MANUFACTURING
To give you an idea of the manufacturing process; the way your windows are made, below is a step-by-step insight into the way we work:
Setting out process: Any custom window or door begins its journey here; any special features or cutout positions are marked out.
Metal CNC machining: With the frame in bar form, any holes that have been punched or drilled will be protected by the hot-dip galvanising process.
Bending: Frame bars for curved projects are rolled to the right shape and compared to full-size templates.
Flash welding: Shaped and under-sized units are arc welded to form a frame. Features such as hinges are welded in position too.
Machine welding: The corner of each frame is flash-welded by machine to provide a precise, strong joint.
Artisan final adjustments: The next step in the manufacturing process is to pair each frame with its matching inner frame/s; it is then manually adjusted to ensure that it is square and that it will operate smoothly.
Hot-dip galvanising: All of our windows and doors are hot-dip galvanised to BS EN 1461 : 2009; this ensures that the finished products are completely protected against corrosion and it’s a point of difference for Crittall windows. The process that’s used by other manufacturers is electroplate galvanising, a process that provides a much thinner coating and provides inadequate protection for exterior use.
Polyester powder coating: Crittall windows and doors are finished with Crittall ‘Duralife’ polyester powder coating in strict accordance with BS EN 13438 to a thickness of at least 60 microns. This is applied using an advanced electrostatic process in our in-house paint plant; it is then supplemented with manual spraying to achieve a consistent coating which is cured at 2000 for maximum adhesion. Strict quality control inspections, in accordance with our ISO 9001 certification, ensure that quality is maintained throughout the process.
Assembly: Following painting, frames are re-united and assembled with all other additional components and seals required to finish the window. Testing is then carried out for operation and fit and our windows are then ready to be carefully packed and delivered to site.
Packaging and shipping: As a truly international business, our windows are shipped all over the UK as well as exported around the world. We understand the importance of ‘on time’ projects and so, this part of our manufacturing process is extremely important.