Valeo Group is a French industrial group specializing in the design, development, production, and sale of automotive parts, systems, and modules. As one of the world’s leading automotive parts suppliers, Valeo provides comprehensive solutions to all major car manufacturers globally.

As a key base in northern China, Valeo’s Changchun division is a modern automotive parts manufacturing facility that integrates R&D, production, and sales. It focuses on producing essential components such as automotive air conditioning, engine cooling modules, and active grille shutters. The company demonstrates strong market competitiveness and development potential through its advanced technology and efficient management.

Changchun, the cradle of China’s automotive industry, bears the legacy and ambitions of the country’s automotive manufacturing sector. This land has witnessed the thriving development of China’s automotive industry and fostered the rise of both domestic and international automotive and parts manufacturing companies, creating a complete industrial chain.

Recently, we had the privilege of visiting this iconic automotive city and Valeo’s Changchun division, where we explored the company’s expertise and forward-thinking approach in automotive manufacturing with Equipment Manager Mr. Wei Xuedong.

01 Two-Platen Machines More Space and Higher Efficiency

Haitian Two-platen Machines in Operation

On Valeo’s production line, Haitian two-platen machines play a vital role. With stringent requirements for automotive parts, Valeo not only pursues precision but also values production efficiency. Injection molding machines are crucial to the production process, and Mr. Wei Xuedong’s professional insight and careful approach are evident when selecting equipment. He highlighted the importance of plasticizing screw components and control precision as the core of injection molding machines. Haitian machines have won Valeo’s trust with their outstanding performance and consistent quality.

Inside the workshop, multiple Haitian injection molding machines are operating at full capacity. The two-platen machines, known for their compact design and high production efficiency, maximize productivity in limited spaces. They precisely shape each automotive part, significantly improving production efficiency while maintaining high product quality, embodying Valeo’s commitment to excellence.

02 Multi-componentInjection Molding Machines A Powerful Tool for Precision Manufacturing

Haitian’s Multi-component Injection Molding Solution

Last year, Valeo introduced Haitian’s multi-component injection molding solution, enabling the production of complex, multifunctional automotive parts such as multi-colored, multi-material interior components. This customized solution offers Valeo greater flexibility to meet changing market demands.

Wei shared, “The Haitian equipment we are currently using meets all of our requirements. Its CMK values, in some instances, exceed 3, with an average of about 2.2.” Haitian machines not only meet Valeo’s operational needs but also provide exceptional quality assurance with their high CMK values.

03 Excellence in Service Builds Trust

What impresses Valeo most is Haitian’s after-sales service. When comparing with other brands in the industry, Mr. Wei gave Haitian the highest praise: “What I appreciate most is Haitian’s after-sales team—they are highly efficient, and their service is undoubtedly the best!” Haitian’s team responds quickly and effectively, resolving technical issues and ensuring smooth production. This level of satisfaction is no coincidence; it is the result of Haitian’s ongoing pursuit of quality improvement and service optimization over the years.

As the sun set over the bustling workshop, our visitcame to an end. The collaboration between Haitianand Valeo represents the perfect blend of technologyand customer needs as well as the harmonious resonance ofinnovation and stability.In the ever-evolvingautomotive industry, Haitian injection molding ma.chines have earned Valeo’s trust and support withtheir reliable product quality and excellent after-sales service.

As technology continues to advance and our partner.ship deepens, Haitian and Valeo will jointly usher inautomotive manufacturing, driving progress in theindustry with outstanding products and services.

Currently, the wheels of history are spinning fast. From the era of fossil energy towards the era of new, sustainable energy, with a new round of industrial transformation accelerating its evolution. As a leading domestic supplier of automotive exterior parts, Yanfeng Plastic Omnium (YFPO) keenly seizes the changes in development, empowering E-Mobility with advanced technology and continuously shaping new momentum and advantages.

