Comau (a global leader in advanced industrial automation products and solutions) and Exechon (an international company with patented technologies that are being used to develop advanced parallel kinematic machine solutions) have joined forces to design and build a new Comau machining centre for producing lightweight framing and structural components for various sectors (with a particular focus on automotive, aerospace and ‘electrification’).

With the objective of “spearheading a new machining paradigm able to handle large complex aluminum parts”, the companies aim to develop a solution for their customers that can cost-effectively meet ‘key drivers within the evolving machining market’, namely: the expanded use of lightweight components that reduce fuel consumption; the growing importance of electrification for automotive manufacturers; and the increasing degree of production complexity in the aerospace sector.

Luca Ferrero, COO of Comau Machining (www.comau.com), said: “The importance of this project extends through to Comau’s ability to offer a complete service connected to electrification, with new lightweight machining centres as a central link.

“Coupling a lightweight approach in machining with our body-assembly competencies and battery assembly know-how, we can now complete the value chain and deliver advanced solutions for battery case machining and more.”

Karl Erik Neumann, Exechon CEO, said: “It has been an amazing year, as Comau and Exechon have jointly engaged in the extremely fast transition from conventional cars and planes to electrical and lightweight design.

“We have shown how combining our XMini machine with the automation skills of Comau and its people can change a manufacturing paradigm.”