Big Bang in production - star-digital

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Big Bang in production - New production system with four Heckert H75 machining centers guarantees edge in productivity

For almost 20 years PÖTTINGER has been relying on an automated plant with four machining centers and pallet rack system in mechanical production.

Agricultural machinery manufacturer PÖTTINGER exchanged an aging flexible production system in just twelve weeks. This feat was made possible through the collaborative partnership with machine supplier Starrag and automation specialist PROMOT. The core element of the new, highly efficient solution is four Heckert H75 machining centers, which together with the pallet rack system supplied by PROMOT along with a production control station enable highly flexible and continuously digitalized production.

“ Starrag offers an affordable tool magazine with 260 positions for its Heckert H75 machines.”

PÖTTINGER Landtechnik GmbH, Grieskirchen, Austria, manufactures machines and equipment for grassland, farming, and digital agricultural engineering. Whether it is mowing units, loading vehicles, plows, cultivators, or assistance systems and software – all products are cutting-edge technology. Jörg Lechner, Head of Production and Materials Management, says: “As a family- owned company, we attach importance to sustainability, quality, and longterm thinking – values which are directly reflected in our production philosophy.”

This includes as a central principle highly flexible production with the capability to deliver solutions to customers’ specific requirements. Instead of producing to stock, all products are manufactured in a weekly cycle and can be adapted depending on market demand. This can be clearly seen in the manufacture of plows, where the variety is so huge that there are hardly two identical machines. The PÖTTINGER Engineering Department provides the basis for this customization with a cleverly designed modular system, which enables the late creation of variants and just-in-time manufacturing despite high complexity. For almost 20 years PÖTTINGER has been relying on an automated plant with four machining centers and pallet rack system in mechanical production. Thus, for a long time PÖTTINGER was a pioneer in flexible production. But five years ago the time had come to find a new solution that would once again push the company ahead in terms of production technology.

On the search for a robust, precise, and flexible production system

The range of parts to be produced is huge: It extends from simple lugs made from structural steel with a weight of around 300 g through to complex gearbox housings made from cast blanks weighing up to 27 kg. Welded frame parts with a length of almost 900 mm also have to be cut on the plant. The required precision is also challenging. For instance, μm tolerances must be observed for gearbox housings. Iskender Merkezoglu, Head of Mechanical Production, explains: “This requires both robust and precise machining centers.”

A retrofit of the old plant was quickly dismissed as this would have taken too long. Problems would also arise from different software versions. Instead, PÖTTINGER decided on a complete exchange during ongoing operations – a“Big Bang”.

Machine manufacturer Starrag was awarded the contract with its horizontal machining centers Heckert H75. The machines developed in the Chemnitz factory impressed with their larger working space and collision circle diameter with a smaller footprint at the same time compared to corresponding machines. “This is an important advantage taking into account our confined spatial conditions. Also looking into the future, because our parts will probably grow in size and complexity”, adds Iskender Merkezoglu. Raimund Hohensinn, who is responsible for overall production at PÖTTINGER, adds: “The Starrag high-end machining center is also extremely energy-efficient, which really suits us. Because at PÖTTINGER we attach huge importance to the economical use of energy.”

As an automation partner, PÖTTINGER chose PROMOT Automation GmbH, Roitham, who together with Starrag offer a decisive advantage: tool management with optimal price-performance ratio. “For its Heckert H75 machines, Starrag offers an affordable tool magazine with 260 positions,” says Iskender Merkezoglu. “As PROMOT can link the magazines of the four machines via its ‘Toolmaster’ gantry loader, 1040 tools in total are available to us. We can exchange them between the four machines as required.” This saves costs and opens up new opportunities in production planning. Because the production control system can reassign the components to a free machine at any time and with minimum effort. Iskender Merkezoglu points out that the tool data on each machine is also available immediately. This is made possible by a Balluff chip recorded by the presetting device and integrated in the toolholder.

“In the end the deciding factor for the Starrag/PROMOT solution was the complete package of technology, efficiency, and cooperation”, sums up Production Manager Raimund Hohensinn. “Starrag assisted us greatly in the project phase and provided answers quickly. This created trust. The same also applies to PROMOT. As a team, we worked really well from the project planning stage through to commissioning.”

