Autotech Controls
Autotech Controls is a leading company in the field of automation control. Based in the UK, the company is ACTIVE across Europe in the design, installation, integration, maintenance and upgrade of control systems for automated equipment, especially in the automotive manufacturing, logistics and baggage handling sectors. Autotech Controls Ltd is a privately owned company, headed up by its founder, Andrew Robinson. The organisation has around 130 employees at its headquarters in Luton (Bedfordshire), its office in Birmingham (West Midlands) and at various client sites nationwide. Autotech is currently the only UK controls supplier to be an approved system integrator for Siemens, Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric.
History
Autotech Controls Ltd was founded in 1996 by Andrew Robinson, who remains the company’s Managing Director. Since then, the firm has enjoyed organic growth and has diversified from the automotive sector into a number of other markets. Autotech’s first major project was the control solution for an automated paint shop for Land Rover in 1997. The company entered the logistics market in 1999, with projects for the Mirror Group and BMW, the latter being control systems for pick-to-light technology and an automated guided vehicle (AGV) system at BMW’s site at Hams Hall near Birmingham. 1999 also saw the first food & beverage project for Autotech, controlling transport and storage systems at the distribution centre of Walkers in Leicester. In 2000, Autotech supplied the control solution for the Bentley GT Continental trim shop and in 2001 the company delivered its first high-bay warehouse stacker crane controls solution. Continued growth led to the opening of a regional office in Birmingham in 2002, the year in which Autotech also obtained ISO 9001:2000 certification. A major project in the same year was the controls solution for the Land Rover Discovery II and the Range Rover Sport trim shop. By 2004 Autotech was developing competence in robotic programming, which it applied in control systems for Jaguar’s XK body shop. In the same year, the company attained BMW worldwide supplier status. 2005 marked the company’s first major European project, delivering the controls for a distribution centre for the clothing giant Zara in Zaragoza, Spain. Further logistics projects followed, with systems for United Parcel Service (UPS) in 2006 and Royal Mail in 2007. Organisational change in 2007 included the creation of a senior management board, although Andrew Robinson remained as Managing Director. In 2008, Autotech was nominated as preferred low-level controls partner by Vanderlande, a major supplier of airport handling and general logistics systems. In 2010, Autotech established a simulations department and invested heavily in robotic simulation software, making further investment to expand these virtual manufacturing services in 2011.
Services
Control system design & implementation
Autotech’s engineers combine software development with hardware engineering to create control systems to handle material flows for clients in a variety of industrial automation applications. The company manufactures its control panels in-house, with equipment being inspected and tested before delivery to a client’s site. Autotech also provides project management, installation, commissioning and training services.
Simulation & virtual manufacturing
Using simulation software, automation concepts can be proven in the virtual world before being integrated in the real world. Autotech is currently the only UK controls company to provide this service and the company operates seven Tecnomatix Robcad packages and one Process Simulate seat. This robotic simulation and virtual manufacturing software enables multi-device robotic systems to be designed, simulated, optimised, analysed and programmed off-line. This means that automated production concepts can be proven fully before investment in manufacturing systems is made. Autotech has used this technology in a number of projects involving the development and implementation of automated production lines for major automotive suppliers including FFT EDAG Produktionssysteme, ABB Group, Laepple and VDL Steelweld.
Customer support
Autotech offers 24/7 remote support to keep its clients’ facilities running efficiently, including a dial-in service using web-based virtual private network (VPN) technology. The company also provides on-site repairs within a guaranteed response time, scheduled maintenance programmes and control system upgrades.
Products
As well as using a range of standard industry solutions, Autotech has developed a number of its own control products. FactoryMonitor is a production performance monitoring and reporting tool that provides management with information to enable efficiency improvements. SmartInterface is software that logs communications events between systems, allowing buffering and manipulation of data prior to exchange. This Autotech product allows multiple devices – such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), barcode readers and tag readers – to interface to a single host system. Schedule is a database application that is used to organise and control maintenance activities in accordance with suppliers' recommendations, thereby ensuring warranty compliance. Other Autotech products include CraneCommand, a control solution for an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS); a distributed motor control system for conveyor applications; PLC software with integrated diagnostics; conveyor control software modules; and an automatic PLC software and HMI (human machine interface) code generator application.
Markets & clients
Automotive sector
Autotech has been involved in the design and implementation of body-in-white assembly, paint shops and trim facilities for customers including Aston Martin Lagonda, Bentley Motors, BMW, Ford, Honda UK Manufacturing, Jaguar Land Rover, Peugeot Citroen Automobiles and Toyota.
Logistics sector
The company has provided controls for tote and pallet conveyors, stacker cranes, miniload cranes, sorters, palletizers, pick-to-light systems or automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for end-users including Asda, Baxter Healthcare, Boots, British Library, City Link, Coca-Cola, Foot Locker, I-Force, Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble, Royal Mail, Sainsbury's, Tesco, UPS and Zara.
Airports sector
Autotech’s solutions cater for the end-to-end handling of airport baggage – from check-in and security screening, through transportation and early bag storage, to sorting and flight make-up. For arrivals, the process includes plane unloading, transfer baggage operations and baggage reclaim. Recently, the company has acted as preferred UK control systems partner for Vanderlande, a major supplier of airport logistics automation. The two companies have worked together to deliver several baggage-handling projects for BAA Limited including London Heathrow Terminal 5C (T5C); London Heathrow Post Terminal 5 Transfer Baggage System (PT5TBS); and London Heathrow Terminal 3 (T3). Prior to this, Autotech implemented some minor projects and support activities for Alstec, Gate Gourmet and Malaysia Airports.
Food & beverage sector
Autotech has delivered controls for conveyors, palletizers, inspection & quality systems, dispensing or continuous processing equipment for end-user clients that include Cadbury, Chivas Brothers, Dairy Crest, Fuller’s, Kellogg’s, Mars and Walkers.
Manufacturing sector
In the manufacturing sector, end-users of Autotech control systems include BAE Systems, Baxter Healthcare, Caterpillar, Lever Fabergé, Procter & Gamble, Schenk, Severn Trent and Siemens.
Associations & key partnerships
Autotech is a member of AMHSA (Automated Material Handling Systems Association), PPMA (Processing & Packaging Machinery Association) and BARA (British Automation & Robot Association). The company is ISO 9001:2000 certified and accredited by CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme). Autotech has been commended by Majenta PLM, one of Europe's leading product development and manufacturing IT providers, as expert in the use of Tecnomatix Robcad. The company has also developed long-term relationships with many of the major UK and European industrial automation system integrators including CKF Automation, Dürr UK, Jervis B Webb, TGW, VDL Steelweld and Vanderlande.