Industry 4.0 and large tiles, Lasselsberger Group looks to the future with Sacmi
Over 135 years of history and a future focused on total automation and large wall and floor tiles: this is the plant in Chlumčany, in the Czech Republic, a company belonging to the Austrian multinational Lasselsberger Ceramics. They have selected Sacmi technology to complete an ambitious investment plan involving the construction of a completely new large tile production line and the launch of a new brand to reinforce the Group's leadership in Central Europe.
The new S9 line, completed with a total investment of over 30 million euro, makes use of Sacmi's most advanced ceramics technology. Sacmi is providing the entire body preparation department: this includes a modular Sacmi MMC mill and the ATM 65 dryer upstream from the two PH6500 and PH7500 presses (equipped with punch pressure hydraulic control, a feature that maximises pressing uniformity among the mould cavities). The two machines have also been fitted with the CRS system, the Sacmi solution that minimises mould changeover times and provides customers with major competitive advantages in terms of versatility, efficiency and safety, as all tasks can be completed in a matter of minutes by one worker. Completing the order is the large Sacmi FBN dual-channel roller kiln. Designed for an output of up to 4 million m2 a year, the new line comes with full automation, including Nuova Sima-Sacmi LGV (laser-guided vehicles) for storage unit and pallet handling.
A total care approach ensures that all the main Sacmi machines are ready to be interfaced with supervision systems and 4.0 remote assistance. This, in fact, states Lasselsberger, is the next step of the project and will involve implementation, in the various Group plants, of supervision and control systems that deliver an array of new functions and services.
Characterised by a strong focus on automation and the creation of innovative product lines, Lasselsberger's current investment in Sacmi technology is just the latest in a series of projects the Austrian Group has completed in Central European plants. In just two years (2015-2016), in fact, different Sacmi lines were installed in the Sanex plants in Cluj (Romania) and in the Czech Republic with a major order for the Rako 3 plant. The Lasselsberger Group has, then, started out from a position of absolute leadership in these areas and used the best available technology to further sharpen its penetration capacity on European high-end residential and architectonic markets.
