With automation in mind, people are increasingly looking to improve operational processes. It becomes essential for the company of the future. Therefore, the increasing demand for a part levelling machine combined with a deburring machine is not totally unexpected. At Suer Stahltechnik , Germany, KOHLER’s 85P.1600 Peak Performer is on a production line with Timesavers’ 1,600 mm wide 42 RB series. “One employee can operate both systems. It saves time, space and energy.”
Suer Stahltechnik is a young company. It was founded in 2020 by Leonard Suer. With a total of 12 employees, they provide high quality sheet metal work. From laser cutting to deburring. From edging to milling. All sheet metal processing is done in Raesfeld. A product that has gone through the laser cutter is not yet finished. “We want to deburr it, mill it, galvanise it, and so on… We take over all the processing for our customers, so they do not have to do it themselves anymore.” The customers largely come from the same German state: North Rhine-Westphalia. They mainly work in machine construction, steel and hall construction, but also in railing and staircase construction or even the automotive industry.
Deburring
Speaking to several abrasive belt and brush manufacturers, Suer was pointed in the direction of Timesavers International. After the first conversation with the sales person, it was clear to them: it will be Timesavers. At the time, the choice fell on a 42 RB series with a working width of 1,350 mm. It was later replaced for the same series, but with a working width of 1,600 mm. The machine with rotating brushes is ideally suited for deburring, edge rounding to a radius of 2 mm, laser oxide removal and finishing. Oxide removal is crucial for coating and galvanising. The applied layer adheres much better to a clean surface. 1A-Maschinen GmbH, dealer of Timesavers machines, played a major role in the project. They provided the deburring machine in combination with AMI roller tables and Absaugwerk GmbH’s dust extraction unit.
Bended parts and plates
The German company had been working with Timesavers’ deburring machine for two years. They
were quite satisfied with it. Yet they kept running into the same problem. The parts they ran through
in the deburring machine were not completely straight. When laser cutting, tension enters the sheet metal. When that tension is released, the metal deforms. This can happen during follow-up processes such as welding or assembly. The post-processing that is then required can lead to higher costs. To save such costs, the stress should be removed from the sheet metal. Hence the purchase of the Peak Performer 85P.1600 from KOHLER Maschinenbau.
Levelling
KOHLER was best to be of service when it came to integrating the Timesavers deburring machine and their part levelling machine. The Peak Performer 85P.1600 features an advanced cleaning system. Here, the levelling rollers are moved out of the machine electrically. This simplifies the cleaning process. For Suer Stahltechnik, this is very important as they process different types of metals. In addition, the machine has an electromechanical gap control. Different forces occur when the cross section of the material varies. The patented gap control recognizes these and counteracts them immediately. The levelling gap remains constant – for best levelling results. In addition, the part levelling machine is equipped with a barcode scanner, reversible levelling rollers for longer service life, and more features such as overload and edge protection systems.
All is one
To save space, Suer wanted to link the part levelling machine to the deburring machine. This way, it forms one process. The control panels of the KOHLER and Timesavers machine are integrated into one system, with three cameras on top. This allows one employee to manage and oversee the entire process. “It saves time, space and energy. And it works very well,” says Leonard. KOHLER’s part levelling machine ensures flat and low-stress sheet metal. Max Burgert, product manager at KOHLER, explains that levelling involves more than just straightening a sheet. By reducing and balancing the tension in the material, further work becomes more process reliable and efficient. Next, the levelled part passes over the roller table into the deburring machine. There, deburring, edge rounding, oxide removal and finishing take place. At the push of a button, the conveyor belt reverses again. This way, the part is fed back to the front.
Cooperation
The companies KOHLER, Timesavers, 1A-Maschinen and Suer Stahltechnik look back on a pleasant cooperation. It went beyond just delivering a product. It was about offering the optimum process. Regular meetings were crucial during the development and completion of the production line. Raoul Knoop, machine operator and workshop leader: “What I really liked was that they responded to every customer request. That you can say: I would like it to be this way and that way. Is that possible? And they also tried and realised it. Moreover, they worked very closely together on this. So I really liked that. It turned out very, very well.”
