High-performance surface treatment for the UK automotive sector
International Automotive Components (IAC Group) is a global leader in automotive interiors and exteriors. To maintain their high-volume production of premium plastic components in the United Kingdom, they required advanced material handling solutions across multiple facilities. CALDAN met this challenge by delivering two distinct surface treatment lines—an HD100 floor conveyor in Birmingham and a P&F120 power & free system in Halewood. This dual-project case study highlights our ability to engineer site-specific conveyor systems for the fast-paced automotive supply chain.
The challenge: high-capacity handling across two UK facilities
IAC Group needed reliable, high-throughput systems capable of managing large plastic automotive parts (up to 1,500 mm in length) while withstanding oven temperatures up to 100°C. With a target operational capacity of 60 wagons per hour, the technical requirements varied between the two sites:
1. Birmingham facility: Required a continuous-flow system for seamless manual loading and unloading without stopping the line, combined with rotation capabilities in the spray booths and flash-off zones.
2. Halewood facility: Required a power and free system that allowed for parts to be held in stationary stop-positions during manual loading, with rotation requirements concentrated in the curing ovens.
The solution: HD100 and P&F120 floor conveyor systems
To perfectly match the operational needs of each site, CALDAN engineered two separate floor conveyor systems, both utilizing our highly reliable cardan chain technology.
The HD100 continuous floor conveyor (Birmingham):
– Compact 67-meter layout: Engineered for continuous movement, ensuring a constant flow of plastic components through the treatment stages.
– 4-wheeled wagon design: Capable of handling 30 kg payloads with 180-degree lockable turning devices to ensure optimal paint coverage in the spray and flash-off zones.
The P&F120 power & free floor conveyor (Halewood):
– Flexible 82-meter layout: Designed for advanced stop-and-go functionality, allowing operators to manually load and unload components in safe, stationary positions.
– 8-wheeled wagon design: Provides enhanced stability for rotation inside the high-temperature curing ovens, guaranteeing a uniform finish on complex automotive plastics.
Strategic impact on UK automotive manufacturing
By implementing these tailored Caldan UK conveyor systems, IAC Group has secured highly efficient and reliable painting lines at two of their critical UK production sites. The combination of the HD100 and P&F120 floor conveyors UK ensures that IAC can comfortably maintain their 60-wagon-per-hour capacity, delivering flawless plastic components to major vehicle manufacturers.
– Industry: Automotive plastics and components (UK)
– Application: Surface treatment of interior and exterior plastic parts
– System types: HD100 floor conveyor & P&F120 power & free floor conveyor
Partner with the UK’s automotive material handling experts
Whether your facility requires the continuous flow of our HD series or the advanced accumulation of our Power & Free systems, CALDAN has the expertise to optimize your production. Contact our UK team to discuss how our floor conveyor technology can be customized for your specific manufacturing environment.
