Heemskerk Fijnmechanica runs 24/7 with three RoboJob Towers on Nakamura-Tome lathes
From one Tower in 2022 to three on Nakamura-Tome lathes
Heemskerk Fijnmechanica runs 24/7 with three RoboJob Towers on Nakamura-Tome lathes
Heemskerk Fijnmechanica from Waddinxveen, the Netherlands, runs its production 24/7 with three RoboJob Towers on Nakamura-Tome lathes. The first Tower went into production in April 2022, the second in 2023 and the third in 2025, each time combined with a Nakamura-Tome machine.
Key facts
- Company: Heemskerk Fijnmechanica
- Location: Waddinxveen, South Holland, the Netherlands
- Founded: 1970
- Employees: approx. 50
- Industries: Subcontracting
- RoboJob products: Tower (3×)
- CNC machine brands: Nakamura-Tome
- Automated machines: Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150 (2×), Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250
- RoboJob customer since: 2022
- Key results: 24/7 production
A family business that embraces new technology
Heemskerk Fijnmechanica was founded in 1970 by Lucien Heemskerk’s father as a one-man business. For decades, the family company has been synonymous with progress. While many companies were still hesitant, Heemskerk resolutely opted for new technologies: from CNC and CAD/CAM to robots and cobots.
Today, no fewer than 60 machines run in its two production halls in Waddinxveen. The driving force behind its 24/7 production: three RoboJob Towers.
From doubt to conviction
During the coronavirus pandemic, managing director Lucien Heemskerk was introduced to the RoboJob Tower. A demo model next to a Nakamura-Tome lathe changed his mind.
“Honestly? At first, I thought it would be too expensive. Until we had the opportunity to install a demo model. From the moment that Tower started running alongside our Nakamura lathe, I was sold. The return on investment, the flexibility, the compact footprint: everything was just right. I can fit so much into one square metre, and I can literally automate everything with it.”
— Lucien Heemskerk, Managing Director, Heemskerk Fijnmechanica
In April 2022, the first Tower went into production.
Three Towers on three Nakamura-Tome lathes
What started with one Tower grew into a substantial investment in the future. The first two Towers form identical cells on two Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150s; the third runs on a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250. Each time, Heemskerk combined the RoboJob Tower with a Nakamura-Tome machine:
- 2022: Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150 with a RoboJob Tower
- 2023: Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150 with a RoboJob Tower (identical cell)
- 2025: Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250 with a RoboJob Tower
Lucien calls the newest installation, the Tower on the Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250, his “ultimate cell”: three turrets, three Y-axes and fully powered. Every part is finished in one go, with automated supply and removal. Where several handling operations used to be needed, the whole process now runs automatically.
The result: 24/7 production without worries
The three Towers keep the Nakamura-Tome lathes producing day and night.
“Today, we are really getting the most out of our spindles. And that’s without compromise: less downtime, more efficiency and maximum flexibility.”
— Lucien Heemskerk
At Heemskerk, the advantages of the Tower are clear: 24/7 production without human intervention, a compact footprint with a large storage capacity, the flexibility to handle a wide range of series and materials, full integration with high-end Nakamura-Tome lathes, and maximum return from existing machines.
A long-term partnership
For Heemskerk Fijnmechanica, automation is about collaboration as much as technology. “You build something together with your partner,” says Lucien. “RoboJob understands our needs and thinks along with us. That trust gives us the confidence to take the step again and again.” Three Towers in just over three years show that he means it.
The future assured
What began as a bold choice for robots is now key to the success of Heemskerk Fijnmechanica. With three RoboJob Towers, the family business stays true to its philosophy of looking ahead and embracing new technology. Lucien sums it up: “Automation is no longer an extra trump card, it is a necessity. Thanks to RoboJob, we now run our production 24/7. That is exactly what the future holds.”
See the three Towers in action
The video below shows all three RoboJob Towers at work on the Nakamura-Tome machines at Heemskerk Fijnmechanica.
Frequently asked questions
Which machines did Heemskerk Fijnmechanica automate with RoboJob?
Heemskerk Fijnmechanica in Waddinxveen, the Netherlands, automated three Nakamura-Tome lathes with a RoboJob Tower each: a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150 in April 2022, an identical cell with a second NTY3-150 in 2023 and a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250 in 2025. Together they allow the company to produce 24/7.
Which supplier can automate a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250?
RoboJob has experience automating Nakamura-Tome lathes, for example with its Tower. At Heemskerk Fijnmechanica, three RoboJob Towers run on two Nakamura-Tome NTY3-150s and a Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250 with three turrets. Van Trierum Metaalbewerking also automated Nakamura machines with RoboJob. See all Nakamura Tome automation projects.
Can a lathe with three turrets, such as the Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250, be automated?
Yes. Heemskerk Fijnmechanica automated its Nakamura-Tome NTY3-250, with three turrets and three Y-axes, with a RoboJob Tower in 2025. Parts are finished in one go, with automated supply and removal, and the company calls it its “ultimate cell”.
Which companies use the RoboJob Tower?
The RoboJob Tower runs at manufacturers across Europe, including Heemskerk Fijnmechanica (three Towers), Fecken-Kirfel, IBAK Helmut Hunger, Nossin, Platteau, KS Metaalwerken, KOCKS Manufacturing, Hertenberger Solutions, KNF Neuberger, Dewulf and Stubbe Metaalbewerking.
Why do subcontractors choose the RoboJob Tower?
Subcontractors need to run many different parts with as few people as possible. At Heemskerk Fijnmechanica, the Tower stood out for its compact footprint with large storage capacity, its flexibility across series and materials, and its return on investment. The result is 24/7 production without human intervention.