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JULY 2020
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Never Stop Working
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Solutions Smart Factory
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Interview Thyrolf & Uhle
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M A G A Z I N E
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M E TA L
E X P E R T S
FRONT COVER
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Anonymus
Departamento de Marketing marketing@lantek.com
LANTEK MARKETING TEAM Copy, editing, layout and design Diana Sánchez Patricia Ruiz de Sabando Sheila Aldariz Director of the magazine Juan José Colás Head of Global Sales & Marketing
PUBLISHER Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions, S.L Parque Tecnológico de Álava Ferdinand Zeppelin, 2 01510 Vitoria-Gasteiz (Álava), Spain (T) +34 945771700
www.lantek.com
CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE. Our thanks to: Ferrán Villanueva, sales manager at Euromac in Italy, Rene Gruber, CEO of Salz IT in Austria, Dariusz Jamroz, director of the production line at Fortaco Wrocław in Poland, Sylwia Siedlecka, Project Manager at Fortaco in Wrocław, Przemysław Niemiec and Łukasz Wielkopolski, Production Engineers at Fortaco, Tobias Kersten, CEO of Xteg in Germany, Richard Mortimer, Partner at Mortimer PR in the United Kingdom and Beate Kramp and Ina Biehl-v. Richthofen, communication specialists at the RFW agency in Germany. Employees at Lantek: Carlos García Villate, Christoph Lenhard, Damian Olszowski, Diana Sánchez, Enrique Paramá, Francisco Pérez, Iñaki Martioda, Jose Antonio Lorenzo, Joseba Pagaldai, Juan José Colás, Kevin Must, Matthias Rolf, Michał Baranowski, Patricia Ruiz de Sabando, Raúl Chopitea.
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index 05editorial Global Release 2020
10solutions Smart Factory: Integration of manufacturing processes in multi-location companies
20technologies Lantek & Euromac
24news Salz IT, Lantek’s new distributor in Austria provides local support.
32services New configuration options when exporting work
06main topic Never Stop Working
14interview Thyrolf & Uhle drastically reduces its inventory and significantly increases processing speeds with the support of Lantek
22innovation Sherlock Edge: bringing the factory to the cloud
28partners The Fortaco Group office in Wrocław (Poland) incorporates Lantek software
34facts International Meeting 2020 & FMA Annual Meeting
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editorial Lantek Global Release 2020:
NOTHING CAN STOP YOU At Lantek, we have chosen the slogan “NOTHING CAN STOP YOU” to define our attitude towards the current business situation and our new software version. Coronavirus has increased the degree of uncertainty with little clarity of how the situation will develop in the Autumn. The reality is that to a greater or lesser extent we are all promoting teleworking. In the new 2020 version, Lantek software has been adapted for remote working with many capabilities for virtual working, making it easier for your teams to work from home.
More than 100 improvements and innovations Juan José Colás Head of Global Sales & Marketing
The new 2020 version includes more than 100 enhancements aimed at efficiency and cost and time saving. One of the most notable innovations is the new collision prevention algorithms in Lantek Expert which will stop production interruptions due to collisions. As regards the tube cutting market, the new 2020 version of Lantek Flex3d optimizes tube cutting to avoid collisions and at the same time minimizes machining times. Together these two improvements make it possible to avoid more than 80% of current machine stoppages due to collisions. However, there is much more – the innovations in Lantek MES and Lantek Integra make the software more intuitive and easy to use. Additionally, Lantek Analytics can be used in a fully integrated way, recording and analyzing reliable, real-time production and commercial data. These are just some of the new improvements incorporated in our solutions. We invite you to discover everything that Lantek Global Release 2020 can do to drive efficiency in your factory and business.
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Never stop working LANTEK V2020. A VERSION DESIGNED SO THAT YOUR PRODUCTION NEVER STOPS WORKING Juan José Colás, Head of Global Sales and Marketing
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At Lantek, we have an obsession - increasing our clients’ productivity day after day. With each evolution of our products and with each small innovation, our whole technological plan is aimed at achieving one objective: to make manufacturing better every day. Better budgeting, better analysis, better planning... ultimately, to never stop working! In the 2020 version of Lantek Expert, this objective has become even clearer. 1. We are introducing an important technological advancement that significantly reduces downtime caused by collisions involving the laser head. 2. A new algorithm and a new setting in the Lantek software that enables the addition of intelligent micro-joints reducing the chances of the cutting head being damaged by collision. 3. Innovative algorithms for the destruction of holes, significantly reducing execution times. 4. A nesting optimization module (NOS) that optimizes the use of raw material by around 12-15%. Savings in material, reduction in downtime, minimization of breakage risks... these are just a few of the advantages provided by our Lantek Expert 2020 version, which includes over 30 new improvements.
