Case Study MH WIRTH, GERMANY

MHWirth is a German drilling rig supplier to the oil sector. At their factory in Erkelenz in Western Germany, they produce mud pumps, winches for offshore and onshore platforms and other products for related industries. Since 2007, it has been carrying out all its milling and boring work with JUARISTI machines. Its experience has been so positive that it currently operates four machines of different models.

MHWirth has made a name for itself in the global Oil and Gas industry. It is one of the most prominent companies in the world in drilling equipment supply. The numbers speak for themselves: 1,450 employees in 12 countries and more than 500 successfully completed installations worldwide.

The in-house machining of most of its equipment’s critical components takes place at its headquarters in Erkelenz in Western Germany. To do so, they have been trusting in JUARISTI solutions since 2007.

That year they purchased a TX3 Planer type Machining Center a year later they opted for a TS5 Horizontal Boring Machine for machining large components. According to Escher, they trusted JUARISTI because “it offered a great machine at a reasonable cost” and, secondly, because JUARISTI’s sales and technical staff supported it “throughout the process, from the first consultation”.

Another aspect that pleasantly surprised it in the early stages of its relationship with JUARISTI was the cooperation in the design and configuration of the machine. “They immediately provided us with 3D models of their machines and tools for our CAM software, which allowed us to simulate machining processes before running the programme on the machine”, recalls Escher, who recognises that having these tools has simplified processes and significantly improved results.

The first two machines “delivered great results” from day one, which led them to choose JUARISTI again in 2013, investing in a more compact machining center model, the TX1. According to Eneko Ariznabarreta, this boring-milling center was equipped with various automated systems to improve its productivity in repetitive part making. “The TX we designed for MHWirth is a very well-rounded multifunction machine. It has a 4-pallet system with an automatic changeover, a powerful automatic tool change system (ATC) that is compatible with up to 120 tools, and a rotary loading and unloading station. It also boasts adaptive control technology, which enables the machine to adapt its power in real-time to the material requirements”, sums up Ariznabarreta.

Use of this technology helped address one of MHWirth’s key production challenges. As Escher explains, they often face stringent tolerances when machining various types of molten, stainless, duplex or Inconel steel, especially in gearbox machining.

A huge step forward: MP RAM hydrostatic boring machine

In 2014, they were so satisfied that they took the next step up in quality with an MP5 RAM Floor type Boring – Milling Machine featuring hydrostatic technology, the most cutting-edge solution in JUARISTI’s catalogue.

Immediate support thanks to the German Service Hub From MHWirth, they claim to be very satisfied with their experience with JUARISTI, especially in terms of the design and manufacturing cooperation, and the stride forward they have achieved in the quality of their production. “We operate in a market that demands short lead times and personalised products. We work in small batches because we make everything on demand. So, our machines must be flexible and reliable. And reliability means not only good machining times, but also repeatable accuracy”, explains Escher.

Another reason that contributed to the customer’s satisfaction is the opening of a JUARISTI managed Service Hub in Germany. “Our work is very demanding. We sometimes carry out up to three very demanding machining shifts in a row. So, it is normal that this creates incidents sometimes. But in those moments, it is very important to receive immediate support to reduce downtime, and having a service center nearby has helped us a lot in that aspect”, MHWirth representatives explained.

“JUARISTI took a big step forward by setting up its own service division in Germany in 2017. Now it is close to the end customer and very accessible. That has considerably improved the quality of its service”, concludes Escher.

The MP5 was adapted to MWirth’s specifications and optimised for machining medium to large sized components. “This large boring machine was equipped with a unique horizontal head for machining large gearboxes. On the other hand, it was equipped with a table that is compatible with parts of 60 tonnes, making it ideal for machining large gearbox parts”, recalls Ariznabarreta.

Immediate support thanks to the German Service Hub

From MHWirth, they claim to be very satisfied with their experience with JUARISTI, especially in terms of the design and manufacturing cooperation, and the stride forward they have achieved in the quality of their production. “We operate in a market that demands short lead times and personalised products. We work in small batches because we make everything on demand. So, our machines must be flexible and reliable. And reliability means not only good machining times, but also repeatable accuracy”, explains Escher.

Another reason that contributed to the customer’s satisfaction is the opening of a JUARISTI managed Service Hub in Germany. “Our work is very demanding. We sometimes carry out up to three very demanding machining shifts in a row. So, it is normal that this creates incidents sometimes. But in those moments, it is very important to receive immediate support to reduce downtime, and having a service center nearby has helped us a lot in that aspect”, MHWirth representatives explained.

“JUARISTI took a big step forward by setting up its own service division in Germany in 2017. Now it is close to the end customer and very accessible. That has considerably improved the quality of its service”, concludes Escher