Kocks Manufacturing automates Mazak and DMG Mori machines with RoboJob Turn-Assist and Tower
110 kg shafts loaded by robot; lead time cut from 70 to 18 days
Kocks Manufacturing automates Mazak and DMG Mori machines with RoboJob Turn-Assist and Tower
Kocks Manufacturing in Bremen, Germany, machines heavy, high-precision parts for machine building, large gearboxes and gear technology. Since 2015, RoboJob has automated three of its machines. On a Mazak Integrex e-500H II, a Turn-Assist 250 with a custom gripper loads shafts of 110 kg, cutting lead time from 70 to 18 days.
Key facts
- Company: Kocks Manufacturing GmbH & Co. KG
- Location: Bremen, Germany
- Founded: 2004
- Employees: approx. 55
- Industries: Machine construction, Subcontracting
- RoboJob products: Turn-Assist 250 (2×), Tower
- CNC machine brands: Mazak, DMG Mori
- Automated machines: Mazak Integrex e-500H II, Mazak Integrex i-400, DMG Mori NL 2000 Y
- RoboJob customer since: 2015
- Key results: 110 kg shafts loaded by robot; lead time from 70 to 18 days; 30% shorter cycle time; 5,100 spindle hours per year
Precision for heavy machine building
The KOCKS name has stood for innovation, quality and reliability since 1946, best known for rolling mills for pipes, wire and bar. Kocks Manufacturing is a recognised contract manufacturer for demanding machine building, large gearboxes and gear technology, machining parts that can weigh tonnes to an accuracy of 0.01 mm.
Why automate: small batches, unmanned nights
Kocks invested in unmanned manufacturing to stay competitive. After advice and several visits with Mazak dealer Mager & Wedemeyer, it chose RoboJob.
“Based on the small batch sizes, it was important to be able to programme and equip quickly and easily. The RoboJob company was the one that most satisfied these requirements. Another important criterion was that the machine did not have to be covered, so that the accessibility for our components was fully retained.”
— Carsten Aeilts, Managing Director, Kocks Manufacturing
The extension options mattered too: from the standard stacking table for flanges and shafts, to working from a pallet, to stackable pallets the robot handles itself for larger numbers of heavy workpieces.
110 kg shafts on a Mazak Integrex e-500H II
In March 2016, a RoboJob Turn-Assist 250 with a 165 kg robot was installed on a new Mazak Integrex e-500H II. Together with Kocks and Mager & Wedemeyer, RoboJob developed a new axis gripper; Kocks built the gripper fingers itself to RoboJob’s guidelines. The machine runs two shifts a day and unmanned at night, and reaches 5,100 spindle hours a year.
“I am extremely satisfied and proud of the end result: our large robot has an actual load capacity of 130 kg. The axes that we load with the robot weigh no less than 110 kg. These are loaded into the counter spindle, then processed and then unloaded with the robot. In the past it took 70 working days for the [axes] to be completely finished in our production, now we only need 18 days. We were also able to reduce the cycle time by 30%.”
— Carsten Aeilts
Three RoboJob systems today
Kocks’ first, smaller Turn-Assist was installed in June 2015 in just three days. Today, three RoboJob systems run at Kocks Manufacturing:
Frequently asked questions
Which machines did Kocks Manufacturing automate with RoboJob?
Kocks Manufacturing in Bremen, Germany, runs three RoboJob systems: a Turn-Assist 250 with a 165 kg robot on a Mazak Integrex e-500H II, a Tower on a Mazak Integrex i-400 and a Turn-Assist 250 on a DMG Mori NL 2000 Y. The company has been a RoboJob customer since 2015.
Can a robot load shafts of 110 kg?
Yes. At Kocks Manufacturing, a RoboJob Turn-Assist 250 with a 165 kg robot and a custom-developed axis gripper loads shafts of 110 kg into the counter spindle of a Mazak Integrex e-500H II, and unloads them after machining.
Can a Mazak Integrex e-500H be automated?
Yes. Kocks Manufacturing automated a Mazak Integrex e-500H II with a RoboJob Turn-Assist 250. The machine runs two shifts and unmanned at night, reaching 5,100 spindle hours a year. See all Mazak automation projects.
Can a DMG Mori NL 2000 be automated?
Yes. Kocks Manufacturing runs a RoboJob Turn-Assist 250 on a DMG Mori NL 2000 Y. Other DMG Mori references include Strautmann Hydraulik, IBAK and Seco Tools. See all DMG Mori automation projects.
How much can automation reduce lead time?
At Kocks Manufacturing, automating the production of 110 kg shafts on a Mazak Integrex e-500H II with a RoboJob Turn-Assist cut lead time from 70 to 18 working days and reduced cycle time by 30%.