Modular automation keeps production flowing for Britain's market leader in garden watering

Citation

(2006), "Modular automation keeps production flowing for Britain's market leader in garden watering", Assembly Automation, Vol. 26 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2006.03326caf.007

Modular automation keeps production flowing for Britain's market leader in garden watering

Modular automation keeps production flowing for Britain's market leader in garden watering

Keywords: Assembly, Plastics

In 1996 Hozelock commissioned automation specialist Modular Automation to design a system to maximise production of its automatic hose connectors. Nine years and 69 million connectors later, the system shows no signs of wilting in the heat of production.

Hozelock is the UK's market leader in garden watering and aquatics systems, manufacturing a wide range of products to make garden watering easy. The familiar quick connect fittings are at the heart of the Hozelock system, allowing different fittings to be easily connected to each other and to the water supply. The fittings must be watertight, so accuracy during manufacture is vital to the reliability of the product.

The Modular design team worked closely with Hozelock's production engineers to develop a system that could not only assemble the plastic components, but handle the parts being supplied direct from the injection moulding operations as well. The final installation comprises a 40- station production line with a cycle speed of 1.8s. For nine months of the year the line runs 24/7 and has so far produced around 69 million connectors at Hozelock's factory in Aylesbury (Plate 5).

Plate 5 Hozelock have a 40-station production line with a cycle speed of 1.8 s

Maintenance is carried out by Hozelock's on site maintenance department, with additional support on hand from Modular Automation's factory in Birmingham. “Having our people involved in the system's development right from the start means that we know the system very well.” said Hozelock's Director of Manufacturing Tony Ferrier: “If something does go wrong, we can usually put our finger on the problem straight away, so downtime has been kept to a minimum.”

Reliability and longevity are key elements in Modular Automation's approach to designing production systems. The Hozelock example demonstrates the long-term benefits of this strategy both in terms of return on investment and dependable production.

Modular Automation supplies bespoke production systems for a wide range of industrial applications.

Web: www.modular.co.uk