WOW!Just 12 months from entering the field to being experts in tube cutting: Frédéric Demarche of Dcoup Laser shows how it’s done

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS:

Systematic automation makes LTT fit for the future

FORMULA FOR HAPPINESS:

JKE focuses on quality and values

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4 TO THE POINT 6 PANORAMA 18 SEAT METAL 30 PERSPECTIVES

“OUR FOCUS IS ON OUR CUSTOMERS”An interview with French laser pioneer Marcel Ferreira.

1411 OVER 50 Wolfgang Knottek sets the course for the future of his company and of his sons.

Bickel Blechtechnik profits from the new panel bending machine, a TruBend Center, thanks to its previously unequaled flexibility when producing components. READ MORE ABOUT IT ON PAGE 24

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A SMOOTH ROADA trio going all the way. The family-run Belgian company Dcoup Laser took the plunge into the laser tube cutting.

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CHARACTERSDr. Manuel Metz of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) tidies up the heavens.

28TOTALLY HAPPYTaiwanese tube-cutting specialists JKE place their faith in quality and values.

20 EVERYTHING’S OK Automation only for mass production? At Schink’s, good order provides benefits for small batches, too.

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Why is automation important and when

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Mathias Kammüller, Dr. Eng.Head of TRUMPF Machine Tool Division

Ever faster, ever better, ever more flexible. If you want to maintain a position in the fiercely competitive international marketplace, then you will have to respond to the most stringent of expectations. The prerequisite here is efficient production where automation is the key to lean and trouble-free processes. More and more often you will find that smaller companies are going for modern auto-mation solutions. This is a trend seen not only in Europe, but also in the United States and Asia, as our report on JKE demonstrates. The misconception that automation pays off only in mass produc-tion is refuted, for example, by Stephan Schink of Schink Blech-bearbeitung and Wolfgang Knottek of LTT-Lasertechnik. Both of these entrepreneurs realized that automation provides a signif-icant competitive edge and thus expanded their manufacturing capacities to guarantee future success. Using flexible storage sys-tems and coordinated automation solutions they have succeeded — in a short period of time — in increasing productivity and improv-ing component quality. Consistent minimization of both set-up and non-productive times, paired with an optimized flow of materials, cuts costs even further.

Automation is also important with regard to a company’s most important resource: the human being, a resource in ever shorter supply. A lack of highly qualified workers has worried us for years now, and a recent analysis of skilled labor shortages, published by the Federal Employment Agency in Germany, raises little hope for improvement in the mechanical engineering sector. This is a good reason for using highly qualified personnel in value-add-ing activities and this is precisely what automation makes possible. Associates can be assigned to more meaningful tasks instead of per-forming physically strenuous, repetitive, mundane work.

TRUMPF’s experts support customers as they undertake auto-mated manufacturing for the first time. This pays off even if au-tomation is introduced step by step — in line with a company’s specific and changing requirements. Automation simplifies pro-cesses, makes them faster, and contributes towards increased ef-ficiency. The success stories in this issue reveal this impressively.

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TO THE POINT

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TRUMPF’S BELGIAN DISTRIBUTION PARTNER MANUFACTURES ONE-OF-A-KIND BICYCLES

Whenever Karel Vincke, CEO of V.A.C. Ma-chines, TRUMPF’s partner in Belgium, prom-ises his customers individualized bicycles, these are not just empty words. Every bike he produces features a uniquely decorated frame, bears customized wording and, on top of this, is tailored to its rider, right down to the last millimeter. Th e bicycles’ components are manufactured and personalized by vari-ous customers of V.A.C. Machines, using the TruLaser Tube 5000 and 7000 machines almost exclusively. “During production we make the

best use of all the benefi ts off ered by these fl ex-ible and easy-to-operate laser tube cutting ma-chines. We are able to fi nish off the bike simply by inserting the parts one into another,” says Vincke. Th ese separate components are then welded together manually. A TruMark Laser inscribes the desired name or motto.

Vincke and his business partner Tobias Knockaert spent months designing the vehi-cle and refi ning it, step by step, before they mounted a stable and roadworthy cycle for the fi rst time. “When we started, neither of

us had any idea about building bicycles. At the time I thought we could assemble one in three weeks — but it took much longer,” says Vincke with a chuckle. Today the bicycles are not only eye-catchers but also help Vincke show his customers what is possible if you give enough thought to a product’s manufac-turing process during the design phase. “For me, bicycle production is an exciting hobby and an ideal pastime where I can apply my professional expertise.”www.eleventwentyseven.be

“For me, bicycle

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professional

expertise.”

Karel Vincke, CEO of V.A.C. Machines

1,800,000

According to ZIV — the Bicycle Industry Association in Germany — there are already some 1.8 million e-bikes on

Germany’s roads. ZIV expects this number to continue to rise

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Kwak Yun Chon, CEO at the Laser Center in Siheung, South Korea:

“Our Stopa storage shelving, 5.70 meters tall and offering

345 pallet positions, is unique in Korea. It automatically supplies raw

material to four TruLaser machines and then stores the parts after

cutting. This is how we were able to boost parts quality and

signifi cantly increase our productivity.”

SUPPORT FOR SCIENCE

What should an equitable old-age pension scheme look like? What infl uence do tax in-creases have on investments? What are the long-term eff ects of levies on capital for fami-ly-owned companies? Th ese and other ques-tions involving economic and social welfare policies are the focus of research for the Chair of Intergenerational Economic Policy at the WHU — the Otto Beisheim School of Man-agement in Vallendar. It is sponsored by the Unternehmertum Foundation. Th e faculty’s aim is to provide backbone for recent debates on eco-nomic policy by supplying hard scientifi c facts. TRUMPF supports the Chair with a mentorship assumed by Dr. Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, President and Chairwoman of the Managing Board at TRUMPF.

LIGHTWEIGHT POWER PACKS FROM TRUMPF

Th e latest lithium-ion battery technology, combined with a gear head optimized for use with battery power, forms the basis for TRUMPF’s six new Li-Ion battery machines. Th ese new machines with their Li-Ion re-chargeable batteries and Power Head tech-nology are impressive thanks to their compact size, low weight and exceptional output.During development, a number of details in the light-alloy gear head were aligned with the voltage of the power source, so that the performance delivered by the 10.8 V version is comparable to that of a 14.4 V battery.

