Manufacturing Technology Centre adds Europlacer iineo

The company took part in an open tender for the supply of 2 x surface mount machines, with some very stringent requirements, such as 01005 placement capability, device size and weight of up to 35mm in height and a weight of 80 gram, PCB dimension of up to 700mm x 600mm and intelligent feeder capacity in excess of 200 x 8mm per machine. Blakell Europlacer’s General UK Sales Manager, Andy Jones stated “We were delighted to participate in the tendering process for the MTC project. This is a very prestigious organization and confirms that the Europlacer iineo platform has been widely accepted as a high technology and extremely versatile system.” Regional development agencies Advantage West Midlands and East Midlands Development Agency are funding the building and set up equipment for the technology centre to the tune of £40 million – the largest public sector investment for many years. The Centre is a collaborative partnership including global manufacturers, Universities and research and technology organisations. The aim of the centre is to promote industrial competitiveness, but focussing more on improvements in manufacturing knowledge rather than simply on cost. Manufacturers will be able to test newly developed production processes on an industrial scale before committing to full-scale production. Founder members from the manufacturing sector include Rolls Royce, Aero Engine controls and Airbus in the UK, while research partners involve the University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, Loughborough University and TWI Ltd, the operating division of The Welding Institute.