Crown Aluminium recently played host to 30 architectural students from Nottingham University. The trip was organised by the course convenor of the  Façade Technologies module and the trip was organised to show the students a modern fabrication facility. Roger Phillips, Production Director at Crown Aluminium and Colin Cornwall, Production Manager, hosted the visit.

Crown have had links with Professor Michael Stacey RIBA FRSA, Chair in Architecture and Director of Architecture at the university for a number of years. Professor Michael Stacey has also spoken at several of CAB members meetings recently where he explains how architects should be using aluminium to enhance building structure design whilst ensuring substantial sustainable values. Professor Michael Stacey has recently worked with the International Aluminium Institute to provide ‘Greenbuilding’, a website which explains the benefits of using aluminium in architecture.

Of the 30 students visiting Crown, three were studying their PhD’s and undertaking research in facade development. Crown are supporting these students by fabricating specific facade elements for research and development.

The visit looked at the workshop flow of manufacturing, from profile cutting through to machining and assembly of facades, windows and doors. An emphasis was placed on quality procedures and secure packaging for transport to site.

Visiting the drawing office, students were introduced to the estimating packages which translate the CAD drawings into bills of quantities for order. One of Crown’s leading technologies can be seen in their three Elumatec CNC machine centres all of which are linked back to the drawing office. Machines can be easily programmed from the office to ensure that all machining for fixings, hardware, drainage, etc are completed with accuracy.

Aneel Kilaire, a PhD student sponsored by Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, is designing and fabricating an ‘Integrated Double Skin Facade’ which eliminates the need for central plant and provides both reduced energy emissions and improved comfort for occupants, Aneel comments:

“Crown Aluminium’s involvement has been crucial to the success of the project. In the initial stages Roger Philip’s breadth and depth of knowledge and experience of system providers and bespoke products allowed the project to become a reality, by advising on the use of Schueco’s unitised systems, thus the economic barrier of producing bespoke profiles for the project was overcome. Following product development with Schueco, Crown Aluminium’s involvement was again invaluable in the fabrication stage as Production Manager Colin Cornwall, advised on the detailing and assembly, and managing the fabrication process of the bespoke, system based, unitised double skin facade. This has been facilitated by Crown’s investment in CAD/CAM software which allows the production of ‘one-offs’ and their experience with different curtain walling companies.”

It is hoped that the relationships established here can be developed further between the industrial partners of Crown Aluminium, Schueco UK and the University of Nottingham, to advance facade design technologically, at lower cost and with less inherent risk and thereby enhancing wealth creation and the competitiveness of the UK curtain walling industry.

Crown aluminium use the latest technology and work closely with all systems providers to offer bespoke products to suit any application. For further information on Crown and their services please visit their website at www.crownaluminium.co.uk or contact their offices by phone on 01453 753222.