New innovations that prevent over 80% of collision related downtime. For Lantek Flex3d, our CAD/CAM module for tubes and profiles, we have included valuable improvements in tube production. From improvements in usability, to an algorithm for the destruction of the scrap produced when cutting holes. Furthermore, a new head management algorithm makes it possible to avoid contours that have already been cut, preventing collisions and, minimizing cutting times by eliminating unnecessary up and down movements. In real trials with clients, we have been able to verify that these new innovations, in both the configuration and the algorithms can prevent over 80% of downtime caused by collisions. Additionally, the 2020 version incorporates the operation of new machines for automatic loading and unloading of parts, managing the supports and trays mechanically. New lead-ins, movement optimization, improvements in nesting times and memory used... A full package that turns this latest version into essential software for tube cutting specialists.
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More than 70 valuable improvements including in execution and calculation times and memory management. Regarding production planning packages, Lantek MES, and Lantek Integra business management, there are two major changes. On the one hand, we have been working on a new Look and Feel with new improvements in usability that make these programs easier to use, simpler and more intuitive. On the other hand, this new version enables integration with Lantek Analytics. Many of our clients told to us that they lose a lot of time gathering information for decision-making, both on production parameters and commercial parameters. And, when they did finally obtain the data, they never felt sure of its reliability, as it
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was generally gathered through arduous manual processes with a high possibility of human error. For all of those clients, we have launched Lantek Analytics, a visual web tool, which can be accessed from any device and from any place and which, at a glance, shows the main KPIs for each machine, each line or each factory, with more than a dozen filter criteria and over 50 preset KPIs. From the OEE to the inventory, from the material usage percentage to the profitability of a client or an order: it’s a powerful module with which will always give you reliable and up-to-date information.
Our 2020 version is ready to support remote working.
There are over 70 notable innovations in our products. But for us, the most important ones are the invisible improvements: advances in execution times, calculation, memory management... and an innovative remote connection system with military-level encryption that will allow our technical department to quickly diagnose a problem, streamline a configuration or rapidly load a backup, making it unnecessary to visit the client’s facilities. Lantek offers an expert technical support team, in your own language which is able to resolve any problem quickly. Because we don’t want your production to stop. And to top it all off, our 2020 version is well prepared for the contingency that we have all experienced over the last few months. To a greater or lesser extent, we have all seen our activity
affected by the appearance of COVID-19 and the uncertainty surrounding what will happen in the months to come. If there is a second wave of the virus and we are forced to work remotely, this new version from Lantek is prepared to work in a variety of virtualization scenarios so that employees at a client’s technical or commercial office can continue using Lantek products from their homes. Lantek has developed a powerful solution for hosting customer’s programs and settings on a Cloud platform. We ensure that the programs work, and that the client’s technical or commercial team can access their information from any location in a perfectly normal way. Lantek V2020. A version designed so that your production never stops working.
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solutions Smart Factory INTEGRATION OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES IN MULTI-LOCATION COMPANIES Raúl Chopitea, CAM/MES/ERP Area Manager
Competitiveness and the capacity to adapt have become the pillars that support the success of any business. Nowadays, the frequently changing intrinsic factors in each region and sector – macroeconomic trends of a hyperconnected global market, specific regulatory aspects in each country, or the consumer’s own behavior – can have a positive or negative impact on the results of any organization.
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With multiple locations, many companies have found a business formula to compete in this new globalized scenario. It allows them to identify and capitalize on the competitive benefits of other regions and adapt the business and its processes from a global angle, cushioning the effect of the different circumstances in each local market in which they operate. In this context, technology becomes one of the main facilitators of multi-location strategies. It allows for integration between different production plants, doing away with information silos, promoting uniform and standardized processes, and makes it possible for communication to be streamlined, reliable, and in real time. Choosing the right tools As digitization matures in industrial companies, scenarios where orders depended on telephone inquiries or emails have been left behind, making way for the interoperability between systems to accelerate processes and client response. Equally, old scenarios where the deficient coordination between departments was a source of operational inefficiencies have been replaced by new ways of management which give 360ยบ visibility when planning and operating. In a multi-location scenario, the same paradigms are applied, but on a different scale. When deciding upon the ideal technological solutions, it is important to consider the individual company along with its level of digital maturity. This will determine the objectives and level of complexity of the processes to be implemented. We also must identify which technological infrastructure it has, which management systems it uses in each one of its entities and/or in the group and, likewise, analyze which tools adapt best to these existing systems. All the above conditions the work model and the management system chosen to support this model.
