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ROLLING INDUSTRY
Foil slitting technology – an integrative approach
Walter Brockhorst and Gabriele Barten, Achenbach Buschhütten GmbH
System supplier Achenbach Buschhütten
Achenbach sees itself as system supplier
<strong>of</strong> machinery for producing non-ferrous
metal rolling mills and foil slitting machines.
Achenbach’s initial communication
with <strong>the</strong>ir customers is threefold:
‘We are <strong>the</strong> Specialists!’, ‘We are Leaders
in technology and quality!’ and ‘We are
your Partner!’ The brandname Achenbach
provides orientation and security
for <strong>the</strong> customers. Achenbach is a familyowned
and family-run company having
approx. 310 employees. Achenbach rolling
mills and machinery are operated in
nearly 60 countries all over <strong>the</strong> world.
Company development and mission
Our mission is ‘Technology for Future Concepts’,
which controls and coordinates think-
ing and acting at Achenbach. Achenbach has
<strong>the</strong> technological know-how to realize <strong>the</strong>
future ideas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir customers for producing
strips, foils as well as foil products in <strong>the</strong>
form <strong>of</strong> most modern machinery. The aim is
to provide our customers with first-class and
tailor-made rolling mills and machinery in
order to open up success potentials for <strong>the</strong>ir
company’s future. High machine performance
and numerous references have ensured <strong>the</strong>
excellent reputation <strong>of</strong> Achenbach:
• Established as a hammer mill in 1452,
Achenbach has been manufacturing metal
rolling mills since 1888. After <strong>the</strong> Second
World War, Achenbach became <strong>the</strong> specialist
for non-ferrous metals, such as <strong>aluminium</strong> or
copper and copper alloys. Achenbach is <strong>the</strong>
world market leader for <strong>aluminium</strong> thin-strip
and foil rolling mills for more than 20 years
now.
• On this basis, Achenbach extended its product
range in 2006. First came <strong>aluminium</strong> foil
doublers, separators and slitting machines
for <strong>aluminium</strong> foils, <strong>the</strong>n slitting machines
for <strong>the</strong> converting industry (slitting machines
for mon<strong>of</strong>oils, laminates, non-woven as well
as all adhesive and non-adhesive materials)
were added. The convincing market entry was
facilitated by <strong>the</strong> trend-setting new developments
with regard to design and construction.
Nearly 20 machines <strong>of</strong> this type have already
been successfully commissioned.
Integrative technology
As a system supplier, Achenbach follows an
integrative approach to <strong>of</strong>fer overall technical
solutions. ‘Everything from one single source’
gives <strong>the</strong> chance to optimally design <strong>the</strong> pro-
duction process as a whole, from <strong>the</strong> rolling
process via <strong>the</strong> slitting process up to <strong>the</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>r
processing.
Achenbach develops and manufactures
rolling mills, slitting machines as well as important
auxiliary systems on <strong>the</strong>ir single premises
in Buschhütten. Therefore, <strong>the</strong> knowledge regarding
<strong>the</strong> rolling mill is decisive for developing
trendsetting slitting machines on <strong>the</strong> one
hand. Vice versa, experiences in winding and
slitting <strong>of</strong> rolled and even converting materials
give valuable information for designing <strong>the</strong>
rolling mills. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, <strong>the</strong> knowledge
from manufacture, assembly and commissioning
<strong>of</strong> this machinery form <strong>the</strong> basis
for future developments.
By covering all four fields, Achenbach deduces
synergy effects in two directions for <strong>the</strong>
benefit <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> customers:
1. Synergy effects between <strong>the</strong>oretic design
and practical realization: support and extension
<strong>of</strong> technology and quality leadership. It is
a question <strong>of</strong> trustworthiness to not only design
machines, but also to manufacture <strong>the</strong>m.
2. Synergy effects between processing and
converting industry: continuously growing demands
on <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> slitting products
in combination with highly sensitive materials
underline <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> a mutual knowhow
transfer.
This is exactly what Achenbach means by
an integrative approach in foil slitting technology.
The reproducibility due to <strong>the</strong> overall
data flow and <strong>the</strong> optimization <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> material
flow within <strong>the</strong> production is <strong>the</strong> customers’
benefit.
By meeting <strong>the</strong>se demands, Achenbach is
qualified as a supplier not only for first-class
stand-alone systems but also for highly-complex
machinery ‘on greenfield sites’ or <strong>the</strong>ir
modernization. With more than 120 years
<strong>of</strong> experience in mechanical engineering,
Achenbach is a qualified partner for sophisticated
special requirements and is traditionally
always ready to face tricky modernization
projects.
Market requirements
With respect to <strong>the</strong> different kinds <strong>of</strong> foil slitting
machines its demand can be qualitatively
characterized as follows: growing technical
requirements toge<strong>the</strong>r with more specific
desires and needs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> customers, define a
highly-complex context. This is reflected in
6 ALUMINIUM · EAC CONGRESS 2011
Images: Achenbach