With a 100-year pedigree in the design and manufacture of electric motors, Belgium’s Elnor Motors NV (Elnor) is renowned the world over. Not one to rest on its laurels, the future-focused company has recently completed a renovation of its headquarters in Wespelaar and bolstered productivity with a state-of-the-art automated machine cell complete with dual probe measurement.
Situated between Mechelen and Leuven, Elnor’s roots in the Wespelaar region go back to 1907. Over the years, the company’s focus has expanded from the design and high-volume manufacture of small electric motors to providing a much more bespoke, high-mix / low-volume offering to its client base.
“Our evolution from the mass production of standard engines to the design and manufacture of more bespoke customer-specific engines has been fuelled by the desire to do everything in-house, including machining,” begins Elnor’s Managing Director, Tom Paesmans. “This is what makes our motors so unique, and this impact can be felt around the world. For example, between 70,000 and 80,000 motorcycles pass through the Elnor factory doors – 95 per cent of which are destined for export. This immediately puts Wespelaar on the map.”
Bespoke electric motors
Key to Elnor’s success has been the development of its bespoke capabilities for electric motor production; and more specifically, those which are suitable for use in explosive atmospheres (ATEX) environments. This high degree of specialisation means the company no longer needs to focus on volume, with every engine now developed from scratch and assembled by experienced employees in line with each customer’s exacting standards.
“We sit down with the customer to design a motor that perfectly fits their requirements, right down to the specific properties they require and the exact dimensions for their intended application,” explains Paesmans. “Although there is a lot of activity in the motor industry around mass customisation, this trend does not extend to electric motors. Instead, we are constantly assessing whether a motor can function within a given space and a set budget. Ultimately, the added value of a customer-specific and tailor-made electric motor more than justifies the additional cost.”
First step towards automation
Given the application-critical nature of Elnor’s products, ensuring highly accurate and cost-effective production is essential. As such, the integration of automation systems must be carefully considered to ensure the required quality flows through the entire manufacturing process.
“It is not a question of simply adding automation to our processes,” says Paesmans. “We must integrate these systems smartly. Given the large variation in products and the close tolerances required in our work, especially for ATEX motors, any additional technology must be implemented in a careful fashion. More specifically, it became apparent we needed a lathe that was both automation-compatible, but could also be fitted with a dual-probe measurement system.”
“We must integrate (automation) systems smartly. Given the large variation in products and the close tolerances required in our work…any additional technology must be implemented in a careful fashion.”
Tom Paesmans, Elnor’s Managing Director
A well-suited solution
In order to source the required technology, Elnor turned to its trusted long-term machine tool partner, Yamazaki Mazak.
Taking Elnor’s priorities into account, Mazak recommended a QUICK TURN 200MSY CNC turning centre complete with RoboJob Tower automation system. Developed for high performance in demanding applications, the QUICK TURN 200MSY benefits from a high efficiency second spindle to facilitate milling as well as turning – a crucial part of Elnor’s requirements.
Following its installation, the versatility of the QUICK TURN 200MSY quickly became apparent, adds Machine Operator Jurgen Meynaerts: “The machine is mainly used for cast iron and aluminium castings, which need to turned, and have tapped holes, on both sides. We could do this using the QUICK TURN’s twelve turret positions and double-sided driven tools.”
He continues: “However, the biggest difference we have seen is the ability to integrate a dual-probe measuring system on the machine. Working to very high tolerances, often to within 12 µm, the measuring system allows us to scan every individual part on both the main and sub-spindle, with the machine tool adjusting itself accordingly.”
Trusting a unique solution
The QUICK TURN 200MSY has quickly become a critical piece of production material for Elnor, with the cell providing the perfect combination of automation, accuracy and flexibility.
Paesmans continues: “The fact that Mazak could offer a turnkey package combining automation and measurement with turning and milling gave us a lot of confidence, and the decision has certainly been vindicated. The QUICK TURN 200MSY and RoboJob automation system have been able to meet the tight tolerances required by our customers and now handles about 80 per cent of our castings. Moreover, it has significantly increased our capacity year-on-year, with little to no unexpected downtime.”
“The fact that Mazak could offer a turnkey package combining automation and measurement with turning and milling gave us a lot of confidence, and the decision has certainly been vindicated.”
Tom Paesmans, Elnor’s Managing Director
Smart automation and organization
More recently, the flexibility of the QUICK TURN 200MSY has also allowed Elnor to carry out additional complex work, such as producing ventilation motors for refrigerated containers used to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. Paesmans is therefore very satisfied with the investment in the machine, and its impact on the company’s ongoing operations.
“It took us some time to set up the measurement system, but the results have been impressive,” he concludes. “We now have a particularly reliable and stable automation solution for loading and unloading, which, through our own innovation, has allowed us to expand capacity even in demanding applications. For example, by cleverly grouping the series that we have to run, we can keep changeover times to a minimum. Automation and organisation go hand in hand at Elnor and have allowed us to produce small batches of highly varying components in a way that is more cost-effective for both the business and our customers.”
