Walter’s holistic tooling approach

The intention is to provide customers with a one-stop 'complete service' starting with planning and extending through to best-practice production, tool maintenance and training (at the Walter Academy in Germany or on-site with the customer). The service embraces, for example, such detail as tool and process design, tool logistics (vending and tracking), quality structures, programming and production simulation. The Walter Multiply planning module incorporates Toolroom Set-up, Walter Productivity Services (WPS) and the Walter Technology Centre. With Toolroom Set-up, the customer's actual situation is analysed and a turnkey toolroom is evolved to free-up capacity, reduce capital expenditure and increase machine utilisation and output. Under WPS, an in-depth analysis of the entire process chain, down to each individual cost, identifies the potential for savings. The result may be a completely new process or improvements to an existing workflow. However, to avoid possible conflict with machine capacities, the process is optimised by the Walter Technology Centre, which 'fine tunes' the process. The Walter Multiply production and logistics module focuses on the provision of the correct tools, incorporating tool data management, tool management and recycling. The Walter Tool Management Software organises tool dispense, automatic procurement (goods inward and outward) and quality control, while also offering a range of measures to improve management – for example, an automated tool dispenser or a supply management service which sees Walter supplying the tools as appropriate. Walter GB managing director, Gerry O'Hagan (pictured), says cost per part is the ruling principle of Walter Multiply and, in particular, the tool management aspect: "The customer no longer pays for the tools but for the components produced. We are providing pure productivity and, even as a tool manufacturer, we have an interest in customers using the best tools and consuming as little of them as possible." "Walter Multiply enables customers to concentrate on their core competencies - we take care of the rest," concludes Gerry O'Hagan.