Four processes combined into a single line for Trahecon

A custom-built machine that combines three machining operations and a deburring process in a single line.

Trahecon manufactures balcony railings, staircases, and balustrades, and has grown in recent years, in part due to the acquisition of MBR Hekwerken in Moerdijk. This also brought the aluminum portion of production into focus: a range of products that, until then, had been manufactured using more traditional methods, involving separate machine operations and intermediate steps. Trahecon and Van Dulst Techniek teamed up to explore how this process could be streamlined and carried out with fewer people.

This did not immediately lead to a ready-made solution, but rather to a thorough analysis of the product range. Based on that analysis, a machine was developed that was unprecedented in the industry: a drilling, tapping, and sawing machine with an integrated deburring unit.

The challenge

Trahecon already had a number of CNC machines from Van Dulst Techniek in place for the aluminum portion of its production. The question wasn’t simply “automate this,” but something much more fundamental: where within the entire product range is the greatest return on investment, and which machining operations actually lend themselves to being combined into a single line?

It is tempting to envision a single, all-encompassing machine capable of handling the entire process, from drilling to deburring. In practice, however, this often backfires. A machine that is perfect for one product becomes unnecessarily expensive and complex for another. Each product then requires a compromise, and those compromises pile up as the number of variants increases.

For this reason, Trahecon’s entire product range was analyzed and broken down: which products are processed in the same, repetitive manner? And which ones are not? Based on this analysis, it was determined which part of the range could be processed via a new, integrated line without the rest of the product line having to be unnecessarily adapted to the new machine.

In addition, a second, less obvious issue came into play: deburring aluminum generates fine dust that is harmful to health. This process requires effective extraction and a separate, enclosed space, and therefore cannot simply be set up just anywhere. Until then, this step had been carried out separately from the rest of the process, often even in a different hall.

Our solution

Based on the process analysis, a drilling, tapping, and sawing machine with a deburring unit was developed: a machine that combines drilling, tapping, sawing, and automatic deburring of the cut edges into a single continuous line. Stand-alone deburring machines exist, just as stand-alone sawing and drilling machines do. But the combination of all these operations - including automatic deburring - in a single machine did not yet exist.

That is precisely what makes the difference in terms of labor-hour savings. It was not so much the drilling or sawing itself, but rather the deburring that was previously a manual and time-consuming step. By automating and integrating this process, the greatest time savings are achieved here.

Automatic and health-safe deburring

The deburring unit is integrated into an enclosed cabinet. As a result, no one needs to be physically present during deburring, and exposure to harmful aluminum dust is no longer a concern for the operator. This also makes it possible to place the unit closer to the rest of the process without compromising safety. Four processes combined into a single line for Trahecon

Direct integration with CAD via MPS Control

Products are imported directly from the CAD system into the machine. This integration is facilitated by MPS Control, Van Dulst Techniek’s proprietary control software that brings together machine control, order data, and product dimensions. The operator sees which profiles need to be placed in the feed magazine and then simply presses “start.” This not only saves time but also prevents errors that can occur when manually entering dimensions.

Suitable for unattended operation

On the discharge side, the line features a buffer magazine. This allows the machine to continue production autonomously for a period of time, and the operator only needs to remove the finished products from the magazine. Physical strain is also minimized on the feed side: the line is equipped with a lifting aid that assists in loading long or heavy profiles into the feed magazine. As a result, only one operator is needed to run the line, without the need for a colleague to assist with lifting heavy or long material.

Here’s how the process works in practice

Product data is imported from the CAD system into the machine.
The operator places the specified profiles on the feed magazine and starts the cycle.
The machine drills, taps, and cuts the profile according to the imported dimensions.
The cut edges are automatically deburred and sealed.
Finished products are collected in the buffer magazine on the discharge side.
The operator removes the finished products from the magazine, even during unmanned operation.

This eliminates the intermediate stockpiles and transport steps required in a traditional setup with separate machines, where products must first be cut, then moved to a machining center, and subsequently moved again to a separate deburring area.

When loading the line, the Lifting Aid comes into play: it is integrated into the machine and ensures that the line can be operated by just one operator, reducing the physical strain involved in loading long or heavy profiles.

Passend bij de productiesituatie van Trahecon

The decision to run not the entire product range but a specific and carefully defined portion of production through this line aligns with how Trahecon operates. A portion of the aluminum product range is processed in a uniform, repetitive manner, and it is precisely that portion that benefits most from integration into a single line. For the rest of the product range, the existing, more flexible approach remains the most appropriate.

In addition, the collaboration with Trahecon extends beyond this single line. For the production site in Poland, where the pre-processing of steel parts takes place, Van Dulst Techniek was also asked to help design a tube laser and a sheet metal laser. The same approach applied there as well: not starting with a standard solution, but first carefully examining the feed, the desired capacity, and the product mix, in order to arrive at a suitable configuration.

For Trahecon, this is a key reason to work with a single partner for both the custom solution in the Netherlands and the machines in Poland: a single point of contact, and the assurance that every decision is based on a thorough analysis of their own production process, rather than on an off-the-shelf machine.

Do you want to take control of your production process?

Do you recognize the dilemma between a machine that can do everything but isn’t optimized for anything, and separate machines with intermediate stockpiles and extra transportation? Or do you want to know where in your production process you can save the most time?

Van Dulst Techniek works with you every step of the way, from the initial process analysis to the final custom-built machine. From drilling and sawing to integrated and health-safe deburring.

0180 510 455
verkoop@vandulst.nl