CASE STUDY: Heiwo (NL)

"The end of unexpected downtime of our production lines, thanks to the right insights."

About the project

Heiwo assigned UNIS Group to prepare an inventory of the electronics included in the control cabinet of two glue machines, and to list the availability of the parts.

Company: Carrosseriebouw Heiwo

Industry: Automotive Supplier / Bodywork construction

Number of employees: 100+

Challenge: Extending the life of machinery and preventing unexpected downtime.

Service: Stocktaking and evaluation

About Carrosseriebouw Heiwo

Heiwo is the ultimate Dutch specialist in customer-specific body construction of top quality.

Heiwo specializes in making refrigerated and freezer trailers, vegetable and flower trailers and LHV combinations.

High-quality cooling technology is of paramount importance to Heiwo. They ensure customers can transport their products from A to B, safely and satisfied.

Check out Heiwo's website

Heiwo's challenge/issue

"Is it time to invest in new machines, or can we possibly extend the life of our existing machines for another 5-10 years?"

The future of the machinery was discussed in the annual consultation between the TSD and the Management at the start of 2020. Heiwo had been using the production lines for a number of years (consisting of two glue machines), and one of the two machines had recently unexpectedly been down for a day due to a defective electronics part. Very annoying and the last thing they needed.

The following question was raised: "Is it time to invest in new machines, or can we possibly extend the life of our existing machines for another 5-10 years?" The condition for the latter option was that the chance of failure (unexpected downtime) would be minimal.

At that time, both Management and TSD preferred to extend the service life. Looking into the matter, it turned out that the investment in two new machines would still be too high, and that extending the life of the machines would probably be two to three times cheaper.

However, there was one problem: "The technical service is not fully informed of the contents of the control cabinet." The TSD had a good idea as to which mechanical parts were in the machines. But it was unclear which electronics were included in the machine controls, and whether these parts could still be supplied. After all, PLC technology in the machines was already fairly outdated.

Because UNIS Group was able to deliver a refurbished item during the aforementioned unexpected downtime – within 1 day – Heiwo decided to turn to UNIS Group for this issue as well.

Our solution: ‘Stocktaking and evaluation’

Heiwo's issue fits in well with our 'Stocktaking and evaluation.' service. On site, we prepare an inventory of the electronics present in the control cabinets to be able to clarify the availability of the electronics in these cabinets.

The stocktaking

One of our Field Service Engineers has taken stock on-site of the electronics present in the control cabinet of the glue machines. We also took a picture of each module, so we can also check the accuracy of the data on the modules afterwards. These photos are also valuable to Heiwo: should there be any uncertainty in the future, Heiwo can always find the right information.

After our visit to the Heiwo factory in Wolvega (The Netherlands), we listed the following:

The (worldwide) availability & supply of the electronics, both new and refurbished.
The electronics for which UNIS Group offers a service.
Which electronics can be repaired.

'Critical modules'

Modules that are difficult to supply or cannot be repaired often appear to be critical modules. These parts can potentially cause (long-term) downtime of production lines if they become defective.

Our advice to Heiwo

"To extend the life of the machines and reduce the risk of future (long-term) downtime, it is important to always have a spare part for the 'critical modules' and a selection of 'essential modules' on the shelf."

The result: Better insight and less of a chance for unexpected downtime

After the stocktaking and the accompanying advisory report, Heiwo decided to invest in stocking the critical and essential modules (mainly PLCs and drives). UNIS Group was commissioned to take care of the stock.

In our extensive network of suppliers, we searched for, and overhauled, the critical parts. For example, we ensured that Heiwo had all critical parts tested and in order, on the shelf in their warehouse in Wolvega.

In the end, having a stocktake done by UNIS Group and the purchase of new spares stock was a (much) cheaper option than purchasing a completely new production line.

And that's not all. If a part breaks down, the TSD immediately sends it to UNIS Group for repair. Thus, Heiwo's TSD, together with UNIS Group, ensures the risk of downtime is minimized and the production lines can easily function without problems for another 5 years.

Johnny van Smirren, (TSD tech at Heiwo) is pleased with the result:

"Thanks to the insights gained from the UNIS advisory report and the creation of our 'critical stock', we can act much faster. As a result, there is no longer any long-term downtime due to a lack of electronics. We are happy with the service provided and the result. When it comes to electronics, we will also call on UNIS Group in the future."

Would you like to know more about our 'Stocktaking and evaluation' service?

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