An absolute novelty in battery-powered tools is the fi rst cordless drill driver by TRUMPF. Th e TruTool DD 00 excels with its ergonomic design and great ease of op-eration. To achieve correct adjustment of the power delivered when driving screws or drilling holes, this industrial-quality tool has 1 torque settings and one additional drilling setting. Users can drill holes of up to 20 mil-

limeters in diameter in wood while a diame-ter of eight millimeters is no problem in steel. Th e battery can be recharged quickly once power is exhausted. It charges to 80 percent of capacity within just 15 minutes and is fully charged in 30 minutes. www.trumpf-powertools.com/new-products

An absolute novelty in

battery-powered tools is the fi rst

cordless drill driver from

TRUMPF: the TruTool DD 1010.

“There are nine million bicycles in Beijing,” sang Katie Melua back in

2005. In the meantime the number, for all of China, comes to more than

500,000,000The supply keeps coming. Around 100 million new bikes a year are manufactured around the world

One percent of all Americans rides bicycles for urban travel. In the Netherlands this fi gure is 30 percent

30:1 100 million

FACTS ABOUT BICYCLES

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Cédric, Christine and Frédéric

Demarche chose RotoLas to ease

their way into tube processing and, after

a short period of time, used the

TruLaser Tube 7000 to make the step into the high-end

world.

“Laser tube cutting offers tremendous potentials and we

intend to put them to use.”Frédéric Demarche

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A smooth roadWith the acquisition of RotoLas, Dcoup Laser — a Belgian job shop — set out in the field

of laser tube cutting. Just a year later, and with the high-end TruLaser Tube 7000 on the

shop floor, this family firm has become a specialist in tube processing.

Laser tube cutting is a relatively new technology, and de-mand for semi-finished tube products is growing. That is why more and more job shops have decided to utilize the great potential offered by laser processing of tubes and pro-files. Those firms are entering a market with great promise for the future. They can often expand their range of ser-vices almost at once. The example offered by Dcoup Laser in the Belgian town of Florennes shows that it is not so ter-ribly difficult and can be accomplished a step at a time.

Toward the close of 2010, when Frédéric Demarche, together with his brother Cédric and his mother Chris-tine, founded the company, the trio started out in 2D laser cutting, having purchased a TruLaser 3030. It then be-came apparent that the customers were not satisfied with simple laser-cut blanks. All-round solutions and com-ponent assemblies are the order of the day! Having pur-chased a TruBend 5230, Frédéric Demarche expanded his line of equipment at the beginning of 2013 by adding a TruLaser 3040 and the RotoLas option. Thus he laid the foundation for entry into machining tubes. “Up to that point we had had no experience at all in the processing of tubes and profiles,” Christine recalls. “But in a course of training by TRUMPF we quickly got to know the ropes and soon everything was running perfectly.”

FLEXIBLE AT EVERY TURN RotoLas is the perfect answer for companies just entering the field or where tubes are to be worked only now and again. This option makes it possible to convert 2D laser cutting machines so that they can also work tubes, and it does so in the shortest possible time. A flexible loading system accurately guides a wide range of tubes and profiles. Using the TruTops Tube soft-ware with its efficient operating concept makes program-

ming easy. Cutting patterns can readily be analyzed and the contours to be cut are precisely calculated. Even complex assignments such as machining the corners of rectangular sections can be done by TruTops Tube – fully automatical-ly. “In the past we mostly produced plates made of steel and aluminum. Using the TruLaser 3040 and the RotoLas let us, in the shortest time imaginable, make the leap into anoth-er, very versatile field of manufacturing. With it we have been able to expand our spectrum of services considerably,” reports Frédéric Demarche.

NEW POSSIBILITIES Laser processing of pipes and tubes caused excitement at Demarche not only because of its amazing versatility. The laser also saves time and money. Steps like sawing, drilling and milling, frequently encoun-tered during conventional machining of complex parts, can be handled by the laser in a single pass. Laborious and ex-pensive reworking, like deburring and cleaning the tubes, can normally also be eliminated.

Last year Dcoup Laser bumped up against the produc-tion limits for the TruLaser 3040 with the RotoLas option.

“We received a huge order to manufacture bars for prison cells,” Christine says. “The RotoLas feature was in use all the time and, in spite of three-shift operations, we encoun-tered massive capacity bottlenecks. We had to make a de-cision. Since we had already recognized the great potential offered by pipe and tube work, we decided to invest in a la-ser tube cutting machine.”

“We decided right away on the TruLaser Tube 7000,” according to Frédéric Demarche. That is a decision that he has never regretted. “Thanks to our work with the TruLaser 3040, the software was not entirely unfamiliar and what we didn’t know we learned quickly in training

TUBE CUTTING

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provided by TRUMPF and also through assistance render-ed by V. A. C., its sales agency in Belgium,” Christine reports.

With the selection of the TruLaser Tube 7000, Dcoup Laser purchased a high-end machine that leaves no hopes unmet when machining tubes. Th anks to fully automatic machine set-up with minimum downtimes, it cuts tubes and profi les with outer circle diameters of up to 250 milli-meters. Th e PierceLine option makes it possible to cut mild steel with wall thicknesses of up to ten millimeters. Grad-uated rollers make for fl exible adaptation to the workpiece geometry. Th ose rollers support the tubing and provide lat-eral guidance. Self-centering clamp chucks provide addi-tional help. Th e FocusLine regulation concept keeps the laser’s focal position constant and automatically adjusts it to suit the type and thickness of the material.

A fl exible part removal station sorts the fi nished com-ponents as required, depositing them on movable convey-or tables, into wire mesh boxes or into other containers. A very special highlight is the technology package for bevel cuts. With it the TruLaser Tube 7000 can cut angles up to 45 degrees in stainless steel as much as six millimeters thick. Th is is the basis for ideal preparation when joining tubes to sheet metal and for realizing innovative pipe designs.

IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING “With the purchase of the TruLaser Tube 7000 we gained a competitive advan-tage that we actually can not fully exploit as yet,” explains Christine. Th e company is operating at full capacity right now, so that there is simply no time available for well-planned acquisition of new customers. But Frédéric De-marche fully intends to make up for lost time. In the coming year he wants to take the time needed to convince his customers — of the manufacturing opportunities, of the machine itself and of his company’s expertise. “Word about the many advantages of using lasers to cut tubes simply has not gotten around yet. But this concept saves us and our customers not only time — and expense — but also makes possible innovative tube designs which we use to manu-facture complete assemblies nowadays,” explains Frédéric Demarche. Using cut and bent frames, for instance, makes it possible to reduce the number of parts considerably. And positioning and joining aids — such as cut-outs and tabs — as well as unequivocal encoding simplify error-free assembly of the components. “And all that is done on just a single machine,” notes Demarche with unbounded enthu-siasm. “Laser cutting of tubes off ers massive opportunities and we intend to make use of them.”

PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO: Norbert Beier, Phone: +49 (0) 7156 303-30398, e-mail: nobert.beier@de.trumpf.com

The simple operating concept behind the TruTops Tube software makes possible exact calculation of cutting geometries. Even complex calculations at the corners of rectangular profi les are automatically handled by this program.

GAINING EXPERTISE, STEP BY STEP, IN PIPES AND TUBES

WHO: Dcoup Laser S. A., Florennes, Belgium. Founded in 2010, 16 employees. www.dcouplaser.be

WHAT: Among its services, the company supplies custom-cut panels and complete component assemblies to the pharmaceuticals industry, the mechanical industry, breweries, and the aeronautics and aerospace industries

HOW: TruBend 5230, TruLaser 3030, TruLaser 3040, TruLaser Tube 7000

Watch the RotoLas at work:www.trumpf.info/nhwa1p

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Over 50Having passed the age of 50, Wolfgang Knottek has completely restructured Having passed the age of 50, Wolfgang Knottek has completely restructured

his job shop and gone for complete automation. This has enabled him to hike his his job shop and gone for complete automation. This has enabled him to hike his

production capacity by a good 50 percent. As was said above production capacity by a good 50 percent. As was said above — over 50. — over 50. —

“Th e crux of the matter in my view was wheth-er or not my sons wanted to carry on the business,” reckoned Wolfgang Knottek. Oth-erwise the master metalworker, now 56 years of age, would not have invested in a new la-ser cutting system, involving a Lift master and Stopa storage system, in 2012. But aft er his sons Andreas and Michael decided to take over the business, he set about getting the job shop ready for the future. So for the second

time in his life he made a business decision which demanded plenty of far-sightedness and a great deal of courage.

ALTERNATIVE: LASER CUTTING Th e fi rst time was when he took over the fi tting shop aft er his father died in 199. “Everything ran smoothly for a few years, but then came an upheaval when many of our long-term customers in neighboring industrial fi rms re-

tired. We were almost out of work,” remem-bers Wolfgang Knottek. In his search for a way out of the crisis, he came across the idea of investing in laser cutting equipment. As Knottek reports, there was only one competi-tor equipped with laser machinery in a radius of 50 kilometers. And his capacity was al-ways booked up weeks in advance. So in 2005 Knottek purchased a pre-owned laser cut-ting machine. To mini mize the fi nancial risk,

The Stopa storage system with its 205 pallet shelves offers space for up to 2.5 tons of material. Thus LTT is well prepared for the future. Once capacities are fully utilized, a second machine can be serviced by these storage logistics — in addition to the TruLaser 3030 to which it is currently linked.

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Wolfgang Knottek founded the LTT-Laser-technik GmbH & Co. KG. “I didn’t have a single customer. If things went badly, then my father’s fi tting shop would at least survive,” says the man from Upper Bavaria succinctly. However, nothing went awry. On the contrary: Word spread rapidly that LTT was doing good work.

“And we still had the fi tting shop. Th at let us supply complete component assemblies. Th at was my big advantage, since the others couldn’t do this,” states Wolfgang Knottek with pride.

In 2008 when his son Andreas joined LTT, laser cutting operations had long been run-ning two shift s at full capacity. Th is son, a mas-ter craft sman in precision engineering, had spent several years with an industrial compa-ny but felt the urge to return to the trades. Not only did he bring with him vast experience in machine programming, but also in industrial fabrication and process know-how.

MASTERING SET-UP COSTS Young Knottek realized that it was not absolutely necessary to run two laser cutting machines in parallel in order to expand capacity. “Th e market is always changing. Orders volumes and manufacturing lots are oft en smaller, cus-tomers are more prepared to change suppli-ers, and the lead times are becoming shorter and shorter. Th us we have to keep our costs for set-up and non-productive times under control and in fact reduce them. Th is is why we decided that the only way to get ourselves ready for the future was an adventure in auto-mation,” explains Andreas Knottek. Th at path led straight to TRUMPF. “We had had contact with them for many years and, during a vis-it to their demonstration center, saw all the benefi ts off ered by TRUMPF laser machines. Th e automated confi guration combining a Lift Master with a Stopa sheet metal storage

system was exactly what we wanted,” adds father Wolfgang.

Wolfgang Knottek made what was probably the most far-reaching entrepreneurial deci-sion of his life: to purchase additional prop-erty, build a new hall for laser cutting and storage, and to completely restructure the fi rm’s processes and workfl ow. Th is reorgani-zation included transferring the fi tting shop to a separate building. Welding or grinding dust was not to contaminate either the laser cutting machinery or the stainless steel pro-cessing unit.

To this end, a site was purchased and the building work was swift ly started. Th e laser unit and the modern sheet metal storage system were installed in the autumn of 2013, which meant that production commenced in January 2014. Th e old laser cutting equipment was sold at the same time.

Together with his sons, LTT chief Wolfgang Knottek made a far-reaching decision. He built a hall dedicated to laser cutting and storage and, in the same step, completely restructured the processes and workfl ow.

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FIT FOR THE FUTURE

WHO: LTT-Lasertechnik, Traunreut, Germany. Founded in 2005, 20 employees. www.ltt-lasertechnik.de

WHAT: General sheet metal processing. Customer base ranges from industrial plants and neighboring fi tting shops to artists

HOW: TruLaser 3030 with a LiftMaster and Stopa storage system

Wolfgang Knottek (center) and his sons Andreas (left) and Michael have set the course for the company’s successful future by systematic automation with a LiftMaster and a Stopa sheet metal storage system.

