Page 18 - Best of STIL 2018 English

Mannesmann Precision Tubes GmbH (MPT) is part of the Mannesmann Business Unit of the Salzgitter Group, and is responsible for co-
ordinating the precision tubes business which is distributed across nine locations in four countries (see image to the right). The company is headquar- tered in Mülheim/Ruhr in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
MPT produces seamless and welded precision steel tubes, including for customers from the automotive industry, the industrial sector and the energy industry. The Bielefeld-Brackwede site is particularly fascinating in terms of the quality standards applied, as this is the only company plant which produces particularly small seamless precision steel tubes. The term “precision tube”
is synonymous with extremely minute toleranc- es. Here, the technical tolerance limit is a mere 0.05 mm.
There are three production areas in Brackwede: the large-diameter pipes business for outside tube diameters of 42 to 120 mm, the medium-diameter business (22 to 42 mm) and the fine tubing field (1.5 to 22 mm). Around 3,400 tons of material is produced in Brackwede every month. At this pipe mill, however, the output volume is measured by distance – equating to some 3,400 kilometers of tube. The annual production output is equivalent to the distance of traveling once around the globe.
As part of the company’s thorough quality assurance work, all process data is automatically recorded and monitored from the very start of
production. The system triggers an alarm in the case of deviations, calling in experts to check and decide whether the material in question is suitable for precision tube production. Checking the alloy additions is also important, given how decisive these are for the formability and future character- istics of the precision tubes.
The pre-material, so-called hollows, are drawn several times, heated, finished and cut to cre-
ate precision steel tubes of the highest quality. Throughout the entire process, employees con- stantly check the quality of the tubes harnessing cutting-edge testing technology.
Every employee is responsible for adherence
to set standards within their own workplace. The communication between employees is a key factor in achieving this. Every day, responsible staff with- in a department gather for so-called “Stammtisch” meetings to discuss any issues and solve problems.
After straightening in the 10-roller straightening machine, non-destructive testing is carried out using ultrasound technology. The sealing of the tubes is then checked by way of eddy
A Salzgitter AG company since 2000
Sales: € 470 million (2018) Capacity: 310,000 t Employees: 2,400, of which 300 in Brackwede (2017) Business areas: Automotive, trade and industry, energy
Info: www.mannes- mann-precision-tubes.com
current testing – a particularly important step for pressurized
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18 QUALITY
Ali Aras, First galvanizer at the galvanizing facility in Brackwede, checks the surface coating. He examines the workpiece in sunlight and is satisfied – no faults detected
Photos: Gunnar Garms