Marking many decades of successful cooperation between ARaymond GmbH & Co KG and Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, the automotive assembly and fastening specialist recently commissioned two new all-electric IntElect 75 ton machines. This latest investment now means that the Weil am Rhein production facility is filled with 30 injection moulding machines exclusively supplied by the German-Japanese manufacturer, confirms Martin Knobloch, Project Manager of International Plastic Production for the automotive sector at ARaymond.
The IntElect machines integrated seamlessly with the existing machine fleet, which comprises clamp forces ranging between 60 and 75 tons. Knobloch continues: “Through collaborations with our long-term partner Sumitomo (SH) Demag, customised features were added to the IntElect machines. This has enabled us to optimise operating ergonomic workspaces for our processing staff, as well as providing greater production planning flexibility. The new machines also support quicker setup processes, which all helps to greater autonomy and state-of-the-art innovation.”
Setting the highest precision and efficiency standards
With many of the special fastening applications classified as automotive safety parts, the reliability of the IntElect series, combined with dynamic, precise and parallel movements, all assist in delivering optimal quality coupled with significant higher production output. These were all critical factors that influenced ARaymond’s decision. “The precision of these machines allows for the shortest start-up phases and delivers the most stable processes. All criteria that are essential for our demanding product portfolio," reports the automotive sector project manager. “Another critical benefit of the IntElect machine series is its energy efficiency. For an environmentally conscious, sustainable and modern Smart Factory facility like ours, being able to significantly reduce our production carbon footprint was very important in our decision-making process," he adds.
Alongside the state-of-the-art injection moulding machines, the entire production hall has been designed to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 efficiency-saving processes and technologies. Knobloch affirms that this includes incorporating future-proof automation and digitalisation into the entire manufacturing facility.
Testament to the Smart Factory possibilities, ARaymond already uses AGVs (automated guided vehicles) in its extension building. Here, new automated processes support the continuous improvement mindset through transportation of raw material, logistics management, removing finished products from the production lines, and moving heavy tools safely to the correct location in the production hall.
Unique material supply concept
In another industry first, processing material is supplied on demand directly to the machine via mobile silos. The docking process is fully automated with the pre-drying technology also integrated into each docking station. As a result, the final conveying route to the material separator is much shorter, and consequently even more efficient.
This concept not only supports ARaymond with small delivery volumes, but also allows for very fast turnaround times. “Being able to adapt to and supply such a diverse number of materials specific to each order, adjust to small batch sizes, and monitor the processes, energy use and track batches, were crucial for this material supply concept. The elimination of conveyor lines also reduces cleaning costs significantly. We believe that this uniquely addresses one of biggest efficiency challenges in the current plastics industry," assures the project manager.
Knobloch reports that as the application is running so seamlessly in the automotive fastening production hall, that the supply concept is now being rolled out into other areas of the 114,000 m2 plant located in Weil am Rhein. As the company’s largest production site in Europe responsible for the manufacturing of intelligent and easy-to-install fastening solutions made of plastic and metal, the entire plastics production area comprises 105 injection moulding machines. Three more IntElect machines with a clamp force of 130 tons were recently delivered to Weil am Rhein.
Overall, the fifth-generation family business, which was founded in France in 1895, maintains a global fleet of approximately 1,000 injection moulding machines. More than one third of these – 400 – are supplied by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. The ARaymond Group currently employs 8,500 people worldwide, generating sales of EUR1.6 billion from 29 production sites in 25 countries (2023). The company’s production program includes 25,000 assembly solutions, mainly used by the automotive industry, but also in a variety of industrial, photovoltaics, agricultural technology and pharmaceutical applications.