Who is Balford?
Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd. is a China-based manufacturer of deep drawn metal housings for automotive sensors, solenoid valves and precision industrial equipment. The factory runs presses from 25 t to 350 t, draws up to Ø250 mm, and works from customer drawings with a DFM review before tooling.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal entity | Zhejiang Balford Mechatronics Co., Ltd. |
| Location | Zhejiang, China · about 150 km to Ningbo and Shanghai ports |
| Production area | 12,000 m² |
| Production machines and tooling | 500+ |
| Engineering and production staff | 120+ |
| Press capacity | 25 t to 350 t |
| Maximum deep draw diameter | Ø250 mm |
| Single-hit deep draw dies built | 4,000+ since 2000 |
| Typical output | About 50 million parts per year |
| Quality system | ISO 9001:2015, with controls aligned to IATF 16949 |
| Documentation | FAI, PPAP-aligned packages, IMDS on request, material certificates |
What Balford manufactures
- Automotive sensor housings - oxygen (O2), NOx, ABS wheel speed, EGT and exhaust temperature, coolant temperature and motorcycle sensors. 398 published catalogue configurations across ten series.
- Solenoid valve housings - deep drawn housings, magnetic sleeves and spring-related parts for fluid and magnetic systems (application page).
- Motor housings, cups, shells and sleeves - multi-stage deep drawing with ironing where the wall has to be thinned and held.
- Stamped and machined components - progressive die and precision stamping, CNC turning, milling and wire EDM for functional interfaces.
Materials
Stainless grades, brass, copper, aluminium and spring steel, with the application each one suits.
Capabilities
Deep drawing, ironing, stamping, machining, tube work and surface treatment.
What an order with Balford involves
- Send a 2D drawing or a 3D STEP file, the material, the annual volume and any critical tolerances; the engineering team returns a DFM review before tooling.
- Tooling is designed and built in house, so a change to the forming route does not need a third party.
- First article inspection (FAI) and PPAP-aligned documentation are issued against the confirmed drawing; IMDS entries are filed on request.
- Batch heat treatment, slow wire cutting, passivation, electropolishing, electroplating, phosphating and coating are placed with qualified external processors and disclosed on the drawing and inspection plan.
Compliance wording: Balford holds ISO 9001:2015. Automotive quality controls are aligned to IATF 16949 requirements; the company does not claim IATF 16949 certification.