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Using this analysis, we can draw up the map of technologies that we should implement. There are a wide range of possibilities given the exponential advancement that has occurred since the onset of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Among the most common objectives that must be covered when applying these technologies in multi-location environments include: interoperability and connectivity between systems and entities, standardization of processes with the possibility of local customization, remote and/or delocalized accessibility, ease of deployment, assurance of high availability, ability to scale according to the demand, governance and consolidated use of data, and more. These objectives are common characteristics for Smart Factories and are synonymous with a high level of digitization and software deployment. The cloud environment, differentiating factor in multi-location Evidently, it is also important to have system to system interconnection mechanisms (S2S) that, through centralized cloud services, allow us to find
out the status of any production center anywhere around the globe in real time and to coordinate their activities. Subsequently, one location could assign surplus work to another center that has available capacity in another location, or determine which would be the most cost-efficient production plant for a specific order, managing the work centers and available resources as if they were those of their own plant from a global control panel. Therefore, we are moving towards smarter and more efficient manufacturing, that can adapt to a context that is volatile by nature. Having the aforementioned technological systems and solutions implies addressing interconnectivity and interoperability between systems, processes, machines, and people and, of course, integrating with the partners’ ecosystems, regardless of where they may be. This provides a more holistic vision and encourages the creation of synergies, which bring greater dynamism and flexibility to the structures of multi-location companies, so that, in the words of Aristotle, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.�
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“... and the rest is useless scrap� Thyrolf & Uhle Thyrolf & Uhle has drastically reduced its stock of remnants and significantly increased its processing speed with support from Lantek.
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As a specialist in sheet metal and profile preparation for mechanical engineering and steel construction, Thyrolf & Uhle has established an excellent reputation. Since its inception in 1993 in the Bauhaus City of Dessau, the company has been growing constantly. A few years ago, it begun its own digitization journey with help from Lantek. We had the opportunity to interview Johannes Rieder, who runs the business with Frank KÜppe, and Jan Rätzer, project manager for digitization. Here is what they have to say about their experiences with Lantek.
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What brought Lantek and you together? Rieder: We process more than 10,000 tons of steel in cutting, mechanical treatment, and steel construction every year for more than 600 customers from a wide variety of industries around the world. For this we utilize very diverse machinery including two CO2 laser cutting machines, two fiber lasers, two oxy-fuel cutting systems, and three plasma cutting machines as well as beveling, rolling, punching and nibbling technology, bending machines, welding and chamfering robots, and centers for mechanical processing. Our laser cutting machines had different programming systems which meant extensive work and little flexibility. We wanted a comprehensive solution and we came across Lantek which supplied the OEM programming software on our LVD laser. The machine-independent functionality of their software and the technical know-how of their experts were very convincing. Five years ago, we first implemented Lantek Expert and gradually integrated Lantek Integra for operations management (ERP) and Lantek MES Manager as our new production management system (MES). Now, we can program all the machines with one software package and monitor them at all times, with controlled data access according to position and authority. What other advantages does cooperation with Lantek bring? Rieder: Now we know, in real-time, what´s going on in the workshop, where every single part is, and the progress of every single order. Thanks to this software we have increased our speed by 30 percent, significantly lowered our scrap rate, reduced our remnant stock by 70 percent, and cut the costs of our materials management by a sixfigure sum. Streamlining the processes involved in waiting or searching for stock has significantly minimized our production times. 16 interview
How come? Rätzer: Our focus has always been excellent performance, diversity of industries served, and uncompromising adherence to delivery dates. Before Lantek Integra, we used to work orderrelated. To this end, we used to define priorities for our orders daily which resulted in short-term, day-to-day production planning. Planning was ad hoc – as the size of the enterprise grew and the volume of orders increased, this inevitably led to longer processing times. Planning simply became inaccurate and ineffective. All these problems were left behind the day we implemented Lantek Integra. Today we can see, immediately, how the orders must be scheduled to optimize each run. The daily briefing is now no longer necessary – data and information for each order is stored in the system. Before, difficult tasks had to be discussed personally. Now, our staff can consult Lantek Integra or Lantek MES Manager for information regarding orders. How would you call your current working method? Rätzer: Parts-related – as soon as an order is received, programming and production see nothing but individual parts which are then scheduled by the system according to their processing requirements. The programming performs a highly efficient nesting on the sheet and the respective nesting automatically receives the date of the part which has to be finished first. Each and every part makes its way through production according to its manufacturing requirements and, in the end, everything comes together in the shipping department. This is only possible with the highperformance system Lantek offers. Without it, we would be losing track instantly.
Now we can see immediately how orders should be scheduled for manufacture. The daily production meeting is no longer necessary - information for each order is stored in the system.
