Founded in 1892, Doppelmayr applies its unique know-how to enhance cities around the world. Its expertise spans both winter-equipping ski resorts (ski lifts, gondolas, and other systems)—and summer, by facilitating travel across the most difficult-to-access terrain. But Doppelmayr is also making its mark in urban areas by introducing cable transport systems that relieve traffic congestion.
Doppelmayr: a group defined by superlatives
The Doppelmayr Group has mastered the art of building ski lifts. Demonstrating its expertise across the globe, the group continually surpasses itself with record-breaking projects. As early as 1893, Doppelmayr created the world’s first CabriO cable car at Stanserhorn, firmly establishing Swiss know-how. Another feat is the design of a cable car whose cabins can accommodate no fewer than 230 passengers for the journey over Ha Long Bay. From its world’s tallest tower (189 m), passengers have plenty of time to admire the Vietnamese landscape. The group has also equipped La Paz (Bolivia) with the world’s largest urban cable car network. This ambitious project has won over Bolivians by spanning nearly twenty kilometers above the capital.
Behind these records and superlatives, Doppelmayr had to expand its production facility in Wolfurt, Austria. With 6,000 m² of available space, the facility can now accommodate two large-scale machining centers, thereby increasing the manufacturer’s production capacity. To manage the programming and manufacturing data for its structures, the world’s leading cable car manufacturer has partnered with TopSolid.
Doppelmayr x TOPSOLID: a proven partnership
The partnership between Doppelmayr and TopSolid is not new. At the start of their collaboration, programming was handled by TopSolid’Cam, an essential CAD/CAM software solution for seamless machining.
“It’s important for us to have a single supplier and to work with an experienced partner,” explains Peter Hauts, programming manager at Doppelmayr. “In addition to technical expertise, we appreciate the team’s responsiveness, their handling of TopSolid-related issues and manufacturing strategies, as well as the solutions they provide, which we receive immediately,” he adds. For the engineer, TOPSOLID is a trusted partner whose expertise in customer relations is reflected in its technological capabilities. In fact, TopSolid software is developed by incorporating customers’ practical experience and suggestions. It was in this context that the TopSolid’ShopFloor tool was created. This tool has now won over nearly half of TopSolid’s customers around the world (Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Eastern Europe through an intergroup network, and Southeast Asia).
The need for tool management quickly became apparent, and Doppelmayer turned to TopSolid’ShopFloor’s expertise to manage manufacturing data.
TopSolid'ShopFloor, the essential technical assistant in the manufacturing process of your parts
What sets TOPSOLID apart is its commitment to listening to its customers. To align with Industry 4.0, the company developed TopSolid'ShopFloor, which meets the requirements for managing the entire manufacturing process.
TopSolid'ShopFloor is a comprehensive production data management system that manages CNC programs - whether or not they were created by TopSolid - as well as tool and production data, and then transmits them directly to tool setters and machines. Its modular structure adapts to companies of all sizes and can be used as a DNC system or a production data manager.
“With TopSolid'ShopFloor, we benefit from significant added value,” says Peter Hauts. “The difference between TopSolid V6 and the current version, TopSolid 7 with TopSolid'ShopFloor, is striking. On our end, it requires more preparatory work in terms of documentation, but the resulting benefits are considerable. We’ve achieved significantly higher efficiency thanks to digital output for production and value-added programs. This means we don’t need to adjust the machine, which provides us with much greater process reliability,” explains Nihad Subasic from the programming team.
TopSolid'ShopFloor optimizes the work of the manufacturer’s teams for Heidenhain and Siemens controls and handles tool presetting using the Zoller solution, as well as tool and inventory management modules such as the Storage Manager - a module for locating components or complete tools in the warehouse, on machines, or on mobile tool carts. One of the solution’s advantages is the real-time updating of current data.
In its pursuit of performance and productivity, TopSolid'ShopFloor facilitates the reading of laser-engraved DataMatrix codes on tools. Thus, scanning replaces paper when it comes to retrieving machine correction data or registering a complete tool in a warehouse.
In a world where the car is gradually losing ground to urban transit, Doppelmayer’s cable-based structures are still in their infancy. The example of La Paz should indeed inspire cities seeking to relieve traffic congestion on their main thoroughfares or facilitate connections between municipalities.
For Doppelmayer, TopSolid tools are a reliable asset in the design of their equipment and will always meet their customers’ requirements and needs.
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