Recently, we had the privilege to visit YFPO’s Hefei factory and discuss the new opportunities and formats in the automotive industry with Injection Molding Manager, Xu Maohong. The story between YFPO and Haitian began in 2009. Currently, the Hefei factory has six operational Haitian injection molding machines, covering a clamping force range of 2,400 to 3,300 tons, providing a complete set of solutions for the injection molding of automotive bumpers. Mr. Xu told us that initially choosing Haitian was an attempt, as Haitian is one of the better domestic independent brands. It outperforms foreign equipment in terms of response time and availability. In terms of after-sales service, with multiple service points, a phone call can result in on-site problem-solving within a few hours.

At the same time, the reliability of Haitian machines is also very impressive and can meet the requirements of current products. The user interface and software development are more user-friendly and conform to Chinese usage habits. Over the years, Haitian has been steadily improving and its technology has been catching up with the technical level of some high-end oreign equipment. From the first device in 2009 to present, there has been continuous progress.

After over a decade of use, Haitian equipment has gradually gained popularity, bringing ultimate product and user experiences, and supporting the production upgrade of YFPO’s Hefei factory.

Amidst Challenges: Grasping New Momentum, Seizing New Opportunities.

In recent years, the automotive market has gradually been taken over by new energy, and the rapid development of new energy vehicles is accelerating industrial transformation. In return, market and customers have raised higher standards for automotive components, posing greater challenges to the manufacturing side.

Compared to traditional combustion vehicles, it has appeared that new energy vehicle models are more diverse and undergo rapid updates, requiring small production volumes for multiple projects and continuous development. In the past, the development cycle for a conventional vehicle project was 24 months, but emerging new players in the automotive sector now demand this be compressed to 16 months or even shorter. This presents a significant challenge for many automotive manufacturers. Apart from providing the equipment itself, Haitian can also offer a complete set of peripheral automation solutions, flexibly connecting downstream processes, which can serve YFPO more effectively, provide added value, and help to save development time.

Moreover, young consumers pay greater attention to the stylish design of vehicle in- and exteriors, with designs constantly evolving. The bumper, as a key element of the overall vehicle appearance, must meet higher aesthetic standards, seamlessly integrate with the body, and contribute to the overall decorative effect. With leading manufacturing techniques, Haitian assists YFPO’s Hefei plant in achieving utmost precision in details, catering to different consumers’ ultimate expectations for vehicle exteriors.

Lightweighting is a trend in many industries, including automotive, logistics, packaging and construction, as it leads to significant cost savings, lower energy consumption and lower carbon emissions.

With the increasing relevance of the eMobility sector, lightweighting places higher demands on molding technology for automotive parts. Haitian has been heavily involved in the automotive industry for many years and understands the limitations of traditional processes. Therefore, the company actively plans to the optimization of parts and the use of new materials by innovating injection molding processes.

Foaming technology:

A high-precision injection molding technology that is mainly used to reduce the weight of products. It significantly improves part deformation and dimensional stability (stress relief during injection) while reducing clamping force.

The technology includes physical foaming and chemical foaming. EIPP is a chemical foaming process in which the surface is foamed after injection and has a low contact temperature with the mold. In contrast, the center has a high temperature, resulting in foam release in the direction of mold cavity expansion, with dimensions controlled to +/- 0.03 mm accuracy based on precise foam expansion control.

Precision control technology and positioning accuracy:

US FARATHANE is a world-famous auto parts manufacturer, whose products are widely used in cars, consumer electronics, imaging equipment as well as various other industrial products. The company has production bases in Shanghai, Changchun and Taicang, with rich international customer resources, and provides many automotive enterprises with molding solutions for key parts such as battery packs and safety parts.

In recent years, the e-mobility industry has flourished and became a hot spot in the market. It has also driven the rapid development of a large number of upstream and downstream partners, among which USF is one of the best. We have discussed with Mr. Zhang, the deputy director of USF in Taicang, the development of the e-mobility industry.

Walking into the workshop of USF, the Haitian machines are running with highly coordinated automated systems. The market share in e-mobility has been increasing, and the improvement of quality and efficiency is due to this series of automation achievements.

