Presses

We overhauled the software of a 2,300-tonne press for an African customer to optimise the machine’s performance.

This was one of Icotech Automation’s most ambitious projects.
In 2007, a factory in northern Europe suffered a fire that destroyed a 4,000-tonne press. After ten years of exposure to the elements, in 2018, we were asked to revive the press from the wreckage.

It was only possible to recover the steel from the original press, requiring us to redesign many components from scratch. The result was a high-performance, energy-efficient press with an optimised electrical and hydraulic system, comparable to an electric press in terms of speed and consumption.

We managed the relocation of a 2,300-tonne press from the old factory to the new one, with the necessity to get the machine back into production as quickly as possible. The entire operation was completed in one week, from the start of dismantling to start-up at the other factory. Everything was done by crane truck as neither factory was equipped with overhead cranes.

We oversaw the revamping of a 5,500-tonne press for an overseas client to improve cycle time. We performed electrical, mechanical and software maintenance, improving the efficiency of the machine by over 30% by installing inverters and implementing other technical solutions. In one month of work, the cycle time was reduced by more than 250 seconds to less than 230 seconds in total.

We handled the disassembly, packaging, shipping and overseas reassembly of a 5,500-tonne press. During the project the client also requested installation of an automation cell with an anthropomorphic robot for unloading the press, as well as automatic product customisation.

The plant’s size presented significant logistical challenges. For disassembly, we used a 450-tonne crane and built load-bearing wooden crates to hold the platens, which weighed over 100 tonnes each. Transport by sea, which lasted over 60 days, required secure fastening and protection against corrosive weather conditions.

At the receiving site, we designed and built the pit to house the machine and used special equipment such as gantry cranes and hovercraft to transfer the heavy parts from one area of the factory to another.

This operation required precise management and detailed planning to ensure the project’s success, demonstrating our technical capabilities and industry experience.