Romer Omega Portable Measuring Arm Helps Krayer GmbH Comply With ISO9001 Standards, Assuring Global Reach For Products

The picturesque Lake Constance, located near the rim of the Alpine region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, is home to Krayer GmbH, a middle-sized company of about 50 employees specializing in the production of 3D forming parts. The company has a rich history, dating back to 1884, when Franz-Joseph Krayer founded a modest fabrication shop in the lakeside town of Langenargen. The business has weathered two world wars and the turbulent hyper-inflation times in-between, only to see its pressing equipment completely confiscated by the allied occupying forces right after the end of WWII. However, the company rose from the ashes and expanded, quickly making up the losses.

The product offerings are mindboggling. Over 1,000 tons of rolled and cut sheet metal in all grades, shapes and thicknesses are kept in stock at any one time. Tens of thousands of tools are stored in the basement, utilizing a modern motorized storage system for quick access. The customers are primarily subcontractors to the commercial vehicle sector, many of which have been cooperating with Krayer for decades, such as world-famous ZF from Friedrichshafen, who are known for their high-performance gearboxes found in the world’s fastest production sedans and sports cars. But Krayer also produces a plethora of pressed sheet metal parts varying from largesized sinks for the gastronomy industry to the “indestructible” keyboards found at public-space internet access point booths.

Managing Director Christoph Brugger points out: “We specialize in fabricating small and medium-sized runs of pressed and perforated sheet metal parts, with series running anywhere from just one part to tens, hundreds or thousands of parts. For smaller runs, we rely on oldfashioned manpower. Larger runs are automated, and we use industrial robots to free up our workforce for those tasks for which programming a robot would be too time-intensive relative to the time savings resulting from automation. Our extensive collection of tools lets us quickly alter production runs, and we can also rapidly manufacture new tools, which is very important for the development of prototypes. Within a very short period of time, we are able to produce sample parts based on test tools, letting us keep pace with the ever-changing needs of our customers. . . . .