Waste disposal/Infection control
parts then fed into the larger machines. David Brown said: “We do buy in some parts, such as plastic plumbing and smaller electrical components, but the majority of the metal parts we produce are manufactured here.” Looking at some machine frames, he explained that sound insulation for the macerators is provided by a material that eliminates the ‘ring’ or resonance that might otherwise be heard when they are running. He added: “Our test equipment can also mimic any voltage or electrical supply in the world, and then tailor the power supply to the country. Growing recognition of the advantages of disposable pulp bedpans is seeing our export markets expanding constantly. He added: “What we strive to focus on is the first-class engineering, combined with outstanding reliability. We want users to be completely confident their machines will remain reliable and do the job efficiently.” One of the ways Haigh ensures such trouble-free performance is to commence design using Cadtek’s SolidWorks software, which the company says is not only now used in every aspect of its product development, but also ‘fits in with the workflow’ of its designers and engineers ‘turning imagination into reality.’
Adjacent factory In a second adjacent factory – both are around 30,000 ft2
in size, all the sheet
metal frames and fabricated parts for Haigh’s healthcare machines are produced. Here we viewed a laser profiler that cuts large flat steel sheets into a variety of shapes. David Brown explained: “This machine is a game-changer; it will cut the sheets to .1 of a millimetre accuracy at very high speed. It will generate a frame component from stainless steel quicker
than you or I could with a pair of scissors and a piece of paper. When the beam is progressing across, it is pulling a force of 3G. “Having cut all the shapes, some of the parts need to be folded, which is undertaken on highly accurate, CNC- controlled press brakes.” Looking at a laser profiler, my guide said the machine represented an investment of some £500,000, while a single press brake would cost around £350,000. We next viewed a large robot that undertakes extremely precise MIG welding of parts used in the wastewater product range. David Brown said: “This Trumpf TruLaser Robot 5020 welding cell was bought four years ago as part of a £750,000 investment, and was until recently the UK’s only one in this configuration.” The system is also used to laser weld parts for a wide range of healthcare products, including the Quattro hoppers. Among its advantages are ‘clean welds, with no further finishing required’, and ‘incredible accuracy’. David Brown said: “The system’s installation has greatly reduced our in-house manufacturing costs, since production of these components is now entirely under our own control.
A true manufacturing business “What I hope I am conveying,” he added, “is that we are a true manufacturing business. Many of our engineers came through our apprenticeship scheme. We are a great believer in bringing people up through the business. The training on the laser welding machine alone lasted a month, and took place in Germany. Currently I have three apprentices, one mechanical, one a sheet fabricator, and one electrical apprentice, who split their time between the factory and college.”
Haigh says disposable bedpan macerator use has ‘increased notably’ in recent years – to the extent that ‘over 85 % of UK hospitals now favour such machines for bedpan handling’.
Engineering technologist, Jeremy Allen, verifying dimensional information on a product being manufactured on a Mori Seiki NL2500 twin-spindle bar feed CNC capable of running unattended once set.
74 Health Estate Journal September 2016
David Brown explained that on joining Haigh, he undertook a six-year technical apprenticeship. He said: “Today’s technical apprentices do an initial four years’ training. The emphasis on training investment is enormous. When the company sees the potential in people, it will invest, which in turn fosters loyal staff, and makes people want to stay and grow. I have held many roles – in the machine shop, on the fittings section, on production control, on IT systems, on quality, in health and safety, and purchasing. I am a mechanical engineer, undertook a diploma in management, and subsequently an MBA.” The half-hour factory tour reinforced what Stuart Anderson and David Brown had said about the company’s engineering expertise, focus on quality, and the advantages of being able to undertake all its own design, assembly, and manufacturing on one site. My visit also left me with the firm impression that while Haigh is extremely proud of its traditional engineering heritage, the arrival of Stuart Anderson, with his strong background in highly automated production environments, is giving added impetus to the drive for greater manufacturing efficiency, customer service, and, above all, determination to supply the sector’s most reliable, hi-tech, and effective human waste disposal equipment. David Brown said: “Whether we are supplying a couple of macerators to a care home, or 100 machines for export, our aim is the same – to give the customer top quality macerators which will perform reliably year after year, are easy to install, use, and maintain, and will not break down, while of course taking account of infection control. It might seem a hackneyed phrase – but in such a competitive sector, where our healthcare customers’ budgets are increasingly tight – it is all about ‘never standing still’.” ✚
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