China – The German car brand will be able to increase capacity when the five-station servo press line goes into operation from August 2018. The equipment will produce body panels for the BX7, BX5 and BX6 models.
The new press line will have a force of 67,000kN and be able to produce up to 16 large parts per minute; double and quadruple pars can be manufactured in greater batches.
The line will feature ServoDirect technology and deliver a high level of energy efficiency. A simulation programme will ensure the optimal alignment of the movements of all the single presses and automation, including destackers, crossbar feeders and the exit conveyor. The fully automated replacement of dies and tooling will also speed up product changes.
With the exception of special components, Schuler will manufacture and assemble the line modules – the beds, uprights, slides and crowns – in a production facility in Dalian.