AUTOMATION

HURDLES AT THE START Since then LTT has been using a TruLaser 3030 with a 5 kW TruFlow Laser to cut sheet up to 25 millime-ters thick, in formats of up to 3,000 × 1,500 millimeters. Th e Stopa storage system with its 205 pallet positions off ers space for up to 2.5 tons of material. “Again we jumped in at the deep end and not everything ran smooth-ly at fi rst,” says Wolfgang Knottek. “Our peo-ple had been working with another system for years, and it diff ered greatly in terms of pro-gramming, handling and preparatory work. At fi rst we had to get used to the new oppor-tunities,” reports the fi rm’s boss. His younger son Michael was able to handle some of the challenges at the start. Not only was he study-ing mechanical engineering, but was deeply involved in programming the new machin-ery. Wolfgang Knottek is full of praise for the TRUMPF service team. “If something should

ever go wrong, their service technicians are on the spot within a day and get right to the bot-tom of the problem. Th is was a very positive surprise to me. Th is means that downtimes are kept to a minimum.”

Despite several sleepless nights at the start, the three Knotteks today are quite relaxed when they think back to these times. “Th e de-cision was absolutely right. We have reached our fi rst milestones and expanded our capac-ity by over 50 percent. Now it’s a ques tion of

acquiring orders to utilize it fully,” says the company’s top man, Wolfgang Knottek. He adds: “And when we are then running at full capacity, we can turn our thoughts toward serving a second production unit with our storage logistics. We already have plans for constructing an addition to the building.”

PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO: Karl Schmidt, Phone: +49 (0) 7156 303-31497, e-mail: karl.schmidt@de.trumpf.com

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Marcel Ferreira is focused on customer satisfaction. That is why he places his faith in mastering the entire sheet metal processing chain.

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We keep the customer in mind”

“

French job shop ATS learned a great deal from the automotive industry, although

the company applies its expertise primarily for other sectors today. CEO Marcel Ferreira

talks about major milestones along the way and the future of his operations.

Mr. Ferreira, ATS is one of the leading companies in laser processing in France. How did that come to be?I started out in 1989 with a laser cutting machine, a water jet cutting unit and three employees. Soon press brakes, punching ma-chines and additional 2D laser cutting ma-chines followed. An important milestone along the way to our current market posi-tion was set in 1995. Th at was when we used a TruLaser Station 5005 for the fi rst time — to weld parts for Renault and other car compa-nies. We broadened our performance spec-trum in this way. In our operations we hoped to reduce our dependence on the highly com-petitive market for laser cutting, and this paved the way for our delivering complex assemblies, too. We quickly expanded our expertise, thanks to the orders from the auto-motive industry, and gradually discovered the potentials off ered by mastering the entire pro-cess chain for sheet metal.

So that means that your company was bubbling along?For sure. In some cases we had to work in three-shift operations and even on Saturday and Sunday — the order books were packed. At the same time, ATS was closely linked with the car industry and for that reason was not particularly broad in its activities. Th at is why we sought out opportunities in new indus-tries, where we could apply our skills. In the year 2000 ATS, in cooperation with TRUMPF, carried out the fi rst trials with deep welding of titanium. Th at was the key to the fi rst order from the aviation industry — parts for the Air-bus A 330. Th is was followed by additional or-ders from that industry — and for the aerospace and railroad industries as well as special-de-sign machines. Today our customers are large-ly from these sectors. Th e automotive industry accounts for only a fi ve percent share. Engag-ing in these new markets meant a change in the parts we manufacture.

INTERVIEW

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What changed?To further enhance our corporate profile, we now offer complete product groups. Since we also significantly expanded our capacities in precision mechanics and painting, there’s vir-tually nobody who can beat us in terms of versatility. This makes us interesting to other industries, since they often demand complete product groups that can be used immediately, without any touch-up work.

What additional value do you offer your customers?ATS envisions itself as a partner on equal foot-ing. Many of our cus-tomers seek our support right from the initial idea for certain work-pieces. In this way we can apply our know-how and advise the client in the selection of suit-able technologies.Thanks to the skilled use of our equipment and cor-rect material selection, we are often able to sig-nificantly reduce both costs and production periods. Here we co-operate not only with large corporations, but also take up the challenges offered by small-er companies, too. This focus on the custom- er helps us to better learn to know their needs and to see, early on, what might be interesting in the future.

Could you mention an example?It’s hardly a secret that additive manufactur-ing will bring about tremendous changes in the engineering and production of certain items. This is true especially for industries like aeronautics and medicine, where we are

very active. That is why we are involved in this technology. At the same time we are al-ways looking for efficient and fast machines for laser cutting and welding. This is demon-strated by our most recent investment — in a TruLaser Cell 7040. It has proven to be every bit as precise and rugged as we have come to expect from TRUMPF machines.

How do you ensure that all the parts satisfy your customers’ demanding quality standards?We have guaranteed that, for example, by set-ting up our own laboratory where we carry out

destructive and non-de-structive testing. There we can examine all the parts, right in the plant, down to the last detail. In addition, we are certified as per recognized inter-national standards and in accordance with special qualification tests em-ployed by our major cus-tomers, including Airbus, Renault and Peugeot. An important factor in quali-ty assurance is our highly motivated staff, to whom we regularly offer ad-vanced training.

The ATS headquarters is in something of a rural area. How do you manage to attract suitable personnel?Sézanne is a small town with 5,000 residents. That is why we recruit personnel in a 40-kilo-meter radius. To gain and keep those employ-ees, we continuously offer them new challenges and give them assistance in their professional development. In addition, many young people do their apprenticeship training here, often in a dual education arrangement. Most of them en-joy working here so much that they continue their careers at ATS.

So you already have a hard-hitting team. And what preparations are you making for the future?It is important that we always keep an eye on current technological developments and act accordingly. That is why, ever since our found-ing, we have invested about a million euros in new machinery and technologies — every year. In addition, we can also compensate for fluc-tuations thanks to our diversified custom-er structure. If one industry shows signs of a slump, then we do more work for another.

PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO: Thierry Heitz, Phone: +33 1 48 17 45 85 e-mail: thierry.heitz@fr.trumpf.com

INTERVIEW

“We are always on the lookout

for efficient machinery to carry out laser cutting and welding.”

Marcel Ferreira, CEO at ATS

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The most modern of equipment, broad-based knowledge, and a sharp eye for current technology developments are the guarantees for success at ATS. Carefully planned employee development and regular investments ensure that this will continue to be so in the future.

