Product category:
General packaging materials, equipment and services
News Release from: Cyklop UK | Subject: Cyklop XPV111-MVB strapping machine
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 February 2007
Efficiency benefits for Tudorstone
The first ever purpose-built automated production facility in the UK for the reconstituted stone building product industry is creating substantial cost savings and efficiency improvements
Tudorstone produces 220,000 sq m of concrete stone walling products and 9 million bricks each year, which are supplied primarily to housebuilders The company is a long-standing user of end-of-line packaging equipment supplied by Cambridgeshire-based Cyklop UK, with three fully automatic strapping machines and three semi-automatic stretchwrapping machines
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 26 Sep 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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However, the drive for greater automation and the need for faster throughput with reduced manual handling led company bosses to opt for full automation when installing the latest new production line at Tudorstone's Retford site.
"The aim was to create a line with no manual intervention other than for quality control", explained Bill Howe, Managing Director of Tudorstone.
Tudorstone worked with a specialist OEM supplier to specify a complete new GBP850,000 system which takes the 'parent' concrete slabs, splits, rumbles, pitches and then builds void packs of finished products, which are mounted into a steel carrier ready for strapping and then wrapping.
Further reading
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A convenient, stand alone automatic strapping machine is capable of wrapping both light and heavy items securely, quickly and safely.
Automated packaging system saves time
A decorative laminate worktops producer has moved away from manual pallet strapping to an automated system that saves time, money and manpower.
Hand strapping tool is lightweight
An ergonomically designed hand strapping tool, suited for medium and heavy duty applications, is a lightweight yet robust unit, weighing just 4.2kg.
The packs first pass through a fully automated Cyklop XPV111-MVB vertical strapping machine which applies 15.5mm wide polyester strap around the packs, and from there through an XF172-M horizontal strapper where 12mm wide polyester strap is applied to maximise load retention.
The strapped loads are then fed into a Cyklop GL2000 automatic pallet stretch wrapper - the first installation for this industry in the UK.
This is an orbital wrapper, designed specifically for high throughput applications of up to 120 loads per hour, involving heavy, fragile or potentially unstable product.
The load remains stationary while the machine applies the wrapping film around it using Cyklop's acclaimed power Eco-stretch system which can pre-stretch films by up to 300%, thus optimising film usage.
Bill Howe added: "We have been stretchwrapping at our factories since 2005 when the price of shrink film doubled in a three-month period.
Stretchwrapping uses around 50% less film by weight and also offers far better and more consistent load securement.
We estimate that as a direct result of changing from shrinkwrapping to stretchwrapping, we are saving up to GBP15000 per year.
"Furthermore, we have drastically reduced the need for manual handling following increased pressure on the industry from the HSE.
Indeed, we believe that other companies will have to follow suit and automate if they are to comply and survive." The success of the new automated line, and further growth in demand for Tudorstone products, has led the company to bring forward plans for further expansion of operations.
"We will be looking to start double shifts on the current line during 2007 and then seek to install a second similar line in 2008", said Bill Howe.
"This level of automation is clearly the way forward because of the operational, efficiency and financial benefits we are already achieving." David Hearn, Managing Director of Cyklop UK , added: "We were delighted to be able to extend our partnership with Tudorstone through their move from semi to fully automatic production.
This shows clearly the versatility and durability of Cyklop equipment and its ability to be fully integrated into mainstream production.".
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