16/02/2017 | Allemagne

Metal Interface discussed with Mr Johannes Linden (Managing Director Division Industry & Systems) and Mr Simon Scherrenbacher (Integrated Communications) of the Schuler Company during the 2016 EuroBlech Exhibition.

Company's presentation

Schuler TechCenters: a unique innovation on the market
Schuler has just opened a new Hot Stamping Techcenter in Göppingen, Germany. But what are these Schuler TechCenters?
Schuler wanted to find a new way to present systems and technologies, to allow customers testing their solutions “live”, as it can be in the real-life of the factory.
With this in mind, Schuler created and built TechCenters all over the world. In these TechCenters, the customer can experience cutting-edge technology live, discover new approaches for the production, optimize the workflow and output rates, or access a backup facility for ongoing production.

In intensive contact with the experts from Schuler, specific questions can be clarified and efficiency gains can be achieved that are precisely tailored to the own production. Other main aspects include topics such as process and stroke rate optimizations, die tryout, blanking and tooling tests as well as process and module developments.
Technology events, training courses and on-site work-shops are also organized by the company to improve the Schuler machines knowledge and the knowledge transfer.
As described by Mr. Linden, “with these production machines, we and our customers can test the real process. The solution in place in our Hot Stamping TechCenter has a 15% higher output than the normal hot stamping solutions. We can demonstrate this to our customers by doing real-life tests and also showing the higher speed.”

The new Schuler Hot Stamping TechCenter in Göppingen has been inaugurated in October 2016 with a real production environment and a fully automated hydraulic press with a press force of 36,000 kN. But the focus of this TechCenter is not only on forming technology, but also on upstream and downstream processes, providing expert support along the entire value chain.
“At the Hot Stamping TechCenter Göppingen we can give you expertise and first-hand advices on all processes. It is here that our dedicated specialists from all areas of the company strive to continuously improve the process for applications in the automotive industry in particular.”

The Schuler headquarter is also based in Göppingen, with a new building dedicated to the development activity: the Schuler Innovation Tower, with 12 levels for approx. 800 people.

The Schuler Service experience
Service has different dimensions within Schuler. First, technical service with technical support through technical Schuler employees specifically dedicated to the customers, including visits and supports at the customer’s sites.
However, for Mr. Johannes LINDEN, “Schuler is more than that: We are also a consultant for our customers and help them being more successful on their market by identifying the better solution. Customers need personalized and very specific solutions. Finding these solutions is the key to success for Schuler.”
For the company, the future is now also in the digital solutions, on which Schuler is currently focusing on. These digital solutions were the headline of the 2016 EuroBlech exhibition.

A recent Schuler study case showing the Schuler expertise
In metal forming machines, the individual movements of the individual aggregates and the total system need to be synchronized at the best possible way to have an optimized productivity. This is why setting up transfer presses is often a task reserved for absolute professionals: harmonizing the press, transfer and coil line for maximum productivity calls for a high level of expertise and skill.Schuler developed a tablet-based system called Smart Assist, which is very simple to use. With this electronic assistant, persons with a much lower technical expertise are now able to receive the same output results in a very short period of time, where people in the past had to take days for the same output results. The Smart Assist guides the user through the process step-by-step with the aid of videos and graphics, optimizes the movement curves of the slide and transfer fully automatically, and transfers the data to the overall system. The Smart Assist has been awarded at the EuroBLECH by the trade press magazines MaschinenMarkt and blechnet.
“So Smart Assist is really a device that helps our customers to benefit from the technical potential of the equipment much faster, with reliability and less technical expertise needed”, concluded Mr. Johannes LINDEN.