Digital twin and simulation software enable short commissioning and start-up phase

PÖTTINGER assumed the coordination and allocated the individual trades directly. The role of the integrator fell to the automation specialist PROMOT, who integrated the four Heckert H75 in a high-bay warehouse with 134 slots on five levels – operated by the Palmaster FFS1500 stacker crane. The flexible production system also contains four Vario set-up stations, two of which can be tilted with a motor. The brain of the plant is the master computer supplied by PROMOT, which communicates with SAP and controls the entire production process.

Mario Hamedinger, who is responsible for programming and production planning at PÖTTINGER, played a key role in the project team. He recognized early on that the tight time frame of only twelve weeks for the exchange of the plant could only be observed with digital support. He suggested enlisting the support of Pimpel GmbH, Scharnstein, and their CHECKitB4 software. The software makes it possible to start up NC programs at a CAM workstation on a virtual control.

Starrag provided the digital twin of its Heckert H75, which maps machine and control exactly. As a result, it was possible for the Pimpel software to simulate the ISO code graphically, check the feasibility of the components, and highlight potential errors of the control – months before the actual machine installation.

In addition, Starrag supplied the four Heckert H75 in the Chemnitz factory beforehand so that programmers and machine setters from PÖTTINGER could already test all component machining operations under real conditions long before the delivery. “My colleagues and I were in Chemnitz for around four weeks to start up the programs”, reports Mario Hamedinger. “Without the digital twin and CHECKitB4, we would never have been able to adhere to the retrofitting time frame of twelve weeks.”

Component cleaning outside the machine results in increased productivity

Mario Hamedinger also recognized a need for improvement in the process chain and the associated savings potential. Because up to now the flushing process of a finished workpiece took place in the machine. “Our aim was to take the flushing step out of the machine”, explains Mario Hamedinger. He was supported by Starrag and PROMOT. They made it possible that the machined workpiece is now transferred to a set-up point in the warehouse via a rotary table. This set-up point has automatically closing gates as well as flushing nozzles for air and cooling liquid. The cleaning takes place there, while the machine is already working on the next component. “This saves us at least one minute of production time per pallet change, which equates to almost 20% of the cycle time”, says Mario Hamedinger happily. “An enormous gain in productivity, without having to reduce the milling times.” PÖTTINGER also modernized the infrastructure during the retrofitting. Instead of a decentralized solution, a central coolant supply with a volume of 8,500 liters is now used. This increases process reliability, reduces the maintenance effort, and creates advantages in daily operation.

Iskender Merkezoglu, Head of Mechanical Production, mentions another strength of the Heckert H75, which pays off for future operation: “Starrag gives us a so-called fingerprint for these machines, with which we can request all important machine data on site without service technicians. We send the data to the Starrag factory in Chemnitz, where specialists generate a report or analysis for us within one day.” Through the comparison with historical data and test sites, it is possible to assess from when vibration values become critical and what measures need to be taken. Such data-based diagnoses enable precise planning of maintenance measures and reduce unplanned standstills.

One single large machine with four machining points

The site acceptance test for the new flexible production system took place after twelve weeks. The start-up in ultimate production mode happened in a few weeks thanks to the parallel run-in of the individual machines. During this time the programmers and machine setters were still working on fine tuning the machines.

Because the machining centers must be exactly the same in order to give the master computer the option to optimally distribute the orders and not make a distinction between machines A, B, C, D. In order to ensure this equality in machine assembly and in the working area, each of the four machines is set up with the same master pallet. As a result, a production system is created that basically works like a single large machine with four machining points. This is also taken into consideration in production planning and control: In the SAP system each machine does not exist separately, but only one workstation that is planned centrally. Managing Director Jörg Lechner not only sees the technical achievements as decisive for the success of the project, but also the people behind them. “The success is based on the fact that employees assume responsibility and actively work together on the further development of the processes”, highlights Lechner. “The most important thing for us is that we manage to take people on the journey. Everyone contributes something – and that's not because it is required, but because they are passionate about it.” In particular, he highlights the partners involved, who acted on an equal footing and with a great deal of mutual trust, as well as the staff at PÖTTINGER, whose commitment contributed significantly to the success of the project.