A small manufacturing company’s point of view
At Wallåkra Mekaniska, innovation isn’t just a buzzword. It’s how we keep our edge. As a small CNC milling company we’ve learned to think strategically, act boldly, and embrace technologies that helps us work smarter. In this blog post we share our journey into AI-supported manufacturing and digital optimization, all grounded in a sustainable mindset.
How do we make the most of our time? As a small manufacturing company in a competitive industry we have to use our resources – time and money – strategically. Over the years our company has evolved by embracing new technologies and digital solutions and we are always eager to continue that journey.
Wallåkra Mekaniska is a small family-owned CNC milling business in the south of Sweden led by us, Peter and Bea Strömberg. We are known for our high level of technical expertise and are driven to continuously explore new tools and methods to optimize processes and deliver consistent quality to our customers.
Pushing boundaries to maximize efficiency
It immediately caught our attention when we learned about the possibility of saving cycle time by optimization of our CAM-generated NC-programs. To be able to push the limits like this felt spot on for us and Wallåkra Mekaniska decided to invest in the Vericut Optimizer as one of the first customers in Sweden. Curious about the potential savings, together with Vericut and Sandvik we decided to do some testing. We were also interested in exploring whether energy consumption could be reduced by optimizing NC-programs and Virtual Manufacturing got us equipped with Gazpacho energy to measure and analyse the energy consumption in the machines.
The testing together with Vericut was truly exciting, it gave us the opportunity to push boundaries and challenge what’s possible. With cycle time reductions on around 15-25 % our tools will last longer and every motor and wearable component in our machines will work for a shorter time to make the same amount of parts. This increases our overall efficiency.
We also saw real energy savings during the testing. Given the nature of manufacturing, energy use plays a significant role in our overall climate footprint, therefore these results represent a meaningful step forward reducing our climate impact.
Thinking ahead with sustainable solutions
To us, sustainability means making smart, forward-thinking choices that benefit not only our business but also our employees, the community and the future for our kids. It's not just a part of a strategy, it’s embedded in everything we do, one way or another.
A clear example of sustainability in Wallåkra Mekaniska’s production process is the use of water-based, oil-free cutting fluid. This innovative solution demonstrates a multi-dimensional approach across the three key dimensions social, economic and environmental sustainability. This cutting fluid is great for the work environment with no oil mist and no toxic substances. Also it can be used on and on with no need for replacement for years and no hazard pictograms required.
Unlocking potential by automating the ordinary
Just as we began working with the Vericut Optimizer the Sandvik-stars must have aligned. Through our GibbsCAM provider, Fructus Data, we were introduced to up2parts – a company in which Sandvik holds a minority investment. Up2parts were looking for promising test clients in a pilot project in AI-assisted CAM programming. Knowing our interest in this technology, Fructus suggested Wallåkra Mekaniska as a candidate.
As Wallåkra Mekaniska is a small company primarily focused on low-volume manufacturing, programming can occasionally become a bottleneck and support in streamlining the programming process is more than welcome.
With up2parts automating the ordinary tasks in programming, we get more time to focus on the more complex challenges in programming which unlocks more potential from the person doing the programming. This is truly a major breakthrough for us, and likely many CNC programmers as well. Up2parts under the leadership of Marco Bauer and his vision is something we strongly believe in.
The way forward
To make the most of our time – both for people and machines – we believe digital solutions are the way forward. They are a vital part of working smarter, sustaining our momentum and unlock new possibilities. AI and code isn’t replacing our craftsmanship, it’s amplifying it. And as we move forward, we’ll keep pushing boundaries, optimizing the ordinary, and making smart choices that benefit our people, our customers, and the world around us. The journey has only just begun.