In manufacturing companies that mainly produce small batch sizes, every minute of spindle time counts - or so the theory goes. In practice, however, the proportion of productive spindle time compared to working time is often less than 40 per cent. The search for tools, clamping devices and information, as well as set-up, tie up valuable resources and leave many operating companies far behind their potential. There are many ways to sustainably close flexibility - and thus performance - in production. But every manufacturing company is different. The trick is therefore to find your very own recipe for success.

Advancing automation has long since arrived in mechanical engineering and contract manufacturing - but many companies still face challenges, especially when it comes to small batch sizes. While large-scale production is already largely automated today, flexibility in smaller quantities, which are often the order of the day in contract manufacturing, poses a particular challenge. How can automation be made to pay off here too without presenting machine operators with insurmountable hurdles?

Thanks to automation, IWK Verpackungstechnik has been able to significantly increase the production capacity of its HEDELIUS machining centres. By integrating a robot cell, the CNC operators gain valuable time that they can use for the manufacture of single parts. This solution enables IWK to increase its flexibility and further expand production efficiency.

Circelli Engineering Solutions GmbH from Dulliken is one of the start-ups on the Swiss manufacturing scene. Originating as a small design office, the young company has developed into a system provider thanks to its passion and investment in innovative CNC technologies. The founding brothers and owners Paolo Circelli and Marco Circelli explain the role played by the latest FORTE 65 and ACURA 65 machining centres from HEDELIUS.

BL Lasertechnik GmbH turned a disaster into a success story. Despite the devastating fire that destroyed its production halls, the company opted for a quick restart. Thanks to the support of partners such as HEDELIUS, production was resumed and even expanded in a very short space of time.

Experience our ACURA 85 5-axis machining centre in more detail than ever before: At 600 frames per second, you can experience the interplay of power and precision during machining in our latest slow motion video.

The powerhouse for heavy-duty machining - a TILTENTA 10-3600 from HEDELIUS Maschinenfabrik in Meppen - has been in the production hall just outside the gates of Eindhoven for a year now. The long-established Dutch company De Rooy machines very large, often complex workpieces from a wide variety of materials.

Tooling optimisation and automation mean benefits for entrepreneurs and employees alike. Automation not only reduces tooling times and increases production, but also allows you to utilise previously unproductive times efficiently. We are happy to support you on your open road to more productive production.

"Never change a winning team" - this could be the headline for the collaboration between HEDELIUS Maschinenfabrik and automation specialist BMO at the Dutch manufacturing company Edumar Metaalbewerking. On the way to even more flexible unmanned production, the choice has now been made for the second time in favour of a joint solution from the two manufacturers.