Rosenbauer opened a new production plant at Karlsruhe's Rheinhafen in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe, high-ranking representatives of the Baden-Württemberg fire brigades as well as partners and guests. It is the first robot-supported production of ladder sets for turntable ladder vehicles worldwide.
The almost complete digitization of production has created a factory of the future that not only brings advantages in terms of productivity, process reliability, component precision and quality of the end products, but also secures qualified jobs.
digitized production plant
Dieter Siegel, CEO of Rosenbauer International: “We have invested a total of 4.2 million euros in robot-supported production and high-quality workplaces. With the new, digitized production plant, we are taking a big step towards industry 4.0 and securing our excellent, international competitive position in aerial rescue equipment in the long term.”
We have been involved in Karlsruhe for 22 years and operate the location as a competence center for aerial rescue vehicles"
“We have been involved in Karlsruhe for 22 years and operate the location as a competence center for aerial rescue vehicles. Today, with the turntable ladders and aerial rescue platforms that are developed and produced here, we are technologically leading and successful with customers around the world. ” The key technology of the new production is the welding of the ladder sets on the most modern, completely newly developed robot systems.
articulated turntable ladders
With articulated turntable ladders with a rescue height of 30 meters, these consist of over 500 different components and more than 1,500 individual parts. Every single part and every plug connection is designed precisely and unmistakably (Poka Yoke principle) and digitally recorded. This ensures that they fit together like a lock and key and that any errors in the production process are excluded from the outset.
The parts come into production as data sets, are precisely cut to size on laser machines and provided with precisely fitting slots, holes, tabs and tenons. In the next step, they are positioned on special fixtures and stapled before they are welded together by robots. The welding robots have laser scanning and stereo cameras in order to be able to see precisely where a weld is to be made.
Robot-Assisted production
The new, digitized production was implemented in cooperation with numerous partners from the region
Daniel Tomaschko, CTO of Rosenbauer International: “With its robot-assisted production, the Karlsruhe location is the world leader in the production technology of turntable ladders. We can manufacture even the most complex ladder sets with high precision and in parallel, and we are working with a completely new logistics concept.”
“This makes the entire production process extremely efficient and we can raise productivity potentials of up to 40 percent compared to traditional ladder set production.” The new, digitized production was implemented in cooperation with numerous partners from the region. These include primarily Carl Cloos welding technology, which supplied the welding robots, Sondermaschinenbau Calvörde, from which the devices originate, and Leisinger Germany, the partner in laser technology.
technology-Oriented companies
The project was supported by the regional business associations and the city of Karlsruhe, which creates the best possible location for technology-oriented companies such as Rosenbauer. Lord Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup: “I am very pleased that this investment by the Rosenbauer Group is a clear commitment to Karlsruhe as a location and to securing jobs.”
Rosenbauer Karlsruhe GmbH is and will remain one of the most important local players"
“The long history of the development of fire-fighting equipment in our city is thus continued and Karlsruhe is further strengthened as an innovation location. Rosenbauer Karlsruhe GmbH is and will remain one of the most important local players that carries the strengths of Karlsruhe as a business location to the outside world. ”
aerial rescue platforms
The Karlsruhe location is the Rosenbauer development and production center for turntable ladders and aerial rescue platforms according to European standards with its own service and training center. Rosenbauer employs around 500 people here, who produce 200 aerial rescue devices a year and deliver them to customers all over the world.
A cross-section of the vehicle range was on display during the opening of the plant, including six turntable ladders with 32 m rescue height for customers in Germany, Austria, Serbia, Saudi Arabia and Australia, two turntable ladders with 24 and 27 m rescue heights and compact bogies, three aerial rescue platforms with 32, 45 and 55 m working height as well as the brand new L32A-XSF, whose official market launch will take place at the Florian fire brigade fair from October 8th to 10th in Dresden.
