November 2014
GROB-Info
A customer newsletter from
the GROB AG gearwheel factory
Editorial
Valued customers and business partners
On the cover of GROB-Info 2013 we illustrated our fabrication expansion just as a model. Now that project has been
completed, and it represents a major step for us. After more
than six months using the new facility we can conclude
that it has been an overall success. Everyone who visited
us ­during our Open House event or our Customer Evening
were impressed by the fabrication expansion and our technological innovations. With this editorial, I would once again
like to express my thanks to everyone who worked on this
project. A special thanks go out to our employees who performed so exceptionally during every phase.
As regards the fabrication expansion, I have repeatedly
heard the same questions from various people:
– Why was a fabrication expansion needed at all?
– Why did we double the manufacturing floor space?
– Why was such high value placed making sure the spaces
are functional and appealing?
It is important to me that I also give you responses to these
questions: First, we believe in the future and in Switzerland
as a place to do business.
Second, we spend more than a third of our day at work.
An attractive working atmosphere and pleasant workplaces
increase the satisfaction we derive from our work. Motivated employees, in turn, always keep the best interests of
the company in mind and are committed to our success.
New ideas are being implemented – whether they deal
with planning or fabrication. Such collaborations result in
successful, practical solutions. These are the prerequisites
for innovative, efficient work.
This is how we stand out from our competitors on the market.
We can also counter the reputation that manufacturing in
Switzerland must be expensive.
With our steady flow of developments and growth, we
continually become better and more attractive – not only in
terms of quality but also as regards costs.
I have a very confident view of the future, and I look forward
to working together with my team to face new challenges.
Enjoy your reading!
Fritz Grob
GROB AG Gearwheel Factory
Stämpfelfeld 3
6244 Nebikon Phone+41 62 748 55 22
Fax +41 62 748 55 23
info@grobag.ch
www.grobag.ch
Investment in a fabrication expansion
Together with our employees, architects and guests, we
broke ground in 2013 for the new GROB AG fabrication
expansion in Stämpfelfeld in the town of Nebikon. GROB
AG invested in a new fabrication building so we can in
future continue to guarantee that customers get the
high quality to which they have become accustomed.
Our growth
In 1989, when we moved from the former manufacturing
facility on Egolzwilerstrasse into the new building in Stämpfelfeld, that new facility met all of the company‘s requirements: generously sized workplaces, sufficient floor space
for machines and a modern office building. Even back then,
though, we were careful to secure extra land so we could
accommodate any later requirements for expansion.
Meanwhile, we have invested a great deal in modern computer-controlled systems. Our inventory of machinery now
includes 44 CNC machine tools. Six of these are equipped
with an automatic loading system for operator-free shift
operation. We are able to machine gearwheels with a diameter from 10 to 1500 mm.
Today the company is under the third generation of family
management and has 44 employees including five polymechanic apprentices.
Our expansion
With the acquisition of new machines, space eventually becomes scarce. With the groundbreaking for the expansion
facility, we laid the cornerstone for doubling manufacturing
floor space to more than 4000 m2. As a passage between
the hall 1 and the fabrication expansion of the hall 2 we
built a flexible connector building. Here a generously sized,
friendly lounge area was designed for our employees.
The entire gear cutting department, quality assurance,
­deburring and shipping are now located in the new hall.
­Following intensive cleaning of the hall, the turning shop
and general mechanical engineering were reorganised so
that the processes are now optimised.
An eco-friendly geothermal heat pump has replaced the
oil heating, which was showing signs of age. Now heating
both halls has a neutral CO2 balance. A benefit of radiant
underfloor heating is that the hall 2 are heated in winter
and cooled in summer, which prevents large fluctuations in
temperature. This not only guarantees a pleasant working
environment, it also improves measurement accuracy during the manufacture of gearwheels, a factor which cannot
be underestimated.
In addition, the energy necessary for heating is taken from
the heat recovery of the compressed-air system. Instead
of skylights such as on the roof of the hall 1, we installed
approximately 700 solar panels for electricity generation on
the new building‘s flat roof, which has largely been planted
with grass. With the solar energy thus produced, we today
require only roughly a third of the electricity as in the past.