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Now we know, in real-time, what´s going on in the workshop, where every single part is, and the progress of every single order.
Where do the enormous savings in your materials management come from? Rieder: We also used to buy order-related which accumulated too much material because too few of orders were pooled. As a result, it often happened that in quick succession the same sheets were ordered several times and delivered with their respective costs for logistics. Today we combine orders which yields lower logistic expenses. Cutting was elaborate and produced too many remnants because we also cut order-related. Non-cutting time for remnant logistics was just too much. The market accepted these costs for quite a while, but this has changed in recent years. How did you change your processes? Rätzer: First, we geometrically registered all our remnant sheets and numbered them individually. Now we seek to avoid making remnants in the first place. We know it takes three to five days for a sheet to be delivered after an order is placed. We use this time for nesting as many parts as possible on this particular sheet and most often the rest is useless scrap. Thus, materials management does not have to commission a sheet for every single new order because programming has an overview of the remnants in the system. On these virtual remnants programmers can add parts to their nesting and even fill the space between big parts with smaller ones. As I said: because of part-related processing, programming does not care about orders at all – it only sees the individual part and the date it must be finished. To optimize processing, Lantek Expert offers a multitude of functions like multi-torch, micro joints, distance to the edge of the sheet, common or chain cutting, and much more. One of our
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programmers is very enthusiastic about the chamfer function. Previously he had to enter the chamfers for each part individually, but now he does it once for one part and it is automatically adopted by all the others. Let´s go back to the start: How do you create orders? Rätzer: As soon as a customer places a request for quote, the respective parts are imported into Lantek Integra – this is now also possible with STEP files – where they are displayed as a clickable template. All materials and processes are stored in the system as well as cutting data, technology charts of the machines, and individual customer rates. With all this information, the system, almost instantly, automatically calculates time and costs for the quotation. It’s amazing how much the likelihood of winning an order depends on how quickly your offer is sent – today, tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow. What happens then? Rätzer: Once the offer is approved it is transferred into the system as a production order and immediately appears in the production tracking of Lantek MES Manager, monitoring and controlling it, until the whole order leaves our factory from the shipping center. Thanks to the complete digitization of this process we can track every single part, even after its delivery, regarding data such as measurements, quality, value, or certification. For this, the batch number is entered into the system as soon as a metal sheet is checked into inventory which enables tracking of the complete life cycle of each part cut from it. Thus, our documentation is also completely automated, allowing us to quickly access all necessary documents from the system.
Currently we are integrating the non-cutting processes into the system to be able to streamline our workflow even more. Thanks to Lantek, we are on our way to a more digitally connected factory. How did the parts-related way of working change your production? Rätzer: The employees don´t have to wait anymore for a “go” from their colleague performing the previous step. All this is shown in the display. The workshop manager can view real-time data about our machines while offering an overview of their workload and production tracking via Gantt charts. We can also plan our shifts and operating hours. The concept is kept quite simple and offers a multitude of possibilities to generate reports according to individual criteria. For our colleagues this was an enormous change because they had to alter their way of thinking and
say “goodbye” to Excel-based production. However, since a fully nested sheet takes five to six hours to run through the machine, they have enough time to assign the parts to their downstream operations whether it be drilling, welding, deburring, or directly sent to the shipping department. Do you have further plans with Lantek? Rieder: Yes, exactly for the tasks Mr. Rätzer just mentioned. Currently we are integrating the non-cutting processes into the system to be able to streamline our workflow even more. Thanks to Lantek, we are on our way to a more digitally connected factory and this is a good thing.
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technologies Lantek brings cutting-edge Euromac robots ‘to life’ Francisco Pérez, OEM Channel Director
The entire punching and subsequent palletizing performed by the Kuka KR 10 robot is controlled using the Lantek Expert Punch and Lantek Stackmaster solutions.
