Night Train FMS

PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER

When the history of sheet metal working is written one day, the outstanding technological trend of 1990's will certainly be found to be that towards Flexible Manufacturing. The main proponent of this manufacturing philosophy has been the Finn-Power Group.

This is also why, since the introduction of its first turret punch press in 1983, the company has grown into a leading supplier of Flexible Manufacturing Systems and one of the major machine tool manufacturers in the world.

KNOW-HOW THROUGH PIONEERING EXPERIENCE

By the mid-eighties FINN-POWER had added automatic loading and unloading to a turret punch press. In 1987 a right angle shear was integrated, and, for subsequent component management, automated systems for sorting and stacking were developed.

Also during these years the essential Finn-Power approach to machine tool technology developed. For us, development has never been just laboratory work. It is a combination of work stage management, automated material management and total customer support from the conception of a technical solution to permanent cooperation.

The Flexible Manufacturing Concept had first been introduced into machining: in fact, even on a European scale, FINN-POWER was among the first to adopt it in our own component manufacturing. Knowing the obvious benefits, as well as the rapid development in numerical controls and programming systems, we decided to introduce the concept to sheet metal working.

The world's first modular sheet metal FMS started producing components for Siemens Ohio in 1990, to be soon followed by KONE, one of the biggest lift manufacturers in the world. In 1994, the next generation, Night Train FMS® was introduced.

While manufacturers use the term "Flexible Manufacturing System" in various ways, it is safe to say that when large, factory wide manufacturing systems are in question, Night Train FMS® is the globally leading solution.

The modular FINN-POWER concept means a manufacturing system is specified in cooperation between the customer and FINN-POWER, using the wide range of standard manufacturing cells available. The solutions and optional equipment are chosen as required by the types of components to be produced.

While the majority of cells integrated in Night Train FMS® solutions feature either right angle shearing or laser cutting, this is not the only solution. In many cases overall productivity of the system has been enhanced by including a hydraulic or servo electric turret punch and its automatic loading – unloading function.