MULTI-PRONGED STRATEGY

WHO: ATS, Sézanne, France, a part of the AGS Group. Founded in 1989, 140 employees. www.groupe-ags.com

WHAT: Job shop for complex assemblies used in the aeronautics and aerospace industry, railroads, ships, medical technology, the automotive industry and special-purpose machines

HOW: TruLaser 3030, TruLaser 5030, TruLaser 3040, TruPunch 5000, TruBend 5130, TrumaBend V 50, TrumaBend V 170, two TruLaser Cell 7040, two TruLaser Cell 1005

WELDING WITH THE LASER IS WORTHWHILE Reduced warping, high processing speeds, flexibility and smooth welding seams — those are the advantages of welding with the laser. Laser-welded seams usually require no retouching and, in addition, are impermeable to gases and liquids. Welding capabilities include materials such as mild and stainless steels, aluminum, titanium, non-ferrous metals and precious metals. The learning curve, actively managed by the user, is supported by TRUMPF. Examples are trainings for sheet metal designs and fixtures suitable for laser welding, as well as running applications. The effort certainly pays off. Laser welding is opening up new application areas and makes a contribution to value addition.

MORE ABOUT LASER WELDING: www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/haimerl www.trumpf.info/mgq5t1

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No other industry is more dogged in its fi ght against su-perfl uous weight than aeronautics. Every ounce of weight saved reduces CO2 emissions, cuts consumption of expen-sive jet fuel and is truly worth its weight in gold. Th is is why Recaro Aircraft Seating, located in the town of Schwäbisch Hall, consistently applies lightweight construction meth-ods using high-strength aluminum. Th e company supplies premium aircraft seats to leading airlines.

Recaro uses TRUMPF press brakes and punch la-ser machines to manufacture structural components such as armrests and seat backs, cases for electronics, and monitor support brackets. Timo Haug, team lead-er for Quality and Excellence: “We use sheet metal mea-suring between 0.5 and three millimeters in thickness. Th ere is a distinct trend towards ever thinner material.”

Th e company produces small, complex components in batch sizes ranging from one to 20 with a TruBend 703.

“Setting up this machine is especially quick. Th is is im-portant to us because we do it as many as 50 times a day. Th e ergonomics of the machine also fulfi l our expecta-tions.” Punch-laser processing continues to enhance pro-ductivity at Recaro. Haug: “We can now shape the metal while still a part of the sheet. Th is used to be a separate operation. Th is shortens cycle times and has a positive ef-fect on quality.”

Th is machinery is also used to make components for the very latest Recaro model for economy class seating. Weigh-ing less than 12 kilograms, the CL370 is some 30 percent lighter than comparable seat models.www.recaro-as.com

LIKE SITTING ON A CLOUDRECARO Aircraft Seating builds ultra-light seats for commercial aircraft.

SEAT METAL

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A couple both privately and in business,

Wu Chung-Hsien and Chen Hui-Wen indulge

themselves in a tea break at their

“wedding table”.

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Totally happyJKE, a job shop in Taiwan, is striving to achieve success, elegance

and good cheer. In the tube business, for instance.

At the “wedding table” in the break room, Wu Chung-Hsien and Chen Hui-Wen have created a quiet refuge in the mid-dle of the busy industrial district of Taichung, a city of mil-lions in the heart of Taiwan. This is the small table where this married couple receives business partners, serves tea, and shows them the countless tiny wedding pictures they have collected, all shielded behind a pane of glass.

There have not been many restful moments in the break room for Mr. Wu and Ms. Chen in recent years. Fifteen years ago they founded JKE as a job shop for high-preci-sion metal parts. Success was quick in coming. The com-pany grew rapidly at first, and then even faster. Today JKE employs a staff of 190. Examples of the products they pro-duce include parts for lawn mowers, industrial sewing machines, fire engines and elevators. Its customers are involved primarily in mechanical engineering, the elec-

tronics industry, medical technology and the energy sec-tor. JKE makes 65 percent of its parts for export. They are shipped to Japan, the USA, Europe and Australia. Wu ex-plains his business success: “We began with the aim of be-ing among the best. To do that, right from the outset, we worked with only the finest in the market. TRUMPF is one example. German technology enjoys an outstanding repu-tation in Taiwan.”

THE SERVICE TEAM IS CLOSE BY Now Wu and Chen have discovered a new business field: Demanding 3D designs in metal. “We are one of the first companies in Tai-wan to offer such assemblies,” Wu notes. In particular Tai-wan’s machine tools industry, which is rapidly expanding, is now demanding ever more complex tube designs. As a consequence, domestic manufacturers like JKE are now

TUBE PROCESSING

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venturing into this market. A pipe cutting machine using a laser has been on hand in the JKE plant since 2014. The TruLaser Tube 7000 is automatically loaded by a LoadMaster Tube and cuts tubes up to 250 millimeters in diameter with wall thicknesses of up to 8 millimeters in mild steel. An op-tional technology package makes it possible to cut angles of up to 45 degrees. “The machine turns out constant high quality, setting us apart from our competitors,” says Wu.

“Decisive for us when making our purchase was that the machine is highly automated and that TRUMPF has an ex-cellent service team right on site here in Taiwan.”

A “CULTURE OF JOY” FOR SUCCESS Wu con-tinues: “TRUMPF and JKE are both family-owned compa-nies. I believe that we share the same values — sustainable management, striving to achieve top technical perfor-mance, and attracting and keeping good staff. That is why we are loyal TRUMPF customers.”

Values are very important for Wu and Chen. They have developed a company philosophy that is close to their heart. Wu explains the most important items: “We deliver attrac-tive products at the highest quality to our customers. We support them as they become even more successful. At the same time we apply our creativity to make the world better through prosperity, success and love. We will never forget

that we started out from modest beginnings and now want to return something to society.”

This is reflected, for instance, in the casual, family-like atmosphere in the company. “We want our staff to be thor-oughly satisfied and do their work with pleasure. We are doing everything possible to create a ‘culture of joy’ at JKE,” Wu concludes.

PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO: Jimmy Liao, Phone: +886 (3) 270-8020,

e-mail: jimmy.liao@tw.trumpf.com

Metal machining in Taiwan is moving more and more toward complex 3D designs made up from tubes and profiles. That is why TRUMPF supplies control panel displays in the Chinese dialect used in Taiwan and maintains a service team right on the spot.

