MODIG MACHINE TOOL
UPSIDE-DOWN THINKING
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MODIG MACHINE TOOL
MODIG MACHINE TOOL
IT’S BEEN AN EVENTFUL YEAR SINCE WE LAST SPOKE WITH MODIG MACHINE TOOL,
BUT IT’S BEEN DOING WELL THANKS TO SOME OUTSIDE-OF-THE-BOX THINKING.
PROJECT MANAGED BY:
DAVID GARNER
UPSIDE
-DOWN
THINKING
Modig was founded in 1947 to
build best-in-class machines for
the manufacturing sector. From
their home in Virserum, Sweden,
Modig’s lathes, universal drills
and machining centres soon built
a global reputation. By the 1980s
they were developing high-speed
machining centres and moved onto
continuously redefine machining
standards the world over.
Machine Tool’s CEO, he is optimistic.
“I would say it’s been fairly okay. We have obviously not achieved our targets for sales, due to the unique challenges 2020 brought with it,” he admits. “The reduced aerospace activity, then COVID-19 came along. But all in all the results for the year are good, we’re happy where are.”
AN INVERTED PERSPECTIVE
While Modig has undergone a year of challenges, however, it’s also been a year of achievement and innovation. Recently the company unveiled the world’s first inverted machining tool.
Innovation has always been a core part of Modig’s identity, allowing the firm to punch above its weight through a never-ending cycle of development and improvement. But while there’s a strong business case
for this emphasis on innovation, talking with Modig it’s clear that this approach comes out of his personal passion as much as anything else.
When asked where the idea for the inverted machining came from, Modig immediately admits, “The idea came out of a dream of mine- I think too much about machines!”
That Modig is able to move so quickly from notion to fully realised product is a key part of what makes the company so special. Because it’s a smaller company it can develop a new machine without having to go through the gauntlet of decision-makers new products in larger organisations face. Modig himself designs the machines and has the deciding say in what direction to take. It’s an approach that frequently places Modig four or five years ahead of its competitors in terms of technology.
I
t has done this as a family-owned company for three generations, providing high-quality machines to the aerospace and automotive industries as the premium machine tool provider. The company has sold over 11,000 of its machines, and when we last spoke to them, they were still going strong.2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, but when we speak to David Modig, Modig
David Modig, CEO, Modig Machine Tool.
Machine tool probing systems
Renishaw AB, Biskop Henriks väg 2, SE-176 76 Järfälla, Sweden.
T+46 8 584 90 880E[email protected]
www.renishaw.se
For more information visit www.renishaw.se/mtp
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Demanders Verktygsfabrik Sweden AB
Fabriksgatan 13, SE-577 71 Virserum Sweden
Phone: +46 (0)495-496 20
www.demanders.se
We have tracked down the best suppliers on the market and use only the very best quality Swedish castings. All manufacture is performed in-house at our facilities in Virserum, Småland. This gives us control over both the manufacturing process and the end product.
Our Products: Vices | Milling tables | Drill Sharpeners | Accessories
Setting a high
benchmark
Measurement and Control Technology for Demanding Positioning Tasks
Heidenhain products offer highest possible accuracy, reliable reproducibility and repeatability, safe process management, high machine dynamics, easy handling and maximum efficiency. ▬ Linear, Angle and Rotary Encoders
▬ Length Gauges ▬ CNC Controls
▬ Digital readouts and numerical controls ▬ Touch Probes
We provide documentation and software as well as technical service for our products, including replacement units and spare parts, repairs & service on site.
“Modig and Heidenhain has a longstanding relationship, where we share the same DNA regarding strive for perfection, latest technology and highest precision in research & development.”
Per Wincent, Managing Director
HEIDENHAIN Scandinavia AB Storsätragränd 5 SE-127 39 SKÄRHOLMEN, SWEDEN Tel: +46 8 531 933 50 Email: [email protected]
www.heidenhain.se
RENISHAW
Renishaw is one of the world’s leading engineering and scientific
technology companies, with expertise in precision measurement
and healthcare. The company supplies products and services used in
applications as diverse as jet engine and wind turbine manufacture,
through to dentistry and brain surgery. It is also a world leader in
the field of additive manufacturing (also referred to as 3D printing),
where it designs and makes industrial machines which ‘print’ parts
from metal powder.
