The German press manufacturer Schuler has numerous manufacturing and service locations worldwide. This ensures that customers can receive fast and efficient support from local Schuler employees. In the Americas, for example, there are sites in the USA, Mexico, and Brazil, ready to support one of the company’s latest innovations: the Laser Blanking Line.
Laser blanking makes it possible to manufacture blanks completely without dies. Instead of using presses or shears, the geometries are cut by two or three high-precision laser heads. This has several advantages: no dies, die change, die storage or die maintenance, but also no costly press foundation and no loop pit. The technological development of laser performance, combined with intelligent line automation, enables Schuler to achieve cutting speeds of up to 100 meters per minute (approx. 328 ft/min).
The design of a Laser Blanking Line is very similar to a conventional press cutting line.
“Simply said, the press is only replaced by a laser cell,” explains Oswald Schoenberger, Product Manager for Laser Blanking Lines.
“Operators who already have experience with conventional blanking lines can learn to handle the system very quickly, but even the ones without blanking experience the system can be operated intuitively and reliably after completing our training program,” he continues.
Programming the lasers also requires no process know-how thanks to LBL Studio. The offline program is so intelligent that cutting contours for new parts are automatically created based on CAD files. The optimal cutting distribution of the lasers is taken into account and reliable predictions about the output can be calculated in advance. Of course, changes can be made manually at any time.
With several lines around the world and production experience since 2012, Schuler is by far the leader in terms of laser blanking lines. “This is also related to our strong local service,” explains Telvi Zanin, Vice President of Service. In addition to Europe and Asia, Schuler also has long-established service and manufacturing locations in North America. Schuler Inc. was founded in 1978 in Columbus, Ohio, and now has its headquarters close to Detroit in Canton, Michigan.
“With our team of 80 qualified service employees we are ready to provide high-quality technical support to all our customers in North America”, says Telvi. A team from the U.S. has been sent to the product centers in Europe to join the in-house assembly where they can learn firsthand the laser blanking technology. “Our trained employees can thus react quickly and provide optimal on-site service”, says Telvi. “In addition, remote service like with Schuler Connect offers the possibility of immediate assistance from our headquarters in Canton, Michigan or from our experts in Germany if required – for established products as well as for innovations such as the Laser Blanking Line.”
About the Schuler Group
Schuler offers customized cutting-edge technology in all areas of forming—from the networked press to press shop planning. In addition to presses, our products include automation and software solutions, dies, process know-how and service for the entire metalworking industry. Our customers include automobile manufacturers and automotive suppliers, as well as companies in the forging, household appliance and electrical engineering industries. Presses from the Schuler Group mint coins for more than 180 countries. When it comes to the digital transformation of forming technology, we support our customers worldwide as a supplier of innovative system solutions. Founded in 1839 at our headquarters in Göppingen, Germany, Schuler AG has approx. 5,000 employees at production sites in Europe, China and the Americas, as well as service companies in more than 40 countries. The company is majority-owned by the Austrian ANDRITZ Group.
For more information, please visit: www.schulergroup.com/laserblanking.
For further information on Schuler Inc., North America, please contact:
Guido Broder, Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Guido.Broder@schulergroup.com
Schuler Incorporated
7145 Commerce Blvd.
Canton, MI 48187 USA
734-207-7200