In Mr. Zhang’s words, the initial idea of USF is always be at the forefront of the industry, and the company has long integrated automation into its blood. Highly automated manufacturing boosts higher requirements for the production process, precision, and injection molding machinery.  千赢国际官网首页入口网址是多少 fully meets the needs of the complicated conditions of USF, maintaining a good foundation for long-term cooperation between the two parties.

To match the lightweight orientation, USF has continuously explored the latest injection molding technology and upgraded its equipment, e.g. by implementing a multi-component solution with a clamping force of 1,600 tons from Haitian. The solution includes a horizontal rotation injection molding machine with dual injection components face to face. He told us that the use of Haitian multi-component machinery has doubled efficiency. Originally, each mold needs a machine, but now one machine can install two molds. The whole production process becomes accurate, smooth, high-quality, and efficient. It has broken the traditional way of single production in the past, saving half of the production time and the floor area, supporting the goal of efficiency.

The multi-component injection molding technology is an important process in the field of the e-mobilty industry. With the full support of the Haitian technical team, after several debugging and program optimization, the production cycle has been reduced from more than 70 seconds to about 48 seconds, reaching the international advanced level, and helping USF to gain milestone achievements.

For a long time, domestic multi-component injection molding machinery has been highly dependent on imports. However, after years of operation, 千赢国际官网首页入口网址是多少 has convinced USF that the domestic machinery can provide high reliability and stability as well.

As a pioneer in the e-mobility industry, USF will continue to promote upgrading and realize the “smart factory”.

We expect more innovative technologies and advanced equipment to be applied, especially in the e-mobility industry. In the future, Haitian will continue to dig deeper, create a complete set of solutions that meets the needs of the industry, and work with customers to establish a new ecosystem for the prosperity of the industry.

HMC chooses ZHAFIR from Beginning

HMC (NINGBO HENGSHUAI CO.,LTD.) is a leading manufacturer of automotive micro-motors and automotive components. HMC has established long-term strategic partnerships with many global automotive manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, GM, Honda, and Hyundai. The vision is to be the trusted partner and leader in innovative solutions for automotive manufacturers worldwide. Commitment to quality and customer satisfaction are the catalysts to achieving this vision.

From a trial from the beginning, HMC and Zhafir kicked off the collaboration in 2010. As an initial customer of Zhafir, the bilateral relationship has gone through 12 years. In the workshop of HMC, the first generation of the VE Series is still running efficiently at full load. So far, this workhorse has been working for 12 years.

the workshop of HMC

With 12 years of experience, HMC has deepened its trust in ZHAFIR. But what encouraged HMC to be the first one to try the new technology that has been presented by Zhafir at that time?

Xu Erning，Vice President

Xu said,  “At that moment, we had compared many manufacturers of electric injection molding machines. In the end Zhafir gained our trust. Apart from that, as a local company in Ningbo, for us to have such excellent production in our hometown, why should we focus on other brands?” Therefore, HMC purchased the machines from Zhafir’s first generation. With the stability, precision, and convenience in actual implementation, Zhafir has inspired HMC. “The bigger highlight is its energy consumption. The energy consumption from electric technology is low and it solves the problem of peak power consumption every summer, providing us more advantages.”

The biggest benchmark for any operation is time. Over the past 12 years, Zhafir’s high efficiency, which has not changed over time, has been the reason why HMC keeps purchasing, and fueling HMC to gain long-term value in the e-automobile industry, too.

The rapid development of the automotive industry requires more and more precision. According to Mr. Xu, most of the products are functional parts, which cannot be defective when assembled into cars. The challenges of consistency and stability must be fully given. Therefore, equipment and molds are the keys to processing.

