Wittmann UK targets healthcare markets and cleanroom technology

Thus far this year leading automation supplier Wittmann UK reports a boost in orders exceeding £0.5 million for the automation of medical and healthcare moulding production, including a number of orders placed in Eire.
The recent UK commercial success coincides with research study findings which show that the presence of Wittmann linear robots conforms to the standards required of a number of cleanroom moulding facilities up to and including Class 10,000.

Wittmann has consequently introduced a modified version of its top-entry robots for clean room applications, conforming to Class 10,000, according to US Federal Standard 209E, or ISO Category 7. The optional clean room adaptation kit includes smooth and closed surfaces comprising of closed energy chain, castings, and cover for linear rails; rack and pinion instead of tooth-belt design, and a vacuum collection system. The Wittmann robot specifications remain otherwise unchanged.

The entire line of Wittmann top-entry robots has been adapted to conform to Class 10,000 through extensive tests and measurements of various robot components in clean room environments under production conditions, and in close cooperation with a clean room consultancy. Measurements demonstrated an average emission of particles of size 0.5 microns of just above 100 per sq. ft. This low emission rate is independent of robot speed, but might be influenced by the design of the surrounding clean room cabin.

'The readings are well within the part per million (ppm) tolerance standards needed,' says Wittmann UK managing director Barry Hill. 'Conditions of contract and commercial confidentiality prevent us naming our new clients,' says Barry Hill, Wittmann UK, 'but, the new data just generated by Wittmann Vienna does give us cause for a double celebration. We are now hopeful of helping other medical moulders make their businesses more efficient through automation without fear of contamination or cleanroom violation.'

Traditionally, clean room applications have been limited to medical and pharmaceutical moulding operations. However, due to increasing demands on manufacturing processes and environments, cleaner production areas are becoming more important for other applications such as cell phones, automotive parts with high quality surfaces, and in-mould decoration and labelling. All of these product areas rely on automated production for viable manufacturing. However, the biggest contributor of particles and distortions in any moulding process is the human operator, so an increasingly higher degree of automation is an absolute necessity for clean room applications.

Three Wittmann CNC robots; two Toshiba assembly robots; a bowl feeder, printing system and vision control system have all been included in the design and build of recent automation cells for UK-based healthcare moulders. For these kinds of cells Wittmann UK is also typically called upon to design the degating systems and to supply appropriate granulators for the regrind and hopper loaders to service the moulding machine.

Toshiba's newest and smallest assembly robot - the TH250 - has been in demand for these recent Wittmann UK healthcare jobs. As a leading systems integrator for Toshiba's SCARA assembly robots, Wittmann UK is able to design and supply assembly systems for any insert moulding required in medical component production, and also supply arrange conveyors and bowl feeders to match.

Barry Hill reports that 'Wittmann UK is obtaining more and more assembly work through the use of Toshiba SCARA assembly robots: In plastics production, these are ideally suited for the insertion and assembly of components such as screws & clips. This assembly operation is fast being included in an expanding area of our business.'

Further details from Wittmann UK:Tel. 01933 275 777