REPORT - NBF - NORBERT BÜCKER GMBH & CO. KG
Modular system for the future Precision mechanics with a purpose NBF GmbH & Co. KG Feinmechanik in Münster, Germany, has been providing precision technology and precision engineering services since 1988. As a leading company in the development and manufacturing of precision systems and components, NBF has manufacturing expertise in a broad range of industries. NBF customers include companies from the fields of medical technology, optomechanics, laser technology, as well as automotive suppliers and scientific and research institutes.
Reducing set-up times Preparing upcoming jobs on the machine in parallel with “cutting time” is the way to go here.
Systematic automation projects The ever-present call to shorten delivery lead times inevitably brings up the topic of automation in production processes. This is also the case at NBF, where owner Norbert Bücker handles customer requirements, machine availability, raw material supplies, and general production data on a daily basis. The name EROWA first came up as a provider of forward-looking automation solutions when NBF was evaluating new CNC milling machines. A team including partners from Alzmetall and EROWA was created to systematically work out all the possible configurations.
Making 24/7 a reality A large part of the second (and most definitely the third) shift should run without supervision. And when it is necessary to intervene in the process, a clear message needs to go to the standby workers.
System requirement: Shorten lead times Not just talk about it, but actually do it. The great potential for reducing throughput times lies in the unused off-peak and nighttime hours. While these can be utilized with a multi-shift operation, the cost of doing so is high. And finding the skilled workers this requires is no easy task.
Flexible response time When the customer needs the work delivered yesterday, you have to figure out how quickly jobs in the pipeline can be switched around and reprioritized without throwing the entire schedule out the window.
Ease of operation Automatic machining of small batches is the real art of job preparation, not to mention machine operation. Accordingly, the cell control system must be clear, plausible, and simply structured.
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