With the specialization and the high qualification rate, HMC regards Zhafir as a system partner. “The characteristics of Zhafir equipment, accuracy and speed, are critical to our company’s parts and components. During the processing, we benefit from the advantages of Zhafir in terms of product size, efficiency and stability. With its help, HMC has achieved a nice qualification rate and ppm can reach double digits. Even when we deliver the products to the customer, it can reach a single digit. Meanwhile, energy consumption is reduced, and the product quality is stable, so Zhafir machines are our preferred equipment. “

Refining on production and technology, HMC has become a qualified supplier in the automotive industry and has won many honors such as “excellent supplier” and “progressive supplier” of OEMs. The road of cooperation between HMC and Zhafir has expanded and deepened.

In the future, Zhaifr will continue to provide the most competitive products and solutions for global customers and partners with quality and efficiency over time, explore more ways for quality and efficiency, bring new drive for industrial transformation, and shape opportunities.

Hardcoat Technologies applies “Technology to the Point” for challenging automotive lamps molding projects with success.

Founded in 2014 by CEO and President Nick Steffens, Hardcoat Technologies is a Tier-2-supplier of automotive lighting components located in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The company specializes in the challenging process of injection molding polycarbonate lenses for head lamps, driving lamps and fog lamps, which are thermal hard coated for weatherability and scratch resistance. Hard- coat Tech’s products also include Light Pipes and Carriers for the Automotive Industry. Customers in the automotive, ATV and industrial markets include SL Tennessee, Truck-Lite, Rebo Lighting and Electronics, and Hicks Plastics/Myotech.

The company’s products end up in vehicles such as the GMC Sierra truck, Ram truck, Buick Enclave SUV, Chevrolet Malibu sedan and the Ford F-150 truck. In its start-up phase, the company grew 300 percent from 2017 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2022, it grew another 200 percent. The company’s growth drove a 23,500-square-foot (2,183 square meter) addition which opened in 2022, next to their original facility. By 2022, Hardcoat Technologies has purchased 10 molding machines from Absolute Haitian, the exclusive distributor of Haitian and Zhafir molding machines in the U.S. and Canada. Their inventory includes seven MA II and MA III servo-hydraulic ma- chines – the workhorse for the company – along with two ZE electric machines and one JU III two- platen machine. “We specify smaller injection drives on larger machines to accommodate the unique features of our molds and shorten the residence time of material in the barrel,” noted Steffens.

“Automotive head lamps must deliver high-impact resistance, weatherability and scratch resistance. Many said we could not produce highly cosmetic polycarbonate lenses in standard Haitian machines with general purposes screws. We have been working with polycarbonate material for 25 years,” said Steffens. “With robust processes, reliable molding machines and a consistent maintenance program, we do it, achieving less than 2% scrap rates.” (The company also runs acrylic and PC material using a ZE 4500 with a hardened screw to manufacture light pipes for LED lighting in high-end vehicles.)

“The price point of the Haitian machines makes them very attractive,” said Steffens. “We are able to offer our customers the latest in thermal cure silicone Hardcoat technology but keep our pricing to them competitive.”

“We manufacture all our own Hardcoating application equipment and tooling in-house. We purchased a 1500 Laser for fabrication and 3D printers for prototyping. Instead of 2 to 6 weeks, we can have proto- typing completed in hours,” Steffens noted.

“Many said we could not produce highly cosmetic polycarbonate lenses on standard machines with general purposes screws. But we did.”

Nick Steffens, CEO and President of Hardcoat Technologies

The company’s Knoxville location positions Hardcoat Technologies to collaborate with automotive sup- pliers in the southern U.S. “With Tier 1 suppliers to GM and Nissan in Tennessee, BMW in South Carolina, Mercedes and KIA/Hyundai throughout Georgia and Alabama, we are well-situated to continue our growth,” said Steffens. Automotive is a hard market to break into but Steffens had relationships built from 17-plus years of commercial development responsibility before he started Hardcoat Technologies. “We are driven by making parts quickly and providing value to our customers. We bring experience and technical know-how. Haitian brings molding machine expertise and Absolute Haitian delivers the sales, service and parts support we demand. This has been the path to making our business a success,” Steffens concluded.

