Case Study

Gedia Automotive Group

Advanced press hardening provides right level of quality in end products

Industry: Automotive
Application: Press hardening & Furnace systems
Date: February 2018

Gedia selects latest press hardening technology from AP&T

Gedia Automotive Group, a globally active enterprise headquartered in Germany, has been developing and manufacturing cold-formed body and chassis parts for the car industry for over 50 years. In order to meet the growing demand for structural parts with low weight and high crashworthiness, the company decided to invest in the latest press hardening technology from AP&T a few years ago.

“Gedia wanted to find a partner that could offer market-leading production solutions as well as help develop the company’s press hardening expertise. Since the very start, we have worked together to achieve the high level of flexibility, availability and quality that Gedia and its customers want to attain,” says General Manager of AP&T in Germany Michael Hunger.

Multi-Layer Furnace

So far AP&T has installed three complete press hardening lines at Gedia’s facilities in Germany and Poland. Among other things the equipment includes the latest generation of AP&T’s Multi-Layer Furnace (MLF) and AP&T’s press hardening tools. The lines are equipped with a sensor-based system that gives full control over the heating and cooling process, which is decisive in terms of ensuring each part obtains the exact properties and quality that are desired. Advanced process monitoring enables the high demands on quality imposed by car manufacturers and, for example, the CQI-9 standard to be met.

AP&T production equipment at Gedia Automotive Group, photo 1. — A sensor-based system provides full control over the heating and cooling process.

AP&T production equipment at Gedia Automotive Group, photo 2. — So far AP&T has installed three complete press hardening lines at Gedia’s facilities in Germany and Poland.

Continued cooperation

A high degree of flexibility and scalability are important to Gedia. AP&T’s Multi-Layer Furnace solution enables optimized capacity utilization. More layers can be used if production increases. If it decreases, heating can be limited to fewer levels, which also saves energy.

“At the same time that the existing lines are fully operational at Gedia’s production plants, we continue to enrich our cooperation. New material combinations and increasingly advanced technology are generating extremely exciting opportunities for the future. It is a privilege for us at AP&T to be able to continue driving the development of press hardening technology together with Gedia.”

Gedia Automotive Group develops and manufactures pressed vehicle body parts and welded assemblies for the automotive industry all over the world, and has production sites in eight countries. The headquarters are located in Attendorn, Germany.