The Overlooked Potential for Savings in the Aluminum Window and Door Sector
Article from "Close Up"
This article highlights the often-overlooked savings potential offered by automated storage and product handling.
The trend toward automation in the aluminum window and door sector has clearly accelerated this year. Many manufacturers have taken their first steps in automation by investing in automatic production lines. Examples include bonding profile contours, CNC-controlled corner pressing of windows, and automatic gasket insertion in profiles or assembled windows.
From profile containers to processed profiles to finished products—how much time is lost in a factory handling and moving products? Studies indicate that this is where the greatest potential for savings exists.
Opslag profielcontainers
A production process begins with cutting and machining the profiles. There are various solutions for efficient cutting, such as a 2-head saw machine with a portal machining center or fully automated saw and machining centers. But how productive is a machine really? Too little attention is often paid to the downtime associated with feeding the profiles to the machine. It is essential that the operator has immediate access to all necessary profiles to avoid unnecessary idle time.
One solution is to install a paternoster system or an automatic lift system next to the saw and machining center. Both systems are custom-developed based on the available space, the type of products to be stored, and the required capacity. Beyond ensuring direct material access, these systems also offer numerous additional benefits, including improved safety and ergonomics for the operator.
Profile Storage
After cutting and machining, profiles are placed in profile carts. These carts are manually transported to the assembly and pressing area for window production. Significant time is lost in both transporting and sorting the profiles. Some saw and machining centers already have the capability to automatically sort profiles into carts.
A recent development is the automated profile warehouse. Finished profiles are stored and sorted per element in the warehouse. Once an element is complete, the profiles can be automatically transported to the assembly area. This eliminates manual handling, such as moving carts and sorting profiles. An additional advantage is that the production flow is optimally managed and controlled.
Workflow Optimization
In window production, the majority of time is spent storing, sorting, and handling the elements. Less than half of the production time is spent actually manufacturing the element. While investing in individual production steps can improve efficiency, far greater time savings are achieved by combining multiple steps into a single production line.
For example, the automatic output of a CNC 4-head corner press can be connected directly to the infeed table of a machine for automatic gasket insertion. Another option is linking it to an automatic distribution cart for moving and sorting elements. By automating these handling tasks, valuable time is saved and redirected to the actual production of elements. This minimizes manual movement and significantly accelerates the flow of elements through the factory.
Online Production Control
In addition to controlling individual machines via the client’s calculation software, the entire production process must be monitored and managed. A software package for analyzing, optimizing, and controlling the production process is therefore essential in the factory of the future.
Production floor management is conducted digitally. Profile or element barcodes are scanned by operators at the machines or workstations. This allows both the machines and the operators to know exactly what actions need to be performed. A central PC oversees the automatic line, enabling continuous order tracking. Through reporting, production times can be analyzed in detail and subsequently optimized.
