For the automotive industry and its suppliers, Industry 4.0 and technological integration are no longer an option, but of fundamental, existential importance. Lantek and the Danobat Group are convinced that a commitment to innovation and the integration of new digital tools are essential for profitable, dynamic and agile production.

Both companies see digitalization as the perfect time to support the production process in the automotive industry. Accordingly, their sheet metal processing departments have jointly developed software that prepares blanking formats specifically for the cutting process in the automotive sector. This solution could be particularly interesting for prototype creation and the supplier industry.

The collaboration has two objectives: Firstly, to make production in sheet metal processing more efficient, competitive and flexible while maintaining the highest level of quality; secondly, to strengthen Lantek and the Danobat Group's position in industry-specific applications, such as in the automotive sector, and also to support their customers in their transformation into modern and intelligent companies. As a result of this cooperation, Danobat Group customers will be able to work with Lantek's software on their coil laser cutting systems and all other machines. With the company's many years of experience in the metal industry, they can now optimize their processes and get maximum return on their investment in machines and software.

Blanking - traditional and advanced

Blanking or sheet metal stamping technology in the traditional sense is a process in which metal parts are cut from sheet metal using presses and special cutting dies. Blanking lines generally process a large number of shapes from different materials (steel/aluminum) and increasingly often in series and runs of different variants of the same model. The number of cutting and punching tools required is correspondingly large, so the production facilities must have sufficient space for their storage.

The blanking application developed jointly by Lantek and Danobat Group, on the other hand, is integrated into Danobat's coil laser cutting systems and turns them into laser cutting systems that can cut a wide variety of shapes and variations automatically and continuously without the usual tool change. The production lines feed the coil sheet from an uncoiler through several feed rollers to the cutting area. There, the programmed shapes are cut from the sheet using one or more laser cutting heads. The parts are then stacked automatically.

Laser cutting not only saves costs for many different punching tools and the adaptation of the workshop to the machines themselves (pits, storage areas, special foundations, etc.). As there is no need to change tools when switching between different shapes and formats, the system also saves expensive working time. It also reduces energy consumption compared to alternatives and increases efficiency and flexibility - while maintaining the highest quality standards.

Laser cutting saves time, material and costs

The automotive sector needs solutions to new technological challenges and trends that the industry is facing - such as the need to form business alliances, develop shorter, more customized and sustainable production cycles, optimize production monitoring or apply new materials and new cutting and forming technologies. Lantek and Danobat Group have aligned their business strategy to this cycle in order to look for new technical solutions to support companies in the automotive sector with cutting-edge technology and specialized software.

In addition to the cost benefits, Danobat's laser cutting system with coil feed now also offers a wide range of advantages such as material savings through better utilization of the sheet metal, constant working speeds and lower unit costs, which are particularly beneficial in a sector as demanding as the automotive industry. This new generation of systems represents a major advance in parts production and process standardization, as well as maximum flexibility in the production of cut parts.

"Everyone benefits from our cooperation, as it combines our ability to innovate with Lantek's know-how and experience in software solutions for the metal industry and the fact that these solutions can be integrated into any cutting technology in thousands of machine models," explains Asier Sasiain, Managing Director of the Danobat Group's sheet metal processing division. "The automotive industry and its suppliers have great allies in Lantek and the Danobat Group, given the number of metal parts they produce each year."

"The cost savings, greater productivity and flexibility of this blanking technology are only possible by using the latest control software. With Lantek's solutions, the advanced software for controlling 2D and 3D cutting machines can be combined with the most sophisticated manufacturing management," adds Francisco Pérez, Head of OEM at Lantek. "Of course, the Danobat Group's expertise was key to the success, as it has always been a leader in innovation and scale in the industry. Together, we offer the automotive industry an expert system that enables companies to increase their competitiveness in the age of Industry 4.0."