Beverston Engineering joins the Industry 4.0 race

Leading manufacturer, Beverston Engineering, is boosting manufacturing capabilities with the development of a new, innovative Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) CNC system.

Beverston Engineering specialises in the prototyping and manufacture of state-of-the-art engineering components for a wide range of industries including aerospace, oil and gas and pharmaceutical sectors.

The Knowsley-based manufacturer, which has clients including Rolls Royce and ChargePoint Technology, has been working with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) through the LCR 4.0 programme to design a system that increases efficiency and reduces waste and downtime.

Beverston Engineering initially approached LCR 4.0, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), for academic and technical support in identifying how industry 4.0 technologies can be incorporated into the business offering.

The outcome of the support is that resources have been secured in order to undertake a project to develop an IIoT CNC system that will monitor, collect, exchange and analyse data to deliver valuable insights for Beverston Engineering and its customers, allowing them to make smarter business decisions faster. It will also have significant impact on component accuracy within the CNC manufacturing – the use of computers to control machine tools – process to boost competitive advantage.

As a result, Beverston Engineering have secured funding via the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, a UK-wide programme that will deliver the concept over a three-year period.

Rod Wah, Managing Director at Beverston Engineering, said: “Before approaching LCR 4.0, we had never heard of Industry 4.0. However, it became increasingly clear that these technologies represent a paradigm shift within this market, and we quickly realised that we needed to adopt them.

“The work with LCR 4.0 and LJMU has not only enabled us to develop the IIoT system, but also expand our team with the recruitment of a new associate. We are confident that this support and introduction of advanced technology will enable us to develop our global reputation and continue year-on-year growth.”

LCR4.0 is delivered in partnership by the University of Liverpool’s Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC), Liverpool John Moores University, Sensor City, STFC Hartree Centre and the Liverpool City Region LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership).

Anthony Walker, LJMU strategic manager for LCR 4.0, said: “The work with Beverston Engineering highlights exactly why the LCR 4.0 programme began – to make traditional manufacturers aware of Industry 4.0 technologies so they could assess their production challenges and keep ahead of their competitors.”

Beverston Engineering holds the highest accreditation and customer approval from companies such as United Technologies Corporation, Rolls Royce, Pattonair and ChargePoint Technology.