FOCUS ON TOOLING
Industry 4-0 capability has been integrated into specific STEINEL products .
STEINEL ’ s dynamic warehousing and high degrees of automation mean that its products leave the company premises one day after an order is placed . business that has always produced in Germany and united its entire process chain under one roof , it is able to ramp up production straight away when a large order has been placed . Its manufacturing processes are designed to be adapted quickly and easily .
“ This means that , if we do not have enough parts in stock , the customer will receive an initial advance delivery before getting the rest a few days later ,” Pape told ISMR .
For products outside its standard ranges , STEINEL ’ s production is flexible enough to accommodate customer-specific adaptations .
In terms of value , Pape points to the difference between product price and the total cost of ownership ( TCO ) using the longevity of STEINEL ’ s guide units as an example .
“ For example , in a tool that carries out 15 million strokes for one production batch , cheaper guide units may have to be replaced after every five million strokes . As a result , the customer will have to pay the product price three times , stop the machine three times and reconfigure it three times . STEINEL guide units , on the other hand , last the course of the entire production process . It ’ s easy to see what is more profitable in the long run . And that is not just true for our guide units , but also our nitrogen cylinders and many of the other products we offer ,” he explained .
Market trends , challenges and opportunities
Manufacturers today are having to operate in a climate of spiralling inflation , increasing energy costs , challenging supply chains and geopolitical instability .
“ Energy cost is the main issue for a company like ours ,” explained Christian Pape . “ However , we remain optimistic , even in these uncertain times . All our projects for the future will require support from stamping and bending technology . Electric mobility and renewable energy are just two of the opportunities that I see over the next few years . The punching and bending industry will therefore be more important than ever .”
STEINEL ’ s key markets are in Europe and America . Pape sees plenty of potential to
develop renewable energy and electric mobility in these markets .
The company has emerged from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic with a leaner and more streamlined outlook . It has adapted to change with new , faster business practices such as teleconferences and more online demonstrations .
“ We implement a lot of projects with threadforming units and nitrogen systems . This is where we can also support our customers to become more efficient and save costs . It is all about becoming more productive ,” explained Christian Pape .
STEINEL die set .
A key trend is advancing standardisation and digitalisation in tooling systems . Because of the indispensable development of predictive maintenance , STEINEL expects to see more and more intelligent systems in the future . It has accordingly already developed its modular tool system , the electronic thread forming unit ( S-Former E ) and the smart nitrogen cylinder , in line with this trend .
“ Modern manufacturing with the focus on costs and delivery time are impossible without the right IT support . So , we have been pushing the move to digitalisation for many years . We also incorporate Industry 4-0 capability in our products . For example , productionrelated monitoring features can be found in our S-Former E thread-forming unit ,” explained Pape .
Looking ahead
STEINEL is now becoming increasingly active throughout Europe and aims to increase its presence in other countries outside Europe . It will therefore present its products at trade fairs in the USA , Mexico and China and continue to expand its network of representatives and partners .
“ We will focus on the issue of production flexibility more strongly than we have done — the keyword is Industry 4.0 . In the future , tools should not be built in accordance with the available components . Instead , flexible products and components must be available to allow the optimal tool to be developed . We will also be expanding our high-precision machine element activities . With an eye on cost reductions , we will continue to develop integrated systems that combine several steps in one tool , are compact in design and enable high production speeds . We are already working on this ,” explained Christian Pape .
In recent years , STEINEL has also worked on the miniaturisation of its manifold plate systems . The result is high-speed manifold plates that generate maximum forces on small spaces using high packing density . They are primarily used in the production of large batches when challenging materials must be processed into precision punched parts .
“ Special solutions will always be important when it comes to generating a real competitive advantage . On the one hand , we offer our customers intelligent and reliable systems that significantly increase production efficiency . On the other , we develop individual solutions that are tailored to our customers ’ production processes . Our employees are a driving force behind our success ,” Christian Pape told ISMR .
“ In the final analysis , I would strongly recommend any toolmakers and companies using punching technology to get in touch with us for in-depth advice – especially before starting on any challenging projects . At STEINEL , we will gladly do this free of charge and with no strings attached because innovative solutions that eschew traditional practices tend to be the best ones . There is plenty to gain and nothing to lose ,” he concluded . n
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