In Denmark, Marel has operations in Århus, Støvring and Holbæk, as well as a demo center in Copenhagen (Kastrup). Marel employes 800 people in Denmark. In Århus, the primary focus is on the development and manufacture of cutting, weighing and packaging equipment. In Støvring, equipment for the salmon – and meat industry is developed and produced, whilst the primary activity in Holbæk concerns stunning systems for meat farming.
Marel – Innovation without limits with the integrex I-500s
Growth is booming at Marel in North Jutland, Denmark. Marel are the world’s largest producer of protein processing related equipment – both for vegetable and animal products. This includes all categories – poultry, fish, meat and newly acquired verticles of pet food, aqua feed and plant-based proteins. Meaning there is a high probability that Marel has been involved at one point or another in the process of all food on your dining table.
Marel produces equipment related to protein processing and for this purpose, specially developed components, such as compression housings and augers. These are constructed with very special measurements, properties and dimensions to ensure high-quality protein processing. Until now, Marel has constructed these components by hand, in the absence of better manufacturing methods.
Historically, employees had to physically lay with their arms inside compression housings in order to weld each single spline – a very difficult and time-consuming process. This naturally placed limitations on how small these components could be made, a barrier to further product development for Marel.
Poul Storm Hansen (Former Manager – Manufacturing Engineering) explains:
“The technologies that the company had at its disposal at the time could not produce the desired result. We had reached a technological limit”.
Marel in Støvring functions as one of the group’s innovation centres, dedicated to the discovery of new solutions within protein processing.
The technologies that the company had at its disposal at the time could not produce the desired results. We had reached a technological limit
Poul Storm Hansen, Former manager – Manufacturing Engineer
Marel had what, on paper, looked like a simple problem.
Poul Hansen explains that on paper, Marel had a simple problem. However, a problem for which there was no ready solution at the time:
”We had some items that we use in the large meat grinders that we wanted to optimize. These were in the past produced manually by welding together and subsequent processing. Here it is the height and width of the rifling passages, which matter for how much force you use to push the meat through. We can produce that in one massive block now. Therefore, the repetition accuracy on the parts will improve, the lead time will improve significantly, but what is most important for us, is that the development opportunities had improved significantly.”
Marel was therefore looking for a solution that could process these items from one piece of raw material and turned to Mazak. Following a consultation, Marel decided on a customized INTEGREX i-500S.
The collaboration is a story about how, through investment in innovation, you can improve and innovate a production, to a point where “the limit is only set by the imagination” as Marel themselves describe.
The repetition accuracy on the parts will improve, the lead time will improve significantly, but what is most important for us, is that the development opportunities had improved significantly.
Poul Storm Hansen, Former manager – Manufacturing Engineer
A decision based on trust
Initially, Marel had not predetermined which machine they were looking for, just which parts and solutions they needed. Therefore, they put the scope out to several machine suppliers and asked them to propose their best solutions. After much deliberation, they selected Mazak, with Steven Westenholz as a sales contact. The final decision was, among other things, based on several special options integrated to the machine, developed to accommodate Marels unique needs. Here, Marel also emphasized trust – trust in Mazak, and trust in Mazak’s calculations and solutions.
Poul Hansen explains the decision:
”Nothing was given at the time – it was a decision of trust in Mazak as a supplier – and it was present at all times. The technical knowledge and sparring during the process was what made us choose Mazak. We did not have any ready-made parts to make a decision based on. Therefore, it had to be based on trust, which has carried the project all the way through.”
Marel and Mazak spent the next period finding the best solutions to solve both Marel’s present and future challenges.
When asked about machine choice, Poul Hansen said: “The primary driving force was that we could continue the technical development. Because we had reached a limit where we couldn’t go any further – financially it also made sense, especially in this industry where break-downs and ware parts are essential for our customers’ operations”.
A significant improvement in lead-time
With the new investment, Marel expects a significant improvement in lead-time – which is of great importance to Marel’s customers. Poul Hansen emphasizes the importance of a short lead-time on these critical components for the customer: “If a customers machine breaks down, they close down”.
Due to previous time-consuming by-hand production processes, the lead-time was previously 3-4 weeks on a compression housing. Marel has managed to improve this to just 48 hours with the help of Mazak’s INTEGREX i-500S. Not only has it improved the lead-time significantly, it has also improved the repeatability of the components. This means that components are now machined from one raw solid material to the finished part – as a done in one concept.
At Marel, they also point to the fact that physical circumstances no longer set the limit to what they can produce – “it is only the imagination”. This has created many new opportunities of which they can measure and optimize the development of components. Poul Hansen:
“We had a wish to continue the technical development in order to better support our development department. We can now offer them some new opportunities that we have not necessarily had before. So it is both a look into the already existing situation and how we can develop that, but it is also a look into the possibilities for the future.”
We can now offer them some new opportunities that we have not necessarily had before. So it is both a look into the already existing situation and how we can develop that, but it is also a look into the possibilities for the future.
Poul Storm Hansen, Former Manager – Manufacturing Engineer
INTEGREX i-500S – A “Game changer”
The INTEGREX i-500S is the largest member of the “INTEGREX i” series with the maximum machining capacity of φ 700mm. It is equipped with a high output, high torque, main spindle and the newly developed compact milling spindle head, which is smaller than comparable machines to provide a larger machining area. It is equipped with additional bed length for machining long complex workpieces, with the benefit of reduced interference between the turning and milling heads.
To accommodate Marel’s special requirements, a number of special options, based on the standard machine, were selected. These requirements included short changeover times, the possibility of high utilization and automatic/unmanned production of even complex items, and a quick chuck change system for both spindles.
The SteadyRest mounted with a zero-point system, makes it super simple and very quick to mount without the need for alignment, which saves time. When not needed, the SteadyRest can easily, and quickly be removed. Finally, the design of the machine includes automatic switching between large – and long-angle heads for application of inner Splines – performed with uniquely developed angle head. This also includes automatic tool change for the cutting tools in the angle heads themselves. The large tool magazine ensures that there is plenty of space for tools and sister tools, even for complex components where many tools are required. This in turn ensures the possibility of manned operation for many hours.
“Without the mutual collaboration, we would not have reached the goal” – Poul Hansen, Marel.
Paul describes the collaboration with Mazak as ideal and overall smooth despite the complexity of the project – “There was never from the start a finished design of the components – it was built from many sub-components, and then you had to figure out what the finished design should look like. Also in relation to the fact that it should be possible to machine from one block of raw material in the future. Overall there has been a great continued contact between our development department, Mazak and Flemming.”
Marel has been particularly pleased with the collaboration with Mazak’s application department. Flemming Christensen elaborates – “I have the feeling that if it wasn’t for them, then it wasn’t certain that we would have reached the finish line”.
I have the feeling that if it wasn’t for them (Mazak application team), then it wasn’t certain that we would have reached the finish line
Flemming Christensen – Production Leader
The future is bright for Marel
Marel believes in the future and expects strong growth in the next couple of years. In the coming years, they will focus on continuous development and innovation. Marel has therefore further invested in two other Mazak machines, a VARIAXIS C-600 with PMC 12-pallets and an INTEGREX i-250H S with KUKA automation solution, which like the INTEGREX i-500S, are going to be rebuilt and customized to their unique needs. The Mazak machines are part of a long-term plan for the further development of production, which will make it possible to make components that are even more complicated in the future