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Lantek, the multinational pioneer in the digital transformation of the sheet metal and fabrication sector, has announced a collaboration agreement with Euromac, an Italian worldwide supplier of machines for working with sheet metal including CNC Punching, Bending, and automated systems for sheet metal. The agreement reached by both companies enables control of the “sorting cell” programmed with one of the most cutting-edge robots on the market, the Kuka KR 10, using two punching solutions from Lantek: Lantek Expert Punch and Lantek Stackmaster. Combined, these solutions enable the automation of the discharge line for parts and their subsequent palletization and storage. Lantek software solutions are responsible for the whole process, which starts with programming the punching machine. Once this task is complete, the machine unloads the parts through a hatch. The parts then pass along a conveyer belt to an AI vision table where a camera detects the orientation of the fallen part. The Lantek software uses this information about the shape and orientation of the part to control the robot’s suction cups positioning and activating them to pick up each part. The robot finishes by rotating and placing the part in its correct location on the storage pallet. The full control of the punching and palletizing process makes it possible to automate the whole production cycle for large volumes of parts, allowing production to be completely unattended. “The close collaboration between Euromac and Lantek is a significant step forward towards the full process automation of punching lines and the subsequent palletization of the parts, using state-of-the-art technology such as artificial vision systems and robots. This technology maximizes production speed and flexibility and improves workers’ conditions and safety,” states Francisco Pérez, director of the OEMs channel at Lantek. The sales manager at Euromac, Ferrán Villanueva, highlights the importance of this collaboration, “For us, this is a great opportunity to use Lantek software for the Kuka KR 10. It will allow us to optimize the processes, reduce times and achieve efficient operation, guaranteeing the highest quality and tightest response times from this robot, one of the most cutting-edge on the market.”
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innovation Sherlock Edge: linking the factory to the cloud Jose Antonio Lorenzo, Data Area Manager
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Over-the-air updates will allow Sherlock to update without human intervention.
Imagine a sheet metal factory. Hundreds of processes are taking place at the same time and all of them generate (or can potentially generate) a huge amount of invaluable data. That data can be processed and fed into the data analysis pipelines that Lantek is developing to provide advanced services targeted at improving the efficiency and performance of factories. Some of those advanced services are already in the market, like Lantek Analytics. Soon that data will also feed machine learning algorithms that will revolutionize the way we work and interact with sheet metal software. For this to be possible, the data must not only flow through the factory but also within the cloud and that means we need software that is capable of securely connecting the factory. Sherlock Edge is the new Lantek software aimed at doing exactly that. Sherlock Edge is a set of services that will be deployed in the factory to provide real-time communication with the cloud as well as edge computing capabilities. This will allow for preprocessing of the data before sending it to the Lantek cloud (our Lantek 360 platform), as well as increased privacy and security for our customers with faster, more efficient uploads. One of the powerful built-in features in Sherlock is the over-the-air (OTA) updates. OTA will allow Sherlock to be updated without human intervention with the latest security patches and, at the customer’s request, new features that extend its capabilities. Sherlock Edge will make its debut in the v2020 SP1 release of the Lantek software. Initially, it will have the OTA feature and a module to be used to upload the data required by Lantek Analytics to work. Both will be disabled by default but can be enabled at the customer’s request. In the future, new features will be added using OTA such as a machine connectivity module that will allow connections to several models of cutting machines and upload of real-time data related to their status. OTA will progressively increase the number of models of machines supported, opening the door to continuous improvement of the software Lantek provides to its customers. Sherlock Edge is a milestone in the data and cloud strategy of Lantek that paves the way for future innovations and advanced services for Lantek customers.
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Salz IT represents Lantek in Austria Salz IT Solution is the new Lantek premium partner in Austria. The newly founded company takes over consulting and support for Austrian customers of the software specialist for sheet metal processing and intends to expand its portfolio. Company founder Rene Gruber sees “a lot of potential for digitalization catching up” in the Austrian sheet metal processing industry.
“Austria is not yet very advanced in terms of digitalization,” says Rene Gruber about the general mood in his home country. “We Austrians are a bit more cautious, slower - and believe that some aspects of digitalization are not fully developed yet.” However, currently the market is moving because the government is giving incentives to invest in computers and software. “There are now a lot of funding opportunities that companies can take advantage of.” Gruber wants to do some persuasion here. Until now, Lantek’s Austrian customers have been supported by the German office. Since Salz IT was founded at the beginning of 2019, they now have a local contact person based in the Upper Austrian community of Ohlsdorf, between Linz and Salzburg in the Salzkammergut - hence the company name. Salz IT is now one of Lantek’s 24 premium partners worldwide - complementing Lantek’s 20 locations in 14 countries to form a dense network of expertise, assistance, and support. “We are glad to have in Rene Gruber a partner who knows our programme inside and out”, says 24 news
Christoph Lenhard, head of Lantek’s German office. He has known him for over twelve years from his former employer in the steel industry, where Gruber worked with Lantek software. “He has an excellent knowledge of machines and technology, can develop customizations, i.e. tailor-made customer solutions, for our Integra and MES software modules and much more. He also knows our target group in Austria very well and can therefore seamlessly take over, continue and intensify the consulting and support for our customers.” Salz IT does “everything digital”, says the young entrepreneur Gruber. “From setting up PCs and telephone systems to installing servers, setting up networks and linking locations.” His customers come from all industries. As a Lantek partner, he currently advises and supports mainly the company’s existing Austrian customers. Gruber continues, “Last year we concentrated on building up our business. This year, we will focus on the acquisition of new customers.” Gruber currently has one employee; more are to follow.
