Chesterfield manufacturer installs new robotic manufacturing plating plant

May 23, 2023

Engineering supply chain solution provider CBE+ has built the first 6+1 robotic Electroless Nickel Plating (ENP) line in the UK and Europe at its 70,000ft² state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

This new manufacturing capability will allow the company to undertake a range of innovative projects at its Chesterfield base, including the processing of small, precision-engineered components in high volumes and the ability to deliver high-quality parts at a consistently high standard.

The automated line from Sidasa Engineering will also facilitate a highly repeatable surface treatment process, reducing the time taken to complete and send large orders to customers and significantly increasing CBE+'s Electroless Nickel production capacity, utilising a FANUC robot system.

Chief executive officer, Marie Cooper, says: "This is a significant investment for CBE+ and one that will bring many benefits to the business and our customers. The new plating line reduces the scope for human error by automating dosing control and deposition monitoring and measuring. This results in a consistently high-quality finish on the products we process. Automating these tasks means we can redeploy skilled employees to projects that require higher levels of expertise."

This is the latest of significant investment in the business. A sum of £4m has been invested over the last few years including a new Wire EDM line in 2021 and merger with Nitec UK at the back end of 2022. The firm has double its turnover during this period, with future growth to £10m forecasted over the next few years.

This investment contributes to CBE+'s commitment to sustainability and innovation. The new nickel-plating line will be linked with the newly commissioned effluent water treatment plant and combined heat and power (CHP) system. The CHP system captures heat generated as a by-product of electrical power generation which is then used to provide heat energy for the surface treatment processes. The effluent plant filters and neutralises all waste chemistry on-site and allows for environmentally safe disposal and recycling.

The new line is currently being tested with plans to be fully operational this June.

The company recently opened its doors to the public, hosting an open day on the 26th April. More than 60 people from the manufacturing and engineering sectors attended the event which featured a tour of the entire facility including the new plating line.

CBE+ supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.