We’ve had a batch of solar panels installed on our paint shop roof. This is how and why we decided to do it, how we’re getting on with them and what’s coming next.

Solar Panels, phase one completed.

We thought it was about time we played our part in helping the environment by reducing our carbon footprint, so we’ve covered one side of our paint shop roof with solar panels. We’ve installed eighty photovoltaic solar panels which in total produce 20kw with an estimated 14790kwh annual generation.

Solar panels installed on the roof of PharmacyMedicals paint shop

The building is used to powder coat our controlled drugs cabinets and Medicine cabinets etc. One slight problem was that the solar panels covered the roof lights so we’ve had to have a completely new internal lighting scheme installed due to the loss of ambient light installing the solar panels. The new lights however are energy saving and will pay for themselves in a few years so that’s not too much of a problem.

We were a little sceptical at first about the amount of electricity the solar panels would generate but we’ve been pleasantly surprised. On an average summer day we generate about 30% of the electricity we use in both our factory buildings. What was very surprising is that on a sunny day, when we are not using our powder coating plant we can generate all our own power ( certain times of the day) using the solar panels including when we are welding our cabinets.

The total cost of the 20kw array of Solar panels on phase one was £25,000 and this will be recouped with the feed in tariff payback in about 9 years. We are also seeing approximately £2850 return in generation tariff on top a 30% reduction on our  electricity bill. So all in all, pretty good.

Solar Panels shown in more detail installed on the roof of our paint shop

Phase two of our solar panel installation.

We are now reviewing the return on the solar panels we’ve installed as phase one and if they continue as they have been we’ll look at covering the roof of our main factory this year with panels too.

This is our main fabrication shop and offices and where we manufacture the controlled drugs cabinets before we send them over to the paint shop for finishing. This building’s twice the size of the building in phase one and will accommodate a 50kw array of solar panels generating twice the energy of the panels on the paint shop. The building is about 15 years old so we need to look at making sure the roof is in a good state of repair before fitting the solar panels.

The post Solar Panels Installed on our Paint Shop appeared first on Controlled Drugs Cabinets from Pharmacy Medical.

This is how we do it.

Powder Coating Cntrolled Drugs Cabinets

Powder coating is the final process in the manufacturing of our controlled drugs cabinets before they are assembled and packed. The process coats the cabinets in a polyester powder giving a hard wearing and wipe clean surface finish.

There are two main types of powder coating that can be used. Epoxy polyester powder and polyester powder. We use polyester powder as this does not break down over time in sunlight with is the case with epoxy polyester powder coating.

The process starts with the raw steel cabinet being taken into our paint shop where it is thoroughly cleaned and any swarf or dust is removed from the inside of the cabinet.

The controlled drugs cabinet parts are then degreased to remove any remaining oil and grease which, if left on the surface may result in the powder not bonding correctly.

Operator applying powder coating to a Controlled Drugs Cabinet door.

The cabinet parts are then suspended from the conveyor on hooks and are run through the oven at 210 deg to burn off any remaining oil. When cooled, the cabinets are allowed to run round the conveyor again and this time they have the powder coating applied.

The Powder coating is applied using a specialist application gun which has the powder blown through it using compressed air. As the powder passes through the gun it flows over an electrode where it receives a positive charge of 50,000 volts static electrical charge. The controlled drugs cabinet parts suspended on the conveyor acts as a negative electrode .This attracts the positively charged powder where the powder coating sticks to all the surfaces while it travels around the track and then enters the tunnel oven.

CDC103 Controlled drugs cabinets after removal from powder coating conveyor.

The tunnel oven runs at 200deg C and the cabinet parts pass through the oven on the conveyor. The track speed is  regulated to allow the powder coated component parts to achieve a metal temperature of 200deg C for a minimum of ten minutes so the powder coating can cure properly.

When the controlled drugs cabinet parts exit the oven they are allowed to cool as they pass along the track. They are then removed and placed on pallets prior to going to be assembled and packed prior to final inspection and packaging.

You can see all our controlled drugs cabinets by clicking here.

The post Powder coating to our controlled drugs cabinets. appeared first on Controlled Drugs Cabinets from Pharmacy Medical.