Salz IT is now one of Lantek’s 24 premium partners worldwide - complementing Lantek’s 20 locations in 14 countries to form a dense network of expertise, assistance, and support.
From a craft business to a group of companies with several locations Lantek’s customers in Austria are mainly in the sheet metal working sector, but there are also tile and stonemasonry companies that cut using water jet technology. Their size ranges from small craft businesses using only the Lantek Expert punching module, to a group of companies working in a network in multiple locations and with a tailor-made software suite of several Lantek modules. Salz IT advises customers, designs and installs solutions for them, trains the staff and then provides ongoing support. All the while, Gruber and his colleagues continue to be supported by Lantek’s German office and, if necessary, by the company headquarters in Spain. Gruber sees the benefits that in depth hardware knowledge at Salz IT can bring to both Lantek and Austrian customers. “We can offer the complete range and, if required, install computers and servers, set up networks and then implement Lantek’s software solutions to meet the needs of each company”, says Gruber. He emphasises, “We don’t interfere with our customers’ IT - but if we are asked, we can offer hardware solutions that meet the exact requirements of Lantek software”.
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Xteg partners with HGTECH and Lantek to supply fiber laser cutting machines in Germany To meet the demand for high quality fiber laser cutting machines, Xteg is offering a turnkey solution consisting of fiber laser cutting machines from their Chinese partner HGTECH, CAD/CAM and nesting software of the worldwide renowned software specialist Lantek and other services to complete the package. The HGTECH machines include key components from Germany enabling it to offer cost effective and high quality fiber laser cutting machines for sheet metal processing.
Xteg CEO Tobias Kersten speaks of ‘Germanized machines’ when describing the three fiber laser product lines for sheet metal. He explains, “We have complemented the laser machines of our Chinese partner with quality components which are developed and produced here in Germany with spare parts also from Germany.” Since December 2019 the MARVEL 2D fiber laser cutting machine can be seen in the newly opened demonstration and application center in Neuenstein. For information online, the company´s web site (www.xteg.de) offers comprehensive information and a video of the facility. The AUTOBOT line for 3D laser cutting and the LT line with laser tube cutting machines completes the portfolio. Software updates and support from Germany Quality German components - for its machines HGTECH obtains CNC control equipment from Siemens in Erlangen, cutting heads from Precitec in Gaggenau and suction technology from Camfil in Tuttlingen. “Partnering with Lantek meant Xteg could gain IT experts who not only contribute longterm expertise but also access to Lantek’s non-proprietary software which does not bind
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customers to a certain machine type and supports further technology beyond laser processing,” says Kersten. “In addition, companies can also import, design and cost parts with this CAD/CAM software – have the possibility to connect their production and, if they want to, the whole company with other modules from Lantek’s portfolio.” The HGTECH lines for 2D and 3D laser processing are equipped with the Lantek Expert software bundle and the fiber laser tube cutting machine with Lantek Flex3d. Matthias Rolf, territory sales manager for Lantek says, “In close collaboration with our Chinese colleagues and the technicians of HGTECH in China and Germany we have customized the basic installation of our nesting software to the machine. As part of this, we have adopted all the relevant machine parameters and have also developed a completely new postprocessor.” The atmosphere in the German sheet metal market is changing. “Now, especially, companies are asking for cost-effective but, at the same time, high-quality fiber lasers with German components, spare parts and support. Our sound price-performance ratio will convince them,” says Kersten.
About Xteg Xteg is a specialist and partner for laser machines and services for metal and sheet metal processing which offers comprehensive upstream and downstream services around HGTECH. The team consists of highly qualified specialists with long experience in sheet metal and metal processing with a focus on laser machines (fiber laser and other technologies). In August 2019 Xteg took over from HGTECH the exclusive representation of its HGLaser brand in Germany. This includes qualified sales and comprehensive aftersales support. Based in Neuenstein near Heilbronn, Xteg is located in the middle of Germany and can easily reach every customer in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Xteg has committed itself to equipping its customers with just the right laser machines from HGLaser while supporting their operations with the appropriate services. Xteg offers high-quality technologies with an excellent price-performance ratio: 2D fiber laser cutting machines, tube laser cutting machines and 3D fiber laser cutting machines.
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partners Continuous Development Key to Success FORTACO GROUP OFFICE IN WROCŁAW (POLAND) IMPLEMENTS LANTEK SOFTWARE
Custom software is the ideal solution for any manufacturing company looking to develop and automate its business. Lantek has proven once again that it is dedicated to creating unique solutions.