An eco-friendly LED lighting concept likewise helps cut
the consumption of electricity. With the old technology we
­needed some 40 kW for lighting, whereas today we need
just half that amount, even with double the space.
Our future
With the investments we have made in an economical and
ecological infrastructure, in future we can optimise operational processes and have also created space for further
state-of-the-art machine technologies.
Open House
On 14 June 2014 GROB AG held an Open House event.
This gave the general public an opportunity to get a
glimpse of our work. At the same time, the company
was also able to show off its newly finished expansion
building.
The tour
Following a marked, self-guided tour through the fabrication
halls and the machinery areas, visitors got an impression
of the many varied steps involved in manufacturing gearwheels.
The attractions
In addition to watching the computer-controlled machines,
visitors were also able to observe work in the deburring
department. Here the employees apply their high skills and
craftsmanship to give gearwheels their final touches.
On this day, though, the major attraction was the six leading-edge loading robots. The red robot arms pivot around
quickly and smoothly: one finish milled gearwheel comes
out, a new one goes in – and this, as required, 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. The components fabricated by the
machines were also put on display and labelled with their
destinations.
Our apprentices were also able to show what they learn
every day during their training and how they put this to use
in daily production.
The pleasant conclusion
At the end of the tour, the visitors were greeted with festive food and drink where they could wrap up the day in
a comfortable atmosphere with friends old and new. They
were also busy filling out prize draw coupons. Particularly
interesting were answers for questions where they had to
make estimates, such as how many kilograms of metal filings were generated on an average workday during 2013 at
GROB AG (correct answer: 1,284.32 kg/day).
The conclusion
The day was a total success. Some 800 visitors took advantage of the opportunity to tour the plant and have the
employees explain their work.
Social
commitment
Giving presents spreads joy – and they are also a
sign of the value we place on our customers and
represent a thank-you for our good collaboration.
Even so, a while back we decided we would no
longer be handing out gifts to customers. Instead,
we send this money to the Brändi Foundation,
which promotes and achieves the integration of
handicapped people into the workforce, society
and culture.
In this regards, we also send a message with our
Christmas cards, which we have made up for us
exclusively at the foundation‘s own card studio.
Machines
Standing still means taking a step backwards. Thus,
last year we also acquired two new machines.
As a replacement for conventional turning, we acquired a
cycle controlled lathe from FFG Böhringer (see Figure
1). In this way, we are replacing our conventional lathe for
producing single parts and prototypes and can also increasingly replace cylindrical grinding with hard turning.
The second machine is a 5-axis machining centre from
DMG MORI (see Figure 3). With it we can ideally enhance
our capabilities in boring and milling in complex fields. Our
initial experiences have been overwhelming positive. This
equipment offers very elegant machining capabilities and
high accuracy. Automatic set-up of the levels, balancing and
simultaneous set-up to match a surface or a wedge profile,
and this on both sides after turning it over – this is just one
example (see Figure 2).
Your contacts at GROB AG
Fritz
Grob-Furrer
Sonja
Grob-Wolfensberger
Rafael
Fellmann
Andreas
Huber
Managing Director
Consulting and Sales
+41 62 748 55 10
f.grob@grobag.ch
Personnel Manager
+41 62 748 55 15
mbgrob@grobag.ch
Production Manager, Sales
Apprentice Supervisor
+41 62 748 55 14
r.fellmann@grobag.ch
Purchasing, PPS
+41 62 748 55 13
a.huber@grobag.ch
Beat
Knüsel
Gabriela
Bühler
Ursula
Hofer
Quality Assurance
Transport
+41 62 748 55 16
b.knuesel@grobag.ch
Accounting
Administration
+41 62 748 55 11
g.buehler@grobag.ch
Administration
Marketing
+41 62 748 55 22
u.hofer@grobag.ch
GROB AG
Gearwheel Factory
Stämpfelfeld 3
6244 Nebikon
Phone+41 62 748 55 22
Fax +41 62 748 55 23
info@grobag.ch
www.grobag.ch