FOCUS ON PRESS BRAKES
Sheet metal specialist , Exerion , chose a robotic bending cell from SafanDarley for the manufacture of its smaller products .
ACCENT
The E-Brake 35T Mini Cell .
ON AUTOMATION
Automatic tool-change functionality enables the E-Brake 35T Mini Cell to switch quickly between different products on the shop floor .”
Exerion in Ulft ( The Netherlands ) manufactures high-quality frame structures and products from sheet metal . This international company has existed for more than two and a half centuries and , today , has branches in Ulft ( The Netherlands ), Olomouc ( Czech Republic ) and Rochester , NY ( United States ). It is part of the ACM Group in Penang ( Malaysia ).
The manufacturer has been working with precision sheet metal for thirty years . It has a compact group of specialised designers , engineers , prototype builders and toolmakers . Frame construction knowledge in general , combined with paper support processes , robotics and fixture technology developed inhouse , makes it a strong player in its field . “ Our work varies from simple parts to complex composite products . We work a lot in printing and the medical sector is important to us , as are document processing , semiconductors and industrial markets . Those markets are all booming right now and turnover is good ,” it explained .
Having recently taken over production from eastern Europe , Exerion turned to its longtime supplier , sheet metal bending specialist SafanDarley , to help integrate robot bending into its operations . Both companies have worked together for many years .
Exerion facilities in Ulft , The Netherlands .
Exerion turned to its long-time supplier , sheet metal bending specialist SafanDarley , to help integrate robot bending into its operations .
Metal in its veins
Exerion ’ s history began in 1754 , said director , Bart Konter , from its business premises in the Achterhoek .
“ It all started with cast iron pans . You could say that we ‘ breathe ’ metal here . We have branches in the Netherlands ( Ulft ) and in the Czech Republic . We are part of the ACM Group with headquarters in Penang , Malaysia , so we are a very international club ,” Konter outlined .
The Dutch branch of Exerion employs 100 people , continued Konter .
“ We also have 150 people in the Czech Republic , 700 in Malaysia and 200 in China . In total , the group has more than one thousand people . Their turnover is more than 100 million euros per year . We are proud of our club and have loyal and experienced people . The biggest challenge for us is to achieve revenue growth ,” he explained .
This is also the reason that Exerion invested in SafanDarley .
“ Last year , we took over production from eastern Europe with many operations . You need a professional to program those operations . We already had a long relationship with SafanDarley and therefore contacted
Arjan Weijs , the sales account manager and project engineer at SafanDarley . He researched what we could do with a robot in production . The outcome was that we were able to make great strides in robotic automation with the new E-Brake 35T Mini Cell . This allows us to produce many more small products . The robot , equipped with automatic tool change , can operate continuously and is very reliable ,” added Konter .
Exerion products must have a high degree of positional accuracy under static and dynamic loads . It therefore manages its production of position-critical frame structures and parts in-house , using high-tech sheet metal and welding robot technology .
Strong collaboration
The collaboration between Exerion and SafanDarley was excellent , confirmed Konter .
“ We have the same Achterhoek mentality with strong worker morale . We first started using a SafanDarley press brake in the Czech Republic . It was an ambassadorial position . Now , we also have SafanDarley press brakes in Malaysia and China . SafanDarley suits us . It is just like us , down to earth and reliable ,” he said .
SafanDarley is a global specialist in developing and manufacturing press brakes and shears for both thin and thick sheet metal . It has two production plants , a head office in Lochem and a branch in Eijsden ( The Netherlands ). The company employs approximately 180 members of staff .
SafanDarley ’ s E-Brake Mini Cell is , as standard , a robot bending cell equipped with
52 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR April 2022