Innovative Die-Casting Technology Center at Bühler

Bühler’s Die Casting Business Area is the global technology partner for all high-pressure die-casting needs and supports its customers through all phases of their investment. The Swiss company provides optimized die-casting solutions, fully integrated process controls, plant layout know-how, process knowledge and global assistance. Bühler supports its customers with a strong global service network, modern application centers and technology sites in Europe, Asia, and North America. Die-casting machines with locking forces from 340 to 5,600 metric tons are manufactured at three production sites.

In recent years, Bühler has invested heavily in new Technology Centers at its headquarters in Switzerland. In the die-casting divison, die-casting cells are available for trials and training on over 1,200 m². Every year, more than 100 training courses with more than 1,000 participants are offered on site. One of the cells in the new technology center is the Carat, which also serves as a test environment for the SmartCMS cell management system. This will include a Kurtz press of type KPS 500/16-10.

Kurtz and Bühler have much in common – such as company history, tradition, vision, global thinking and action, technological leadership, and above all, a focus on the customer. On that basis, Bühler and Kurtz have already successfully handled many projects together in the past. This link and, above all, the shared view of future opportunities prompted both companies to install a Kurtz KPS 500 next to the Carat in the Technology Center in Uzwil.

Focus on cell management

To keep the competitiveness of the die-casting industry in the future, Bühler is taking first steps toward its vision: 0% scrap, 40% less cycle time, and 24/7 uptime. The goal of the “Digital Cell” vision is to monitor, control and manage the entire cell. Why is the management of the die-casting cell as a whole relevant? Production losses and scrap are issues that must be minimized in a die-casting cell. Treating the cell as a system and not as a machine with many peripheral devices, such challenges can be solved more easily and quickly with digital technologies. Bühler´s SmartCMS (Smart Cell Management System) now extends digital control to the entire die-casting cell.

SmartCMS can increase productivity and traceability. This is achieved through improved product tracking thanks to centralized data processing, monitoring and analysis. Accelerated set-up and production changeovers, as well as less diagnostic and time spent, can increase efficiency and improve the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) of the cell. SmartCMS also provides connectivity to Industry 4.0 Smart Factory Systems and Digital Services.

Bühler FlexInterface as major step

Thanks to its interfaces with standard protocol – called Bühler FlexInterface – SmartCMS can exchange data with almost all intelligent devices, sensors and components that have implemented the interface. By means of FlexInterface, signals and data values such as status, energy consumption or alarms of each device are transmitted via PROFINET and in the future via OPC-UA. The interface is created separately for each device type. Kurtz GmbH is one of the first companies to implement the Bühler FlexInterface.

SmartCMS implemented on the Kurtz KPS 500

Kurtz has long been involved with the “digital idea” in all products, for example also in low-pressure applications – and Industry 4.0. OEE and networking via standardized interfaces is a decisive topic. We have already shown this at GIFA in June 2019. In addition to energy and consumption data, Kurtz is also able to send information that provides conclusions about the trimming tool. In this way, the maintenance intervals of the tool can be determined, blunt knives and thus poor cutting can be avoided. In addition to the intelligence, the Kurtz KPS 500, which was implemented in the SmartCMS, has achieved a significant reduction of the cycle time by 60 % compared to its predecessor model.

Bühler and Kurtz – together into the future

In the future Kurtz presses can be connected via FlexInterface to the SmartCMS. Interested Customers can visit Bühler in Uzwil at anytime to experience the capabilities of the Bühler Carat and the Kurtz KPS 500 in connection with SmartCMS. Make an appointment with us to discuss the future of die-casting together on site!

Go to product page Kurtz KPS Trimming Presses