ASTC Relocation

The AMRC Advanced Structural Testing Centre is a UKAS accredited Laboratory and it has a requirement that all measuring and test equipment is calibrated and serviced on an annual basis to national standards and by suitably qualified and competent personnel. All equipment within the Structural Testing Centre has this requirement.

Systems Services have carried out all the Design, upgrades, maintenance and calibration for the last 8 years on all the testing equipment in ASTC. Previously we used different suppliers as the companies will only support specific machines. This was disastrous and caused delays to our testing programs. System services responded to our need for highly specialized assistance to upgrade and maintain the laboratory equipment to enable ASTC to hold the UKAS inhouse methods accreditation. As Systems Services are currently our service and Calibration supplier and we need to ensure we have traceability, continuity and records to show we have complied with the requirements especially as we are completing a full Laboratory test machine relocation.

The equipment is to be disconnected and placed into safe modes to allow transport without causing damage to the sensitive equipment. All this will be recalibrated and shown to be within a very tight tolerance upon recalibration. (This is a requirement of the UKAS Accreditation) Systems services are also highly skilled in transporting the equipment by road haulage.

Logistically to use all the original equipment suppliers to decommission, transport and then to recommission would add a high element of Risk to completing the deadline of the beginning of November to relocate the factory for the AWE project. By using System Services we are mitigating the risk of ensuring all the machines meet the strict calibration criteria and maintain the uncertainty of measurement within acceptable limits. Also to ensure we meet the tight deadline whilst maintaining a Value for Money approach by using a sole supplier who can manage the decommissioning, transport, recommissioning and subsequent calibration. We simply do not have enough staff to manage multiple companies carrying out the same exercises on this Laboratory move.

Systems Services have competent staff that are skilled in the different makes and types of machines and testing equipment. The high pressure hydraulics require a unique specialist knowledge to enable the safe use by our staff and protection of our reputation as Aerospace testing facility. The company will provide a turnkey solution that will allow ASTC to concentrate on relocating the rest of the equipment