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HUI Manufacturing received a long-awaited delivery recently—a new Trumpf TruBend 5130 Press Brake arrived on Feb. 24.
A few months of supply-chain delays set back the original schedule for the new equipment, but staff said they are happy to report the arrival. The delivery is part of a planned effort by HUI Manufacturing leadership to upgrade key equipment that started in 2018. Tim Jandrey, HUI’s director of quality & regulatory affairs, said that the need for upgraded press brakes for bending sheet metal was identified over two years ago.
The company has already integrated two of the new model press brakes into their operations in the fall of 2019 and they have been received well by the shop floor personnel. As the company integrates the newest machine delivered in February, they look forward to receiving one additional machine in April.
The new generation of press brakes purchased by the company has far-reaching benefits. The new machines are much easier to set up and operate than older models. The bends are pre-programmed for each part, reducing the time needed to set up each job. Since HUI Manufacturing caters to short runs for a diverse set of customers, machine setups occur frequently, and the new Trumpf TruBend 5130 models will reduce time needed between jobs. Additionally, the press brakes have many error-proofing features that the team hopes will reduce frustration and quality issues while increasing safety.
HUI Manufacturing’s business requires bending a lot of metal for their industrial drive enclosure and medical device cart customers. The nature of the work requires precise bends with tight tolerances, something at which the new press brakes excel. The advanced technology has proved to be especially beneficial to maintain accurate tolerances for jobs that require extensive welding and grinding after the metal is bent.
HUI’s Director of Operations Mike Schwarz said the new equipment will continue to multiply the manufacturer’s capabilities. “We’ve already seen a marked increase in efficiency through saved material costs with the two Trumpf TruBend 5130 models we added in 2019,” Schwarz said. “We expect that the two new press brakes we are adding this winter will give us additional material, time and cost savings as well as helping us manage quality with fewer errors.”
One benefit the company has seen so far has been a significant reduction in the time needed to train new employees on the machines. With older-generation models of equipment, it could take as long as several months for a new employee to become proficient as a press brake operator. Now, new employees are feeling confident on the machines sooner with the help of technology that is much more user-friendly and intuitive.
Since the acquisition of the first two upgraded machines in 2019, HUI Manufacturing training manager Vanessa Niquette has been hard at work updating HUI’s training program and writing manuals so the company can hit the ground running.
The training and quality teams at HUI used the equipment upgrade as an opportunity to rethink and revise the company’s entire training program for fabrication technicians. All press brake operators went through the revamped training program so they could learn the new machines and gain some experience after the first two were added. Using this time to get everyone familiar with the machines they will soon be using will reduce downtime and will also ensure that operators are up and running right away.
The visual user interface built into the Trumpf machines has proved to be a huge benefit. Niquette notes that the three-dimensional simulation software built into the operator’s screen appeals to the visual learner. “Being able to view and manipulate the drawing has helped new operators to understand bend theory. It makes you feel good as a trainer to see how newer employees are picking things up and growing their skills and confidence.”
What is the organization looking forward to most? Niquette said, “There is lots of excitement around this project. We’re all looking forward to using this equipment to improve our ability to hit our goals as a team. HUI is a place where people really care about the work we do. Ultimately, these new presses will help us all improve quality, save time and give new folks a confidence boost. There’s a ripple effect—by making this investment, the company will be a better place to work.”
HUI is a contract manufacturer in sheet metal fabrication of cabinets and enclosures to the industrial and automations market, as well as custom medical device carts for major medical technology companies. HUI has approximately 120 employees at its Kiel facility who work every day to produce quality products that are used across the country and beyond. Founded in 1933, HUI is privately-owned and has approximately $22M in annual revenue. Find out more about the company at www.huimfg.com or explore HUI’s medical cart capabilities at www.medicalcarts.org.
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