Robotics is essential!
AWL looks ahead to the future
Annually AWL produces hundreds of special, advanced robot machines each one having its own specific application for welding parts. The lion’s share is destined for the automotive supply industries. AWL from Harderwijk in the Netherlands, works with 25 automobile manufacturers and is continually presenting them with new and advanced solutions.
Every year AWL develops and manufactures hundreds of special, advanced robot machines. Director Piet Mosterd thinks that robotics on the work floor are absolutely essential.
“Without innovation we wouldn’t have made it,” he stated. “In the fifteen years of our existence, many of our competitors have gone to the wall. During this period AWL has developed to become a system integrator who is strategically important for its customers. We try to put ourselves in the shoes of the trendsetters, and seek out customers in the automotive industry who are the real market leaders. This is how we have built up our strategic position. With the exception of Italy, every country in Europe buys from us and more than forty per cent of all the parts used in auto seats are manufactured on our machines.”
RESISTANCE WELDING
AWL was set up in 1993 with 48 employees for the construction of special machines based on resistance welding for the metal working industry. A year later we gradually developed arc welding and more recently laser welding has been added to the range of joining technologies. The supply of special machines to the automotive sector has gradually built up and currently accounts for between 70 and 75% of our total turnover. We currently employ 160 FTE at Harderwijk in the Netherlands and 18 at our subsidiary in the Czech Republic. AWL also participates in other companies such as Nunspeet Mechdes Engineering, an engineering consultancy. One and a half years ago AWL investigated the Russian market and has recently sold one of its special machines there. “Over the coming years we intend to concentrate on Russia and Europe, although we also supply robot passive welding machines in countries such as China and Mexico on customer request.
ROBOTICS
Piet Mosterd called the increasing use of robotics on the work floor absolutely essential. “Over the coming five to ten years there will be an enormous outflow of labour and that can only be taken up with automation. Furthermore, young people simply do not like working on repetitive tasks which can be done by AWL with its robot machines. Robots are becoming cheaper and by using our expertise and highly qualified people we can bring them to the market in increasingly shorter time scales.” One of the greatest strengths at AWL is that we constantly endeavour to anticipate the future. "We are continuously busy with vehicles which are not due to appear on the market for a couple of years. One trend is that vehicles are getting increasing amounts of functionality for which we have to find solutions.” So we are already building robot machines that can work with a range of tools and therefore simultaneously produce a range of different automobiles parts."
PLASTICS INNOVATION
AWL is also very busy with yet another innovation. Fibre reinforced thermoplastic material will play an increasingly important role in future. It is much lighter than materials such as aluminium and steel. AWL is already making robot machines for the aircraft industry for composite welding of aircraft parts. In 2012 the new Airbus A350 comes onto the market which is largely made of plastics. “And thus the aircraft industry has become a new market for AWL. Plastics will thereafter no doubt take on a sophisticated form in the mass production of automobile parts."