Brompton joins its steel frames by brazing. Craftspeople learn through an 18-month training programme, and a small mark beneath the frame identifies its maker. In-house machinery works alongside this manual craft: skill and automation complement each other on the factory floor.
Titanium framesets take shape at a specialist TIG welding facility in Sheffield. Tubes are thoroughly cleaned before joining, while dedicated fixtures hold the intended angles. Argon protects the heated metal from reacting with oxygen and nitrogen in the air. Precision depends on preparation and positioning as well as the welder’s movements.
Developed with Henkel specialists, the Roller Nut Machine installs threaded aluminium inserts in the rear-frame tube that carries the transport rollers. It meters adhesive and presses the parts into place; heat treatment follows. Workers assess the result by sight and touch, keeping human inspection within the automated process.