Perfectly automated processes

Rising demands on quality, fiercely competitive markets and an increasing shortage of skilled workers – any machining company wishing to remain competitive is being confronted with ever greater challenges. Automation of machine tools is regarded as the ideal response to this trend, because it opens up completely new manufacturing possibilities. DMG Automation GmbH has concentrated on this field since 2007 and as an absolute specialist now offers its customers integral solutions that if requested also incorporate the entire manufacturing process including the accompanying material flow concept.

“Our task consists of increasing the productivity and quality of machining production with the aid of customised automation solutions”, is how Uwe Kling, CEO of DMG Automation GmbH, sees the core business of the GILDEMEISTER daughter. The situation on the market also confirms the high demand: “In particular in the years following the economic crisis we have registered considerably greater growth in the automation sector than in the demand for machine tools themselves.” Before that the growth trends were the same. However, the range of products and services at DMG Automation has also developed since then. Whereas at the beginning we were concerned primarily with workpiece handling, today the focus is not only on this machine-integrated automation but on three additional segments as well: standard automation for workpiece and pallet handling for one to two machines, flexible production cells for the fully automated linking of several process sequences and production lines, that can be implemented as a complete solution in large series production. The latter variant also includes among other things the material flow for the respective production. Uwe Kling explains: “We support customers throughout the entire process development to ensure the finished system is optimised ideally in line with the respective products”.

DMG / MORI SEIKI has more than 66,000 installed machines alone on the German market and most of these have not yet been automated. Uwe Kling is faced with the challenge of convincing these machine owners as well as new customers of the advantages of an automation solution. But this does not necessarily entail automating a machine no matter what the cost: “There are always workpieces and machines where an economic automation solution is just not feasible and in such cases we advise against automation,” says Uwe Kling. “Our aim is to build up long-term partnerships with customers.” That is why cooperation for DMG Automation starts with a non-binding assessment of the machining situation. This is an important step for the CEO: “There are many things that can be automated in principle, but automation is only expedient if by its implementation we increase productivity and / or machining quality”.

Additional shifts without additional manpower costs

Uwe Kling now gets down to the crux of the matter with regard to automation: “Productivity is the main concern of most users, because it plays a major role in the competitiveness of a machining company.” So the aim is to produce more per unit of time – generally with higher quality – and in so doing to reduce production costs. Automation meets both these requirements, because it promotes low-manpower production in which staff shortages have virtually no impact on production. It enables the introduction of additional shifts outside of normal working hours as well as costs that are clear and calculable. “This also puts the user in a position to respond to the shortage of skilled workers, because competent workers can be deployed specifically for more demanding tasks instead for the handing the woNIKE AIR MAX