Source: Italpresse Gauss
Two new, fully automated die casting cells were to become the heart of the new facility. The existing tools quickly narrowed down the choice to a three-platen cold-chamber machine. Beyond this machine type, the team had a raft of specific requirements for the new cells.
Make it Siemens, please!
Volker Ress, who led the project at Siemens in Bad Neustadt, explains: “We very much wanted a complete solution, an all-inclusive package. At the same time, we had some pretty exacting specifications for the equipment manufacturer: for example, we wanted the robot, trimming press and furnace from specific brands. That alone requires additional integration efforts that not every supplier is willing or able to make. On top of this, the new solution had to be compatible with our own IIoT operating system MindSphere and would, wherever possible, use Siemens components – electric motors, for example.”
The team chose two die casting machines from Italpresse Gauss, types IP 750 SC and IP 550, with a closing force of 750 and 550 tonnes, respectively. They were delivered on schedule in autumn 2018 as turn-key, fully automated cells, including robot, feed device, sprayer, immersion cooling basin, trimming press and dosing furnace. Both cells were started up within only a few weeks and have been running in three-shift operation ever since.
Marco Giegold from Italpresse Gauss summarises the project: “Flexibility in the specification of die casting cells is becoming more and more important. Aluminium foundries have their individual, specific requirements and are increasingly asked to integrate these cells into sophisticated production systems. In this context, Industry 4.0 is only one aspect – albeit an important one. For us, all of this is simply an exciting challenge. The more open we are to unusual customer requests, the more technologies, and components we get to see and know. It allows us to constantly expand our knowledge and find the best solutions for our customers faster. A big thank you to the Siemens team for setting us such an interesting task!”
Source: Intelligent Conversation, Fritzi Wemheuer
