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Tufting machines, control panels and ancillaries

Tufting machinery manufacturer Thom Engineering has been specialised in serving the equipment needs of the carpet tufting industry at local, national and international levels since inception in 1979. The company was originally conceived, by former Pickering production manager Thomas Hesmondhalgh, for the purpose of providing technical service to local tufted carpet manufacturers. After a short time customers began to request supply of parts to accompany the installation services already being provided and gradually the business evolved into the manufacture of replacement parts, pattern attachments and complete machines.

In 2002 Thom was purchased in a reverse takeover deal headed by Bryn Roberts, who then joined the company as managing director to work alongside technical director Thomas Hesmondhalgh. Together Bryn and Tom have modernised what was, and in essence still is, a solid company built on traditional engineering skills.

Today Thom is a full-service provider encompassing the start-to-finish CAD design and CNC manufacture of the Thom brand of tufting machines and associated ancillary equipment. The manufacture, installation and commissioning of equipment is provided by Thom's own engineers and tufting specialists, with the necessary mechanical, electrical and software support required to keep customers' machines running reliably and productively.

Machinery and control panels

Machines manufactured by Thom include tufting machines for the production of:

carpet tiles; plain or patterned broadloom wall-to-wall carpet;
entrance matting; bath mat scatter rugs; samples; and shag pile items.

Over the past five years or so Thom has become a leading name in the exciting growth market for artificial grass tufting machines and has developed considerable technical expertise in this specialist field.

Responding to increased demand from customers Thom extended its scope of supply to include control panels and servo systems in May 2004. The Thom electrical division, managed by electronics engineer and technical director David Potts, manufactures electrical systems and servo control panels for tufting machines and pattern attachments such as servo graphics, servo multi-roll, servo scroll, servo yarn-feed, servo cloth-feed and servo jute-mover systems for fitting to new machines or retrofitting to customers' existing machines. Top-brand components such as Lenze, IMO and Siemens are utilised in Thom control panels.

As control panel design software and servo control systems become more and more prevalent in tufted production, the requirement for on-line support has increased in importance. In response to customer requirements Thom has developed a range of machine control systems, which are supplied 'internet ready' with wireless network connection facilities as standard. The internet now provides on-line service and support virtually anywhere in the world for Thom machines.

Thom machines with servo controlled pattern attachments are supplied with colour touch-screen HMI (human machine interface) facilities, which are modern and user friendly – replacing the older keypad type function buttons typically associated with tufting machines.

Tufting ancillaries

A full range of tufting machine ancillaries is also manufactured by Thom. These include:

un-roll units with automatic tracking, driven in-feed and motorised lifting; high-efficiency single- or double-deck magazine type creels; mending and inspection frames; re-roll units; lapping frames and carpet repair accessories.

In addition to the manufacture of machines and ancillaries, Thom also produces a comprehensive range of conversion kits for existing machines of all makes and models. Some of the kits available include gauge conversion, pile conversion – i.e. from loop pile to cut pile or vice-versa – and conversions to single or double sliding needle bar graphics. Thom carries a large stock of off-the-shelf parts for most makes and model of tufting machine. Bespoke or specially-modified parts to suit customer requirements can also be manufactured.

Thom provides installation and commissioning services for all tufting-related equipment. Re-commissioning of customers' existing plant can also be accommodated and customers benefit from full electrical and mechanical breakdown service at local, national and international levels, with skilled, time-served tufting engineers and technicians provided by Thom.

Tufting equipment-related contracts including the lifting, removal, disassembly, packing, shipping/transport, reassembly and re-commissioning of tufting machines. Professional machinery appraisals, recommendations, planning and advice concerning all aspects of tufted goods production can also be provided.

A strong experience-based history, a firm understanding of the physical sciences and a modern approach to computer technology place Thom firmly at the forefront of technological innovation in the tufting industry.