Stamping Out a New Generation of Automobile Parts

The world’s first crossbar transfer press by Schuler AG (Göppingen, Germany) revolutionized stamping plants throughout the auto industry in the early 1990s. Today’s compact crossbar transfer press, however, is used not only for large unstable body panels, but also for two-out production of mid-sized parts such as doors and engine hoods.

Major auto manufacturers, including Ford Motor Company and General Motors, now use these presses to stamp body components such as hoods and doors for automobiles and trucks as the result of a global effort from Schuler, Bosch Rexroth (Hoffman Estates, IL), and Morrell, Inc. (Auburn Hills, MI) that made it possible to stamp hoods and doors with improved productivity, design flexibility and reduced costs compared to conventional lines.

Schuler AG is the parent company of the Schuler Group, which includes the U.S. subsidiary Schuler Inc. (Canton, MI) that provides sales, engineering and service support for all aspects of metal forming and enjoys partnerships with high profile customers in the automotive, domestic appliance and electrical goods industries. Located just 30 miles west of downtown Detroit, Schuler is ideally situated to meet the needs of the U.S. automotive industry.

Morrell supplies automation products and services, along with design and engineering support specifically for motion control solutions. As the exclusive provider of Bosch Rexroth drive and control equipment in the Michigan area, they offer a full range of motion control products. Morrell teamed with the Bosch Rexroth industrial hydraulics technology group to supply Schuler with large hydraulic systems and controls to complete five of these crossbar transfer presses.

The presses were manufactured by Schuler with specific support from Bosch Rexroth in Germany. In addition, the Bosch Rexroth industrial hydraulics group in Bethlehem, PA helped supply the components, subsystems, and manufacturing of the hydraulic power units for the final assembly, test and run-off, which was completed at the Morrell facility in Auburn Hills.

Compared to conventional lines, the compact crossbar transfer press offers considerable advantages with respect to productivity, flexibility and quality of auto body parts. It also meets manufacturers’ demands for further reductions in unit part costs. Uwe Kreth, the head of product management and technical support for Schuler in Germany, describes the crossbar transfer press system as unique in the U.S., noting that two of these presses were already in operation in European automotive manufacturing facilities.