Customer Success StorySmart manu­fac­turing – smart training

They do still exist: old-school gyms with weight benches and dumb­bells. But today, more and more fitness enthu­si­asts are turning to smart circuit training machines that auto­mat­i­cally adjust, store training data, and enable an effi­cient workout. Strength training is getting smart – and this, in turn, is placing new require­ments on manu­fac­turing.

In the town of Hettingen in Baden-Würt­tem­berg, H. Stein­hart Metall­waren­fabrik manu­fac­tures around 20 different versions of computer-controlled strength training equip­ment for the inter­na­tional fitness provider EGYM. The compo­nents are as diverse as the training programs: large-format plates, complex struc­tural parts, preci­sion-fit surfaces, and deli­cate compo­nents. Different mate­rials, varying quan­ti­ties, and a steady stream of new vari­ants shape day-to-day manu­fac­turers. “Preci­sion is our primary focus in manu­fac­turing, but as produc­tion volumes have increased, effi­ciency has also become a crit­ical factor for us,” says Manuel Beck, Head of the Milling Depart­ment and Deputy Project Manager at Stein­hart. “We need maximum flex­i­bility – but without compro­mising on quality, process reli­a­bility, and repeat accu­racy.”

One system instead of isolated solu­tions

 In the past, every new part geom­etry meant addi­tional setup work and custom clamping solu­tions. However, this approach reached its limits as produc­tion volumes increased and the range of vari­ants expanded. Stein­hart found the solu­tion not in indi­vidual clamping devices, but rather in an end-to-end system. As part of its invest­ment in a 5‑axis milling center with pallet automa­tion, the company imple­mented a modular clamping tech­nology system from SCHUNK.

At its heart is the VERO‑S quick-change pallet system. It defines a uniform, high-preci­sion inter­face between the machine table, pallet, and clamping devices – and thus forms the tech­no­log­ical foun­da­tion for stan­dard­ized processes. This plat­form makes it possible to combine a wide variety of clamping solu­tions: mechan­ical vises for single and multiple clamping oper­a­tions, 5‑axis clamping systems for complex geome­tries, or magnetic clamping tech­nology for flat work­pieces. What matters here is not the indi­vidual compo­nent, but the inter­ac­tion within a coor­di­nated system. “The modular system covers our entire range of require­ments,” says Beck. “We can clamp a wide variety of work­pieces using the same system.” “This reduces complexity and creates trans­parency in the process.”

Struc­tured approach to automa­tion

The clamping of the work­piece is a key means of increasing produc­tivity. While machining is still underway, employees are already preparing the next pallets in a sepa­rate setup station. They are changed auto­mat­i­cally via the stan­dard­ized inter­face of the quick-change pallet system. The defined posi­tioning ensures high repeat accu­racy during pallet changes.

At the same time, idle times are signif­i­cantly reduced because the clamping devices do not have to be realigned each time.  The system provides stable refer­ence points – regard­less of which work­piece is being machined. This approach really pays off, espe­cially with small batch sizes and frequently changing vari­ants. Different pallet sizes and work­piece dimen­sions can be inte­grated into the automa­tion system without changing the process logic. “The automa­tion system ran reli­ably from day one,” reports Patrick Genkinger, Produc­tion and Project Manager at Stein­hart. As a co-owner and third-gener­a­tion member of the owning family, he is preparing to join the manage­ment team. “We benefit from clearly struc­tured processes and a high degree of plan­ning certainty.”

 
Flex­i­bility as a produc­tion prin­ciple

For Stein­hart, the modular clamping system is more than just a tech­nical solu­tion – it provides a frame­work for the orga­ni­za­tion of manu­fac­turing processes. Stan­dard­ized inter­faces, inter­change­able clamping devices, and auto­mated pallet handling make it possible to inte­grate new compo­nents into existing processes without requiring major changes. At the same time, the system grows with the require­ments placed on it: addi­tional vari­ants, increasing produc­tion volumes, or new machining strate­gies can be accom­mo­dated without having to redesign the produc­tion struc­ture. “This means our manu­fac­turing oper­a­tions are ready for the future,” says Genkinger. “We can produce cost-effec­tively while main­taining high quality – which is exactly what our customers in the premium segment expect.”