When Bang & Olufsen in Denmark decided to start manufacturing aluminum speaker grills for its car sound systems, the company chose Swedish AP&T as its partner.
Consistently ranked as one of the coolest brands in the world, Bang & Olufsen has a unique position in the industry. No other manufacturer of sound systems and televisions is as clearly tied to high-class design as B&O. In a matter of only two years, the company has also managed to reach the top position among car sound system brands in the premium segment. This is where AP&T enters the picture.
Quality for the ear and eye
A sound system is more than just sound coming out of speakers – it is also very much a matter of what the speakers look like. In a luxury car, every minor detail should help create the overall impression that the designer wants to achieve and the customer wants to obtain. This also applies to speaker grills.
A couple of years ago, B&O decided to start producing strong aluminum speaker grills for its most exclusive sound systems for Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Aston Martin. The material offers a clear sensation of quality, is timely and has been characteristic of B&O for quite some time. The next step involved locating a press equipment and tool supplier that could satisfy B&O's high demands on flexibility and reliability. The company ultimately chose AP&T. The contract was signed in fall 2010, and the first press was installed at B&O's production facility in Sturer on Jylland in June this year. Since then, AP&T has supplied 54 press tools for speaker grills of various sizes and shapes.
"AP&T was the supplier best able to satisfy our demands for presses and tools. For example, accessibility is very important to us. We run short series and need to change tools five or six times a day – and it has to be done quickly and easily," says Carsten Jensen, Purchasing Manager B&O.
It will be time for the next press to be installed at the factory in Struer in spring 2012.
"It is naturally very gratifying that B&O chose our solution, that the transaction has developed so positively and that we continue to have B&O's confidence," says Peter Karlsson, who is the AP&T manager in Denmark.
Precision and finish all the way
The road to finished speaker grills starts with a rectangular, two centimeter thick aluminum plate, with space for up to eight blanks depending on the type of grill that is to be produced. The plate is first equipped with control holes and fixing pins. The pattern of holes is then drilled into the grill as specified by the designer's drawings. The drill has two spindles, each of which can handle 10 holes a second. Drilling was chosen over punching due to quality considerations since drilling gives a higher quality finish. The plate is then fixed to a vacuum plate that holds it in place while the blanks are being cut. After washing, it is time for pressing. A 315 metric ton ODEN multi purpose press and tools from AP&T are used for this step.
"The greatest challenge for us involved producing tools that can cope with the advanced shapes and at the same time provide a high degree of precision and top-quality finish," says Stefan Andersson, Sales Manager at AP&T Tooling Solutions.
A large part of the tool design is achieved with advanced computer calculations and simulations that derive from the properties of the material and the shape of the end product. The first calculations form the basis for a tool prototype that is used for trial production of a few parts. The parts are measured and scanned, and the results are used to further refine the tool using new calculations and remilling before the final shape is achieved.
When the blank has been pressed, anodizing is the final step in the manufacturing chain. During this step, the surface of the speaker grill is treated and painted in order to achieve the exact sensation sought by B&O's and the car manufacturer's designers.
It might even ultimately end up in one of the luxury cars B&O uses to demonstrate its most advanced sound systems. This means 19 speakers, 1400 W and DKK 150,000. Primarily, though, it means a sensational experience for both the ear and the eye.
Brief information about B&O
- Bang & Olufsen manufactures a highly distinctive and exclusive range of televisions, music systems, loudspeakers, telephones, and multimedia products that combine technological excellence with emotional appeal.
- Bang & Olufsen products are sold by over 1,000 dealers in more than 100 countries
- Bang & Olufsen employs over 2,000 people.
- The company was founded in 1925 in Struer, Denmark.
