Three-Day International Seminar: Advanced Tool and Die Making – Future Strategies and Solutions, 21st – 23rd of October 2019

Three-Day International Seminar: Advanced Tool and Die Making – Future Strategies and Solutions, 21st – 23rd of October 2019

The hands-on three-day international seminar of the WBA Tooling Academy Aachen offers the unique possibility to gain exclusive insights into the German tool and die industry. The seminar focusses on future strategies and solutions in tool and die making, such as digitalization and Industry 4.0. Furthermore, the topics product and process standardization as well as flow production, production planning and control are covered during several presentations and workshops. Additive manufacturing with its potentials for tool and die making completes the agenda. The knowledge achieved through the seminar will be deepened and illustrated afterwards during a visit in a German best-practice tool shop. On top of that, participants have the possibility to network and exchange with German experts and other tool shops from all over the world. The seminar will be rounded off by an exclusive supporting program with guided tours of the historic old town of Aachen and the innovative campus of RWTH Aachen University.

Further Information

Contact

WBA

Carmen Halm
Head of Further Education

Tel.: +49 241 990163 16
email: education@werkzeugbau-akademie.de

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Makino’s International Die & Mould Forum, January 22-23, 2019

Makino’s International Die & Mould Forum, January 22-23, 2019

On January 22-23, 2019 Makino’s International Die and Mould Forum takes place at Makino in Kirchheim u. Teck, Germany.

Experience the trendsetting innovations by Makino and learn about the EDM and milling solutions for die and mould. The Forum will feature presentations and a panel-discussion with industry experts. The Forum will be rounded off by practical demonstrations of our machines dedicated to die and mould applications.

Invitation and Programme

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„Advanced Tool and Die Making – Future Strategies and Solutions” – Three Day International Seminar, Aachen, 22nd to 24th of October 2018

„Advanced Tool and Die Making – Future Strategies and Solutions” – Three Day International Seminar, Aachen, 22nd to 24th of October 2018

Three day international seminar with focus on Process Standardization & Flow Production, Production Planning & Control, Additive Manufacturing & Digitalization & Industry 4.0.

Main topics of the three-day international seminar

Process standardization & flow production: Process-oriented manufacturing and utilization of repetition effects for single batch manufacturing
Production planning and control: Efficient planning and scheduling to ensure delivery reliability and value creation speed
Additive manufacturing: New opportunities by 3D printing technologies and connection into integrated process chains
Digitalization & Industry 4.0: Outlook to the possibilities of Industry 4.0 for the tooling industry as well as best practice example
Visit of one of Germany´s best tool shops

Further Information

News

The WBA community is growing and flourishing

The WBA community is growing and flourishing

Since its founding in 2010, the WBA has grown continuously. The WBA community now includes 76 members, of them 8 premium-, 15 business-, 25 basic- and 28 cooperation members. We are happy to quickly introduce our new WBA members:

Business Member: Weener Plastics is a full service global supplier of innovative plastic packaging solutions, with a strong focus on the functionalities dispensing, containing and closing. The company designs, develops and manufactures added value caps, closures, roll-on balls, jars and bottles for the personal care, food & beverage and home care markets. Weener Plastics employs about 3000 people and has 24 facilities in 16 countries across the world.

Cooperation Member: The Springer GmbH is an internationally operating company for the automotive industry and their suppliers. Its core business is the development, planning, productions and the commissioning of components and systems for the pressing plant and structural automation. As medium-seized company with more than 180 employees Springer ranks among the technology leaders in this field.

Cooperation Member: The Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd. Is one of the leading technology and service provider in the tool and die industry. The wide range of product solutions includes machining centers for parts as well as die and mold manufacturing with a large variety of applications in aero-space, automotive, off-highway vehicles, industrial components and micro-technology. Makino Europe employs around 270 peolpe.