Facts & Figures:

Founded: 2014
ISO 9001 Certified
Cleanroom coating environment for in-house developed hard-coating process
10+2 injection molding machines:
ZE 3600/1400, ZE 4500/1400, JU III 4500/1730, MA II 3200/1700, MA II 5300/4500, MA II 6000/4500, MA III 3800/1700, MA III 3800/1700, MA III 6000/2250,  MA III 6000/2250

Solution for Technology and Performance Enhancement: About the Successful Cooperation between Haitian and Dongfeng Nissan.

Dongfeng Nissan is a joint venture between Japanese automaker Nissan and China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation, a leading group in the construction of trucks, buses and passenger cars, as well as in the manufacture of engines and automotive components. With annual sales figures of more than 1 million vehicles, Dongfeng Nissan is a major player in the automotive industry in the People’s Republic of China.

Since Haitian began intensive cooperation with this manufacturer in 2009, ten automatic production cells with injection molding machines of 33,000 kN clamping force each have already been installed at the Guangzhou, Xiangyang, Zhenzhou and Wuhan plants. The latest plant in Wuhan-Yunfeng plays a prominent role and poses great challenges to its business partners due to the highest standards and strictest specifications at Dongfeng Nissan.

Turnkey solution for the highest demands

To ensure smooth operations from the very be- ginning, Haitian established a special team specifically for the Yunfeng project, consisting of senior executives from the application, engineering, manufacturing, customer service, marketing and other departments. In joint efforts, they overcame all challenges and accomplished their task even in the most severe pandemic phase. Despite many difficulties, the project goal was achieved on time.

This unwavering commitment with the goal of successful delivery was highly recognized by Dongfeng Nissan. During the final summary and appreciation conference of the Wuhan-Yunfeng project in August 2022, Haitian was awarded the “Excellent Project Manager” and “Excellent Supplier” awards.

Haitian will continue to cooperate and develop with Dongfeng Nissan in a targeted manner in the future. Last but not least, to seize the strategic opportunity to accompany and promote the development of the domestic automotive industry through high-quality solutions with more precise machines, faster cycles and higher energy efficiency.

With the development from a means of transport to a symbol of prestige and status, the requirements in automotive engineering have changed fundamentally. Not only have the number and size of components increased, but more and more functionalities are calling for increasingly complex geometries, more material combinations, and more demanding properties. Energy efficiency benefits (or lightweight construction) and even greater driving pleasure are particularly high on the agenda.

Consequently, the quality and performance requirements for plastic injection molding have also increased significantly. Haitian has implemented a comprehensive customer solution for Dong- feng-Nissan: A Turnkey Solution that leads to technology and performance enhancement and serves the market needs to the point.

Visita na HELLA Eslováquia Front-Lighting, sro

A HELLA é um dos maiores fornecedores da indústria automotiva. O Grupo MDAX fornece a quase todos os principais fabricantes de automóveis do mundo produtos premium e é um dos líderes em inovação no segmento de iluminação de veículos. Visitamos a HELLA Kočovce e conversamos com os técnicos Jozef Šimun e René Jurkovský sobre a primeira máquina elétrica da HELLA em todo o mundo – a Série Zhafir Zeres em sua fábrica.

A empresa HELLA cresceu com produtos para iluminação de veículos. O portfólio inclui faróis, luzes traseiras combinadas, luzes interiores e chega até a iluminação eletrônica. O desenvolvimento do produto se concentra em sistemas de assistência ao motorista e LEDs baseados em luz. Além disso, a empresa se estabeleceu em todo o mundo como um fornecedor competente de soluções para iluminação abrangente e eletrônica de veículos – de acordo com a alegação “Tecnologia com visão”.

Hoje, o Grupo tem 125 locais em todo o mundo, emprega cerca de 39.000 pessoas, incluindo cerca de 7.700 em pesquisa e desenvolvimento, e gerou vendas de cerca de 7 bilhões de euros no ano fiscal de 2018/19. Destes, 5,8 bilhões de euros foram gerados apenas nas divisões de iluminação e eletrônica.

