“Remaining a top sub-contractor was vital to our survival and future growth,” explained John van der Laan, Managing Director of Landes Fijnmechanische Industrie BV, located in the north of Holland.
“A significant dip in the market in 2002 immediately stimulated us into taking positive action so that we could remain strongly competitive and well-placed when the market took an up-turn. We weren’t prepared to just wait and see, so we initiated a number of brain-storming sessions which led us to some fundamental conclusions about efficiency and productivity.”
Up to that point in time Landes had worked a traditional shift system but this had in-built inefficiencies especially when the shifts changed. So a move towards automation seemed to provide the key to increasing machine output in a given period of time. Especially as their customers – including those in laboratory and medical equipment, aerospace, textile machinery and general engineering – increasingly demanded shorter lead times.
DMU 70 eVolution with WorkMaster and magazin.
Because of the size of the products they were machining, often in small production quantities with varying cycle times, unmanned or low-manned production based upon a pallet system seemed the answer.
Research into the marketplace quickly established the way forward and Landes invested in their first automated production cell at the end of 2002. This comprised a DMU 50 eVolution machining centre plus a WorkMaster robot with a 41-position magazine.
“The preference for System 3R,” says van der Laan, “was based on technical evaluation and on their valuable experience and support that they could offer all the way through the automation process. System 3R understood precisely what we wanted and gave us the confidence that it could be achieved technically and organizationally.”
Managing Director, John van der Laan: “We’ve gained increased productivity and there is less scrap – both aspects lowering costs and hence improving our competitiveness.”
This initial set-up for full automation turned out to be so positive that the first production cell was quickly followed by a second one, but with a DMU 70 eVolution machine.
“Both production cells are cutting for 18 - 20 out of 24 hours – in line with our most optimistic expectation. Compared to the old shift system, it is a great improvement,“ explains van der Laan. “The losses in machining time from lengthy set-up times every product change meant we were only previously getting about 40 per cent of the time in production, if we were lucky!”
Now, one operator controls both production cells during normal working hours. At the end of the day the cells are fully programmed for unmanned operation throughout the night by using WorkShopManager, System 3R’s special production planning software.
Because of the type and size of products they machine, care is taken to ensure that the pallet capacity is used to its optimum for continuous production which may result in the clamping of different parts to a single pallet. Even then, if an operator is required to reset or reload the cell, an SMS text is sent to notify him of its status.
5-axis machining for complex parts has also be come an important reality with the efficient clamping and accuracy features of System 3R pallets. “Five-axis machining in one clamping is not only faster,” explains van der Laan, “but it also prevents inaccuracies due to the inverting of the metal or plastic workpiece.”
“The arrival of the two production cells required some organisational changes. The introduction of new software always leads to adaptation. For many products new software had to be written and two milling machine operators have been retrained as programmers. The pressure on the work preparation department has grown, with customers taking advantage of our ability to meet even quicker deliveries. Tool supply must be 100 per cent,” continued van der Laan.
The 41-position magazine fully-loaded with palletized workpieces
“On the other hand, we have achieved important quality and productivity improvements, and there is less scrap – all helping improve our competitiveness. Last but by no means least, automation certainly did not lead to forced resignations or reductions in staffing levels. On the contrary, we have recently engaged some new employees!”
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WorkMaster & DMU 70evolution
WorkMaster & DMU 50eVolution
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