Cooperation member: The IT4process GmbH offers consulting services and software solutions for commercial purposes. For more than 10 years, the company has been dealing with the analysis and optimization of procedures in companies with complex operational processes as well as the support of these processes by means of software solutions. IT4process was founded as a spin-off of the RWTH Aachen University.

Furthermore, we are delighted to introduce you to two further honorary members: Mr. Dr. Heinz Wesch (formerly PHOENIX CONTACT GmbH & Co. KG) and Mr. Dr. Christian Hinsel (Hirschvogel GmbH). Due to their extraordinary dedication to the WBA and long experience in the tool and die industry we are pleased to involve the two to our community in the long run.

Even beyond our regularly held community meetings, it is extremely important to us to maintain consistent contact with our members. In 2017, we were warmly welcomed by numerous member companies, such as WEBO Werkzeugbau Oberschwaben GmbH, the Hirschvogel Automotive Group and the DST Dräxlmaier Systemtechnik GmbH. Meetings in such small rounds are extremely valuable to us, as they set ground for a trustful and individual exchange. Moreover, resulting suggestions are constantly converted into our projects, which enables us to develop pioneering approaches.

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Review: The 7th annual meeting of the WBA

Review: The 7th annual meeting of the WBA

On occasion of the seventh annual meeting on November 22, 2017, about 150 representatives from 72 out of 76 member companies met at the Hotel Pullmann Aachen Quellenhof. Over the years, the community meeting of the WBA has established as a valuable platform for a profitable cooperation and a sustainable exchange in the tool and die industry.

The continuous growth of the WBA was emphasized by introducing four new member companies and two further honorary members, by publishing five new expert studies as well as by presenting the new premise of the WBA located at the Cluster Production Engineering on the RWTH Aachen Campus. Next to current developments of the WBA, the results from our projects of 2017 as well as the ten project proposals for 2018 were presented during the annual meeting. Within the scope of these projects, WBA members will jointly conduct research on future issues such as “digital networking” and “process linking”.

In the second part of the annual meeting, the WBA granted fascinating insights into the new premises on the RWTH Aachen Campus. In collaboration with eight cooperation members, the WBA demonstrated latest developments of the tool and die industry within the „Erlebniswelt Werkzeugbau“ (interactive world toolmaking) as well as the own demonstration tool shop. These innovative, high-tech, and partially fully automated solutions include the comparison of circle segment cutter and conventional ball cutter, the automation plant „Chameleon Quad“, the Pro Leis planning system as well as an indoor GPS and smart glasses.

Our community meets twice a year – once in Aachen and once at the location of one of our members. As already announced, the upcoming semiannual meeting will take place at the Pöppelmann GmbH & Co. KG in Lohne on May 15 and 16 2018. Please save the date!

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Executive Seminar “Strategy and Technology for Successful Tool Shops”, October 18 to 20, 2017

Strategie-und-Technologie-für-erfolgreiche-WZB-1140x760

Executive Seminar “Strategy and Technology for Successful Tool Shops”, October 18 to 20, 2017

This year’s executive seminar will take place from October 18-20 in Aachen under the direction of Prof. Günther Schuh. Top-class speakers from the business community will present solutions for successful strategy development in the tool and die industry with regard to current developments in the sector. Apart from presentations, the compact three-day seminar offers an attractive supporting program with various opportunities to exchange information and experiences with speakers, experts and participants. This seminar is directed especially at managing directors, CEOs and owners of tool shops as well as managers in the tool and die industry.

Flyer and Registration.

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Community Meeting: 7th Annual Meeting of the WBA

Community Meeting: 7th Annual Meeting of the WBA

On November 22, 2017, the seventh annual meeting of the WBA is already taking place. The yearly meeting is exclusively for our community members and offers an optimal platform to exchange information and thoughts about current technological and organizational developments in the tool and die industry.

Amongst other things, the current developments of the WBA as well as results from our projects this year will be presented. The community members will have the opportunity to register for the 2018 projects afterwards. These projects are mainly focused on new trends in the tool and die industry.

