Schuler press blanking line in operation at Volkswagen

A press blanking line with TwinServo technology from Schuler AG, Göppingen, Germany, is now in operation at Volkswagen's main production facility in Wolfsburg, Germany. The auto manufacturer uses the press to cut sheets of steel for its entire plant, which are later formed into engine hoods, doors, and roofs. The line has replaced three older machines.

The line produces about 33,000 blanks a day, an increase in production capacity of 25 percent. Setups are performed in less than 10 minutes. The compact design of the 800-ton press at the heart of the line reduces the footprint by about 30 percent.

Fully automatic coil loading, including cutting and moving in, allows fast strip replacement. The straightener prepares the material before the roll feed guides it into the blanking press at a maximum speed of more than 656 FPM. The sensitive blanks then are destacked using the Stop2Drop process.