Case Study

Alternative Heat

Alternative Heat: Scaling Fabrication Capacity and Precision with Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot

Faced with rising project volumes and tighter deadlines, Alternative Heat Ltd. turned to automation and saw incredible results. The UK-based offsite fabrication specialist gained an additional welding meterage of 700 meters per week across two shifts, far exceeding return-on-investment expectations. The move allowed the company to take on more complex projects, reduce production downtime, and bring a greater share of work in-house.

Founded in 2005, Alternative Heat has become a trusted name in delivering lean, prefabricated MEP solutions across the UK and Europe. Serving sectors from data centers to healthcare and high-rise residential, the company’s commitment to quality and innovation led it to explore robotic welding technologies as a way to standardize weld quality and significantly boost throughput across varying pipe sizes and project demands.

The Challenge: Increasing Throughput and Consistency

As demand for their prefabricated MEP systems grew, Alternative Heat was facing a greater need in spool welding, with manual TIG welders and rotators currently in place. The team set ambitious targets for quality and productivity improvements, aiming to exceed 400 meters of welds per day, especially for larger diameter pipe spools.

“We chose the Robot to allow us to focus on quality and increase production ability,” Said Ryan McCullough, Fabrication Manager at Alternative Heat. “We were achieving approximately 100 meters a week from each of our TIG welders and about 157 meters from each of our rotators.”

In addition to increasing throughput, the team monitored weekly defect metrics, ensuring that any new solution would also support their strict quality standards.

The Solution: Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot (SWR™)

After exploring a few options in the market, Alternative Heat selected Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot and implemented it on a rail system to optimize flexibility and coverage across pipe sizes. The decision was influenced by a demonstration seen in Ireland and the robot’s ability to support a variety of weld lengths and pipe diameters.

Their typical project mix includes 125mm to 500mm pipe, primarily Schedule 20 and Schedule 40, and weld lengths ranging from 200mm to 4.5 meters. The rail-mounted SWR allowed the team to configure positioners for both small and large pipes in parallel, minimizing setup time and avoiding frequent changes in chuck sizes.

The robot is operated on both day and night shifts by two MIG welders, who were fully trained within just two to three weeks.

Quantifiable Benefits: Output, Quality, and ROI

The results have been significant. With the SWR in operation, Alternative Heat has gained an additional output of 700 meters of welding from two shifts, a dramatic increase compared to current methods. This increase in productivity has allowed them to take on more work in-house and boost overall throughput and quality.

“We’re able to bring more projects in-house because we know we can achieve all scheduled dates,” Ryan noted.

When it comes to the investment, the results speak for themselves.

“We’ve achieved ROI incredibly well. It’s brought everything closer together and helped reduce downtime.”

Evolving Support: Local Expertise, Global Standards

Novarc’s support has become a standout element of the partnership with Alternative Heat. With a dedicated field engineer now based in Ireland, the team enjoys fast, knowledgeable assistance that keeps operations running smoothly and minimizes downtime.

“Any issues are usually dealt with in a couple of hours,” Ryan shared. “It’s made a real difference having someone locally who understands the system inside and out.”

This localized presence, backed by Novarc’s global engineering team, ensures that Alternative Heat can continue scaling with confidence, knowing expert support is always within reach.

A Foundation for Scalable Growth

Alternative Heat’s deployment of Novarc’s SWR has not only increased productivity and weld quality, but it has also positioned the company for sustainable growth. By automating a core part of their fabrication workflow, they’ve unlocked new levels of efficiency while maintaining their commitment to quality and lean manufacturing.

“The robot has helped us get more work done, faster, and with better consistency as we strive to become to supplier choice of Carbon reduction and offsite prefabricated MEP Solutions across UK, ROI & Europe.”

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