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Grob in-House Exhibition: State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Technologies Plus Solutions for Electromobility Latest Machining and Automation Technologies Presented

Source: Press release | Translated by AI 5 min Reading Time

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At the Grob in-house exhibition from April 1 to 4, everything revolved around cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and efficient production solutions. Nearly 4,000 visitors were able to admire an impressive number of 4- and 5-axis universal machining centers under chip. Exciting live machining demonstrated the machines' capabilities in real-time—a real highlight for all technology and production enthusiasts.

Almost 4000 visitors from home and abroad attended the Grob Open House. Nearly 80 of them came from Switzerland.(Image: Grob-Werke)
Almost 4000 visitors from home and abroad attended the Grob Open House. Nearly 80 of them came from Switzerland.
(Image: Grob-Werke)

"We were pleased to present the latest innovations to our customers and show them how they can make their manufacturing even more efficient and flexible—especially in combination with Grob automation solutions," said Christian Müller, Managing Director of Sales at Grob-Werke.

With 10,000 employees consistently towards electromobility

It must be emphasized that the machining segment in manufacturing technology is only a sub-segment of the Grob-Werke, but it is the most important segment for Switzerland.

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With nearly 10,000 employees, Grob consistently focuses on solutions for electromobility alongside machining centers and has established itself as one of the key players in this segment worldwide. But that's another topic—the focus is primarily on the markets in the USA, Japan, China, and Germany, and hardly on Switzerland, as Grob Switzerland's CEO Wolfgang Ulmer emphasized to SMM.

Nevertheless, the development that Grob Germany has achieved in the e-mobility segment is absolutely impressive. Grob develops highly complex production lines for manufacturing high-precision components for e-mobility, thereby creating a future-proof mainstay.

Interview

Wolfgang Ulmer (Managing Director Grob Schweiz AG): "Swiss companies and research institutions are actively observing and participating in developments in the field of electromobility, especially with regard to the manufacture of battery components and assembly systems."(Image: Matthias Böhm)
Wolfgang Ulmer (Managing Director Grob Schweiz AG): "Swiss companies and research institutions are actively observing and participating in developments in the field of electromobility, especially with regard to the manufacture of battery components and assembly systems."
(Image: Matthias Böhm)

With Grob Schweiz AG, Grob-Werke relies on an independent Swiss branch to fully cover the Swiss production site with a wide range of manufacturing technology services. During the Open House in Mindelsheim (Germany), the SMM* editorial team was able to conduct an interview with the Swiss Managing Director Wolfgang Ulmer.

How many Swiss customers visited the Grob Open House this year?

 Wolfgang Ulmer (Managing Director Grob Schweiz AG): This year, we were very pleased with the registrations from Switzerland. Over 60 customers registered in advance for our Open House in Mindelheim, which represents a doubling of the number of registrations compared to the previous year. In total, nearly 80 Swiss guests visited us in the Allgäu.

 The Grob Group has developed a universal milling machine with the G-series. From a user's perspective, what makes this machine tool concept stand out?
 W. Ulmer: High stability and dynamics: The machines offer excellent stability, particularly when machining hard-to-cut materials, and they significantly reduce the processing time for components.Compact footprint: Thanks to the integration of the coolant tank, chip conveyor, and paper belt filter, the machines require less floor space, which simplifies installation.
 What automation solutions are available for the G-series, and how can the machine tools be linked together?
 W. Ulmer: Grob’s portfolio now offers virtually every conceivable automation solution for our universal machines. From simple rotary pallet storage systems to linear pallet storage modules for linking multiple machines, all the way to complex robotic automation and our driverless transport system GMR, customers can choose from a wide range or select the optimal automation for their needs. The crucial master control system "GROB4Automation" is available for every solution.
 For the e-mobility sector, Grob develops, manufactures, and assembles highly complex systems, including battery assembly lines. This sector accounts for more than half of the Grob Group’s revenue and is highly future-oriented. How do you view this relatively young and rapidly growing technology field from a Swiss perspective?

 W. Ulmer: The e-mobility sector is a forward-looking technology field with significant growth potential. Swiss companies and research institutions are actively observing and participating in developments in this sector, particularly with regard to the production of battery components and assembly systems. The manufacturing of complex systems, as offered by Grob, is essential for the advancement of electromobility and will become increasingly important in Switzerland as well.

Premiere 1: Maximum Flexibility with the new Vario Rotary Table

A definite highlight of the exhibition was the introduction of the new Vario rotary table on the "G550," a special table solution for turbine parts as well as thin, slender workpieces. "With the Vario rotary table, we are setting new standards in the manufacturing of turbine blades of all kinds," explains Sebastian Schön, Head of Application Engineering at Grob. "Thanks to its modular design, our customers can choose individually—from the basic module to two highly dynamic, directly driven B-axes."

Higher Accuracy in Finishing: Release Stresses During Roughing

The independent B-axes are equipped with specialized drive configurations to release stresses during roughing and prevent part distortion during finishing. This innovation enables even higher precision in machining. Additionally, the Vario rotary table features a movable counter-holder axis designed for different component sizes up to a raw part length of 700 mm (approx. 27,5 inches).

"This allows us to machine a wide variety of workpieces flexibly and efficiently," emphasizes Sebastian Schön. Another crucial feature is the excellent surface quality achieved through the stable machine construction with a horizontal spindle and optimized axis drives. "Our customers benefit from an even higher quality standard—even with the most demanding materials and geometries," Sebastian Schön continues.

Premiere 2: New Standards in Milling-Turning

In addition to the Vario rotary table, another innovation made its debut: the new mill-turn machine with hydraulic clamping. "Companies that need efficient production of mill-turn parts in medium to large batch sizes will find the perfect solution in this machine," explains Sebastian Schön. Particularly noteworthy is the intelligent sensor technology that ensures maximum process reliability. This makes manufacturing processes even more reliable and user-friendly. Another advantage is the permanent clamping pressure, which is maintained even during turning operations. This leads to consistently high precision and reduces the risk of clamping errors or material deformations. "Safety is our top priority," adds Sebastian Schön. Therefore, the mill-turn machine features redundant safety queries that optimally protect the operator and the machine.

Premiere 3: More Pallets and Possibilities Bring Higher Runtime: The new PSS-R900

Another highlight of the in-house exhibition was the premiere of the new PSS-R900 pallet carousel system. This innovative solution was developed to increase productivity and efficiency in manufacturing. "With the PSS-R900, our customers can further enhance their manufacturing processes," explains Ralph Birkle, Team Leader for Project Planning. "Through intelligent order planning and ergonomic machine operation, we ensure continuous production with minimized downtime."

The system impresses with a number of advantages:

  • Maximum productivity through increased output and even more efficient use of machine capacity.

  • Cost efficiency, as the unit costs are reduced through increased automation and process stability.

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  • Optimized production processes that ensure seamless manufacturing.

  • Main time parallel setup to completely avoid machine downtimes.

"The flexible configurability of the PSS-R900 is particularly noteworthy," Ralph Birkle continues. Customers can choose between integrating one or two machining centers to optimally adjust manufacturing efficiency.

Additionally, the system allows for individual storage configurations with or without a pallet tower storage (PTS), depending on the specific requirements of the production environment. The variable pallet capacity allows flexible adjustment between 15 and 32 pallet spaces, enabling the system to be easily tailored to different needs. "With the PSS-R900, our customers are well-equipped to meet the challenges of modern production," summarizes Ralph Birkle.

* The Schweizer Maschinen Markt (SMM) is a swiss magazine containing Industry insights and updates from the manufacturing sector.

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