Machinery

A significant part of our machine fleet is operated by robot cells that fetch raw blanks, position them in the machine and remove the finished components again without manual intervention. The robot cells are adapted to the individual task with grippers matching the geometry of the component, so that handling can take place safely and consistently throughout a long production run without interruption.

The benefit of robotic operation is not only capacity outside normal working hours. It is also that the component is handled in exactly the same way every time, which eliminates the variation that can otherwise arise when several operators take turns running the same machine across shifts.

We tailor the programming of the robot cells to each new task before a batch is released for unmanned operation. This means that a new setup always goes through a controlled run-in, during which gripping sequence, cycle time and error handling are tested before the machine is left unsupervised.

Our 3D measuring equipment is located close to the machines, so that a component can be measured quickly, without a long journey to a separate measuring room. This shortens the time from when a suspicion of a deviation arises until it is either confirmed or ruled out, and it makes it possible to respond while the process is still set up and ready for adjustment.

For large batches, sample checks are supplemented with ongoing measurements that are fed into a statistical process. This gives a picture of how the process moves over time, rather than just a snapshot, and makes it possible to intervene before a trend develops into an actual deviation.

The measuring equipment is maintained and calibrated according to a fixed schedule, so that results remain reliable year after year. Calibration documentation forms part of the quality system and can be presented whenever a customer wishes to see how our measurements are assured.

The machine fleet is continuously updated as the nature of customers' tasks changes and new technologies make a process faster, more precise or more energy efficient. Decisions on new machines are made on the basis of specific types of tasks, not as general capacity expansions without a clear application.

When a new machine is brought into use, it goes through a run-in period during which accuracy, repeatability and cycle times are verified before it is set to produce customer components in earnest. This ensures that new investments live up to the standard customers already know from us.

Older machines are phased out or moved to tasks where their capacity still fits well, rather than being replaced solely because of age. The decision is made on the basis of the machine's condition, accuracy and the type of tasks it can still handle at a competitive level.

High utilisation of machine time through unmanned operation and automation means that a given amount of energy is used to produce more components, compared with a machine fleet that only runs during normal working hours. This is one of the ways we work to keep energy consumption per component down.

We continually assess whether newer machine types can reduce energy consumption for the same processes without compromising accuracy or capacity. Decisions on replacement therefore weigh function, capacity and operating economy against each other.

Preventive maintenance also contributes to energy efficiency, because a machine in good condition runs more stably and uses less energy compensating for wear than a machine that is pushed beyond its normal maintenance cycle.