Qualidade premium para marcas premium

A qualidade do produto de primeira classe, com os mais altos padrões, significa tudo para os especialistas automotivos, é a referência para todos os que pensam e agem e goza da mais alta prioridade. “Defeitos zero” é o lema, simplesmente por causa de nossa responsabilidade para com nossos clientes. Para implementar esse alto padrão em todas as fábricas, a HELLA estabeleceu um conceito integrado de gestão da qualidade em todo o Grupo, baseado em padrões de qualidade reconhecidos internacionalmente e sendo continuamente desenvolvido.

Tradicional com espírito inovador

“Não ficar parado no desenvolvimento, elaborar idéias e trazê-las para a produção em série é o que nos move todos os dias” é o lema desse líder em inovação. No nível da produção, a lei da produção em série era manter o terreno familiar; aqui, sem exceção, a empresa até agora contava com os serviços de marcas europeias. Isso mudou. A Haitian é o primeiro fabricante não europeu de máquina de moldagem por injeção – embora com raízes alemãs-chinesas no que diz respeito ao desenvolvimento da série elétrica Zhafir – que conseguiu convencer os responsáveis ​​da HELLA do desempenho, eficiência e qualidade do trabalho de sua Series. A decisão a favor do haitiano, respectivamente, Zhafir, foi tomada em HELLA Kočovce, no oeste da Eslováquia. “No início, não era fácil mostrar que o Haitian fabrica máquinas confiáveis”, explica Filip Mizia, gerente técnico de vendas da Mapro, parceiro de vendas e serviços da 千赢国际官网首页入口网址是多少 na Eslováquia. “Foi preciso um pouco de paciência para mostrar aos operadores como usar nossas máquinas. Mas agora eles podem trabalhar com nossas máquinas sem problemas, e podemos dizer que estão muito satisfeitos, tanto em termos de suporte pós-venda quanto de suporte técnico ”. 

Com as fábricas em Bratislava, Banovce e Koovce, a HELLA possui três locais na Eslováquia que produzem componentes diferentes para luzes automotivas, independentemente um do outro. O grupo emprega um total de 2.100 pessoas, produzindo dia e noite – 24/7 em quatro turnos. Jozef Šimun, gerente de produção: “Eu acho que é particularmente importante para a HELLA ter uma alta especificação no equipamento da máquina, com muitas opções. Toda vez que converso com os responsáveis, eles ficam mais satisfeitos com os zeres do que com as máquinas européias. Mais satisfeito, tanto em termos de parametrização quanto de manuseio ”.

Enquanto isso, também a primeira máquina haitiana foi integrada na fábrica de Kočovce. Uma série de Júpiter com força de aperto de 450 t foi instalada por um período experimental de 6 meses. Ele provou seu desempenho muito antes do final desta fase de teste.

Em conversação:

Sr. Šimun, Sr. Jurkovský, qual a importância da energia como fator de custo para a HELLA?
“Certamente não é a primeira prioridade, a qualidade definitivamente vem em primeiro lugar, mas é claro que é um dos pontos mais importantes, porque nós da HELLA também queremos economizar energia. No final, depende do preço. ”

É por isso que você muda para máquinas elétricas e o que você espera delas?
“Esperamos que a manutenção de máquinas elétricas seja mais econômica que outras máquinas. Isso certamente será ainda melhor quanto mais máquinas elétricas tivermos na oficina. Além disso, as máquinas hidráulicas são muito mais altas que as elétricas. E o preço e o desempenho são muito convincentes. ”

Qual a sua opinião pessoal sobre a tecnologia de acionamento do futuro, elétrica, hidráulica ou híbrida?
“Acho que a melhor solução são as máquinas elétricas. Eles são mais limpos, o desempenho é muito bom e são notavelmente silenciosos. Mas acho que o mais importante é o preço.

