Witzig & Frank, a member of Hong Kong-based Fair Friend Group, has been developing and building machines for over 150 years; rotary transfer machines have been produced for over 40 years. With this machine concept, the necessary processing steps are divided among several stations to which the workpiece is automatically successively fed. This results in the ability to produce large quantities precisely in a short period of time. As their capacity extends to hundreds of thousands of parts per year, the machines are particularly suited to manufacturers in fittings, automotive and several other industries.
This is also the case in the manufacture of compressors for air conditioners. Since its founding in 1991, Gree Electric Appliances from Zhuhai, Guangdong province, has developed into the world market leader with a current annual production of about 18 million units, thanks to its 23,000 employees and production facilities in China, Pakistan, Vietnam and Brazil. To expand this position, the Chinese are focusing on internationalization, innovation and modernization.
Planned production of 20 million compressor flanges per year will be achieved with seven Turmat rotary transfer machines. Each of the machines has ten stations at which two parts are processed or loaded/unloaded simultaneously – one finished part every 1.2 seconds. Keeping the parts supply and removal under control at this speed requires intelligent automation. The raw parts are fed with the help of automated guided transport systems to bulk boxes, separated there automatically and fed to the devices in the correct position via camera-supported robot loading. The finished parts are removed by means of conveyor belts.
The expertise of Witzig & Frank is of particular benefit to the design and implementation of the processing technology. Says Pascal Schnebelt, sales director at Witzig & Frank: "The basis of the production solution is the Turmat concept, but we develop the machining process individually based on the respective workpiece." Pick-up-turning, milling and drilling operations would ideally be combined within a machine. The 10-station processing machine offers more than 60 NC axes, double-spindle machining and a weight of about 40 tons.
Pre-acceptance trials of several parts at Witzig & Frank’s factory in Offenburg, Germany will be the first test of the machines, before they travel to Zhuhai. The time frame for the project is very tight, the Germany machine tool manufacturer states.
Adds Schnebelt: "The first machine is currently being built and all systems are to be delivered by September 2016. The job has many challenges, for the customer as well as for us. We are proud that Gree has great confidence in us and want to repay them for this as well."
