KW Solution Relies on Hermle Automation is a Time Accelerator

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Hermle (Schweiz) AG

Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AG

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KW Solution has increasingly evolved from a tool and mould maker to a contract manufacturer for single parts and small series. The company relies on automated processes and Hermle's RS 2 robot system to efficiently meet high-mix-low-volume requirements.

"Without automation, we wouldn't exist anymore," CEO Dr. Jens Buchert is certain. The entrepreneur took over Karl Walter Formen- und Kokillenbau GmbH & Co. KG, now simply KW Solution, in 2016 and has since invested heavily. "Through our automation, we manage to utilize the machines to a very high degree." Each of the automated 5-axis machining centers C 32 U, C 52 U, and C 52 MT from Hermle achieves more than 4,000 spindle hours per year.

Karl Walter Formen- und Kokillenbau was founded in 1960 and is based in Göppingen, Germany. The company manufactures, among other things, molds for aluminum rims and cast parts for the automotive industry and is one of the leading manufacturers in this field. Shortly after Dr. Jens Buchert took over the business, he comprehensively modernized and digitized it, a process that continues to this day. "I bought the company because we make wheels. And they will always be needed—I thought—regardless of whether a car is powered by fossil fuels or electrically," he reflects.

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"What I didn't anticipate was the strong Chinese competition in this field that has emerged on Europe's doorstep in recent years." As a result, the business now primarily machines individual parts and small series for many other industries. In addition to aluminum and steel, the contract manufacturer works with all materials, including non-ferrous metals and difficult-to-machine metals like tungsten. KW Solution is building fewer and fewer tools and molds. "This now amounts to only about ten percent of our capacity. Our core industry, tool and mold making, will die in Germany."

New Ideas are Needed

The energetic entrepreneur came up with a Plan B. "Many who are currently thinking about new business models, in my view, fall short. I was looking for a product that the customer 'wants' and that creates desires." The result: the all-terrain expedition vehicle "Darc Mono". The foundation is a robust chassis from Iveco, which KW Solution equips with a carbon fiber living cabin and many useful features. The custom-made insulation layer protects against noise and temperatures ranging from -30 to +50 degrees Celsius. On both sides, the vehicle has water- and dust-resistant loading hatches that provide access to the interior.

For example, hinges and door handles, which KW Solution manufactures automatically on its C 32 U from Hermle, are also used here. "Together with strategic partners, we keep large parts of the value chain within the company," explains Jens Buchert. "This allows us to implement our development and the associated manufacturing processes effectively. The 'Darc Mono' doesn't really fit us. That's why we manufacture it," he chuckles.

Always Stay in Sync

But the entrepreneur isn't just focusing on extraordinary motorhomes; he's also emphasizing lean processes and automation. "We need to become more productive in Germany," he is certain. "Machines should run 24 hours a day—and this is only achievable with automation in a one-shift operation." KW Solution manufactures about 80 percent of the workpieces in batch size 1. "We have learned that we cannot fully utilize our robotic systems this way. We also need small series that we use as a buffer. Because, for instance, it often happens that a customer wants a change at short notice or stops an order."

When KW Solution commissioned its first robotic system RS 2 on a C 32 U in 2020, the company was breaking new ground. "That was the proverbial leap into cold water for us," says Jens Buchert. "At that time, there were no references in single-part automation." Together with Hermle, KW Solution got to work. "We considered how to design the machine so that it can primarily handle batch size 1." Clamping devices, tool holders, process flows—everything was re-evaluated. "Of course, we also went through iteration loops to continuously approach the optimum," Buchert reveals. He is particularly proud of his 25 employees: "They were enthusiastic from the very beginning and supported the project energetically."

Automation for Individuality

Each setup is different, and KW Solution uses special tools about 30 percent of the time. The additional magazine ZM 192, for example, supplements the 36 tools in the C 32 U with enough alternatives to handle all machining tasks. "If we define something incorrectly and a length isn't right, it rattles," Bastian Hummel, who led the automation process from the start, sums it up. "Our programs are collision-tested, and we ensure that the machines run trouble-free and unattended overnight."

But, of course, a component like a sensor could still fail from time to time. "The average spindle running time of machines without automation is about 1600 hours per year; for us, it's about three times that, thanks to the robotic system," explains Jens Buchert. "Automation is like a time lapse." Bastian Hummel adds: "The service from Hermle is great; many problems can be solved immediately over the phone together with the application engineering. If needed, the spare part and technician are with us by the next day at the latest, and the machine is running again quickly."

KW Solution is already planning the next expansion. "We want to connect another machining center to the existing RS 2 robot system with the C 32 U," says Jens Buchert. "We have ideas for new components that we need for our own products. For that, we need more capacity."

(neu)

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