Inside the ESC - Skelmersdale

With the speed and efficiency of operations at Flowtech, there is a huge amount of planning, logistics and teamwork that go into creating a seamless experience for customers.

One of the areas that is instrumental to fulfilling customer enquiries is the ESC (or Engineering Solution Centre), which operates as one of the nerve centres of the business, ensuring that customers are able to find products found ‘between the lines’ of our extensive catalogue.

That is to say, bespoke products or services provided by our expert team of Qualified Engineers, who are able to assist with finding solutions for customers on a daily basis and cater to their individual needs.

Whether that is from long-time OEM’s (Own Equipment Manufacturers) or simply one-off customers searching for products with a precise specification, our in-house engineers can assemble and test on-site, before packing up for shipping.

To find out more about the ESC, as well as what goes on behind the scenes, we spent some time with some of our engineers to delve into the processes that are undertaken, from enquiry to solution, and everything in between.

What is the Engineering Solution Centre?

The ESC is a dynamic unit that has been set up at a number of our sites across the UK, able and willing to help customer enquiries and ensure a swift turnaround time.

It exists, in the words of one of our Qualified Engineers, Jeff Brown, to “create what we haven’t got in stock”, filling in the gaps and remaining agile as a unit to cater to specific needs.

There are five specialist areas of the Engineering Solution Centre in Skelmersdale that work in unison to provide a seamless service, helping to assist customers in finding the exact product that suits precise specifications where nothing else will do.

They include:

  • Modified Parts
  • Process Valves Configuration Assembly
  • Tube Manipulation 1 – stainless steel
  • Tube Manipulation 2 – copper
  • Hose Assembly

These five areas combined cater for all incoming enquiries and, depending on the complexity of the job, can find a solution within 72 hours. At the Skelmersdale site, it is overseen by Brian Smith, who is the ESC & Product/Engineering Quality Assurance Manager.

Modified parts

This first area generally works on products such as air pumps and brake motors, making them on-demand from enquiries sent in by OEM’s or one-off customers.

Modifications made to products may include replacing parts, changing port sizes or cubic capacity, or even changing performance and specification, depending on the needs of the customer.

Jeff Brown, who has been with Flowtech for 23 years, is one of many Qualified Engineers that work in this specialist area, which is a fluid and fast-paced environment where every day looks a little different.

In order for Jeff and his team to work as efficiently as possible, he had a hand in designing the bench layout with the correct tools and equipment, which means each job can be tackled without any internal blockers getting in the way.

The process from start to finish works as follows:

  1. Enquiry – received and logged by a member of the team
  2. Build sheet – a work sheet is created and outlined prior to picking parts
  3. Pick list – this contains individual parts needed to complete the job
  4. Items Picked – the picking team put together the required parts and send them over to the ESC
  5. Assembly – the team will work on assembly of the product
  6. Testing – testing the bespoke product to see if it works to the required specification

Jeff provided an example of an Air Pump that needed changing from a clockwise rotation to anti-clockwise. This required him to disassemble an existing part, before flipping over the internal seals to make sure the drive shaft rotates in the opposing direction.

Once reassembled, he tested the unit to make sure it works as required, as well as ensuring the seals were seated, the drive shaft had the correct tolerance and the end cap was secured correctly.

Process Valves Configuration Assembly

Located in close proximity to Modified parts, Process Valves Configuration Assembly provides a similar service but for valves, actuators and modulating kits. These are assembled by the team before being tested for functionality, depending on the specific details of the job.

Along with the assembly and testing of butterfly valves, amongst other products, this specialist area also provides logo printing and branding services, ensuring that if a customer asks for it, they can personalise bespoke products after providing the relevant digital assets. This even includes specific part numbers, custom labels and packaging.

Kitting is also undertaken here, with over 80,000 components available for the assembly of both category 1 and category 2 kits.

Tube Manipulation 1 – stainless steel

As part of the ESC unit there are two Tube Manipulation areas, both set up for different types of bending and different materials used. In general, the first area is outfitted for bending stainless steel up to a quarter inch, but it can also be used for other materials if required, such as copper, brass and mild steel.

This manipulation process is particularly useful for industrial and domestic systems, specifically in hydraulic builds, refrigeration or even heating. Tubing can be manipulated to the correct requirements from supplied drawings or samples, and our engineers are able to support customers both on-site and off.

Another member of the skilled engineering team at the ESC is Stewart Boyer, who runs the operation at Skelmersdale and ensures that the team can satisfy enquiries from OEM’s and one-off customer orders when needed.

