AGCO Power Inc. has ordered a Fastems flexible manufacturing system (FMS) for the machining of cylinder blocks. The delivery includes automation for the horizontal machining center, integration into the robotized loading and assembly cells as well as control of the deburring and washing line. Overall, this is the largest single machine investment for AGCO Power’s Linnavuori plant. The driver behind the investment is flexibility.
An investment that takes into account future needs
The machining capacity that has been acquired is primarily for the machining of cylinder blocks, but also takes into account all future needs. Thanks to the flexibility, other components can also be manufactured on the line when capacity allows for it. The spindles must be kept rotating in all situations. Recently, there has been a clear trend of increasing in-house machining instead of outsourcing it. “Keeping machining in-house is possible if you do things correctly and keep your own production competitive,” says Manufacturing Manager Ville Yli-Jama.
“The key role in the new line is played by flexibility. It is needed because the world around us is changing at an increasing pace and economic trends are fluctuating.”
Proof of commitment and persistence
The old block line was delivered by Fastems (formerly Valmet Factory Automation) in 1975 – 45 years old! The old group line will finally be discontinued in 2023, when the delivery of the new block line is completed. “The completion of this enormous investment is proof of the commitment and persistence of the people at Linnavuori. The guideline is to carry out investments smarter than anyone else has previously done, and we have kept this in mind when making the decisions,” says Juha Tervala, Managing Director of AGCO Power.
The optimal solution
The new production line will include a total of twelve DMG Mori NHX 8000 horizontal machining centers, a Gehring honing machine, and a DMG Mori vertical machining center. The coolant and chip removal system will be centralized, and a new Zeiss Prismo coordinate measuring machine equipped with a surface roughness probe has also been purchased for the line. The Fastems delivery will include a flexible manufacturing system approx. 70 m in length. This includes the necessary loading stations, integration into the robot cells, and the automated deburring and washing line.
The FMS and machine tools are part of a larger system: “It must be noted that, in order to achieve a successful final result, all 14 sub-projects must be completed successfully. We want the new block line to be the optimal solution, making the work as safe and smooth as possible,” says Project Manager Juha Oksanen. The system will be controlled by the Fastems MMS (Manufacturing Management Software), which includes, among other things, control of the machine tools and their integration into the plant’s other systems, such as SAP.
“We greatly value our long-term cooperation with AGCO Power and we are happy to be able to continue and deepen it through this delivery,” says Mikko Nyman, CEO of Fastems. A leading brand in industrial automation, excellent products, and convincing competence in control and integration were Fastems’ chief assets for making the decision. The fact that Fastems is based nearby in Tampere was also decisive.