FACE TO FACE
Pipe production . The EVO roll-bender at EuroBLECH .
ISMR : Which trends do you see developing in sheet metal markets ?
SB : One trend is towards autonomous bending . I am also seeing more and more complex forms being bent ( rather than just rolls ). Now , we can autonomously bend multiple radii in one workpiece . In the past , one experienced operator could work for five hours to roll a sheet . We can now roll it in 35- 40 minutes .
The wind tower sector is also bending larger and larger sheet sizes . It is fantastic to be part of some of these projects . I also see more demand for materials to be bent across a range of applications ( i . e . transportation of special gases or liquids that need insulation in tankers , so two shells need to be rolled ).
ISMR : Where do you see the greatest challenges and opportunities ?
SB : Climate change is both a challenge and an opportunity . That is a fact that needs to be faced . We need a combination of sustainable solutions to battle climate change i . e . controlling the energy consumption of machines , offering different options to produce energy ( new sources of energy like wind energy ) and SMRs ( small modular reactors ). We should strive to find solutions . We can solve this together .
ISMR : What is your approach to technologies such as Artificial Intelligence , Augmented Reality , Digital Twins and Virtual Reality ?
SB : We don ’ t use Augmented Reality or Digital Twins , although we do use a little Virtual Reality . However , we have significantly invested in Artificial Intelligence ( AI ). Every
Industry sectors for HAEUSLER
■ Wind turbines
■ Pipe production
■ Steel construction
■ Aerospace
■ Power plant construction
■ Containers
■ Shipbuilding
■ Automotive
■ Boilers and heat exchangers
■ Tunnel and mining .
sheet of metal in the production process is different . If you want to do autonomous bending , you must learn how each sheet behaves . The machine needs to know this , so we use AI to find out . We start the first few bending steps , then do the measurement . The feedback goes into the system and the AI learns how each sheet behaves so that the machine can make these fairly complex bends . We are continuously developing this AI system for our machines .
I also believe that there are safety applications for AI . We strive to build safety into our machines – some of them feature up to 4000 tons of bottom roll pressure so you need high levels of safety to protect operators . AI could improve machine safety , for example , by stopping machines if the pressure is too high or the load in the top support becomes critical .
ISMR : How are you handling sustainability in your products and organisation ?
SB : Energy reduction is crucial . Smaller versions of our NEO four-roll benders are designed in such a way that we can ship them in one load for lower shipment costs and lower Scope-3 emissions . We have also significantly reduced the amount of steel that we use to build the machine . We produce our machines in Switzerland and abide by environmental rules and regulations which are quite strict . We aim to cover the entire roof of our production hall with solar panels next year , so that we can produce our own energy . This will be a significant investment for us . Our main investment focus will be on bringing down costs , becoming more sustainable and accelerating development of our control / operating systems . We clearly need to keep investing in software development and the electrical engineering of the machines .
We are an 88-year-old family business with a very solid customer base and employee base ( for which I am very grateful ), and a long-term investment outlook . We are here to stay , sustainably , for a very long time .
ISMR : Thank you for your time .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE
Watch the autonomous bending process on an EVO machine on https :// youtu . be / 2agn0VoyfRE
Catch up with HAEUSLER AG at the SteelFab exhibition in Sharjah , UAE , from 13-16 January 2025 on stand 5-6600 .
https :// haeusler . com / en /
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