HÖRMANN Automotive delivers high-precision, high-quality large components for agricultural machinery
Agricultural machinery, such as combine harvesters, needs a variety of large trim panels, and manufacturing small quantities of them cost-effectively while maintaining the necessary high standards of quality and precision is a tough assignment for any supplier. The HÖRMANN Automotive factory in St. Wendel has been focusing on this segment of the market for many years and has built up specialist tooling expertise and developed cutting-edge manufacturing methods and technology for sheet metal forming and working.
To fulfil the ever more demanding requirements regarding precision and component size more effectively, a new five-axis laser system featuring the latest laser technology was put into operation last year. The system is built around a compact and efficient high-power solid-state ytterbium-fibre laser, which produces 4,000 watts of optical energy with a wavelength of 1,080 nanometres in the invisible infrared range. The laser beam generated is focused on the machining position on the workpiece by an adaptive deflection mirror system. In combination with a high-precision five-axis rotary and changeover table, it is now possible to cut large sheet-metal parts measuring up to 4,000 x 1,800 x 700 millimetres at high speeds without sacrificing accuracy, including for complex three-dimensional geometries.
Jörg Strass of HÖRMANN Automotive in St. Wendel proudly underlined the high expectations for future growth associated with this acquisition, saying, ‘With the latest laser technology and one of the biggest 3D laser machining centres in Germany, we can now offer our discerning customers in the agricultural and construction machinery industries whole new possibilities when it comes to the design of their vehicles and cost-effective, high-precision manufacturing of components.’ Managing director Uwe Jung added, ‘With the considerable investment that it has made in state-of-the-art machinery and systems, HÖRMANN Group made another major contribution in 2019 to the goal of securing long-term jobs in the Saarland region.’
