PRODUCTS & EQUIPMENT
When the Uniline storage system at De Cromvoirtse’s ran out of capacity, Kasto connected a new Unitower to the original warehouse using a bridge at the top carrying a rail-mounted carriage.
Cromvoirtse spotted this trend early. The company has operated an online portal since 2008, which today accounts for about 70 percent of orders. Customers can use the website to upload drawings and specifications and within two minutes they receive an automatically calculated quotation for production of the component. Manufacturing capacity includes press brakes in addition to the laser cutting machines. About 90 percent of products are made from steel, stainless steel or aluminium sheet, the remainder being pipes and sections. Janwillem Verschuuren, one
of the company’s two managing directors commented, “Most of our 1,200 customers are small and medium-sized companies, like agricultural machine manufacturers, car body makers and machine builders. “For them, it often doesn’t pay to buy machines of their own and
Other manufacturers offered us standard solutions that were unsatisfactory, whereas Kasto worked with us right from the planning phase to develop new ideas for the design. They told us clearly what wouldn’t work and what would
hire expert personnel to make parts, because they only need limited quantities.
“As a rule, we deliver laser-cut components in 24 to 48 hours, while folded sheet metal parts can be supplied within a week.” To serve the needs of its growing customer base reliably and quickly, De Cromvoirtse has not only automated its ordering process
but also most of its production. Its metalworking machines operate around the clock, seven days a week including for long periods unattended. On average, 400 to 500 tonnes of material are held in stock.
The double-sided Uniline store from Kasto has nearly 1,000 storage locations, with special pallets for different materials and sizes as well as for remnants. A stacker crane travels between the two rows of the facility, storing and retrieving material automatically as needed. Mr Verschuuren recalled, “When we invested in our new warehouse, we investigated various storage options but Kasto quickly emerged as the front-runner.
“Other manufacturers offered us standard solutions that were unsatisfactory, whereas Kasto worked with us right from the planning phase to develop new ideas for the design. They told us clearly what wouldn’t work and
www.internationalmetaltube.com what would.”
For example, it proved possible to connect two flat-bed laser cutting machines seamlessly to achieve continuous material flow. To facilitate this, Kasto installed two manipulators at the Uniline’s output station. With vacuum suction units, the manipulators lift sheets from storage, place them on the shuttle tables and then remove the finished parts and remnants. In this way, De Cromvoirtse has substantially increased the production capacity of its machines and shortened throughput times. Ronnie van den Hurk, the other managing director at De Cromvoirtse said, “The KASTO solution allows fast, efficient and safe handling of our materials. “The stacker crane is equipped with two pallet stations to shorten cycle times and avoid empty runs. For each storage operation there is always a retrieval operation happening at the same time.”
IMT June 2018 11
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