{"id":17360,"date":"2017-10-11T11:27:08","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T11:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.machinery.world\/?p=17360"},"modified":"2017-10-09T11:40:40","modified_gmt":"2017-10-09T11:40:40","slug":"starrag-focuses-on-manufacturing-solutions-at-turbine-technology-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/machinery.world\/index.php\/2017\/10\/11\/starrag-focuses-on-manufacturing-solutions-at-turbine-technology-days\/","title":{"rendered":"Starrag focuses on manufacturing solutions at Turbine Technology Days"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite a continual stream of new product developments that continue to make the Starrag Group one of the world\u2019s most revered machine tool builders, the company is also truly focused on providing its customers with integrated and end-to-end manufacturing solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny company can supply a machine; what we are specialising in is looking at the process required then providing the appropriate automation and technology, and adopting Industry 4.0 initiatives to supply the ideal solution,\u201d according to Starrag Managing Director, Bernhard Bringmann.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe net result is that we are moving our focus away from \u2018promoting\u2019 individual machines and towards the development of processes and solutions to suit individual requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the recent Turbine Technology Days held at the Starrag company\u2019s headquarters in Switzerland \u2013 the annual focal point for world-leading machining techniques and technologies for the cost-effective and highly-efficient machining of turbine blades, blisks and casings \u2013 the company detailed its approach to providing customers with ideas for profitability, safety and growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cCustomers want solutions to their machining problems,\u201d says Starrag Group CEO, Walter Boersch. \u201cAnd they want the problems solved quickly and efficiently. So, each individual manufacturing solution \u2013 using whatever machine from the Group portfolio \u2013 is effectively reverse-engineered from the part(s) required.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur quest is to discover as many opportunities as possible to add value for the customer, by combining operations and by reducing cycle times and cost per part, and by improving process reliability through process automation and integration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe break each of these aspects down into cost centres so that the customer can clearly see where our processes will save them money and improve their manufacturability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Boersch continues: \u201cAs batches become smaller and users want 24\/7 production, so robots and integrated data management are continuing to grow in importance. Indeed, in a number of cases we are integrating system and cell controllers with users\u2019 SAP systems, combining and analysing then interpreting and utilising all that data as an Integrated Production System (IPS) to add value for the customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

IPS, he confirmed, \u201cwas relevant not only to our aerospace and energy customers, the industries that are the focus of this event, but also to Starrag\u2019s other target industry sectors of transportation and industrial\u201d.<\/p>\n

Similar sentiments about focused market sectors and the increasing uptake of Industry 4.0 initiatives were echoed by Mirko Merlo, CEO of tooling expert Walter AG \u2013 Starrag\u2019s headline partner for the event for the third year.<\/p>\n

He stressed the importance of digitalisation in all aspects of tooling use, monitoring and management, as well as machining, in Walter\u2019s main target markets of aerospace, energy and automotive.<\/p>\n

With more than 200 guests from 19 different countries and as far afield as Asia and the USA, the two-day event showcased a host of turbine machining technologies, not least being a flexible machining system for forged guide vanes (35,000 vanes\/year) complete with polishing cells (finishing to 0.4 Ra), integrated inspection and marking, plus tool presetters and tool shrinking stations.<\/p>\n

Starrag\u2019s expertise at developing turnkey FMS solutions was also highlighted by the event\u2019s keynote speaker from Korea, HyunSoo Yoon, the director of Hanwha Techwin\u2019s aerospace & defence group\u2019s engineering division. With an annual turnover of $3.3 billion in 2016, of which Mr Yoon\u2019s team contributed $1 billion through its aircraft engine work (for Pratt & Whitney and General Electric, for example), Hanwha Techwin took a giant step two years ago by investing in a Starrag FMS.<\/p>\n

But it was a considered investment. Operating 24\/7, the milling\/mill-turn multi-machine system has increased production output by 50 per cent, reduced machining costs by 58 per cent, cut lead times by 59 per cent and produced an overall increase in running time of 22 per cent.<\/p>\n

In addition to the FMS demonstration, Starrag also highlighted a host of turbine machining technology, including:<\/p>\n

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