Älmhults Gjuteri strengthens grinding performance with DISA GRIND
From manual variability to automated performance
For more than 75 years, Älmhults Gjuteri has supplied high-quality castings in Grey- and Ductile iron to demanding industries. But as customer expectations increased and access to skilled grinding labor became more difficult, the foundry faced a growing challenge.
Manual grinding, carried out by up to 15 operators, made it difficult to ensure consistent results, required continuous training of new staff and exposed operators to vibration, dust and noise. The finishing department had become a bottleneck that limited both scalability and stability.
Älmhult needed a solution that could simultaneously improve quality, increase safety, stabilize capacity and reduce operating cost. The answer was automation.
Choosing a solution that could deliver on all fronts
Älmhult was aware of DISA’s reputation for providing high-quality and reliable solutions. During their evaluation of grinding automation systems, one solution distinguished itself as a particularly suitable option.
“The DISA GRIND combined everything we needed - user-friendliness, performance and competitive operating cost,” explains Alexander Karsten, Plant Manager.
The decision was not only about replacing manual work. It was about strengthening long-term competitiveness, stabilizing output and preparing the plant for future production demands.
From installation to operation in hours
Implementation confirmed the decision. The project ran smoothly from ordering through shipment, installation and handover. “Installation and start-up were plug and play, and training was completed during installation. After only a few hours we were independently programming and running the machine,” says Alexander.
DISA GRIND includes unlimited program lines as standard. Many of Älmhults’ castings require more than 2,000 programming lines, making this capability essential.
Ease of use quickly proved to be a defining advantage. Programming new takes only 5 – 15 hours depending on complexity. Fixtures can be produced internally in a few hours using simple materials, giving the team full control, high agility and very low tooling cost. Once in operation, changeovers between casting types take just five minutes, keeping utilization high and enabling rapid response to customer requirements.
Critical changeovers
For jobbing foundries, rapid changeovers are critical. DISA GRIND supports this with exceptional flexibility:
“We can make a production change from one casting to another in just 5 minutes, keeping uptime and machine utilization very high,” says Kevin Malmberg who is operating the grinding machines.
Immediate impact: stable quality and better work environment
One of the most important goals was to improve grinding consistency - and the results were evident almost immediately. “We see a very stable grinding result with DISA GRIND, a consistency our customers clearly notice and appreciate.”
Automated force control adapts grinding pressure to each casting, ensuring uniform results while minimizing wear. “We have been running with the same tool for six months without replacing it, and wear on wheels and pins remains minimal.”
This stability has reduced variation, minimized rework and improved downstream process reliability, strengthening both productivity and customer satisfaction.
A safer workplace and a more reliable process
Automation has also transformed working conditions. Operators are no longer exposed to vibration, airborne dust or excessive noise, and many manual handling tasks have been eliminated. This improves wellbeing, reduces physical strain and supports long-term workforce stability at a time when skilled grinding labor is increasingly difficult to find.
From a production perspective, reliability has been equally impressive. “100% uptime so far — no breakdowns.” With minimal and predictable maintenance requirements, the machine ensures stable planning, avoids unplanned stops and more stable product quality.
A future-ready finishing operation
Today, DISA GRIND plays a central role in Älmhults Gjuteri’s finishing strategy. What began as a step to solve operational challenges has become a competitive advantage, delivering consistent quality, fast changeovers, stable operating cost, improved safety and dependable up time in one integrated solution.
“We would absolutely recommend DISA GRIND,” Alexander concludes. “It has strengthened our competitiveness, improved safety and prepared our plant for the future of casting production.”