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REPORT - KOMAX GROUP
The future is automated
wiring solutions and thus for products supplied by Komax Group.
The Komax Group, which is based in Dierikon in the Swiss Canton of Lucerne, supplies products in the field of automated wire processing, as well as for testing wire assemblies. In their in-house production, they rely on automation and the highest degree of process reliability.
Through continuous development and close cooperation with its customers and partners, Komax Group strives to optimize and improve automated wire processing. This is also reflected in its cooperation with EROWA. „The two Swiss companies share the conviction that constant innovation is the best solution to future requirements,“ explains Alois Bättig, EROWA Switzerland‘s sales director.
The Komax Group‘s machines focus on processes such as measuring, cutting, stripping, contacting and taping wires, and assembling connector housings. Standard models and customer-specific plants such as wire strippers and fully automated crimpers are complemented by an extensive range of quality assurance modules and networking solutions for the safe and efficient production of wire assemblies. The Komax Group also produces systems for testing wire harnesses. Automotive industry The Komax Group generates around ¾ of its turnover from the automotive industry - and this industry is currently undergoing a monumental change: electromobility, digitalization and autonomous driving are megatrends and call for increasingly complex
Absolute process reliability As a market and technology leader, Komax Group makes great demands on its own products - and therefore has an internal manufacturing. „This enables us to react quickly to constantly changing challenges, and by extending the product range, we keep producing new parts. But digitalization in the field of production also keeps confronting us with new tasks. We‘re convinced that here, automated production has great advantages: what we produce today, we process the following week, without any great storage costs,“ explains Christian Schärer, Director of Mechanical Manufacturing at Komax in Switzerland. This flexibility also means that production must run at 100%. „Process reliability has top priority with us. We can‘t afford to
The EROWA Robot Dynamic 500 Linear on currently 9 meters of rail with around 90 magazine positions.
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REPORT - KOMAX GROUP
Alois Bättig, Sales Manager EROWA Switzerland and Christian Schärer, Director Mechanical Manufacturing at Komax Group Switzerland.
make mistakes. And here we‘ve been relying on EROWA for decades - in a spirit of partnership and with a great deal of success,“ adds Christian Schärer. In 1998, Komax equipped the first milling machines with the EROWA UPC and ITS 148 workpiece handling systems; the first EROWA robot was commissioned in 2000. Since then, further handling devices have been added, such as the EROWA Robot Multi on a Mikron HSM 600 U, an EROWA Robot Compact on a Geibel and Hotz FS 640, as well as EROWA‘s process control system JMS 4.0 ProductionLine. Requirements to be satisfied by the new production plant In 2022, Komax finally took the first step to replace its obsolete Mikron plant. „We specified clear requirements to be satisfied by the new production cell, and our aim was to take over our experience and any advantages of the processes running on the existing plants in order to integrate them into the new cell and to optimize them further“:
• Production costs were to be cut by more than 10%. • Machine capacity was to be boosted by 20%. • Ultimately, a spindle time per machine of more than 6,000 hours per year was to be attained. • The highest degree of process reliability must be guaranteed by the machine and the handling system. • It must be possible for mixed loads of individually clamped workpieces for 5-axis machining and large pallets with multi ple fixtures to be machined together and flexibly. • Flexibility for planning between prototypes, individual parts, small and big batches must be increased. • High base load through a fixed set-up of articles. • Use of existing equipment such as tombstones and vises. • Automation and workpiece clamping systems which satisfy these requirements. The new plant An investment was made in a Heller HF 3500 5-axis machining center and an EROWA Robot Dynamic 500 Linear (on a 9-meter rail with 91 magazine positions). Machine pallets are changed with the robot, or via adapter pallets MTS 400 pallets and
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control system. Christian Schärer adds „The software helps us a great deal to organize all the manufacturing data and to keep them under control. Its operation is very intuitive.“ The plant mainly processes steel and aluminum; existing production orders are continually reprogrammed and optimized. Batch sizes vary between 5 and 100 parts and part sizes range from 50 x 50 x 50 mm to 300 x 250 x 110 mm. „Big workpieces and fixtures are mounted on MTS pallets. Smaller workpieces are palletized on the EROWA ITS 148 system. With the use of adapter plates, these workpiece carriers are universally integrated into the system. In this way, we keep resetting times to a minimum,“ says Schärer.
ITS 148 pallets. For the purposes of control and data transfer, the new production cell is supported by EROWA‘s JMS 4.0 process control system. Since the JMS 4.0 software was already in use on the Mikron milling machine and on a Geibel & Hotz for years, employees do not have any problems operating the process
Increasing productivity at a very high quality level After detailed planning and some adaptations dictated by existing spatial conditions, the new production plant was commissioned in late October 2022, and Komax is well on the way to attain, and even surpass, the goal it set itself. Automation is ready for 24/7 operation. „EROWA‘s tooling systems and the palletizing of workpieces make all the difference when it comes
The linear system can be expanded modularly with any number of magazine positions.
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positions and loading station. „We‘re already looking forward to the ERD 500 being utilized even better - after all, it‘s here to do some work,“ adds Christian Schärer with a grin. For the future, however, it is clear that Komax will continue to invest in its own automatic production, for Christian Schärer is convinced that „The future is automated.“
The EROWA tooling systems and palletizing of the workpieces are crucial to ensure and even optimize flexibility in automation.
to guaranteeing and even optimizing flexibility in automation - in order to increase productivity and maintain Komax‘s very high quality standards,“ adds Christian Schärer. Mastering challenges together The digital interlinkage of the entire production and the entire company constitutes a very great challenge. „We‘re convinced that it‘ll only work digitally and with automation - but of course this is not always easy,“ says Christian Schärer. „Innovative and long-standing partners help us to find the right solutions to the individual challenges.“ Here, Komax profits from EROWA - and vice versa. The future going forward In October 20923, the plant was expanded with a second Heller machine and extension of the robot rail with additional magazine
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