As a specialist in aluminum die casting, the company mainly manufactures components for the automotive industry, both for electromobility and for internal combustion engines. Due to a new customer order with unprecedented component sizes, Druckguss Westfalen faced the challenge of buying a new machine for their needs in 2022. And this is where GROB-WERKE came into play. The G520F shows that the Bavarian machine manufacturer can more than satisfy not only automotive customers with its machines, but also customers from the die casting industry, continuing to deliver top performance in production to the complete satisfaction of Druckguss Westfalen.
AMB 2022 – the springboard for the start of a new collaboration
Martin Simon, head of production at Druckguss Westfalen, learned about the G520F at AMB 2022. Even his first glimpse of the machine was extremely positive. But it wasn't just the machine that was impressive from the very first moment, GROB employees also impressed with their expertise from the outset. "Based on my personal experience at the trade fair around 20 years ago, I approached the booth rather hesitantly. At the time, I was told that only OEMs are GROB's main customers.
However, things were very different in 2022 and from the very first minute of the meeting, we were given an insight into the technical expertise of GROB employees and the feeling that our questions and concerns were being taken seriously," says Martin Simon about his first encounter with GROB and the G520F at AMB 2022. "I was already particularly impressed with the size and dynamics of the machine at the AMB," Martin Simon continued.
Various arguments in favor of the purchase decision
A new order from a major German carmaker presented Druckguss Westfalen with new challenges that could not be met with the existing machine park. For example, the components included in the order were larger than all the parts previously made in the company. Moreover, the machinery market was overheated at the time, in 2022. After the pandemic, demand for production facilities soared. The huge demand for machines, combined with global supply chain issues, meant that some shortlisted suppliers were categorically excluded from Druckguss Westfalen due to delivery times.
But not GROB; the machine manufacturer stood out from all the other suppliers and was characterized above all by its immediate response still on the same day. This was followed just one day later with an invitation to the machine manufacturer's main plant in Mindelheim to clarify all further details. "And two days later, we were actually already at GROB in Mindelheim," Martin Simon still astounds today when he thinks about how fast everything happened then. And the visit to Mindelheim was positive. After intense talks, the decision finally fell to the G520F.
But it was not only the machine that convinced the company with its outstanding qualities. As at the AMB, the professional support and advice provided by GROB's sales staff was convincing. Of course, another decisive factor in the purchase was the extremely short delivery time of the machine. Within three months, the G520F was installed in the hall at Druckguss Westfalen, commissioned, and production started.
A production dream becomes reality
The G520F was integrated into the existing production environment at Druckguss Westfalen within a production island. The production island is used for milling, washing and differential pressure testing. "The delivery and integration of the machine was exemplary and without complications," Martin Simon states, still pleased with the result to this day. The system will produce aluminum cases for a car manufacturer that will house the power electronics. Due to the component size of 280 mm by 800 mm, Druckguss Westfalen ultimately decided to integrate a swivel changer.
Firstly, to reduce the ergonomic burden on employees, but also, of course, to increase productivity by many more times. By integrating the G520F, Druckguss Westfalen was able to reduce the number of employees by one person per three-shift period. The personnel reduction and the increase in duration or availability of the system have increased the overall efficiency of the entire system to 90%. GROB Service and Technical Support were also on hand at all times and provided Druckguss Westfalen with full support. "During production, we actually had two issues where we needed GROB's full support. The quick and competent help has helped us super-fast, and everything has been resolved immediately," said Martin Simon.
Details of the G520F
The G520F has been specially designed for machining light components such as frame structure and chassis parts, but also for battery housings, and is thus predestined for use by Druckguss Westfalen. The G520F is a two-spindle machine for parallel machining of two parts. It has an interference diameter of up to 1,200 mm in the B-axis and 1,200 mm in the A-axis (without restriction), with a maximum part length of up to 1,500 mm (with restricted axis swivel range).
The A-axis/B-axis combination in the table guarantees free chip fall and optimal heat dissipation, ideal for MQL machining operations. The axis arrangement of the F-series corresponds to the tried and proven GROB machine concept of the G-series. Modular and standardized GROB machine components guarantee the best possible product quality, an extremely high dynamic and short chip-to-chip times. The machine can also be flexibly automated, as was the case at Druckguss Westfalen. In principle, the G520F offers a choice between two types of part loading: Either top loading by a GROB linear gantry or front loading by a GROB pallet changer, a swivel or sliding changer as well as by a robot or manually by an employee.
Still perfectly happy two years later
"I would always recommend GROB. This is the best machine I've ever bought. Precise, dynamic and reliable. The additional purchase costs are easily recouped over the term," emphasizes Martin Simon.
Druckguss Westfalen has not regretted its decision in favor of the G520F from GROB for a minute. On the contrary, the company plans to further expand its machine park with GROB and is increasingly calculating new manufacturing inquiries based on GROB machines. "Thanks to our rapid availability and our machining specialists, we can offer our customers a wide range of solutions. We are therefore all the more pleased if further projects are to emerge from such cooperation", said Frank Uelwer, head of sales at Produktionstechnik NRW, an official commercial agency of GROB.