Watch the TruLaser Tube 7000 at work: www.trumpf.info/w41juv

LUCKY CHARMS

WHO: JKE Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Taichung City, Taiwan. Founded in 1999, 190 employees. www.kurobot.com.tw

WHAT: Job shop producing 2D and 3D metal components for the mechanical engineering, electronics, medical technology, energy, and automotive industries

HOW: TruLaser Tube 7000 with the LoadMaster Tube, seven 2D laser machines, a 3D laser cutting machine, two punching machines, and nine press brakes

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JKE intended to be among the best, right from the very outset. To achieve this, this family-run company joins the consistent use of the most modern production machines with its own “culture of joy”.

TUBE PROCESSING

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In die bending, the sheet is pressed by a die into a V-shaped bottom tool and thus bent.

With panel bending, the machine locks the sheet into position on the table by means of a holder. The swinging movement of the bending tool creates the bend.

BENDING TIMES TWO

(1) A new dimension in panel bending: the TruBend Center 5030. (2) Suction cups or optional magnetic clamps can hold even perforated sheets fi rmly in place. (3) The additional height axis on the part manipulator provides for fl exibility never before seen. (4) Precise curvature in radius bending.

Panel bendingBickel Blechtechnik is setting the pace. They

were the world’s fi rst customer to order the latest

TruBend Center 5030 panel bending machine.

Th e route leading Bickel Blechtechnik to the TruBend Center started a long way back. For a good fi ve years, the company’s owner Jürgen Bickel has had panel bending on his mind. He and his manufacturing manager Roland Lenz experimented with nearly every solution on the market, but it was only when TRUMPF acquired Codatto that the complete package came to-gether. Bickel: “Th e fl exibility of the machines made in the Italian town of Lonigo are more than convincing. Since TRUMPF has taken over respon-sibility for the products and the technology, we are now sure of the service support that we need.”

A wide range of uses is crucial at Bickel Blechtechnik. Th e concept be-hind the TruBend Center makes it possible to work numerous formats and geometries: extremely short side lengths, deep boxes, small profi les as well as parts with formed sections, recesses and widely diverse radii can all be dealt with. Th e TruBend Center’s fl exibility in processing aluminum and mild steel at gauges up to 3 millimeters and stainless steel up to 2.2 milli-meters, even when dealing with small components, is the result of a unique machine concept: a 2-axis part manipulator that can be adjusted vertically. Th is makes it easy to manufacture components with negative bends and very narrow profi les.

“For the partners we collaborate with, this new manufacturing option was an inspiration for modern design techniques,” adds Bickel. Many sheet metal components are now graced with a crowned face. A part taken from a housing (see Fig. 4) demonstrates how well panel bending technology and bottom bending can complement each other. Th e TruBend Center fi rst performs the radius bending operation to create the crowned face. Aft er that, a press brake shapes the long legs exactly to specifi cations.

PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO: Karl Schmidt, Phone: +49 (0) 7156 303-31497, e-mail: karl.schmidt@de.trumpf.com

MORE ABOUT THE TRUBEND CENTER:www.trumpf.info/fqc8l6

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Everything’s OK! Anyone who thinks that automation pays off only when producing large

quantities is actually missing the point. Because an automated Stopa storage

system connected directly to the machinery ensures tidiness and optimizes

processes, even when manufacturing small batches. Convincing proof of this

comes from Schink Blechbearbeitung, located in Bad Rodach.

Günter Schink comes from a family of blacksmiths. Metal-working runs in his blood and his heart always yearned for being his own boss. At long last, in 1995, he took the plunge. He quit his job as plant manager at a furniture manufac-turing company and, together with his wife Edda and son Stephan, founded his own fi rm: Schink Blechbearbeitung & Metallbau, located in Coburg. “It wasn’t easy to set up a business in those days,” recalls Stephan Schink. High in-vestment requirements for the fi rst 2.6 kW laser cutting machine and a shortage of equity made life diffi cult for the young newcomers. “It was only with the advice of a

good corporate consultant, a logical business plan, and as-sistance rendered by the good contact we established with TRUMPF’s help that we succeeded in persuading a bank to fi nance the business,” explains the 43 year-old.

OUR FOCUS IS ON OUR CUSTOMERS In the following years this highly involved job shop managed to build up a regular clientele. Schink supplies not only cus-tomers in the mechanical engineering, automotive, medical technology, furniture, appliance and housing sectors — but also the tradesmen from around the corner. In addition to

Stephan Schink keeps

an eye on the future,

and for him this lies in

automation.

AUTOMATION

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Customer satisfaction is top priority for the company’s owner, Günter Schink (upper left). Nurturing upcoming generations is something that he, his son Stephan and his daughter-in-law Manuela (upper right photo) also value highly. Standing here at the prize-winning foosball table he designed himself, Schink apprentice Lukas Amberg (right) took fi rst place in the “Working Together” competition, a program sponsored in Bavaria to promote vocational training.

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reliability and quality it is, above all, the willingness to change that dis-tinguishes Schink. “In recent years our customers’ quality requirements have become markedly more stringent. Customers take it as a given that all their parts are carefully labeled and packed. A scratch will trigger a complaint,” says Günter Schink. And they had to adapt their portfolio to the marketplace in order to remain competitive. “Nowadays a simple lasered part — perhaps with a bend — is nothing to write home about,” explains Stephan Schink. Th is is why the job shop currently off ers com-plete component assemblies.

