23 Oct Partnership brings Tarkmet’s customers first-class automation expertise
Apex Automation is a company located in Kokkola, Finland, that specialises in automation and electrical planning, as well as machine safety. Tarkmet and Apex Automation Oy have been collaboration partners for 10 years.
Apex Automation’s Sales Director Marko Kiviniemi explains that Tarkmet’s mechanical know-how and Apex’s automation solutions complement each other perfectly. Apex Automation is involved in many of Tarkmet’s customer projects, while Tarkmet complements Apex Automation’s projects with its own special expertise.
“Our collaboration is an effective solution for both companies’ customers who, in this way, have access to both mechanical solutions and automation know-how from the same place. We engage in a great deal of product development with Tarkmet and decided to investigate how we could further improve our customers’ products together. We make good partners, as we both focus primarily on the functionality of the products from the point of view of the end user,” Kiviniemi explains.
Geological grinding machines are the result of the close cooperation
An excellent example of the collaboration between Apex Automation and Tarkmet are the grinding machines manufactured for the Swiss company Astera Solutions. These machines are used in geological survey drilling when looking for oil and minerals underground. They are used to produce thin-section bedrock samples for analysis.
“Tarkmet supplies the mechanical part of the equipment and we build the software for it. These are extremely accurate devices that contain a great deal of precision mechanics, which is why they require great expertise to make, both from us and Tarkmet.”
Integrating robots in Tarkmet’s products
According to Kiviniemi, the use of cooperation robots is on the rise. This is true for Tarkmet too, and Apex Automation has assisted Tarkmet in commissioning its new welding robot.
Kiviniemi sees great potential in adding robots into Tarkmet’s own products. They speed up customers’ production, increase safety and allow their employees to focus on more cost-effective work.
“We can integrate a robot with a press so that it inserts the required workpiece, acknowledges the task as completed and moves the piece along to the next stage. Automation of this kind is also effective in making short series of products.”
Apex Automation also performs machine safety consulting for Tarkmet. Tarkmet carries out a risk assessment of each machine delivered, and Apex participates as necessary by determining suitable safety solutions, such as photo-electric trip devices and safety scanners.
Old machines can be modernised by increasing automation
In Kiviniemi’s opinion, combining mechanics with automation makes almost anything possible. He explains that old machinery and production lines can also be modernised using automation and robotics.
“It’s best to consider which stage in your production could be made safer and more effective using automation. Together with Tarkmet, we are able to offer solutions that will increase the life cycle of your machinery. This is often a wise solution also in terms of costs.”