Kerbos b.v.
In 1985, Hans BakKER and Thoe StrijBOS left the big Eindhoven concern and started their own company, KERBOS b.v., in the municipality of Son en Breugel, in the Netherlands. A modest start: two lathes and a milling machine, in a rented space of 60 m2. From the outset, the operation was focused on the production of precision parts in small runs. Never more than fifteen parts, seldom more than five. Aluminium was and remains the most common material, but steel, plastics and other light alloys also occur.
Hans Bakker and Thoe Strijbos view the future with confidence.
Today they have 25 employees and a high-class machine park in premises of their own, covering 1,200 m2. Hans Bakker – “Four or five years ago we began to notice competition from the low-price countries in Europe and elsewhere. Admittedly we operate in a segment with high-quality products, with customers in the metrology, medical and shipping industries, who impose strict demands on their suppliers, but here too, global competition is getting keener.”
“What to do? Soldier on in the same way for as long as possible, or take the bull by the horns and sharpen up our own operation? We chose the second option and invested in machines and personnel.”
And the machine park is top-class: Gildemeister, Hermle and DMU. All renowned makes. Hans Bakker continues – “High-class machines are one piece of the puzzle; skilled workers are another. It’s not easy to find those today, and if you find them they’re not keen to work nights.”
The investments increased our productivity, but we were still a long way from our goal. Of course, the machines and the workforce were producing better than before, but only eight hours a day. I’m totally convinced that what ultimately determines the success of a company is the number of spindle hours a day.”
“Obviously it’s crazy to invest in costly machines and then let them stand idle for 16 hours of every 24. The machines only generate revenue when they are machining, and only then! So we’re compelled to invest in automation.”
The magnificent double cell generates revenue during the dark hours. A DMU 50 eVolution and a DMC 64 V Linear positioned at an angle to each other are served by a WorkMaster
Step one was palletisation of the workpieces in the milling machines. Tests showed positive results right away, and step two soon followed: a fully-automatic production cell with two DMG machines served by a WorkMaster. The same robot but different pallet systems!
The five-axis DMU 50 eVolution has a GPS 240 chuck on the machine table, and the magazine has space for 24 pallets. The four-axis DMC has four Delphin chucks on the machine table and the magazine holds twelve 460x460 mm pallets.
“During the day, the machines are operated manually; the rest of the time, WorkMaster handles production. Guess whether our invoicing per man-hour has increased in this cell,” concludes Hans Bakker.
printer friendly version
Layout drawing:
WorkMaster & DMU 50eVolution & DMC 64 V linear
Related links:
WorkMaster
Automation in general
GPS 240