ST-Koneistus Expands Its Production Facilities – Classified Clean Room For Assembly Production Will Be Included!
With a total value of approximately EUR 3.5 million, the investment will expand ST-Koneistus’ production facilities in Ylöjärvi, Finland by 1.400 square meters. The new premises will include a classified clean room environment for assembly production.
In addition to a new production hall, the investment comprises an assembly hall that will be classified as a clean room environment, as well as two Mazak HCN-6800 horizontal machining centres.
Hydraulic blocks and valves manufactured by ST-Koneistus are extremely sensitive to impurities. That is why we continuously strive to increase the cleanliness of our production facilities, and the investment in a classified clean room environment has been on the table.
“With this investment, we want to show our customers that we are a great partner who is ready to do everything we can to guarantee the cleanliness of their products,” says ST-Koneistus owner-entrepreneur Mr Tommi Peltonen.
It’s been only four years since ST-Koneistus’ previous expansion. The new expansion will be built right next to the previous one, and it will cover exactly the same surface area, 1.400 square meters.
According to Peltonen, the new facility will have enough room for a classified clean room environment plus five new machines – two of which have already been purchased.
“We are working hard to make sure that our production will meet our customers’ changing demands, in terms of both growing volume and improved quality.”
Peltonen emphasizes that a company such as ST-Koneistus needs to make major capital investments as often as every four years. Meanwhile, several investments worth thousands of euros should be made annually. The construction will begin in May.
“Even though machines are becoming more and more independent, skilled staff is still going to be playing a key role in both work planning and maintenance.”
The new facility is built in place of the current parking area. In the background, you can see the previous extension that was completed in summer 2014.
Efficient FMS System to Be Installed in the New Hall
The price tag for the machines purchased as part of the investment is roughly EUR 2 million. The equipment comprises an efficient FMS system, which is connected to two Mazak HCN-6800 horizontal machining centres and a Tool Hive tool storage system. The investment also includes a Mazak Pallet-Pool system.
The machining centres can accommodate 160 tools each, while a further 330 tools can be stored in the Tool Hive system.
According to Peltonen, the investment is going to be profitable, because the new system guarantees the cost-efficient production of small but repeated series.
“Once the FMS system has manufactured a hydraulic block, it will remember the product as well as the tools that were used in machining it.”
In other words, once a product has been made, there will be no need to perform the same programming or tool setup ever again. This, in turn, means that the time it takes to manufacture a block is no longer reliant upon a human worker.
“The first time being the only exception,” Peltonen points out and continues to add, “Even though machines are becoming more and more independent, skilled staff is still going to be playing a key role in both work planning and maintenance.”
Illustrative sketch of the upcoming extension. The extension is designed by Insinööritoimisto Ylinen Oy.
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ST-Koneistus is a Finnish supplier of hydraulic blocks and components specializing in demanding custom production. We manufacture complex components using the most cutting-edge machinery in the business.
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