Liebherr is a technology company with around 48,000 employees. The product range extends from refrigerators and fridge-freezers to construction machinery, cranes and excavators. Since its foundation in 1949 in Kirchdorf an der Iller in southern Germany, Liebherr has pursued the goal of convincing its customers with sophisticated solutions and contributing to technological progress. Liebherr-International, based in Bulle (Switzerland), is the central parent company of the Liebherr Group. At the Colmar site in France, the company manufactures hydraulic excavators and other components for the mining sector. In 2014, a new production facility was built for the development, design, assembly and testing of large diesel engines. The new D98 diesel engine series from Liebherr-Components Colmar is suitable for use in mining, as well as in oil and gas extraction and railroad technology.

To equip the new production facility, Liebherr in Colmar was looking for a company that could provide flexible and adaptable products. "Lean principles are firmly anchored in our group of companies," says Stefan Schmid, who is responsible for production as well as the planning, implementation and optimization of production facilities at Liebherr-Components in Colmar. "We attach great importance to lean and efficient production. That's why we were immediately impressed by Item 's modular principle and the way the combinable products work." The numerous components are all compatible with each other. This resulted in individually height-adjustable workstations for employees in production. Some of the Item workstation systems are equipped with castors so that they can be moved to other storage areas as required, just like a mobile workbench. Liebherr uses the Item System Mobile product for material provision, order picking and for transporting crates and tools for pre-assembly.

To protect employees and machines in the turning stations, the diesel engine specialist relies on individually configurable partition wall systems and enclosures. In addition, safety equipment and scaffolding for switch cabinets were constructed from Item aluminum profiles and corresponding accessories. In line with the Japanese lean principle 5S, a clean, safe and well-organized working environment was created. Clever concepts for storing and quickly removing tools, screwdriving technology and cleaning materials were designed using aluminum profiles, connectors and hinges. Even cleaning utensils can be attached to trolleys and in cabinets within easy reach using appropriate holders. "We use both pure item designs and hybrid systems in our production," says Stefan Schmid. "For the transport trolleys, we sometimes use prefabricated substructures and combine these with a superstructure made from item components, for example to transport turbochargers."

Integrating ergonomics into the production process

The systems integrate perfectly into the entire production process, in which large diesel engines weighing between 9 and almost 16 tons are produced. The structures offer sufficient stability for processing pre-picked components and pre-assembly on the corresponding workbenches. "We integrate the systems into the production process so that they can be used optimally for the individual production steps," explains Schmid. "For example, workbenches constructed from item components are suitable for testing and pre-assembly or cleaning work." Liebherr uses products such as swivel arms, trays with stop profiles and gripping trays to create an optimum ergonomic working environment. Employees can adjust the keyboard and screen individually and position them in such a way that their natural movements are supported and strenuous movements are avoided. Liebherr conducts ongoing workplace studies to check the adaptability and ergonomic alignment of its products. The company relies on flexibly adjustable workstations that can be moved by employees to the positions they require.

The constructions made of aluminum profiles with the corresponding connection technology and other accessories enable tailor-made workstations. These are adapted to the needs of the workforce and ensure an ergonomic working environment. "Our workstations should be safe, clean and clearly laid out," says Schmid. "Employees find the tools exactly where they need them - within easy reach and close to the process. All parts have a fixed, ergonomically accessible place." The planning was focused on basic lean principles right from the start. Liebherr achieves efficient and safe processes with 5S and other lean methods. The focus is always on the employees. The aim is to continuously improve processes. To this end, employees focus intensively on individual processes in order to uncover problems at an early stage, identify opportunities and potential for improving processes and implement changes. With this in mind, the number of tools has also been reduced to the bare essentials. This increases clarity and order in the workplace. In line with the lean philosophy, every small change has an impact on the entire process. This allows throughput times to be optimized and productivity to be increased.

3D printing for special requirements

Stefan Schmid and his team design special holders and other aids for attaching measuring equipment or filling containers themselves and manufacture these products using a 3D printer. The holders produced in this way are mounted directly at the workstations using the item system slot 8. This means that employees have the measuring tool directly to hand. "We cover our very specific needs with our 3D printer if Item doesn't have a suitable product in its portfolio," continues Schmid. "Of course, the costs and effort involved have to remain manageable."

The Liebherr-Components production line has been expanded several times since the start of production to include additional process steps. This was a particular challenge, as the planning and realization of production facilities and engine designs took place at the same time. The further development of the engine also took place parallel to production, which had to be taken into account when expanding the lines. For each workstation, additional work steps were added to the activities carried out at the beginning. Rigid standard systems would have quickly reached their limits and would not have been able to adapt the working environment so easily. The diesel engine manufacturer therefore appreciates Item's product diversity and modularity as well as the constant expansion of the modular system. "We must continue to remain flexible, for example to be able to make additional optimizations in terms of efficiency and cycle times or to be able to implement new products quickly in the future," emphasizes Schmid.

Liebherr relies on Item products across the board. This is also reflected in the specifications for suppliers in the field of turning systems and screwdriving technology: Item components are a prerequisite here. The engine manufacturer prefers optimum integration without interfaces. Liebherr also likes to use the Item training courses to train its employees in the use and application of the products. "We received extensive support throughout the entire project phase," says Stefan Schmid. "Item is very present and committed and our collaboration has been extremely cooperative - and has been for almost ten years now."