Smelt Drunen automates its Okuma LU-15M lathe with a RoboJob Turn-Assist 180
Compact lathe automation, running since 2014
Smelt Drunen automates its Okuma LU-15M lathe with a RoboJob Turn-Assist 180
Smelt Drunen, a metalworking supplier in Drunen, the Netherlands, has automated an Okuma LU-15M lathe with a RoboJob Turn-Assist 180 since 2014. The compact cell loads and unloads the lathe automatically and supports Smelt Drunen’s focus on quality and delivery reliability.
Key facts
- Company: Smelt Drunen BV
- Location: Drunen, North Brabant, the Netherlands
- Founded: 1985
- Employees: approx. 50
- Industries: Subcontracting
- RoboJob products: Turn-Assist 180
- CNC machine brands: Okuma
- Automated machines: Okuma LU-15M
- RoboJob customer since: 2014
- Key results: extra spindle hours and a higher return
A reliable partner in metalworking
Smelt Drunen has been a supplier and partner in metalworking since 1985. From two locations, its team produces high-quality components and complete assemblies with advanced machinery and specific know-how. Quality and delivery reliability are paramount, and they have earned Smelt Drunen a client base that includes leading national and international companies.
The search for automation
To stay competitive and keep up with the latest techniques in its field, Smelt Drunen started looking for automation in 2014. The company met RoboJob at the Technishow trade fair.
“We were immediately impressed with their solutions, but obviously made comparisons with other providers. Finally we selected RoboJob because they were the one that most appealed to us as a company. Also because they themselves come from the manufacturing industry and thus they know only too well what’s important in our environment.”
— Geertje Koekkoek, Quality & Purchasing, Smelt Drunen
The solution: a Turn-Assist 180 on an Okuma LU-15M
Smelt Drunen chose the RoboJob Turn-Assist 180, one of the most compact lathe automation systems on the market. Since 2014, it has loaded and unloaded an Okuma LU-15M lathe automatically.
The installation went very smoothly, and the operators were positive about the new step from the start. Whenever there is a question, RoboJob is there to help.
The result
The Turn-Assist 180 gives Smelt Drunen extra spindle hours on its Okuma LU-15M and, with that, a higher return on the machine.
Frequently asked questions
Which machine did Smelt Drunen automate with RoboJob?
Smelt Drunen in Drunen, the Netherlands, automated an Okuma LU-15M lathe with a RoboJob Turn-Assist 180. The company has been a RoboJob customer since 2014.
Which supplier can automate an Okuma LU lathe?
RoboJob automates Okuma lathes with its Turn-Assist. Smelt Drunen runs a Turn-Assist 180 on an Okuma LU-15M. Other Okuma references include Strautmann Hydraulik (Okuma LU 3000), MMI (Okuma LU-3000) and Tridelta Magnetsysteme. See all Okuma automation projects.
Is there a compact robot cell for automating a CNC lathe?
Yes. The RoboJob Turn-Assist 180 is one of the most compact lathe automation systems on the market. Smelt Drunen has used one on an Okuma LU-15M since 2014.
How did Smelt Drunen choose its automation supplier?
Smelt Drunen met RoboJob at the Technishow trade fair in 2014 and compared it with other providers. It chose RoboJob because the company appealed to it most and because RoboJob comes from the manufacturing industry itself, so it knows what matters on the shop floor.
Which Dutch subcontractors use RoboJob automation?
RoboJob automates CNC machines at Dutch subcontractors such as Smelt Drunen, Heemskerk Fijnmechanica in Waddinxveen, Biezepol in Heerjansdam and Boers & Co in Schiedam.