With the help of the lightweight gripper SLG from Schmalz, the robot reliably removes the punched sheet metal individually from the stack.

Schmalz Gripper SLG Increases Efficiency by 140 %

For Lang Metallwarenproduktion Neubrandenburg, the investment in an automation solution is paying off: The customized lightweight gripper SLG from Schmalz handles stamped and bent parts quickly and reliably, and thus significantly increases productivity. The elimination of tedious manual tasks also means a safer workplace.

Products used in the application

Features of the success story

Industry	Metal
Workpiece	Punched and drawn metal parts
Product group	End Effectors
Type of handling	Automated handling

With Schmalz

140

percent

more productivity

The customer: Lang Metallwarenproduktion Neubrandenburg GmbH

Lang Metallwarenproduktion Neubrandenburg GmbH can look back on a long tradition: the parent company, Lang und Vertriebs GmbH, based in Munich, has been manufacturing and assembling stamped and drawn parts for over 60 years. In 1992, the company moved into new production facilities at the Woldegk location in the south-east of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and founded Lang Metallwarenproduktion Neubrandenburg GmbH. Today, the round 50 employees produce stamped and drawn parts mainly for the automotive industry – from stainless steel and all common metals in small quantities to large series.

The challenge

Before the Schmalz solution was introduced, the production processes at Lang Metallwaren Neubrandenburg were manual and monotonous. An employee had to manually remove stamped and bent parts from a turret table and insert them into the spot welding system to connect them to an automatically fed nut. He then had to check the joint. This monotonous work not only led to a higher reject rate, but also meant that only one person could work on the system at a time, which limited output. To release these challenges, Lang Metallwaren Neubrandenburg launched an R&D project with the support of the European Regional Development Fund. The requirements for automation were clearly defined: A robot should be able to pick up and separate the components from above. A gripper was required that would enable high cycle times and be able to accelerate quickly.

Monotonous work tends to lead to a higher reject rate.

∼ Jörg Monsig, Plant Manager at Lang Metallwarenproduktion Neubrandenburg GmbH

The solution from Schmalz

Schmalz has developed an optimal solution for length with the lightweight gripper SLG. The gripper is specially designed for handling thin-walled stamped and bent parts with engravings, holes and complex three-dimensional geometry, thus ensuring fast and reliable handling. In contrast to mechanical and pneumatic solutions, the SLG proves to be perfectly suited to these requirements. A special feature of the SLG is its individual adaptability to the geometry of the sheet metal parts without any additional design or manufacturing effort for the user. The gripper was configured by Schmalz, additively manufactured and assembled within a few days. The configuration was carried out using the STL file of the bent stamped part. Thanks to additive manufacturing with a 3D printer, the gripper is lightweight and free of interfering contours. The SLG is also economical in operation, as it holds the component over a long period of time with a high suction capacity and minimal compressed air consumption. The SCPSi compact ejector from Schmalz was used for this task. This uses eco nozzle technology and an integrated air saving function to reduce compressed air consumption by up to 80 percent. The Schmalz solution has significantly helped Lang Metallwarenproduktion. Productivity has increased by 140 percent and process reliability is significantly higher. Within six months, 180,000 components were welded without any faults. The employees have accepted the system well, working conditions have improved and the work has become safer.