Laser-sharp innovation Trumpf

LASER-SHARP INNOVATION

Trumpf is a multi-faceted global technology group that leads the field with its innovative, cutting-edge products. The company produces advanced machine tools, lasers and electronics for a diverse range of industrial applications. Last year the Trumpf Group had its most successful year since its foundation and saw major global expansion. Philip Yorke looks at what is driving the company’s strong growth.

Trumpf was founded in 1923 as a mechanical workshop, since which time it has made the creation of innovative, quality products its hallmark. The company remains privately owned by descendents of the same founding family and through a policy of continuous change and improvement has become a global market and technology leader. With over 60 subsidiaries, the group is represented in almost every European country as well as having a major presence in North and South America and in Asia. Trumpf’s key production facilities are located in Germany, Austria, China, the Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Japan. Mexico, Poland, Switzerland and the USA. In the fiscal year 2013–2014 the company generated sales of more than €2.59 billion, and currently employs over 11,000 people worldwide.

Reaching new heights

Trumpf has always been a company in the process of continuous change and its performance reached new heights in the last fiscal year, which proved to be its best ever. The purchase of the Chinese machine tool manufacturer JFY was the largest in the company’s history and is just one of many acquisitions it undertook in 2014. At Trumpf, behind every acquisition there is a clear strategic objective. Whether it is the entry into a key new market segment as with JFY, the extension to an existing product portfolio, or the takeover of the Italian panel-bending specialist, Codatto International, the focus on portfolio enhancement and growth is clear. In addition, during the same fiscal period, Trumpf also secured

Schmalz

Schmalz is the worldwide leading provider of vacuum solutions in automation, handling and clamping technology. Schmalz products are used in various production processes – for example, as grippers on robot arms in the production of car bodies, as clamping solutions in CNC machining centers for furniture pieces, or by an operator to lift items ranging from boxes to solar modules. In its headquarters in Glatten (Germany) and in 16 additional subsidiaries the company employs a total of around 900 persons.

important future technologies, as with the take-over of Igeneric GmbH and the Italian laser producer Sisma SpA, both of which have added significantly to the company’s technological competences.

“By means of acquisitions, changes to our internal structures, further improvement of our processes and, most importantly, innovative products, we at Trumpf have created a good basis for seizing global opportunities in key markets. We will continue to focus on that in the new fiscal year 2014–15,” Said Dr phil. Nicola LeibingerKamm Uller, president and chairwoman of the managing board of directors.

New light-based technologies

The United Nations has proclaimed 2015 to be the ‘International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies’. Trumpf is at the vanguard

Innovative, versatile and effi cient

They need to be versatile, have a fair amount of organisational talent and know what is currently happening in the market. We are talking about systems suppliers. These are companies which supply customised products, stand out because of their excellent in-house development skills and offer design, drafting and engineering services. LQ Mechatronik-Systeme GmbH is just such a specialist. The experts from Besigheim, who operate according to the principle “complete functions instead of lots of individual parts”, develop and design complete systems for electromechanical equipment for use in the mechanical and plant process engineering sector.

The systems suppliers focus on their core competencies, thus allowing the customer to concentrate on their main fi eld of business. The LQ GROUP is one of the fi rst companies to apply this system to the fi eld of the machine tool industry. From the development of prototypes to series production – as a systems supplier LQ develops and designs components for manufacturers in the mechanical and plant process engineering sector. Apart from engineering, the company’s range of services also includes design and assembly of equipment as well as logistics and service.

Complete functions instead of many individual parts

The LQ GROUP consolidates components into functional units for both controls and machine installations and these are then supplied to the customers ready to assemble and with the functional checks already carried out. This allows the mechatronics experts to offer companies signifi cant competitive advantages and to simplify process structures. Apart from reducing the number of parts involved and the assembly throughput time, this also signifi cantly reduces the outlay for procurement and cuts warehousing costs dramatically.

Around 280 employees on three continents make sure that customers receive individual solutions that are tailored to their requirements. Apart from the company’s head offi ce in Besigheim, the LQ Group operates three other sites: Branford (USA), Grüsch (Switzerland) and Taicang (China).

LQ MECHATRONIK-SYSTEME GMBH Carl-Benz-Straße 6 _D-74354 Besigheim T+49.7143.9683-0 _F+49.7143.9683-99 info@de.lq-group.com _www.lq-group.com

LQ Mechatronik-Systeme GmbH

LQ Mechatronik-Systeme GmbH, a medium-sized company from Besigheim, is a successful systems and product supplier of comprehensive electromechanical solutions for control and installation applications. Whether for modular control cabinets or cable drag chains – mechatronic experts focus on the reduction of complexity. LQ takes a modular principle with standardised interfaces as a basis for combining individual components to form compact functional units or installationready systems, thus supplying mechanical and plant process engineering companies with complete electromechanical units. The company employs 280 employees on three continents. Apart from its headquarters in Germany, the LQ GROUP has branches in Switzerland, the USA and China.

of product innovation in this sector with an unrivalled variety of beam sources for every conceivable industrial laser application. These range from the laser welding of thick steel panels for cruise ships and the cutting of hightech sheet metal components, to the drilling of multi-layered printed circuit boards (PCBs). For its customers, Trumpf delivers new light-based technologies that offer unique potential and open up new design possibilities for countless industrial manufacturing sectors.

When it comes to medical applications, advanced laser technology is setting the pace. Today Trumpf is at the forefront of these exciting developments. Owing to its versatility and special abilities, the laser is the optimal choice as a production tool for cutting, welding and the production of complex medical technology products.

“The laser is a pioneer of miniaturisation and with minimal focus diameters, with around 25 micrometres for marking and 10 micrometres for removal structuring, it makes entirely new product designs possible,” explains Dr Alexander Knitsch, the head of the medical technology division at Trumpf.

In the automotive sector Trumpf technology is also making a difference. In addition to increasing processing speeds, which are up to ten times faster than competitive products, the designers and production specialists particularly value the greater flexibility in body construction that Trumpf offers. Welding patterns are possible in any shape. For example, as a circle or a staple, in an S-shape or as an interrupted seam. The new laser technology means that welding patterns are precisely adapted to the load with much smaller flanges used than

those required for spot welding. The finished automotive components are therefore smaller, lighter and more cost-effective.

Smart functions

In other industrial fields, Trumpf is also leading the way with its cutting-edge innovation, whether in the development of lightweight batteries or powerful punching machines such as the company’s latest ‘TruPunch 5000’. This, the world’s fastest punching machine, now offers even higher speeds and greater efficiency. The newly developed hydraulic drives increase axis accelerations and rotation speeds resulting in a significant boost in productivity. With its high-power hydraulic drive, the new model punches at up to 1600 strokes a minute and marks at 3000 strokes per minute. In addition, specially developed ‘smart functions’ ensure that every process runs reliably and is trouble-free. This in turn translates this additional power into higher throughput and increased productivity.

In line with its commitment to innovation and performance, Trumpf recently announced the launch of its new ‘TruTool’, the DD1010, a high performance, hand-held power tool. This unique battery-powered drill-driver is distinguished from all others by its ergonomically correct design and superb operating performance. It draws its power from an advanced 10.8 volt Li-ion battery with two ampere-hours of capacity, which ensures a long-duty cycle and is also used in other Trumpf power tools. n

For further details of Trumpf’s innovative, hightechnology products visit: www.trumpf.com