“In 2015, we tested machines from a variety of manufacturers in order to continue to cleanly deburr larger quantities of parts“, remembers the Managing Director Mario Koch. However, the eager engineer eventually paused his project after a number of trials. The deburring machines all proved too complex to operate and maintain. In addition, the cut parts often jammed in the machine, causing time-consuming stoppages. A newsletter from ARKU ultimately attracted the company’s interest. KTS was already a satisfied contract leveling customer at the time. “We learned about ARKU’s entry into the deburring business from the newsletter and immediately inquired about an opportunity to test the machine”, explains Mr. Koch.
Said and done. In 2015, ARKU offered the company a trial run at the expanded Leveling and Deburring Center in Baden-Baden. Here, customers can use the newly developed EdgeBreaker® series for tests and contract work. KTS brought along especially complex parts for its machine test. The underlying idea: if the EdgeBreaker® can cleanly deburr these cut pieces, then it is without a doubt the right machine. The strategy was a success: “The EdgeBreaker® 4000 not only deburred the parts effortlessly, it also removed large burrs from both sides. That was the deciding factor for us”, emphasizes Mr. Koch.
Since September 2015, the powerful machine has processed up to 250 tons of steel parts per month in Karlsdorf-Neuthard. That is around two thirds of the monthly production quantity of KTS. Using the machine, the steel experts also deburr up to 30 percent more parts than before – and this in a very short period of time. “The EdgeBreaker® 4000 removes burrs from our parts within only a few minutes. This enables us to safeguard the high quality which we are well-known for among our customers”, explains Mr. Koch. Another advantage of the machine: one employee is enough to operate the machine. Additional employees who were previously needed for manual deburring are now free to handle other tasks.
This doesn’t only allow KTS to be more flexible, but the company’s production costs are lower as well as faster and achieving better results. Naturally, the customers are also happy that they don’t have to rework their cut parts. As a result, the EdgeBreaker® 4000 simplifies the situation for both KTS and its customers. This guarantees the company a key position in the manufacturing industry: “With the machine, we can deliver more quickly and react to customer requests rapidly. This strengthens our position as a high-quality supplier”, emphasizes Mr. Koch.
But that is not all. Thanks to the EdgeBreaker® 4000, KTS manufactures components which completely fulfill all of the common quality standards. The DIN standard 1090 has been enforced for several years and requires metal sheets to be coated or otherwise protected against corrosion. The problem here: cut parts need rounded edges to prevent the coating from flaking off. Otherwise there is a risk of edge corrosion despite the coating, therefore putting at risk the quality of the parts. This is not the case with KTS. Using the deburring machine, the company produces optimally edge-rounded and refined parts: “The high-quality results speak for themselves. Using the system, we fulfill both the legal standards and those of our customers”, says Mr. Koch.
As such, KTS has set an important course for the future. The company which Mario Koch founded with his father regards itself as a competent partner for the regional steel industry. The “Technology Park Steel” established by KTS is intended to combine central processes for steel processing under one roof. “With the versatile EdgeBreaker® 4000 from ARKU, we have come a big step closer to this goal”, concludes Mr. Koch.