Pipe threading is also available to ensure clean, accurate threads between ¼ inch and 4 inch pipe, and in closed and barrel nipple options up to 6.4 metres in length.

This first area has two semi-automatic benders, which can manipulate up to 300 tubes in a day, with a further fully-automatic bender which has an output of up to 400 tubes per day.

While the semi-automatic bender is best for smaller lengths and needs to be manned, the fully-automatic bender has a hopper where tubes can be loaded and once it is set up, can be left to its own devices, increasing efficiency and volume on larger jobs.

The process in this area is subject to frequent checks to ensure the team can keep a low DPPM (Defect Parts Per Million), which as standard is 0.00038% for all jobs. It means that each step is followed by a mandatory check of every single tube, meaning the process is as follows:

  1. Bend – the tubing is bent to the required angle
  2. Check – first check is completed
  3. Orbital Welding – with this welding technique the pressure needs to remain consistent
  4. Check – the second check is completed
  5. End termination – the tubing is sealed off if required
  6. Check – the third check is completed
  7. Kit building – the tube is added to other components to build a full kit
  8. Final check – the final check is completed

This exacting process is all to ensure consistency in service and that customers can expect large volumes of tubes that do not deviate from the required specification.

Tube Manipulation 2 – copper

The second Tube Manipulation area is set up differently, since it caters for slightly bigger tubes and mainly deals with copper.

It has a few extra steps in the process and allows for Stewart and his team to provide an even greater depth of service for customers who require products and kits created to a high standard.

The process from start to finish in this second Tube Manipulation area is as follows:

  1. Bend – the initial bending occurs
  2. Plate – specifically for jobs with cooling plates, the tube is pressed into a plate
  3. Walforming – this step is to create a compression joint in the tube
  4. Flush – a non-corrosive cleaning solution is passed down
  5. Pellet – a foam pellet is passed down to pick up any further dirt or debris
  6. Oil – many jobs require the tube to be oiled
  7. Cap – the ends of the tube are capped off to ensure no contaminants can enter in transit
  8. Pack & Sleeve – the tubes are packed and individually sleeved for transit

Hose Assembly

Last but not least, Hose Assembly is the specialist area where around 500 hoses are cut to size, crimped (or swaged) labelled and packed over the course of two weeks. While this is mainly for OEM’s, the team also deal with one-off customer orders coming through to them, as well as building up regular catalogue stock.

Like the other specialist areas of the ESC, Hose Assembly creates bespoke products, requested by customers who know the type of hose needed, but require specific dimensions, testing or labelling prior to shipment.

Hoses offered include 1 wire, multi-spiral, layflat and MDS amongst many others, with a variety of termination options. Hose banding is available up to 8 inches and Crimping for the following sizes:

  • Hydraulic ¼ inch to 3 inches
  • Industrial ½ inch to 8 inches
  • Pneumatic 1/8 inch to 6 inches

There is also the option for pin-pricked hoses, which is a way of extending the lifespan of a hose and keep it in good condition. It involves running a spiked wheel along the length of a hose, puncturing the cover without breaching the reinforced layer beneath. Pin-pricks allow any built up gases to dissipate, preventing blistering or bubbling.

Rather than a specific process flow in this area, instead, Stewart details all of the services available to customers that can be added depending on the enquiry or the OEM job being worked on. Jobs can very different day-to-day, but thankfully the ESC is set up to deal with anything that is requested.

Services include:

  1. Crimp machine (Swager) – a machine that helps accurately point, reduce or form tubing
  2. Labelling – white labelling using a printer that depicts an OEM’s logo on a hose
  3. Cut downs – cutting down pre-existing hose to required length
  4. Spiral guard – protective layer that is coiled on the hose in transit
  5. Pressure testing – many customers will ask for specific testing criteria
    •  Leak test – this will test a hose at 10% over working pressure
    •  Proof test – this will test a hose at twice working pressure

    6. Varying – a machine for pushing hose into a fitting, before sealing it with barbs

Summary

The five specialist areas of the ESC work in harmony to provide an efficient, precise and professional service to customers, all powered by Flowtech’s team of experienced engineers.

It is a vital function of daily operations, and one that is in constant demand from regular OEM’s and one-off customers in a huge range of industries.

Would you like to find out more about the ESC? Get in touch with Flowtech today and start utilising the superb service delivered by our Engineering Solution Centres, today.