Carclo Technical Plastics Expands into ISO Class 8 Manufacturing
Contract technical moulder, Carclo Technical Plastics (CTP), has successfully ventured into ISO Class 8 manufacturing with the installation of two unique and highly flexible activeCell self-contained cleanroom moulding and packing cells designed and manufactured by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag.
CTP provides injection moulding and contract manufacturing services for medical, automotive, PPE, optics and mechatronics applications and operates in twelve locations across USA, UK, Czech Republic, China and India.
Following numerous customer requests for medical devices made to class 8 standards, CTP’s operation in Brno (Czech Republic) looked to integrate an onsite cleanroom at their 4730m2 facility, yet it seemed to be cost exorbitant to build a facility. When the operation discussed the dilemma with their injection moulding equipment supplier Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, the proposal of a self-contained activeCell cleanroom moulding and packing system, was described as a “eureka” moment for Carclo Technical Plastics’s Technical Director Lee Dodd: “Without specifying any application details, we challenged Sumitomo (SHI) Demag to build two systems to meet our customer’s proposed capacity requirements. We required a moulding and packing solution which had no restrictions, navigated numerous obstacles both technically and commercially, and could easily switch between several different modes of production.”
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag had a number of bespoke challenges to overcome: the cell’s seal would be broken by cranes and other equipment regularly entering the machine, yet the system had to retain class 8 standards; the product portfolio was extensive requiring large and small parts of all geometries to be manufactured and then either bagged or boxed; the facility to track and trace bagged products; identical machines were required with inter-transferable mould and robot programmes.
The all-electric compact mini cleanroom system designed and installed by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag was fitted with laminar airflow cabinets for particle free air in the mould-space area, integral packaging equipment and a six-axis Yaskawa Motoman robot which removed parts from the mould ready for packing: “Over and above its primary purpose, the six-axis robot is a value-add for manufacturers looking for future expansion options including pick and place, assembly or even palletising,” comments Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Managing Director Nigel Flowers.
The activeCell units were built within 20 weeks, met all CTP requirements and currently manufacture a range of complex single impression and multi-impression parts (including contact lens cases) to class 8 standards in volumes from 125,000-9,000,000. With order values to date exceeding £500,000 per year, CTP will see a return on its investment in less than 24 months.
“The solution hit a sweet spot, in that it was affordable, flexible and transferable. Without Sumitomo (SHI)Demag’s activeCell solution, we would not be able to offer cleanroom moulding. We now have a cost effective and highly flexible machine blueprint which any CTP facility worldwide can use should they decide to expand into cleanroom manufacturing,” concluded Lee.
“activeCell has been designed to address current market requirements for a low investment alternative with complete flexibility at a fraction of the cost of a full cleanroom,” adds Nigel Flowers.
The all-electric system is installed fully compliant meeting GAMP and FDA requirements with DQ, IQ and OQ documentation and available in 100, 160, 220 and 280 tonne formats.