About Ashfield Vision and Automation
Ashfield Vision and Automation is built on over 30 years’ hands-on experience in engineering, control systems, and machine automation.
The business was founded on practical, real-world engineering — from electrical wiring and control panel design to PLC programming, machine integration, and vision systems for demanding industrial environments.
Engineering Background
Early work included the design, wiring, and integration of fuel-burning systems for plastic melting and marking equipment used in road-lining and road-marking machinery.
This expanded into the design and control of PLC-driven equipment for:
- Car wash systems used by construction companies, councils, police forces, and petrol stations
- Specialist spray vehicles, including whale tankers used for chewing-gum removal and surface cleaning
Additional experience includes:
- Heat exchanger systems supplying large volumes of hot water to automatic concrete moulding equipment for bridges and large stair units
- Electrical and control systems for bespoke industrial machinery
Automation, PLC & Vision Systems
A significant part of the work has focused on the mailing and print industries, including:
- PLC design and programming for envelope inserters, folders, feeders, and inkjet printing systems
- Machine upgrades and modifications to existing production lines
- Camera and vision system design for card attaching and high-speed mailing lines
This experience led naturally into the development of robust machine vision systems for barcode reading, OCR, and visual verification, as well as bespoke vision solutions for other inspection applications.
Practical Support & Upgrades
Alongside system design, Ashfield Vision and Automation provides:
- Machine rewiring, refurbishment, and re-programming
- Control panel design and modification
- Fault finding and breakdown support across a wide range of industrial equipment
The focus is always on reliability, clarity, and extending the working life of existing machinery, rather than unnecessary replacement.
Our Approach
Every project is approached with a practical mindset:
Clear communication and straightforward engineering are prioritised
Solutions are designed to work in real production environments
Existing machines and legacy systems are supported wherever possible