Unisign sets the standard that all other machine manufacturers should live up to

August 28, 2023

HOMAG machines large components for its edge banding machines on a UNIPORT6000. This CNC machine plays a vital role in the company’s entire production process. To ensure that the machine remains as reliable as possible, HOMAG took out a three-year maintenance agreement with Unisign.

“We don’t have an in-house maintenance department,” explains the company’s Factory Manager, Ernst Voss. “And the UNIPORT6000 is one of our core machines, so if it breaks down, we will have a huge problem on our hands. Unplanned downtime is a big no-no for us, especially as from a technical point of view, the UNIPORT6000 is also more complex than our previous machine. That is exactly why we felt it was only logical to entrust routine servicing to Unisign. We wanted to get it right from the beginning.”

Major and minor servicing

Each year, the UNIPORT6000 undergoes a major and minor service. As the Production Manager Manfred Kintzen explains, “Unisign coordinates these service dates with us in good time. That way, we are able to make sure that production is impacted as little as possible. Unisign brings everything it needs with it to carry out the service. And thanks to the maintenance agreement, we get a 10% discount on all spare parts.”

Diagnosing issues remotely

Unexpected malfunctions are not covered by the maintenance agreement, but should one ever occur, Unisign is always on hand to help HOMAG get back up and running. Kintzen: “Unisign is able to resolve a lot of issues remotely or over the phone. For more serious matters, there’s really no other option but to call out an engineer, and with Unisign, that too is never any problem at all. Their people certainly have the right mindset and always try to help us as quickly as possible. Whenever the machine unexpectedly comes to a halt, they’re on site straight away and can remove the faulty part and replace it in no time.”

Production employees who work with the UNIPORT6000 can also get in touch with one of our contacts at Unisign at a moment’s notice if they need to. Kintzen: “Unisign provides a stellar service over the phone. They really know their machines inside out. In many cases, we’ve been able to get the machine up and running again after just one phone call.”

Going further

In addition to a tailored maintenance agreement, Unisign’s Service department offers other services, which HOMAG can also positively attest to. Kintzen: “Recently we had a machine break down. An expert from Unisign then made a visit and carried out a geometry check for us to ensure the machining would be accurate. The deviations recorded were taken into account and rectified the next time the machine was serviced.”

Keeping a spare part as back-up

Kintzen: “When purchasing the UNIPORT6000, we also bought a second right angular indexing head. Experience shows that this head is used in 80% of our machining operations. While we know that Unisign also provides machining heads on loan, we didn’t want to have to rely on that and would rather have a spare head available whenever we need it. If we notice something is wrong with a head, we send it to Unisign for inspection or repair. Luckily, we haven’t had any spindle damage yet. But Unisign also offers a special service for that too and replaces spindles on location.”

Responding rapidly

Factory Manager Voss: “Unisign’s response time is outstanding. They simply know what’s at stake and how important it is to act quickly if something goes wrong with the UNIPORT6000 machine. In our eyes, Unisign sets the standard that all other machine manufacturers should live up to.”

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