Following the annual meeting, the traditional colloquium “Tool and Die Making for the Future” will take place as well as the award ceremony for the competition for “Toolmaker of the Year 2017”. Please note that registration for the colloquium and award ceremony is handled by WZLForum.

News

Tool Manufacturing Challenge: Review and Outlook

Tool Manufacturing Challenge: Review and Outlook

From 31.07.-04.08.2017, fourteen select trainees and young professionals took part in a new further education format about “Industrial Tool Making” developed at the WBA. The experience gained by the WBA as the organizer and the feedback from the participants about the newly developed format were consistently positive.

During the one-week event, topics such as shopfloor management, lean management, layout design and process technologies were taught in a varied and compact program and deepened with practical examples. All participants showed great interest and strong commitment. The visits from the best-practice tool shops Welser Profile GmbH and Wiro Präzisions-Werkzeugbau GmbH & Co. KG left a particularly good impression, as well as the educational games, workshops and the overall relaxed atmosphere at the WBA. The participants want to bring back and apply the new insights to their companies.

As the event organizer, we also had a lot of fun in that week. The refreshing and open nature and the great interest of the participants were a very positive experience for us. We are looking forward to a continuation next year!

Save the Date: The Tool Manufacturing Challenge 2018 will take place from 30/07 – 03/08/2018!

Video from Werkzeugbau Challenge 2017 (in German)

Article in Form + Werkzeug about the Tool Manufacturing Challenge (in German)

News

Growth in the WBA-Community

With immense pleasure, we welcome two new cooperation members into our community.

On the one hand, the Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd. – a well-known technology and service provider in the tool and die industry. Makino’s broad range of first-class products includes machining centers for parts production as well as tool and molds, with a wide spectrum of applications in the aerospace, automobile, construction machine, agricultural machine, industry component and microtechnology industries. Makino Europe employs 280 people at its technology centers and branches with a focus on marketing, sales, application technology and service in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Slovakia, Poland and Russia.

On the other hand, the Springer GmbH – Pressing Plant and Structural Automation with its headquarters in Stuhr. It currently employs about 195 staff members. The factory space covers 10,500 m². Springer offers a complete product and service portfolio in the area of complete system integration for the automation of pressing plants and structural automation. The core business is comprised of the development, design, production and assembly of systems and components for pressing plant and structural automation for the worldwide automobile industry and its suppliers.

News

Reference Project: Weener Plastik

In the area of industry consulting, the WBA examined the effects of the new corporate strategy and derived the necessary measures in a bilateral project with the Weener Plastik GmbH. The project approach was divided into three work packages. Firstly, the determinants that triggered the need for action, current capabilities as well as future corporate strategies were investigated. Building upon this, the potential and future requirements were identified and finally these are brought into a concrete plan for measures for implementation.

First of all, an organizational and technological benchmarking was carried out to evaluate the current capabilities of the tool shop. By looking at numerous concrete key figures, the current characteristics of Weener were compared to a representative comparison group of similar companies that are in an extensive benchmarking database. The result was a detailed comparison of the own capabilities to the competition. Furthermore, the corporate strategy was analyzed and the resulting future requirements for the tool shop were identified.

In order to guarantee a successful implementation of the corporate strategy within the tool company, the effects of the identified potentials and requirements for processes, technologies and employee competences were subsequently analyzed. For this purpose, the performance level of these dimensions as recorded in the benchmarking were contrasted with future requirements to identify the resulting areas in need of action. In the third step, the identified areas were addressed, starting by developing measures. These measures were then compiled into a detailed measure plan, which included a clear timetable for implementation but also defined the responsibilities that appear in the plan. Based on this measure plan, measures were implemented one by one in close cooperation of the WBA and Weener Plastik GmbH to successfully realize the corporate strategy in the area of tool making.

The core project results thus include the identification of effects of corporate strategy on tool making as well as the accompaniment of the implementation of the resulting measures to adapt the required processes, technologies and competences.