CHEMICALS & PHARMACEUTICALS
Integrating Precision: Noreside Engineering and FANUC Robotics in Irish Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
By Gerry Horan, Director of Automation, Noreside Engineering “R
obots aren’t going away!” says Noreside Engineering’s, Gerry Horan.
Gerry has been working in automation for over
30 years. Currently he is the Director of Automation for Kilkenny’s Noreside Engineering, a manufacturer employing over 70 people in Kilkenny City. “When you need millimetre precision over and
over again, robots are the only answer. Medical device manufacturing in Europe demands this level of repeatability and our automation division at Noreside is growing from strength to strength.” Noreside Engineering in Kilkenny, are a systems
integrator, designing and delivering ‘turn key’ automation solutions for Irish pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. For complex robotic solutions Noreside partners with manufacturers like FANUC and Keyence. Noreside are one of their main integration partners in Ireland.
THE INTEGRATOR’S ROLE IN PHARMACEUTICAL AUTOMATION
In pharmaceutical manufacturing, robots must work data capture and quality controls. As an integrator, Noreside Engineering bridges the gap between robot capability and real-world pharmaceutical production. This involves translating process requirements into engineered solutions that meet hygienic expectations in tight working environments. Gerry Horan at Noreside Engineering adds “Our
experience across medical device manufacturing has shown that early engagement at concept and design stage is critical. By involving us to get the early mechanical design complete, systems can be developed that are inherently repeatable and easier to validate.”
WHY FANUC ROBOTICS IN PHARMACEUTICAL ENVIRONMENTS
Noreside Engineering has recently integrated the compact, high-precision FANUC SR-3iA. This SCARA robot is particularly well suited to high- speed, high-accuracy tasks commonly found in pharmaceutical device assembly, inspection and component handling. With a 3 kg payload capacity and a compact
working envelope, the SR-3iA is ideal for space-constrained cleanroom and controlled manufacturing environments. Its high repeatability and rigid design ensure cycle-to-cycle performance,
which is essential for pharmaceutical processes where even small variation can impact quality outcomes. During a recent automation cell creation for an
Irish medical device company, the SR-3iA performed excellent at fast pick-and-place, precision placement and repeatable assembly operations. Its simple robot movements in hygienic frameworks.
SEEING SMALL PARTS CLEARLY EVERY TIME
Another piece of Noreside’s equipment repertoire is the Keyence CV-X vision platform with a 5-megapixel camera. It’s capable of reliably identifying parts as small as 2 mm × 4 mm. Using advanced pattern recognition, the system can locate components even when they arrive in different orientations or positions, perfect for high-throughput pharmaceutical applications.
Components are presented using an ATC
vibrating Flexibowl, which will gently singulate parts in random orientation. The CV-X vision system rotation coordinates and sends this information directly to a Fanuc robot. The robot then performs a fast, accurate pick-and-place operation, positioning each component precisely where it needs to go. Because the process is fully automated and non-
contact, operator involvement is reduced and the risk of contamination is minimised, key advantages in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The result of both the FANUC and Keyence
integrations are a compact, reliable automation cell that delivers consistent throughput while supporting hygienic design principles and long-term maintainability.
OUTCOMES FROM RECENT PROJECTS As Gerry explains, “Our role as an integrator is to engineer FANUC robotics and Keyence Vision systems into a complete, validated system that delivers the same result every cycle, every shift. When repeatability is designed in from the start, validation becomes simpler.” Across multiple projects within Ireland’s
pharmaceutical and medical device sector, Noreside Engineering has delivered robotic cells for applications including component handling, precision assembly and repeatable placement tasks.
14 January/February 2026 Irish Manufacturing
LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE AND SCALABILITY
Robotic automation in pharmaceutical manufacturing is a long-term investment. As a leading integrator in Ireland, Noreside Engineering places strong emphasis on system reliability, maintainability and future scalability..
THE FUTURE OF INTEGRATED PHARMACEUTICAL AUTOMATION
As Ireland’s pharmaceutical manufacturing base continues to expand, the demand for expertly integrated robotic automation will grow alongside it. Manufacturers require partners who understand not only robotics, but the regulatory and operational realities of pharmaceutical production. Noreside Engineering’s role as a Keyence
& FANUC integrator is centred on delivering engineered systems that provide measurable value,
https://ireland.fanuc.eu/ https://www.noresideengineering.com/
www.irish-manufacturing.com
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