Efficient tool change cart:
How ebm-papst gains time and safety with custom tool change carts
A total of four tool change carts from Genkinger are in use at ebm-papst, the global market leader for fans, in Mulfingen. The custom-developed tool change carts transport hot tools weighing up to 700 kg from the warehouse via a preheating installation to the production press.
With the industrial truck and other measures, ebm-papst fundamentally changed the transport process, saving 1.5 hours per changeover. In addition, the tool changeover is now carried out by one person instead of two—and more safely than ever before.
The solution was achieved by answering the following questions:
- What features must a new, custom-made tool change cart have to ensure a smoother process flow?
- How can we minimise the friction surfaces in the heavy-duty racking?
- What structural changes do we need to make to the cabinet racking with the preheating station?
- How do we remove the hot tools from the rack without the operators touching them?
The answers ultimately led to a sustainable overall solution. At ebm-papst, it is part of the corporate culture for everyone involved to contribute to a solution, “because this ensures not only that it works from the outset, but also that the solution is accepted,” explains project engineer Dietmar Zink. “Our aim was the optimum, and we achieved that in this way.”
In retrospect, ebm-papst can feel confirmed that, thanks to the thorough preparatory work, it has implemented a sustainable, future-proof solution. “Genkinger’s tool change cart is an important part of this solution,” says Arthur Schwarz, who is responsible for development and processes at ebm-papst.
