Investment in prototyping

Louise Davis

Advanced ideas require development space in order to optimise tube machining processes through the introduction of perfectly suited solutions. This already applies to prototyping, and of course to fully automated complex production systems. This is why the solution finders from transfluid have now further extended its production area by an additional 1000 square metres, to a new total floor area of 7000 square metres. "This investment was an obvious one to make, since it enables us to improve further our customer-facing development and high-tech production facilities", explains Stefanie Flaeper, the transfluid CEO. "In particular for our motion automation systems product sector, we now have much more resources available in terms of physical space, not just in relation to assembly work but also for test runs and commissioning runs. There is now also scope for implementing pre-series for our customers to further guarantee and evaluate our production process before the plant is shipped.

The additional space and latitude afforded by this new-build also stands to benefit the in-hour Prototyping department at transfluid. "To protect changed processes, we have been offering our customers intensive prototyping for many years. This for example applies to projects where, in the past, tube connections need to be welded or solded, and where these parts were then to be replaced by geometric end forming operations", explains Flaeper. "In such cases, components frequently need to be tested and installed prior to any final changeover. On this, we work very closely with our customers."

This building modification has equipped the Prototyping department with three times as much floor space as before. Here, machines are available to tackle the full range of reshaping processes, for diameters of 4 to 70mm.

Also, in order to perform complete processes, there is a chipless orbital cutting system here as well as corresponding CNC bending technology. "If all steps can be performed here, our customers are then much better able to gain an overview of the processes involved, which gives them a great deal more peace of mind", states Flaeper. During the extension work, a high-bay store for spare parts was installed. This provides quick turnarounds for service, which in turn makes the production operations of transfluid systems more dependable. These new facilities have provided transfluid with the space now and into the future for new and advanced solutions. 

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