variable-radius bending technology on the Elect 80.

In conclusion, Mr Waddington said: “The decision to begin manufacturing our own product was a major one. It has involved significant financial input and time, and there was a steep learning curve for all of us that were involved in the process. However, it will allow Bespoke Stairlifts to continue to grow, and we are already looking to employ additional engineering staff to help manage the on-going production process.”