Partnership between Kaltenbach.Solutions and Fraunhofer IPA

Kaltenbach.Solutions and the Fraunhofer Institute for Product Engineering and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart have entered into a strategic partnership in the field of sawing technology. Their shared goal is to significantly increase the efficiency of sawing machines in steel and wood processing by introducing digital solutions.

In the face of high demand in the steel and woodworking industries, the Fraunhofer IPA’s Sawing Technology business unit is working on a solution to simplify the digitalisation of sawing processes. With 1,200 employees, the Institute for Product Engineering and Automation is one of the largest institutions of the Fraunhofer Society and focusses on the profitable manufacture of sustainable and customised products.

Tim Mayer is head of research activities in the Sawing Technology unit, which includes the development of components, devices and procedures as well as machines and production systems. Kaltenbach.Solutions, an expert for digital transformation in steel processing, brings their extensive experience within this industry to the cooperation.

Industrial sawing machines are designed for maximum material throughput rates, which poses high demands on the quality of their workmanship and the cost efficiency of these processes. In the first step of the project, an automatic data analysis for circular and belt saws is being developed in test operation at the machines of the Fraunhofer IPA.

The knowledge gained will then be applied to serial operation. The declared goal of the strategic partnership with Kaltenbach.Solutions is to sustainably increase the efficiency of using sawing machines by implementing digital monitoring solutions.