MAKING DIFFICULT MATTERS SIMPLE Many people think that automation really only makes sense in high-volume production. Stephan and Günter Schink, however, see this opinion as biased. “We work with batch sizes of from one to short series. In spite of this, we de-cided last year to upgrade to automated manufacturing and storage,” recounts the company’s owner, now 63 years of age. Th ey focused their thoughts on a desire to improve quality and opti-mize processes. Schink’s Stopa storage system has over 180 spaces for standard sheet and a further 36 shelves for oversize sheeting measuring 4,000 × 2,000 millimeters. Both of their laser cutting ma-chines — a TruLaser 3030 of the newest generation and an older TruLaser 3040 — are linked with a LoadMaster in the storage area. Th e LoadMaster gently and automatically conveys the sheets from the loading station to the pallet changer and de-posits them there. “Th e benefi ts are manifold,” explains Stephan Schink. “Th e machine operator used to transport the sheets to the machine with a forklift truck. But he fi rst had to fi nd the right ma-terial in the inventory. Given the structure of the orders we receive, this occasionally meant that the machine was down during this period.” Mis-takes made when selecting or returning material to storage blocked our processes and led to discrepancies in stock lev-els. “Nowadays, automation gives the machine operator the time he needs to concentrate on his core skill — optimizing cutting results. And this leads to both less expense for reworking and greater customer sat-isfaction,” says Schink. Stock levels and material fl ow are controlled by a TruTops Fab Storage Module, Stopa soft ware and a PPS introduced some years ago. “When we decided to buy the Stopa storage system, the major consideration was to ensure that the interfaces between these dif-ferent systems worked smoothly. And that’s what they do,” confi rms a satisfi ed Stephan Schink.

A WELL-THOUGH-OUT RELOCATION Th en in 2000 the Schinks moved their place of business from Coburg to Bad Rodach. In 2014 the groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new production hall which served as the back-up storage facility while the existing hall was being converted. Th is was necessary because the foundations in the ex-isting building had to be beefed up to accommodate the Stopa storage system. “Th en we installed the Stopa and the new TruLaser 3030. Ul-timately, we moved the existing fl at-bed laser machine to another spot inside the hall and connected it to the new storehouse,” recalls Stephan Schink. Th e whole process — from the time the order was placed un-

til the facility was commissioned — took about fi ve months, including relocation of the sheet stores. “Th is could be managed only because everybody involved worked hand in hand — a really great achievement,” Schink raves.

2014 was an intense year for the family-run operation. “But it was worth the eff ort,” sums up Günter Schink. Th e wish for ongoing opti-mization of material fl ows and improved component quality has been fulfi lled. “Th e quota of good parts has now reached 98 percent and, in addition, furthermore we are saving lots of time and money,” he ex-plains. However, the most important factor is that customers are satis-fi ed. To make sure things stay that way, Günter und Stephan Schink are continuing to work on their range of services. Th ey both agree that la-ser welding is defi nitely at the top of the agenda.

TAKING ON RESPONSIBILITY Starting in 2005, youngsters have had the opportunity to become apprentices at Schink Blechbear-

beitung, working toward their journeyman’s cer-tifi cate as steel construction fi tters. “We regard it as part of our responsibilities as employers to train juniors as well,” explains Stephan Schink.

“We even ask kindergarten groups to pay us a visit so that even the very young ones can get a feel for metal. Th ey are always greatly impressed by laser-based machining,” adds Günter Schink. Th e company is regularly on hand at apprentice-ship fairs and has plenty of other ideas on how to off er something special to future apprentic-es — who are few and far between in the greater Coburg area. For example, last year Lukas Am-berg, an apprentice at Schink’s since September 1, 2011, participated in a competition called “Work-ing Together”, part of a program sponsored in Bavaria to attract trainees. Th eir task was to de-sign a cardboard foosball table, in collaboration

with a partner school. “Our expertise is in the fi eld of sheet metal and, even at the risk of missing that target entirely, our apprentice, together with the pupils, mastered the challenge with a metal design,” recounts Stephan Schink with pride. Successfully, too: Th e foosball table from Bad Rodach was awarded fi rst prize for all of Bavaria.

PLEASE DIRECT YOUR QUESTIONS TO: Michael Sellner, Phone: +49 (0) 7156 303-35372, e-mail: michael.sellner@de.trumpf.com

CONSCIENTIOUS ENTREPRENEURS WHO: Schink Blechbearbeitung & Metallbau GmbH & Co.KG. Founded

in 1995, 35 employees. www.schink-blechbearbeitung.de

WHAT: With its extensive range of services, this job shop supplies the mechanical engineering, automotive and medical technology sectors as well as furniture, appliance and case manufacturers

HOW: TruLaser 3030 and TruLaser 3040 with LoadMaster, TruBend 5230 and a TRUMABEND V 130, Stopa storage system

AUTOMATION

“Today automation gives

the machine operator the time he needs

to concentrate on his core skill.”

Stephan Schink

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The volume of catalogued space debris

over 10 centimeters in diameter has increased disproportionately

over recent years. Special satellites equipped with grappling arms

(above) might serve as heavenly garbage collectors in the future.

“We should, as a matter of principle, ensure that satellites are responsibly disposed of

at the end of their working lives.”

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Around 150 million bits of scrap are circling the earth.

It is the job of Dr. Manuel Metz to tidy up the heavens.

Some of these parts can be seen from earth with the naked eye, others are only a few millimeters

across. We’re talking about space de-bris. Since the fi rst artifi cial earth sat-

ellite Sputnik 1 was launched in 195, the number of objects humankind has aban-

doned in orbit has increased dramatically. Burnt out fi nal stages of rockets, decommis-sioned satellites — and also the debris result-ing from explosions or collisions encircle the earth like a metal belt.

With its global network of radar stations and telescopes, the U.S. Military’s Space Sur-veillance Network has identifi ed and cata-logued more than 16,000 bits of debris larger than ten centimeters in size. But equally dan-gerous to space travel are the estimated 150 million fragments larger than one millimeter. With relative speeds of around 50,000 kilome-ters an hour, they can develop enormous de-structive force on impact.

FIRST TARGET: PREVENTION At DLR —German Aerospace Center Bonn-Oberkassel — Dr. Manuel Metz of the space travel manage-ment department has been responsible for the subject of space debris avoidance since 2009. Metz, who has earned a doctorate in astron-omy, accompanies and supports work being performed by research bodies and universi-ties as they search for solutions. In addition, he safeguards German interests in interna-tional committees that deal with this problem and draw up guidelines on debris prevention, for all the aerospace nations. “Our major ob-jective is to make sure that this debris isn’t cre-ated in the fi rst place. Th is entails launching the smallest number of objects into orbit and limiting their stay in the orbit regions that are important to space travel. It is our endeavor to design satellites in close proximity to earth in such a way that within 25 years they automat-

ically drop into a lower orbit, where they burn up,” explains the 3 year old.

As opposed to this, communication, televi-sion and weather satellites operate at an alti-tude of 36,000 kilometers. Th ey can be lift ed into a graveyard orbit about 300 kilometers further out in space.

