Schuler Service already offers a wide range of possibilities to get the most out of press lines with measures for raising output, process reliability, part quality and energy efficiency. This is achieved by retrofitting innovative components, and not least by providing targeted training for machine operators and maintenance staff. Thanks to a cooperation with the production specialists of Staufen AG, Schuler Service can now also help optimize those processes which are upstream or downstream of the machine: along the complete path from raw material store to finished part warehouse.
“We aim to give our customers the best possible support in achieving their targets,” says Managing Director Axel Meyer, head of Schuler’s Service division. “The cooperation with Staufen AG means we are now able to offer our customers around the world one-stop consulting and solutions which enable plant operators to tap considerable potential.” The services are not limited to press shops themselves: they can be applied wherever metal is formed or cut – such as for the production of electric motor laminations and metal packaging, or for blanking lines.
Staufen AG is one of the leading consulting companies for lean production, i.e. highly efficient manufacturing with minimum inventory and short lead times. Schuler technology already meets many of the requirements for such production. However, there is often room for improvement in the flow of materials to the production line, in the field of die changing, and in part logistics downstream of the production line.
Quick check to determine status quo
During the so-called “quick check”, experts from Schuler Service and Staufen AG carefully examine all processes and the extensive performance data of the press shop and use these to prepare a report with recommended action. These measures can then be implemented in close coordination with the customer – they range from production control, to the standardization of die changes, and optimization of logistics. The aim is always to optimize the entire value stream according to the principles of lean production.
The first quick checks have already been successfully conducted in the automotive industry. “Staufen AG and Schuler are two market leaders who have come together to offer a genuine added value for the customer,” summarizes Schuler’s Managing Director Axel Meyer. “We help customers achieve sustainable efficiency gains and thus enhance their long-term success.”