Entrevista com Zeno Cipriani, proprietário do grupo Dakota

O Grupo Dakota é uma das empresas líderes na produção e venda de produtos de construção. O grupo está em um curso de expansão há cerca de 25 anos. Sempre em foco: progresso e inovações para mais produtividade.

Já nos anos 90, a empresa estava se expandindo, inicialmente no mercado doméstico. Subsidiárias em Espanha, Portugal e Romênia. Hoje, o Dakota Group fornece mais de 4.000 clientes em todo o mundo. O portfólio de produtos inclui sistemas de drenagem e grade, sistemas de drenagem, niveladores de cais e muito mais. Os produtos para a indústria automotiva, de embalagens e farmacêutica complementam o portfólio. A administração de Dakota acredita que eles foram criados para grandes tarefas. Ao investir continuamente em novas tecnologias e em funcionários qualificados, a Dakota busca fornecer uma infraestrutura poderosa para os desafios do futuro. O proprietário vê os sistemas de fabricação com eficiência energética, automatizados e altamente produtivos como a chave do sucesso.

Sr. Cipriani, você é um cliente Haitian desde 1998. Quais critérios foram decisivos para você na época?
“O conceito geral nos convenceu e ainda hoje nos convence. Todos os produtos Dakota são feitos com máquinas Haitian e Zhafir. ”

Quais séries você possui?
“Os Zeres, Vênus e Júpiter. A maioria deles é da série Zeres. ”

Quais produtos a Jupiter fabrica?
“Atualmente, estamos produzindo um Smart Catch-Pit, um corpo oco robusto feito de PP. Nós o produzimos em um Júpiter com 650 toneladas. O produto varia em tamanhos de 200 x 200 mm a 550 x 550 mm. ”

Até que ponto você usa a automação em sua produção?
“Utilizamos sistemas centrais para alimentação e secagem de materiais, além de contêineres centralizados internos e externos para o armazém. No total, temos cerca de 40 robôs Hilectro, robôs de seis eixos, máquinas de montagem, máquinas automáticas de embalagem e armazenamento ”.

Você também usa material reciclado?
“Estamos focados na recuperação e reutilização de resíduos plásticos gerados durante a produção há muito tempo. Ao mesmo tempo, estamos trabalhando sistematicamente na redução de microplásticos. ”

O que você acha que direção moldará o futuro?
“Certamente a elétrica, principalmente porque a máquina elétrica reduz o consumo de energia e garante maior eficiência energética. Além disso, utilizamos energia autoproduzida há algum tempo, por meio de nossos sistemas fotovoltaicos em produção e logística. A energia solar também pode reduzir os custos de energia ”.

Você já integra conceitos digitais à produção?
“De fato, podemos dizer que a Dakota é uma fábrica inteligente há 15 anos. Utilizamos o conceito 4.0 desde 2005. Cada máquina de injeção está conectada ao servidor central. Todos os dados e processos são registrados pelo computador principal e todas as informações são trocadas entre filial, escritório e produção. Essas atividades são essenciais para a operação 24/7 e uma fábrica moderna. ”

Cipriani (esquerda) e Stella (direita) de Dakota, junto com Bonfadini da IMG – Parceiro de vendas e serviços da Haitian & Zhafir: “Somos fãs desde o início”

A smart catch-pit produzido na Jupiter 6,500 kN feito PP

Haitian Jupiter II Series:”LOTS OF POTENTIAL TO GROW”

Central equipment purchasing, uniform standards: Eurostyle Systems is at its new plant in Slovakia again with a stringent decision-making culture – and the Jupiter II Series.

Top quality through flexible production is the clear benefit, despite enormously strong competitive environment. The plant in Slovakia Bánovce nad Bebravou is the youngest daughter of Eurostyle Systems. The group has currently 11 plants and 4 tech centers, annually producing about 100 million automotive components (quality level 9 PPM) and has an annual turnover of 260 million euros. Decisions of project procurement and respect of equipment purchases are made at the headquarters in France. Haitian machines play a “surprisingly” good role in building the new plant, explained by Plant Manager Jozef Odskoc and Production Manager Peter Kmetko.

