Machined to perfection TOS Varnsdorf

MACHINED TO PERFECTION

TOS Varnsdorf, the world-renowned horizontal boring mill manufacturer from the Czech Republic, has again achieved sound financial results, and is ready to celebrate its 120th anniversary next year in excellent shape and form.

With its extensive experience in machine tool production, TOS Varnsdorf, located in the west of the Czech Republic near the German border, has become a trusted manufacturer of medium-class horizontal milling and boring machines supplied to clients across the globe.

Exports account for over 85% of total output; while approximately 50% of TOS Varnsdorf’s customers are based in Europe, the company has a strong foothold in the US, South America, Southeast Asia, and particularly China.

The company boasts an impressive manufacturing tradition. Established in 1903 as a manufacturer of general machine tools, it subsequently specialised in horizontal milling and boring machines, horizontal machining centres, and portal machine tools.

Today, its top-quality machines reflect the know-how and experience of generations of technicians and skilled workers as well as the innovative focus of today’s company management. Characterised by high performance, progressive design, and reliability, they are used for the machining of components for the transport, mining, construction, and energy sectors, as well as for general mechanical engineering.

Alongside the machine range, the company offers a wealth of services to its customers; this includes training for operators and maintenance workers, programme training and technological studies, and a high-quality machine commissioning service, in addition to machine modernisation, general overhauls, medium-scale, and minor repairs to machines.

TOS Varnsdorf operates a network of subsidiaries in its key markets to provide spare parts, warranty and post-warranty service. “Service and spare parts availability tend to be the decisive factors for customers when choosing a new machine. The immediate availability of spare

parts and the professional approach of our staff help to open doors to new customers as well as to satisfy the needs of existing customers,” explains the company’s Sales Director Miloš Holakovský.

Powerful, efficient, progressive

The manufacturing programme includes four groups of products: table-type machine tools for universal purposes and high-performance parts machining; large WRD-series floor-type machine tools for demanding technological operations performed on the largest workpieces; machining centres with the most progressive modern tools; and gantry-type machining centres for general high-performance, high-precision machining of steel and cast-iron parts.

The WHN (Q) 13 CNC machine continues to be the company’s flagship product – this is a universal horizontal milling and boring machine designed for precise milling, line-coordinate drilling, boring and thread cutting of box- and board-type workpieces as well as complicated workpieces from cast iron, steel cast iron and steel with a weight of up to 25,000 kg. The first model of the machine was produced in 1968 and so far, nearly 2,700 units have been sold to global markets. Last year the WHN (Q) 13 CNC machine accounted for 40% of all production.

The latest additions to the portfolio include a new dual-type WHT 110/130 – a milling and boring machine – a powerful, efficient representative of the company’s advanced generation, which responds to the need for modern progressive technology.

“We have great ambitions for these machines and would like to see their sales gradually reach the level of the WHN (Q) 13 CNC. With this combination, we can offer our customers a classic, powerful, horizontal machine and a modern, fast, and highly productive machining centre. We believe that with today’s trend for using higher cutting speeds and feed rates, customers will be looking specifically for these machines,” says Miloš Holakovský.

Digital future

The pandemic has further accelerated the trend of digitisation, and TOS Varnsdorf has responded quickly and professionally – the company has devised new ways of inspecting all machines virtually, at all sizes, equipment levels and technological accessories, and has even launched virtual handover of machines.

Holakovský says: “Since the coronavirus pandemic did not halt production, new, completed machines accumulated and were stored in-house during the first few months of 2021. As result of border closures, our customers could not collect their machines. Moreover, at that time nobody could reliably predict how long the pandemic and the lockdowns would last, and when travel would once again be possible. That is why we agreed with our customers on virtual handovers of their machines.”

He explains that customers could remotely check the machine’s operation for the individual applications uploaded into the machine’s control systems. The handovers also included measuring the accuracy of the machine’s positioning and culminated with a machining test for a NASA item. All the handovers accomplished in this manner were successful.

“The last two years have clearly shown the benefits of Industry 4.0, and we have included remote diagnostics and maintenance in

the services offered to our clients: TOSwide Service, a modern tool for increasing productivity, enabling the diagnosis of all machine functions, monitoring of the status of inputs and outputs, and a check on active machining parameters.”

By now the company already has 500 machines with remote diagnostics in operation in various countries, connecting the customer’s machine with the manufacturer’s service department online. This enables the diagnosis of possible failures of the machine or system immediately after the report from the customer and thus significantly shortens the service intervention time.

Proud of its ability to deliver a complete customised solution to customers, the company is set, post-pandemic, to continue this tradition for delivering satisfaction by maintaining a focus on enhancement both of its products and of its services. n

RETOS VARNSDORF s.r.o

RETOS VARNSDORF s.r.o. is a traditional Czech company. We are located at the premises, where in 1915 under the name „Arno Plauert, Maschinenfabrik“ the first horizontal boring mills were produced. In 1993, RETOS VARNSDORF was founded as a remanufacturer for TOS VARNSDORF machines. Our products benefit from the experience, know-how and the network in the region. Today, we also produce and sell world-wide horizontal boring mills of our own design. We have specialised in specific boring mills including table type, floor type and T-type machines in CNC or conventional versions, among them the famous solid conventional W100A.