Reference Cases

Automation reduces F-35 manufacturing costs An integrated manufacturing system from Fastems improves forward fuselage production. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN EDITED BY ERIC BROTHERS, PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOCKHEED MARTIN & FASTEMS Speed, leading edge technology, and cost-effectiveness characterize the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II family of multirole combat aircraft. A long-range supersonic fighter, […]

Automation Success – Gilbert Products Doubles Production Output with Flexible Manufacturing System Canadian industrialist Sylvain Gilbert was on a visit to Fastems headquarters in Finland in 2005 when it hit him. Sylvain, founder and president of Gilbert Products, a Quebec-based designer and manufacturer of equipment for the forestry, wood, construction, and snow grooming industries, had […]

FMS for Low-Volume, High-Mix shop provides stable, predictable process. Increased requests for complex components? The solution: Fastems FMS.

Flexible manufacturing system takes care of pallet and workpiece handling – SKF manufactures bearing components in a highly automated process   The production of small batches down to single workpieces is not something generally associated with highly automated systems – especially if the production involves complex machining, with additional, sometimes difficult process steps, and when […]

With Fastems MLS and tool management the average spindle utilization of all machines is between 95 and 98 percent.

The word “flexible” takes on a completely new meaning with the Fastems Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS), Multi-Level System (MLS).

Development-mindset and flexible automation make a local machine shop pioneer Joensuun CNC-Machining Oy has grown to be a local pioneer of metal shops in Finland. This development is based on significant investments in flexible, automated, and intelligently controlled manufacturing, thanks to which the company has multiplied the value of its multi-axis machining expertise for its […]

Automating has lowered the unit cost and cut down the setup times in KP Component’s production.

Kongsberg automotive successfully automated five existing makino 4-axis machine tools boosting productivity and usability.

Automating existing machine tools has increased Supset’s production capacity by nearly 50 percent.

Productivity in a double pack – Flexible robot cell automates two machine tools

Manufacture highly complex workpieces for up to 40 hours unmanned with the Fastems MLS.

As the shop’s production mix and volume grew, the time required to construct multiple setups grew as well. The solution was Fastems FPC

Fastems Robot Cell increases productivity by more than 50 percent at Märkische Werk

“Our kind of High-Mix, Small-Batch production would have been a challenge without Fastems FPC.”

To maximize the production capacity of its machine tools, MTU signed a contract with Fastems for the delivery of a Multi-Level System (MLS).

“Many manufacturers were shaking their heads about my idea for automated changeover. With Fastems, we have mastered this challenge”

CNC Industries invests in Fastems FMS. The result? Maximized spindle uptimes and flexibility to schedule for just-in-time delivery to customers.

“I cannot think of anything that would make us more productive or efficient!” Says Tuukka Pasanen, Head of Quality Assurance.

“Fastems is a world leader in FMS logistics but this installation pushed even them to the limits of their technology.”

“Being able to gain a real increase in productivity of 25 percent, as promised in advance, was something that really impressed us.”

With Fastems MLS, nearly double productivity, save on labor costs and significantly increase throughput while reducing setup times and manufacturing costs per piece

We communicate the due date and the quantity required, then MMS can ‘play chess’, says Peter Doyle, COO at Hirsh Precision.

“All this comes with a ROI time for the automation of less than two years” Jarmo Tuohimetsa, CEO

Kvalitetslego from Hälsingland – From 6 to 18 pallets in a smaller footprint with Flexible Pallet Tower The locality of Alfta in Hälsningland in Sweden has long been a cradle for entrepreneurship and technology. What started as a village smithy in 1913 eventually became the forestry equipment company ÖSA, which reigned in the area for […]

“Product lead times have improved a great deal thanks to the renewed module assembly”, Jukka Saari, General Manager at Wärtsilä.

MMS is Fastems’ answer to the entire Industry 4.0 issue

Smothers knew to expect increased savings when he incorporated the FMS, reorganized the cell layout, and made lights-out production possible. What he didn’t expect was just how much USNR would save.

Extension of Fastems MLS with automatic loading and unloading of clamping devices, and robotic deburring of the workpieces.

Fastems robot cell servers two 5-axis machines and is controlled by MMS – true industry 4.0 combination.

Robot-based system that processes cast-iron components for truck brake systems solves the problem around finding skilled labor.

Benefits include an increase of machine tool utilization up to 7.000 hours per machine & quicker time-to-market for new products.

“Companies are increasing the spindle hours of their lathes and milling machines by using the non-workable evening and night hours.”

Automation – A Driver of High Importance to Modern Production Hakfelt Produktion AB is a contract manufacturer from Bräcke municipality in Sweden with capabilities in gas and laser cutting, CNC machining and welding. The cornerstones of their operations are to work strategically, and with a determined, long-term mindset. The business is blooming at the moment: […]

“Today, we wouldn’t be able to produce economically without this automation solution,” says Jörg Maier, CEO of Gressel AG.

Flexible “just-in-time” technology down to a batch size of 1 in plastics machinery.

MAN Diesel is in fierce competition but can utilize the FPC system to keep the machine running without stopping for a long time.

“We must remain competitive” says Peter C. Berger, company director, as the reason behind acquiring Fastems FPC-3000.

Fastems MLS enables a third unmanned shift daily and also production without personnel on the weekends.

The aim of this FMS was not only to optimize spindle rotation but also to reduce setting times and set-up connected with series launch.

“Now it is profitable to manufacture small batches and even single parts, because the FMS reduces setup times almost to zero.”

“With a 12-pallet storage and 1 or 2 machines, the Fastems FPC-750 allows us to make very short series with no stops and all flexibility.”

“What convinced us was the MLS-concept: a standard system comprised of modules that can be constructed and expanded according to needs.”

“A high degree of productivity can only be achieved here with highly automated systems.” Uwe Glöckler, divisional manager of production.

“The beauty of this software is that it can respond to changes in part mix, part quantities and part due dates without additional planning by the cell team.”

“The system is able to operate completely independently, even in unmanned production.”

As downtime through changeover has effectively been cut to nil, it does not matter whether a single product or a series must be manufactured.

Challenges of accuracy and high-mix-low-volume production solved with Fastems MLS.

“Using a pallet system in place of standalone machining centers allows each machining center operator to deliver 26 % greater value.”

Fastems MLS provides increased capacity, greater availability, and a better working environment.

With various modernizations, Fastems extends the lifetime of customer’s investments.

“For us, a medium-sized batch is on average 6 parts, so that we are basically talking about an individual series or small series production.”

Fulfilling demands for higher productivity, longer machine running times and wide product range with intelligent automation.