FORTACO GROUP The Fortaco Group is one of the major production partners for companies working in mechanical engineering and heavy industry (agriculture, forestry, construction, transport of materials, and mining) and it stands out within the sector in Europe. The company operates in Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungry, and Slovakia. It has two offices in Poland: one in Wrocław and one in Janow Lubelski. The Fortaco Group’s Wrocław office specializes in the creation of steel structures and new technology. The company’s top products are well-made machinery parts and frames as well as welded and mechanized steel structures for the materials and container transport market, mining, and forestry.
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We were looking for an alternative to the software being used previously, because it lacked potential improvements that would increase the degree of automation in production. In the last few years, Fortaco has grown considerably in Wrocław: it increased the number of customers and, therefore, also the number of orders, making order management and production more difficult. The software used until now to operate the cutting machinery proved to be insufficient to satisfy current production needs. That is why the company considered the idea of replacing the system with another that was better adapted to its current needs while also fostering future development. “We were looking for an alternative to the software being used previously, because it did not meet our expectations. It was quite cumbersome and lacked potential improvements that would increase the degree of automation in production. First, we were interested in reducing the amount of time spent on production preparation as well as bilateral integration with the SAP system (integrated ERP module software that supports management in organizations),” explained Sylwia Siedlecka, project manager at Fortaco in Wrocław. The industrial sector understands and values Lantek’s solutions. This time, an endorsement was crucial for negotiations on potential cooperation to begin. “A machinery manufacturer that had already implemented Lantek solutions recommended these solutions and spoke highly of them. The program worked well in several plants with a profile similar to Fortaco’s, so we decided to give it a try as well,” added Dariusz Jamroz, director of the production line at Fortaco Wrocław. The importance of analysis prior to implementation “A professional analysis prior to implementation, carried out in accordance with Lantek’s strategy, allows us to identify the individual needs and difficulties that will arise within a specific company.
We specialize in programming that adapts to our customers’ needs. Lantek has a solution dedicated to the metal industry, its specialty, which is 90% ready for use. The remaining 10% is dedicated to personalizing products and satisfying the specific needs of each customer. These needs are often discovered during that analysis done prior to implementation,” explained Damian Olszowski, director of sales at Lantek. Like other modern companies, Fortaco opted for a software with a focus on development and constant implementation of new solutions and updates. The entire process of preparing this solution took quite some time. Prior to implementation, meetings took place as well as brainstorming and comment sessions; workshops were even held at the Lantek office in Katowice. The software’s capabilities were presented and tested over the course of the twoday workshop. The multiple benefits obtained from integrating the system proposed by Lantek was demonstrated. The two directions involved in this integration, greater production transparency, the possibility of exchanging more data at different times and in different stages of work, and a much better user interface were some of the big advantages. But there was still one problem to be solved: As part of the Fortaco Group, Fortaco Wrocław operates according to strictly defined corporate standards. In order for an organization with a business and scope as broad as this one to be able to exist, it is very important that the company is a single unit from the organizational standpoint, even if each office deals with a slightly different type of production. In practice, this meant that corporate needed to approve the software change and be sure of the benefits entailed for the entire company:
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Only in a cooperative operating work environment, can certain issues be verified and better adapted. That’s why Lantek is committed to long-term partnership with its customers.
“We were able to convince Fortaco headquarters in Finland to change the system. We organized video conferences to present the solutions for the entire group and their beneficial impact on the overall operations of the company. This resulted in the implementation of the system in Poland, as well as in the Fortaco office in Hungary. We hope that in the future this leads to a broader expansion of our cooperation with the group’s other offices,” added Damian Olszowski
line in the planning phase of the cutting process, drastically improving the entire process. A special prototype management solution made especially for Fortaco Wrocław was also implemented. It is a feature designed in collaboration with the customer to respond to their needs. It allows the details implemented in production to be monitored for the first time.
Lantek software for gas burners and plasma torches was implemented at Fortaco Wrocław in August 2018. The software used has four basic modules:
There are many benefits in Lantek’s software and they can be appreciated by production operators, process engineers, managers, and specialists responsible for production planning.
