SCHWARTE GROUP with its two brands SCHWARTE PROCESSING and SCHWARTE JANSKY specializes in the production of stainless steel containers for food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries as well as milk collection technology and vehicle construction. The company has recently achieved a significant leap in precision and quality by acquiring a state-of-the-art CNC cutting solution for 3D processing of sheets and tank ends – the multi-functional DRM cutting center from MicroStep which has been put into operation in autumn 2019 in Schwarte's production site in Poland. “The machine is efficient and accurate, it is a quality product," says Head of Maintenance Department Michał Liberacki.
Anyone who works at a dairy, a beverage or a food factory, or in pharmaceutical or chemical industries – whether small, medium-sized or large-scale – knows the name Schwarte Group. The company has been operating for more than 75 years and is in demand throughout Europe. With its two companies, Schwarte Processing (container construction) and Schwarte Jansky (milk collection technology and vehicle construction) it covers a wide range of products for transport, storage and processing of foods and sensitive liquids. The product portfolio ranges from milk collection vehicles and beer storage systems to measuring technology and various technologies for the collection, transport and storage of liquids. All this with an extensive service and maintenance coverage. Around 420 employees work at Schwarte's locations in Germany, Poland and Austria.
Schwarte Processing (container construction) and Schwarte Jansky (milk collection technology and vehicle construction) cover a wide range of products for transport, storage and processing of foods and sensitive liquids.
Schwarte Processing which is active in the area of container construction puts high demand on precision and reliability while following tight process tolerances in its production. One of Schwarte's main sites is located in the north-east of Poland, in the city of Olsztyn. Since late 2019 the company makes use of a special sheet and dome cutting machine here, with a 120° 3D plasma rotator and MicroStep's innovative mScan dome mapping technology that ensures high precision of tank end processing.
“The investment in new machinery improves our production process and overall workflow. The flexible plasma bevel head expands greatly our possibilities. All bevel cutting of sheets is now automated, thus achieving great accuracy, avoiding errors and manual rework," says Michał Liberacki. At the time of purchase, the company was already thinking a few steps ahead, because the DRM series is capable of achieving the prerequisite precision of the digital workshop standard for tank end processing.
"In the future, we will be able to use welding robots for the processing of tank ends."
The sheet metal/tank end cutting center of the DRM series enables 3D processing of flat sheets as well as various tank end shapes at Schwarte's Polish site in Olsztyn.
Since installation the multi-functional CNC machine has been working daily in a two-shift operation. It is used to produce stainless steel containers.
"Currently, the machine is used for cutting of parts for the construction of containers with a wall thickness of 2 up to 30 mm and for cutting of holes into tank ends with weld preparations with a wall thickness between 2 and 20 mm,” explains Liberacki.
The tight tolerances are adhered to by the system, an exact repeatability of the work process is possible. This means less rework and faster production.
When considering the right solution, the company was gradually convinced by MicroStep's experience in the field of tank end processing and bevel cutting.
"MicroStep was selected because the company has a large database of similar applications developed and delivered to the German market," says Liberacki. He is very satisfied with the investment, which paid off from day one:
"The implementation of the system went smoothly. The machine meets our expectations and operates efficiently, with high accuracy and quality."
„The implementation of the system went smoothly. The machine meets our expectations and operates efficiently, with high accuracy and quality. This will allow us to use welding robots for further processing of tank ends in the future," said Michał Liberacki - Head of Maintenance Department in Schwarte Processing/ Schwarte Group Sp. z o.o.
