FACE TO FACE
Schuler ’ s modular TRITON press .
brand ( depending upon the control software being used ),” he added .
He underlined Schuler ’ s commitment to not just finding a ‘ quick fix ’ for customer challenges and machine uptimes , but providing long-term sustainable solutions that can keep its customers operating productively and efficiently .
“ We know that the service process is working , as far as our customers are concerned , because we carry out regular customer surveys after each service order that we receive ( for example on modernisation , repair etc ). The survey poses five questions to customers to assess the success of our service package . This is important because , in September , we received our biggest service order ever ,” he explained .
In conclusion
“ In one year , we receive over 10,000 service orders . So , the question is ‘ Do you build your reputation with one big order or with 9000 smaller ones ?’ I want to make the customer happy with every order that we receive , whether he is getting his spare parts on time or if he has successfully completed a major project . It is not the size of the order that matters but the quality of the service received . Regardless of order value , the goal is always to make the customer happy ,” continued Torsten Petrick .
He also confirmed that service has become a key differentiator and the next step for the company is to learn how to properly sell over 30 digital products and applications .
“ Our software engineers are very creative and can always produce a range of new products . However , it is important to remember that these digital services are all use cases where customers are asking us for solutions . There is a definite need for our Digital Suite products ,” he concluded . n
About Schuler
Founded in 1839 at its headquarters in Göppingen , Germany , Schuler has approx . 5,000 employees at production sites in Europe , China and the Americas , as well as service companies in more than 40 countries . The company is part of the international technology group , ANDRITZ .
Its customers include automotive manufacturers and suppliers , as well as companies in the forging , household appliance and electrical industries . Presses from the Schuler Group mint coins for more than 180 countries .
https :// service . schulergroup . com / en
New hot stamping process
As part of the " best Award 2023 " at Blechexpo 2023 , Schuler won second place in the ‘ Press and Forming Technologies ’ category with its innovative ‘ Aluminium Hot Stamping FAST Technology ’.
Parts made from high-strength aluminium sheets are increasingly being used in vehicles to save weight . Schuler now offers a new process on its hydraulic presses for hot stamping , where the light metal is heated up very quickly using contact heating and formed in a water-cooled die . All process steps are performed in the die so , in contrast to the hot stamping of steel sheets , no separate furnace is required .
“ This not only reduces the space requirements for the system , but also very significantly lowers the investment and operating costs ,” explained Christian Palm , responsible for the hydraulic presses division at Schuler . “ That makes hot stamping of aluminium a real alternative in sheet metal forming . The technology makes it possible to produce light and high-strength parts with a significantly higher degree of forming , compared to cold forming , and offers a much greater scope for design .” Highly complex geometries and a tensile strength of 300 to 400 newton per square millimetre can be achieved .
In contrast to previous processes for hot stamping aluminium sheet , the components can be further processed immediately and do not require several hours of heat treatment to harden them . This reduces production costs even further . The first system is already being manufactured for an automotive supplier in Asia .
A new process for hot stamping aluminium is now being used on hydraulic presses from Schuler .
66 | ismr . net | ISMR November 2023