Centralized control of all machines and flexibility when it comes to handling jobs is crucial for ST-Vitrinen Trautmann, and the Bielefeld-based company has found the solution that meets these high technological requirements perfectly by combining elumatec’s profile machining centres and software. Since acquiring an SBZ 628 XXL in late 2018, ST-Vitrinen Trautmann has also benefited from semi-autonomous operation.
Company HQ in Brake, in the outskirts of Bielefeld,
with 7 production halls and a total production area of 12,000 m².
Image copyright: ST-Vitrinen Trautmann
“We have been using elumatec machines with great success for a long time now”, says Siegfried Trautmann, who founded ST-Vitrinen Trautmann 50 years ago. From its base in Bielefeld, the company specializes in manufacturing showcases, glass cabinets, large clocks and digital signage systems for customers around the world. Among its key customers are rail operators and transport companies, municipal authorities, international museums, supermarket chains and out-of-home advertisers.
Precise, cut-to-size profiles and quick machining cycles are critical for manufacturing aluminium casings, and the company’s 100 or so employees rely on elumatec machines to meet their customers’ requirements. “It all started with a simple profiling machine”, says Trautmann looking back. As the manufacturing demands grew, the number of machines needed increased year by year: “We now have quite a few advanced elumatec profile machining centres in operation”, he continues.
Free-standing portrait ST monitor stele for outdoor use.
Speed and flexibility are key when processing orders, as is the ability to switch between machines depending on the requirements of each profile. ST-Vitrinen Trautmann needed a solution that utilized a central control system to allow jobs to be processed by the right machine.
Individual boulevard display case with components made from weatherproof Corten steel.
They found it in eluCad, the software developed by elumatec subsidiary elusoft, which allows the display case manufacturer to manage its profile machining centres and configure machining programs. “We’ve created redundancy and can choose the right machine for the job”, says CEO Arne Schlüter. The profile machining software processes data from various design programs via the selected profile machining centre, a collision detection system prevents accidents, and tools can be added and removed as required.
ST clock system with advertising space.
In late 2018 ST-Vitrinen Trautmann added the SBZ 628 XXL to its machine pool. “The new profile machining centre gives us semi-autonomous operation for the first time”, says Schlüter, who points out how this simplifies processing of large orders and speeds up production of large quantities of identical or similar profiles.
“The elumatec machines are critical technology for our manufacturing process”, he continues. “We couldn’t maintain our precision and speed without them.” But the SBZ 628 XXL has broader operational benefits as well: the intuitive user interface and the ability to program job sequences in advance have encouraged the company to examine its procedures and processes in more depth and to optimize them. “The benefits for us are clear – this semi-autonomous solution gives us even more flexibility and allows us to process orders more conveniently and more quickly”, explains Schlüter.
Classic and digital passenger information screens at Salzburg railway station.
ST-Vitrinen Trautmann has worked alongside elumatec for many years. “From the very start we have received all the support we need”, says Trautmann. “The staff at elumatec have passed on their expertise and given us so many invaluable tips – our horizons have constantly expanded as a result.” This support includes a quick spare parts service, highly informative training sessions and professional consultation from staff, who are always on hand to answer questions and resolve problems. “We’re fortunate enough that the relationship with our contacts at elumatec goes back decades now”, says Trautmann.
“They know our machines and our requirements like the back of their hand, and we know not to take this level of technical expertise and straight talking for granted.”
Glass display cases made with aluminium profile technology have proved reliable for decades.
For more about ST-Vitrinen Trautmann visit: www.st-vitrinen.com
www.st-digital.de/en