SECOND TARGET: CLEANING UPTh e tasks assigned to this space travel manager also include researching ways to render exis-ting space debris harmless. Th e highest con-centration is to be found where most space activities occur, namely at an altitude of bet-ween 800 and 900 kilometers. Th e denser the “junkyard”, the greater the likelihood that the so-called Kessler syndrome will occur: A collision of two large items gives rise to innumerable pieces of smaller scrap — a fatal chain reaction. “Th e only thing that will help to prevent this is to systematically bring them back to earth,” says Manuel Metz. Being considered are satel-lite missions where a space vehicle is directed safely to the larger chunks of debris, which it then picks up with robotic grapplers, nets or harpoons. Th ey are then brought back to earth along a defi ned re-entry trajectory. “As yet none of these options has proven to be feasible. We will have to investigate several approa-ches because, for example, retrieving sa-tellites is a lot diff erent than collecting the upper stages of rockets. And the-re still is, of course, the question of fi nances,” emphasizes Metz.

Th e challenges are manifold. “To get a grip on the problem, politi-cians, partners from the nations involved in space travel, and re-searchers all sit at one table and search for solutions,” the scientist notes.

“Working in this team and the vital com-mon goal both make my job exciting.” www.dlr.de

TELL US, DR. METZ ...… what do you see as your greatest strength? And your greatest weakness?

I have always been interested in

technical and scientifi c subjects —

even those beyond my area of

expertise. This has proved very

helpful with interdisciplinary

topics like those I pursue.

... how would you characterize yourself in a few words ?

I am a quiet person who thinks

analytically. And I am a family man.

... where do you get your energy ?

Time spent with my loved ones is precious to me. There I can easily switch off and recharge my batteries. And then, my work in an international setting is very diversifi ed and motivating.

… what would you take with you to the proverbial desert island?

A sturdy tent, a pressurized alcohol cooker — both from a Swedish company I won’t name — and my family.

… what dream would you like to make come true in your life?

I would love to go on another trekking tour in the Scottish Highlands. But there are also other remote regions of the world I would like to visit.

The Space Ranger

The simulated impact of a 12 millimeter ball on an eight centimeter thick aluminum sheet. The impact

speed was seven kilometers

per second.

none of these options has proven to be feasible. We will have to investigate several approa-ches because, for example, retrieving sa-tellites is a lot diff erent than collecting the upper stages of rockets. And the-re still is, of course, the question of

involved in space travel, and re-searchers all sit at one table and search for solutions,” the scientist notes.

“Working in this team and the vital com-mon goal both make my job exciting.”

The simulated impact of a 12 millimeter ball on an eight centimeter thick aluminum sheet. The impact

speed was seven kilometers

per second.

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CREDITSTRUMPF EXPRESS 1/15

PUBLISHED BYTRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG,Johann-Maus-Straße 271254 Ditzingen, Germanywww.trumpf.com

RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENTMathias Kammüller, Dr. Eng.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFEvelyn Konrad+49 (0) 7156 303 – 30 428evelyn.konrad@de.trumpf.com

EDITED BY

pr+co GmbH Stuttgart, Germany

Monika UnkelbachAnton Tsuji

LAYOUT + PRODUCTIONpr+co GmbH Stuttgart, Germany

Gernot Walter (AD)Tanja Haller

REPRODUCTIONReprotechnik Herzog GmbH Stuttgart, Germany

PRINTED BYfrechdruck GmbH Stuttgart, Germany

CONTRIBUTORSJulian StutzFlorian BurkhardNorbert Hiller

TRANSLATIONStewart Lindemann,Wuppertal, Germany

PHOTOGRAPHYClaus LangerSean Marc Lee Peter von Felbert Xavier GranetKD BuschAngelika Grossmann

Printed on paper from sustainable sources.

PERSPECTIVES

LASER NETWORKERS

Werner Neumann utilizes his laser network as an entry into laser welding

A laser network with a highly productive TruLaser 5030 fi ber and a TruLaser Robot 5020 is far from being a usual combination. At

CBV-Blechbearbeitung in the Thuringian town of Laasdorf, however, it has proved to be more than a success. The beam source, in tandem

use, supports laser cutting effi ciently and provided a cost-effective entry into the world of laser welding. Executive Werner Neumann reports on

how the new technology increases productivity and component quality especially when producing small numbers — and how it succeeded

in cutting part costs by up to 95 percent. Just visit:

www.mastersofsheetmetal.com/cbv

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

From the geometric design to an NC program — quicker than ever before with the latest TruTops Boost software

TruTops Boost is the unique software that enhances performance at the touch of a button as it designs metalwork and programs the laser, punching and bending machines. Its new operating philosophy follows a process-oriented route as it guides you through

the entries. It also ensures that operators keep track of every order. The innovative Boost Technology reduces the number of steps in the sequence and eliminates recurring, routine tasks.

Just clicking on the Boost Button starts the software’s automatic functions. Shaving the time and number of clicks by 90 percent when importing and programming fi ve components? In a user report in

TruServices Journal #02, TRUMPF customer Mattie Theunissen, VDL Industrial Modules bv, tells readers how this is possible. He also details the many other benefi ts TruTops Boost has to offer.

Watch TruTops Boost on video: www.trumpf.info/qpm75r

TruServices Journal #02 will be available as of the end of May 2015.

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Leading the way in productivity, process reliability and flexibility. The new TruPunch 5000 punching machine.

Now, the world’s best punching machine works for you even faster, more reliably and

flexibly. So move into the fast lane—and get more punch out of your machine every day.

www.trumpf.com

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LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW?Just enter “briefk asten.de” and you’ll be transported to Erwin Renz Metallwaren-fabrik, located in the Swabian town of Kirchberg — the European market leader in letterbox manufacturing. A mailbox leaves the assembly line every seven minutes. Most of them are unique, having been spec-ifi ed by the customer online. Eff ective ma-chinery and a sophisticated production

process are needed to ensure that such a wide range of products is manufactured in batch sizes of one — in top quality and on time. Operations scheduling sorts orders by the material mix involved and nests appro-priate jobs so as to conserve resources. Com-ponents with complex contours and shapes — such as the front panels — are manufactured effi ciently with a TruMatic 000. www.briefk asten.de