Romi-Sandretto delivers for Crossen Engineering
Management at Crossen Engineering have real time feedback on the performance of the Romi-Sandretto EN 200 injection moulding line (above) and they are impressed by the data they are getting in terms of improved set up times and speed, reduced waste and quality consistency.
Based in Newtownards just outside Belfast, Crossen Engineering is a design to fulfilment business which creates its own tools, dies and moulds and offers CNC machining, metal pressing and plastic injection moulding services. On the plastics side its core customers are in the aerospace, marine and military sectors.
Romi-Sandretto machines are manufactured in Brazil and are distributed from the company’s UK headquarters in Rugby. The UK company, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year, services over 3,000 Sandretto injection moulding machines at plastics processing businesses throughout the UK.
Crossen Engineering operates injection moulding devices from 50 tonnne to the giant Sandretto 650 tonne machine and it outputs parts from 5g to 2.1kg. The latest Romi-Sandretto EN 200 replaces an ageing rival machine and the immediate benefit is the time and cost of maintenance, although the cost justification for the investment was based on waste and large cycle times.
“”We have already seen a 20% saving in cycle time, a reduction in set up times and first off waste down from 20-30 to two or three parts as well as greater quality consistency throughout a run,” says Peter Crossen, head of production. “We wonder why we didn’t make this investment sooner. There is much greater control over injection curves and other production parameters so the quality inspection and repeatability is much better.
“The staff were given two days training on installation and although they were familiar with Sandretto equipment and quickly adapted they did learn to effectively use the automatic mould height adjustment and quicker set up options.”
Crossen Engineering holds the AS 9100 Rev C aerospace accreditation and PPAP automotive certification already and says this equipment fits well with these standards and also enhances the quality and lead times they can offer customers.
“Sandretto’s support services are first class and the UK arm holds a good amount and range of spares. The wireless remote service we use to access real time production data could also provide us with the option for remote data in future,” said Mr Crossen.
Neil Bathard, national sales manager for Romi-Sandretto in the UK, said: “Crossen Engineering rely on having resource- and time- efficient equipment which the EN 200 provides and it is a good size and fit with the company’s existing plastic moulding production machines. We are pleased they have returned to us for this latest phase of investment.”
