The overall common goal is to take care of the soldiers in the best possible way, when KONSGBERG and RIVAL collaborate on the weapons station productions.
Top-shelf quality and delivery ability is a must in the defense industry and in RIVAL’s collaboration with German KMW.
RIVAL’s customers in the defence industry place great demands on RIVAL’s employees and machines. Just now, RIVAL has signed a multi-year agreement with a customer to produce components to the armoured Stryker vehicle used in the American Defense.
RIVAL’s new 17 tons DMG MORI NTX 2500 machine works with extreme stability and precision. It works around the clock unmanned with the KUKA robot from QRS.
After several weeks of implementation, the DMG MORI machine and the KUKA robot from Quality Robot Systems (QRS) are now ready to produce critical and costly components with particularly high tolerances to the armoured Stryker vehicle. It happens during evenings and nights only monitored by one employee.
Four parts invent a new production set up
The preparatory work to the production of the components to the Stryker vehicle was initiated several month ago in an innovative collaboration between RIVAL, DMG MORI, the tool manufacturer Seco Tools and QRS. Previously, the components had to go through two turning and milling operations. Now, in the new setup with the DMG MORI machine and the KUKA robot, the entire production is carried out in one fixing. This reduces the time spent as well as the risk of errors.
Reduces the need of quality control
The DMG MORI machine is very special. Due to its weight and size as well as its build-in cooling system, the machine operates with extreme precision – even at many repetitions.
“Extreme precision is an essential element when we have to comply with demanding tolerances over a long production period,” foremann Glenn Scharling says. “Thus, it provides a great advantage in serial productions of complex components to the armoured Stryker and is supported by the machine’s ability to both turn and mill in one fixing.”
Significant streamlining of the production
With the new set-up, both RIVAL and DMG expect to be able to reduce the production time by half. “Since we can avoid having components waiting on pallets before the next operation, the production process is streamlined significantly,” Henrik Holvad says. “It also reduces the risk of errors and streamlines the process of control measuring tolerances in our Zeiss measurement machine. So, we can offer our customers in the defense industry a really good deal, which is also the reason why, we entered into this new agreement.”
Se flere nyheder
On Tuesday, October 22, General Lieutenant Flemming Lentfer, head of Danish Ministry of Defence, visited RIVAL with some of his colleagues and representatives from General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag (GDELS).
In the past years, RIVAL has been a supplier to GDELS and therefore to the Danish Defence as well. The visit was a part of the Danish Defence’s – including the Danish Ministry of Defence’s – work and dialogue with the Defence Industry and its’ suppliers.
General Lieutenant Flemming Lentfer attended the tour and the dialogue at RIVAL with Lieutenant-colonel Carsten Hasenfuss, Major Torben Grinderslev and Major Christina Hviid Mailund. Representatives from GDELS also joined the tour, hosted by sales director Christian Aarup and owner Henrik Holvad from RIVAL.
Competent company
Flemming Lentfer experienced RIVAL’s interest during the visit, and he gained new insight and inspiration.
“In our dialogue with the Industry, market knowledge and ongoing visits at Danish companies are important aspects. We need to attain greater knowledge of what Danish companies can offer FMI and the Ministry of Defence’s authorities,” Flemming Lentfer said. “You are a very competent company, and it’s so important that you maintain your mantra about quality and delivery reliability.”
The stakes are high – every time
Through the years, RIVAL has produced critical and costly components to combat vehicles such as PRIANHA P5, EAGLE 5, Leopard 2 and Ajax.
“When it comes to such jobs, it’s so important to focus a hundred percent on quality and delivery, because the stakes are so high,” owner Henrik Holvad says. “If we fail on the quality, catastrophic consequences might follow. It’s a matter of life and death, and our employees are extremely aware of that. Therefore, they go to great lengths to solve the jobs to the letter.”
Se flere nyheder
RIVAL has valuable collaborations with many companies in the defence industry, who appreciate RIVAL’s competencies within production of critical and costly components as well as serial production of system supplies.
RIVAL’s production runs around the clock and our robots work closely together with the advanced multi-processing centres. RIVAL’s employees are planning the working process in details and they make sure to follow the customer’s demands on tolerances and documentation.
To-sided production strategy
The customers in the defence industry are interested in RIVAL’s to-sided production strategy. The strategy focuses on producing other components, than those typically produced, by increasing the number of employees, who work at night.
Favourable overall economy
“An effective production, which runs according to the plan is crucial to the customers. At the same time, they value our technical insight and our ability to work in many different materials as well as accommodating the customers communication-wise,” says sales director Christian Aarup. “They appreciate the fact that we offer all of the element in the RIVAL package, which is always adjusted to each customer’s requirements. This results in our customers having a very favourable overall economy and high-quality components.”
Se flere nyheder
Machined component developer and manufacturer RIVAL, is well placed in the defence industry, and has just won an order on a system delivery of advanced components. This means that production will be busy.
The new order must be delivered in the coming years. “Production of the test components is starting up here now, and must be completed before the year end,” says RIVAL Sales Manager Christian Aarup.
Together with RIVAL’s CEO Carsten Tønnes, he has just been to Switzerland to negotiate and finalise the last few details in connection with the order.
Critical components
During the spring, RIVAL supplied the first critical components for a type of military vehicle. The new orders are for two other unique components for other military vehicles.
Strong system deliveries
The orders confirm that RIVAL is well placed in the defence industry, and through network collaboration it has succeeded in functioning as a system supplier on the customer’s projects, which customers really value. “We’re very pleased with the strong network of subcontractors, whom we collaborate with primarily in surface treatment, certifying materials, welding, and research and development,” says Christian Aarup.
RIVAL takes full responsibility
“We know that parameters like reliability of delivery, quality, full traceability and close collaboration on the projects are crucial parameters for our customers in the defence industry. We take full responsibility for ensuring that the project meets the customer’s specifications and expectations – and also when it applies to our subcontractors,” says Christian Aarup.
Busy at RIVAL
The new orders means that RIVAL’s production is busy. “We’re of course in an ongoing dialogue with all of our good, regular customers, since it’s important that they get their orders booked in good time,” says Christian Aarup. “We value long-term customer relationships, because we know that it creates a lot of value for the customers and RIVAL. Therefore, our regular customers of course have primary access to our capacity – also even as now, when we’re extra busy.”
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