•Lantek Expert Cut - CAD/CAM module for managing nesting and CNC functions of cutting machines; •Lantek MES Manager - Manufacturing execution system (MES) that allows for production orders to be managed in connection with CAD/CAM systems. •Lantek MES Inventory - Provides a general overview in real time of the data logged in the warehouse; •Lantek MES Wos - Module used for production reports. The system can also be used on the work of bending machines. It allows the option of adding a curved 30 partners
Benefits of implementation
“The main advantage is the intuitive and userfriendly interface that allows orders to be classified and grouped. One aspect that facilitates the job and that we’ve already discussed previously, but that should be emphasized, is the two-way integration with the SAP system. In addition, it has the possibility of calculating operators’ performance, productivity, and efficiency as well as auto nesting performance, the ability to see the current status of machinery from the office and, trace production and access historical data. The Lantek Integra module is connected to the stock status on SAP, which allows us to monitor flat inventory directly from the flat cutting creation program. With this integration we do not need to use two systems. Thanks to the communicators integrated in the Lantek MES
The main advantage is the intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows orders to be classified and grouped. One aspect that facilitates the job is the two-way integration with the SAP system. Wos module and the possibility for operators to choose a reason for shutting down machinery, communication between operators, engineers, and managers has improved,” summarized the two engineers responsible for the cutting process, Przemysław Niemiec and Łukasz Wielkopolski. Another advantage that facilitated this process was undoubtedly the Lantek representatives in Poland, who ensured quick responses both from tech support and after-sales service, which in most cases were immediate. As is well known, implementation is a continuous process. The company verifies and checks new work environments, as it needs
to be in constant contact with the manufacturer’s representative. Only in a cooperative operating work environment, i.e., an active one, can certain issues be verified and better adapted. That’s why Lantek is committed to long-term partnership with its customers, excellent tech support, and ongoing consultation prior to a purchasing decision, during implementation and after the full installation of the system. Cooperation and implementation of new solutions also involves sharing experiences. As a result, Lantek also learns about and improves its product, and therefore provides a solution optimally adapted to the customer.
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services LANTEK Hint New configuration options when exporting jobs When exporting a job from the database, the system exports the parts of the job. However, this is not the case for other demands on the database, such as machines or sheets. In these cases, the system will directly export all elements stored in the database. Due to this, the process of exporting a job can be too slow, depending on the number of items that exist in the customers database. New features for Lantek Expert 2020 In order to optimize the export process, a new configuration window has been created in which the user will be able to configure various parameters, thus establishing the elements of the database required to be exported.
HINTS If you want to find out more tips, send us an email at: marketing@lantek.com
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GLOBAL RELEASE V2020
Never stop manufacturing Why update to version 2020? Ready for remote Always ready for what may come. System is designed to allow technical and commercial staff to work remotely.
Minimize production downtime Prevent production stoppages with breakthrough features and boost your efficiency.
Simple. Faster. Smarter. 100+ new features to make your daily work more efficient and reliable. Make it smarter with Lantek Analytics.
Worldclass technical support Anywhere, anytime. Get faster help with new technical modules for installation, configuration, and support.
MORE INFORMATION If you are interested in any of these services, send us your contact information to sales@lantek.com and one of our sales representatives will be pleased to give you all the information you need.
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International Meeting 2020 VITORIA - GASTEIZ
The Europa Congress Centre in Vitoria-Gasteiz was prepared for multiculturalism, innovation and technology on 4th, 5th and 6th February to host the 2020 edition of the Lantek International Meeting. More than 170 attendees, most of them Lantek employees, as well as distributors and invited partners, met there and had the opportunity to hear, first-hand, the results and assessment of the previous year, as well as the roadmap and business objectives that will reinforce the organization’s strategy in the coming years, consolidating Lantek
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as a global reference in the digital transformation of the sheet metal and metal sector. “In 2020 our strategy will focus as always on our clients and on the exponential development of our international installed base, making the digital transformation of our sector a reality, based on the most advanced manufacturing technology, as well as on operational excellence as a provider of solutions and services,” said Alberto López de Biñaspre, CEO of Lantek.
FMA Annual Meeting SAN ANTONIO (TEXAS) The FMA Annual Meeting, hosted in San Antonio, TX, was a bit different this year with a no handshake policy, but that didn’t stop the FMA from hosting another incredible event. This year’s meeting offered presentations on the latest advancements in manufacturing technology, the effects of the new USMCA regarding sheet metal, and the economic impacts of COVID-19. While there were many veteran conference goers at the event there were also many new faces, proving that manufacturers’ interest in technological advancements is increasing. Adria Haines, Lantek USA Director and board member of the FMA Software Technology Council, participated in two roundtables regarding manufacturing software advancements. ‘Does Your ERP System Keep You Up At Night?’ which had attendees reflect on their current systems and pinpoint areas for improvement while offering them advice on how to get there. ‘Practical Applications for the Latest Technologies (IoT, AI, ML)’ was the second roundtable that broke down misconceptions and explained best practices in manufacturing for such technologies. Attendees also had a chance to express their concerns about these latest technologies while learning ways of navigating the seemingly unknown.
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TECHNOLOGY MEETS EFFICIENCY CAD/CAM MES ERP +
ADVANCED ANALYTICS
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