Bühler Evolution B 420 D successfully relocated from Germany to Korea and Vietnam

In 2020, fiss machines expertly dismantled two Bühler die casting machines with a clamping force of 4200 t, disassembled them, and shipped them in subassemblies to Korea and Vietnam.

Once upon a time, two die casting machines had been used in multi-shift casting operations for the production of 6-cylinder engine blocks since 2004 and were now to be sold. When the owner of the casting machines, a German automobile manufacturer, offered the two identical Buhler Evolution B 420 D die casting machines with clamping forces of 4200 tons and a spray robot on the second-hand market in the spring of 2020, it was not yet clear where the adventurous journey of the used machines would take them. After all, a solvent buyer had to be found first who needed precisely these machines.

CONSULTING AND NETWORK

The manufacturer enlisted the help of the experienced experts at fiss machines to provide the best possible advice. Thanks to the worldwide network and the cooperation with sales partners from the die casting industry in almost all countries around the globe, the contact to Korea was finally established. The Asian manufacturer was looking for casting cells for the production of aluminum housings for 5G mobile networks at its sites in Korea and Vietnam. Agreement was soon reached and the deal was in the bag.

PLANNING AND DISMANTLING

Now it was time for the planning phase of the complex dismantling and relocation of the two casting cells. Here, too, fiss machines provided valuable support with its specialist knowledge gained over 30 years. Together, the specific problems that could arise during dismantling and transport were analyzed and sensible solutions were worked out. The route from the factory site presented a special challenge. The Buhler Evolution B 420 D has a total weight of 270,000 kg. The dismantling and removal of the heavy machine components were correspondingly tricky. The cylinder plate with a total weight of 73,000 kg could only be relocated after the roadway with a basement had been secured with 100 floor props.

Dismantling in Germany started in March 2020, with around 30 men on the job. The dismantling was managed in several shifts, even Saturdays and Sundays were worked diligently. First of all, the disassembly team dismantled the automation equipment and perihpery systems such as KMA extraction systems, WEKO WE 2500 deburring press, tempering units, dosing ovens, Ertl coarse deburring equipment and parts labeling, as these were not included in the agreed scope of delivery.

In April, the dismantling of the Kuka spray robots and the two Buhler Evolution B 420 D die casting machines continued. During the dismantling and the clamping part disassembly, we were pleasantly surprised at the perfect condition of the clamping platens, the toggle system, and the columns at that time. This showed that regular maintenance by authorized service technicians and the modernization work carried out had clearly contributed to maintaining the value of the machine. All parts were marked and photographed during disassembly, and complex disassembly work was documented by video. In parallel, the customer in Korea was kept informed throughout the dismantling process. Due to the Corona crisis, it was not possible to send our own technicians. At the beginning of May, all machine parts were finally dismantled, expertly packed and transported away from the factory premises.

TRANSPORT AND ERECTION

As a general contractor, fiss machines is also the contact for the transport of entire casting plants. Machine transports entail particularly high requirements and a large amount of individual planning services. The project sequence was planned according to the given requirements so that all steps mesh precisely like a gear wheel.

The first machine went by truck and special transport to Hamburg / Bremerhaven and then by ship to Korea. The second machine for Vietnam was temporarily stored near Landshut. In the meantime, however, this machine has also been successfully delivered. A total of 8 40' open top containers and 5 special packages were shipped on RoRo or crates for each casting machine, where they spent about 6 weeks on their journey.

The transport of the heavy components once again presented fiss machines with a real task at the destination. After all, the heaviest part weighed 65 tons and in Korea and Vietnam different regulations apply to road transport than in Germany.

Originally, it was planned that fiss would also take care of the on-site set-up. In the end, however, the customer decided to carry out the set-up and commissioning himself for cost reasons and because of the ongoing Corona restrictions. We provided the necessary support from Germany and assisted to the best of our ability.