Strojmetal, a European manufacturer of aluminum chassis parts, installed a 2,500-ton scotch yoke press from Schuler subsidiary Farina. It is the centerpiece of a line that is currently in operation at Strojmetal's new site in Bruntál, Czech Republic. Thanks to the kinetic energy recovery system, the power consumption of the GLK-type press is reduced by up to 40%, while the output increased. The machine is part of a fully automated line that also includes several industrial ovens and robots as well as another 250-ton press provided by Schuler subsidiary Beutler Nova for deburring the forgings.

“Thanks to excellent cooperation in the design phase with Schuler, Strojmetal and the in-house automation company, we managed to complete the commissioning from the first stroke to series production in just three months,” said Miroslav Zahorec, chief financial and production officer of MTX Group, which Strojmetal belongs to.

Strojmetal, which is based in Kamenice near Prague, manufactures high-ductility aluminum forgings with a component weight of less than 200 grams (0.45 pound) to 8 kg (17.6 pounds). The company is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2022.

“By implementing a virtual commissioning of the line in advance, the ramp-up phase on the construction site was reduced enormously, which further shortened the time to the start of production,” said Frank Klingemann, Schuler managing director.