Demag crane technology for Volkswagen press shop in Bratislava

The overall concept developed by Demag Cranes comprises two process cranes designed especially for the handling and transport of pressing tools, and intelligent crane controls.

"The new press shop will afford us greater depth of production for the vehicles produced at our plant," Albrecht Reimold, CEO of Volkswagen Slovakia, said.

"As a result, material handling times should be reduced and costs lowered."

"With our crane technology, we are making a major contribution to substantially reducing handling times for tools," said Lutz Dowy, Head of the Process Cranes business line of Demag Cranes.

"Our overall crane concept, which covers all the process steps from the transport of tools to storage and maintenance, impressed our customer Volkswagen Slovakia. With Volkswagen, one of the major global car manufacturing companies is again relying on Demag crane technology in its press shops."

Construction of the new Volkswagen Slovakia press shop started in 2011. With the support of Demag crane technology, the first pressed parts should be manufactured in Bratislava by the end of 2013.

Crane technology as a factor for increasing productivity

The two double-girder overhead travelling cranes with a span of approx. 32 metres travel on a 200-metre-long crane runway.

A process crane with 80 tonnes lifting capacity is equipped with a specially developed, motor-driven tool gripper. With this gripper, the tools, each weighing up to 65 tonnes, required for the production of body parts can be stored in a space-saving manner on three levels.

Furthermore, the crane installation comes with positioning control for independent control of up to 200 storage locations and discharge stations.

In addition to tool transport, the second process crane with 70/32 tonne open winches also turns the tool halves for maintenance work. This crane will be delivered in advance in autumn 2012 and used for the construction of the press line.