To date, Liptovsky Mykulas was the only Eurostyle site in Slovakia. The plant specializes in vehicle interior, for example, manufacturing door panels or consoles, but also grille or strainer for the exterior area. Its clients include both suppliers such as Faurecia, Lear or MöllerGroup and carmakers such as PSA, VW, Audi and TPCA. In 2012, approximately 70 employees provided a turnover of 6 million euros. Due to the continued good order situation, the headquarters decided to build a second site in Slovakia to respond even faster and more extensively to customer requests.

Location in strong automotive region

By the end of 2015, the Eurostyle Systems Bánovce s.r.o. was registered, headquartered in the strong automotive area of Horná Nitra. Within 50 km there are more than 200 plastics processors located, making it an extremely confident choice of location. When asked about the possible lack of specialists, Eurostyle Systems responds (still) relaxed: “It  is  true, especially in this region, there are plenties of automotive and too few qualified professionals. An experienced technician knows his worth and  doesn’t infrequently drive wages up. So far, however, we were lucky to find the right people,” says Jozef Odskoc. “Maybe it is because we clearly focus on employee satisfaction.” The company is located on the site as a financially sound, future-oriented employer with great potential. Peter Kmetko states, “We begin precisely at first. Who now goes on board, will later be a part of the core team. In addition, we see people as people and not as personnel numbers. This convinced many.“

At the moment, the complete factory is in the installation and testing phase and has 30 employees. All machines and molds are “examined thoroughly” so that they can begin mass production in September. By this time they are planning to be comprised of about 60 employees. Currently, the machinery is composed of 10 machines, 6 of which are Haitian Jupiter II  Series with two-platen technology. Another JU6500II plus has recently been ordered. Overall, the clamping force range at Eurostyle is 900-9,000 kN and the Jupiter II plus machines with 5,500, 6,500 and 9,000 kN occupy the larger clamping forces. They were ordered to produce interior components for the new C3 model from Citroen – the initial project for the Eurostyle Team, as a T1 supplier for cockpit, spars and other parts.

“Before I started at Eurostyle, I did not know Haitian at all. But I know appropriate competitive products. The Jupiter II machines are still producing test parts, and I cannot therefore be conclusively assessed, but so far they provide remarkably great results, “says Peter Kmetko, Production manager and technical head of Eurostyle Systems Bánovce s.r.o. “The setup of the Jupiter is surprisingly very good. Especially the servo-hydraulic drive which promises good energy values.” At the moment they focus on standard injection molding applications with downstream assembly and use the method of vibration welding (see info box**). They pro- cess mainly standard polymers such as PP, PA PC ABS or POM.

A uniform standard in all plants

The planned annual consumption of raw materials is around 1,000 tons. Projects are assigned to certain sites and how the appropriate machinery looks is basically decided by the Technical & Development Center in France. “This approach creates a uniform standard in all plants and ensures that projects can be freely assigned depending on skills and capacities. And because the projects in France are being developed so that colleagues have the best view, who can do what best,” explains Jozef Odskoc, and added: “There are a few new projects in France in pipeline. With our setup we have a lot of potential to grow and we want to be well prepared. Therefore, there are already concrete plans for expansion of the current 3,000 sqm to 6,000 sqm of production space.“

Flexibility as an essential strategy

According to the requested opinion about the value of increased flexibility – keyword “Technology to the point”, the Production Manager demonstrates to us a few handles that cannot be handled by a robot in his opinion. “An unmanned production would be unthinkable in these types of applications, because some sensitive processing steps must be performed manually. Flexibility for us is an essential strategy. The Jupiter II together with the Sepro Automation form a very reliable unit. The cooperation with the Haitian Service Partner Mapro was explicitly part of the factory tour as ‘highly praised flexibly and professionally”.