The 1,500-ton press at Meleghy Automotive was getting on a bit in years: The "old girl", as the employees of the automotive supplier in Bernsbach affectionately call it, was built in 1968. And so, its days appeared to be numbered when teeth broke off the pinion shaft, and cracks were discovered in the crown and press uprights. However, Meleghy Automotive was not ready to retire its system so quickly – and therefore opted for a complete modernization.
Dr. Thomas Werle, Managing Director of Meleghy Automotive, knows from experience that "when a machine like this is removed from everyday production, additional costs quickly pile up." A timely completion of the extensive overhaul was therefore crucial. That's why the automotive supplier chose Schuler the manufacturer of the Müller-Weingarten machine.
"WE CHOSE SCHULER, THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER, TO PERFORM THE MODERNIZATION BECAUSE THEY POSSESS THE REQUIRED KNOW-HOW."
The maintenance team at Meleghy Automotive actively assisted with the preparation and supervision of the overhaul. The experts from Schuler Service completed the welding work on the crown and then installed the new drive components. They also replaced motors, control cabinets, wiring, as well as the straightening roll cassette and feed rollers on the coil system.
Schuler merged various outdated controllers and updated them and also implemented comprehensive safety measures on the machine. For intuitive operation of the system, Schuler completely redesigned the visualization system. This makes both setup and diagnostics in case of errors must simpler for production employees.
Since the overhaul, the "old girl" now shines again in new splendor. "A new machine would have required a new foundation and adaptation of the dies," Dr. Werle reports. "That's why the decision for a complete overhaul was the right one, especially since the press is fundamentally healthy. With proper care, it will serve us well for many more years."
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