The Renishaw Group currently has 79 offices in 37 countries,
with over 4,400 employees, of which over 2,500 people are
employed within the UK. The majority of the company’s R&D and
manufacturing is carried out in the UK and for the year ended June
2020 Renishaw achieved sales of £510 million, of which 94% was
due to exports. The company’s largest markets are China, USA,
Japan and Germany.
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MODIG MACHINE TOOL
hema
your partner around
the production machine
HEMA Maschinen und Apparateschutz GmbH
Am Klinggraben 2 DE-63500 Seligenstadt Phone +49 6182 773-0 Fax +49 6182 773-35 [email protected] www.hema-group.com
protection systems
clamping and braking systems
machine safety windows,
spin windows
machine led lighting systems
Modig_strichv4_88x129_10022020 10.02.2020 17:22 Seite 1
With the Inverted Machining Tool, the problem Modig was considering was the one of how to enter competitive markets where the price was a major differentiator. How could you offer a unique selling point without increasing your price to uncompetitive levels?
“These markets are a bit more price-sensitive, so I was interested in how to be competitive in terms of price but still have an innovation that interests the market,” Modig explains. “Then I came up with this inverted machine, which is upside down.”
The inverted design has quite a few benefits. The inverted design brings increased stability, and much-improved handling as chips fall straight down rather than getting stuck inside the machined parts.
“The last really important thing is the throughput of the machine,” Modig tells us proudly. “It will be about 15% faster than other machines on the market with this architecture.”
As well as launching the Inverted Machining Tool, Modig has also been making progress in new markets, and despite the challenges of the last year, Modig can roll off a list of the company’s achievements.
“I would say the progress we’ve made in the EV Market is one of our proudest achievements. We’ve also seen increased recognition for our profile machines, and our machines for manufacturing battery trays, that has been the biggest change for 2020,” he says. “Everyone’s talking about battery trays nowadays. We
have had a tremendous number of orders, and it seems 2021 has started even better with respect to these machines.”
NEW PASTURES
These new markets are more important, especially in the face of the new challenges Modig’s other market sectors have been facing.
“Our biggest challenge at the moment is selling the bigger machines, especially for the aerospace industry, which hasn’t been doing well in general,” Modig points out. “It’s a market that’s very much suffered due to this pandemic and the impact to aerospace demands. Our main target customers are living in North America, so are connected to the aerospace market.”
“THE IDEA CAME OUT OF
A DREAM OF MINE - I THINK
- I THINK
TOO MUCH ABOUT MACHINES!”
TOO MUCH ABOUT MACHINES!”
MODIG MACHINE TOOL
MODIG MACHINE TOOL
Fortunately, Modig has been able to expand its business in new markets, including the EV market, which has grown a great deal this year.
“We also focused a bit more on the military side of aerospace,” Modig tells us. “Another sector that has increased in demand is the space sector, building satellites, which needs machines everywhere.”
Commercial aerospace is still an important part of Modig’s portfolio, but the business is always expanding and diversifying.
“We will absolutely return to commercial aerospace. We’ve had interest already this year. But if our portfolio was 80% commercial aerospace before it will be 50% now because we’re expanding our portfolio going forward,” Modig says. “The new inverted machines are seeing a
lot of demand in the automotive machining sector. We predict 50% of our revenue will be aerospace, 30% will be automotive and 20% will be military and others.”
Indeed, talking to Modig it’s clear we’ve only scratched the surface of the innovation the company is bringing to the market.
“In addition to the new machines in the inverted machine series, we’re releasing a new machine for larger extrusions,” Modig says. “We have also added a machine called the HHV DUO, a twin-spindle machine dedicated to the automotive EV market.”
As well as expanding its range, Modig’s facilities themselves are receiving an upgrade with the building receiving a significant expansion.
“The demand for our machines has increased even
during the pandemic and we have now decided to expand the building for the second time in two years,” Modig says. “The next expansion will be 10,000 square metres. We’re also employing more people. I think this year we have a target of employing 40-to-50 more people if everything goes well.”
