CONTROL & AUTOMATION CROSSEN ENGINEERING
FANUC
Injecting innovation into Northern Irish manufacturing
Belfast-based Crossen Engineering is a leading full-service manufacturer of custommade metal and plastic parts . Able to provide customers with a seamless single-source solution from concept through to production , across a range of sectors , Crossen Engineering has witnessed an extraordinary increase in demand for its services . In a bid to increase productivity , it turned to FANUC ’ s ROBOSHOT α-S100iA – in what was the automation specialist ’ s first electric injection moulding installation in Northern Ireland .
Crossen Engineering was established over 40 years ago , primarily serving automotive clients with prototype pressed metal parts . As the business developed , it began to move into production , and invested in a press shop to facilitate this . By the late 1990s , Crossen Engineering had developed an injection moulding arm , and as with metal pressing , an initial prototyping service swiftly grew into larger-scale production .
A commitment to helping its customers develop ideas into prototypes , and then scale up production tooling to supply finished products , has established Crossen Engineering as one of the most innovative manufacturers in Northern Ireland . This dedication to being an integral part of the design process , alongside advancements in its injection moulding capabilities , has provided a pathway into the cutting-edge medical products sector .
INJECTING INNOVATION As part of this , Crossen Engineering has recently assisted in the development and production of colostomy solutions . Crossen Engineering moulds the seal rings which interface between the user ’ s body and the stoma bag , before supplying them to the customer who secure them to their bag solution .
Peter Crossen , Business Development Manager at Crossen Engineering , comments : “ We ’ d known this customer for over 15 years , stemming back to our metal pressing days . When they required a solution for sealing a colostomy bag , they knew that we had the design and prototype capabilities , as well as the production capacity , to provide an effective solution .
“ We ’ re now in the process of developing a second product with that same customer , and it is this increase in demand , especially from the medical sector , that prompted us to explore automation options .”
AUTOMATED INJECTION MOULDING
To help meet growing demand , Crossen Engineering undertook research on how to increase productivity , while simultaneously reducing running costs . Electric moulding machines were highlighted as the ideal way to achieve this , offering the opportunity to introduce automation into the production process .
The ROBOSHOT has been perfect , enabling us to keep up with the increasing orders we are receiving .
34 PECM Issue 49