Autoclaves Group Completes Third Refurbishment Project

The Brief

To remove, refurbish and reinstall an existing 1.5m diameter x 2.0m long autoclave, with full turnkey solution incorporating bespoke trolley stacking and cooling systems, for Cytec Industries at its European headquarters, Cytec Engineered Materials (CEM), in Wrexham, Wales.

THE COMPANY

Cytec Industries employs 1,200 people at 13 plants, four technology centres and numerous sales offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Its main centre of operations is in Tempe, Arizona.

Through its European headquarters in Wrexham, CEM is a global provider of materials for the aerospace, high-performance automotive and other extreme-demand environments. Its technologies enable commercial aerospace, military and automotive customers to replace metal with materials that offer greater strength and less weight.

CEM’s products can be found on nearly every modern commercial transport aircraft, military aircraft and helicopter in production today

THE TRADING RELATIONSHIP

Autoclaves Group has developed an established trading partnership with CEM and in recent years has successfully carried out three autoclave refurbishment projects at the company’s Wrexham facility – two machines in the Mechanical Test Laboratory, the latest in the R&D Department.

In all three cases, Autoclaves Group was chosen to undertake the work in preference to the original manufacturer, and also has an ongoing service contract for all three machines.

THE LATEST APPLICATION

Like its two predecessors, the most recent CEM project saw Autoclaves Group first remove the autoclave from site and transport it back to the group’s manufacturing and refurbishment facility in Keighley, West Yorkshire, where the machine was stripped back to the bare shell, reconfigured and fitted out completely with new components.

The refit included:

• New internal insulation and cladding.
• New control valves, vacuum connections and product thermocouples.
• New 3-tier trolley system, with stacking shelves positioned outside the autoclave for storing aluminium and stainless steel tooling plates when not in use. Transfer rollers ensure easy, quick and safe handling
• New control panel with SCADA based PC interface utilising Autoclave Control graphics. This system is connected to the company network system, with the ability to be both monitored and controlled remotely.
• New door safety devices meeting PM73 safety guidelines.
• New heating elements.
• Design, inspection and final certification by Royal Sun Alliance.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Timescales were key to all three refurbishment projects, with the latest contract being a full turnkey installation incorporating a key handling element – namely a bespoke 3-tier trolley stacking system specifically designed to allow a single person to both load and unload the autoclave, as well as maximising the capacity of the machine, in order to improve efficiency and reduce handling cost.

New cooling systems were also installed as part of the overall package, tailored to meet the specific requirements of the customer.

Autoclaves Group worked closely alongside appropriate CEM personnel throughout the entire project to equip them with a thorough understanding of the refurbished machine, its operating methods and enhanced capabilities.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Les Dawson, CEM’s Laboratory Unit Leader commented: “As a global provider of technologically advanced materials, it remains vital that our customers must be able to both anticipate and meet their time, performance and quality requirements.

“Our leadership stems from our commitment to our customers. We’re dedicated to helping them achieve their business objectives by developing high-quality products that, in turn, improve their own products and manufacturing process performance.

“Central to this ethos is to the overriding need to develop mutually beneficial business relationships with our supplier base – companies who, like ourselves, must demonstrate an in-depth and ongoing commitment to constantly delivering the exacting standards required in our industry sector.

“Autoclaves Group continues to meet our needs in all these respects. Throughout all three refurbishment projects to date, they have fully understood and grasped our approach, and worked seamlessly alongside our own people, who have in turn benefited a great deal from this partnership methodology.

“Autoclaves Group completed each job when we wanted it and at the price we wanted it. It has been a satisfying journey, equipping us with tailored, cost-effective solutions, without in any way compromising product quality or process safety.”

THE PARTNERSHIP APPROACH

Russell Gibson, Managing Director of Autoclaves Group, said: “Like ourselves, CEM is a progressive and expanding company and our core business operations are closely aligned, which in itself initially encouraged and has now cemented a positive and productive trading relationship

“The fact that CEM came to us rather than the original manufacturers in all three refurbishment projects is seen as a key selling point for our company, clearly demonstrating that our expertise is held in high regard across the industry sector.”