Case study
A new machining dimension with the panel bender
Story courtesy of N. Novotny/Blechtechnik
By using automated panel bending, Planfactory GmbH has set another milestone in its still-young history. Investing in a Salvagnini’s P2 panel bender, the Styria-based sheet machining specialist did not only improve output and quality, but also established the basis for maximum process reliability for downstream production steps while noticeably reducing the workload of employees.
A new machining dimension with the panel bender
Highlights
- Planfactory
Planfactory GmbH is the sheet metal manufacturing unit of Planlicht Group, an international supplier of high-quality lighting fixtures and lighting systems. Based in Murau, Styria, the company operates a 6,000 m² facility combining key sheet metal technologies under one roof for in-house production and subcontracting. - Challenges
Press brake bending created challenges with large components, tight tolerances and visible surfaces, especially for demanding enclosure production up to 3 mm thick. Planfactory needed higher repeatability, shorter machining times, reduced handling damage and process-safe precision for downstream automated laser welding. - Project & technical specs
Planfactory invested in a Salvagnini P2-2120 panel bender for automated panel bending. The machine processes 0.4–3.2 mm sheet metal, with a maximum bending length of 2,180 mm and a 203 mm bending height. Universal bending tools, the CLA option and MAC3.0 technology support flexible, set-up-free production. - Results
The P2 reduced set-up time, improved process reliability and delivered consistently high quality with virtually mark-free bending. For one critical component, machining time fell from around 12 minutes to about 1 minute. "That is practically a factor of 10," says Gerald Kohler, CEO of Planfactory GmbH
Check out the case study
Hear what Gerald Hohler, CEO of Planfactory GmbH, says about Salvagnini P2.
