Manufacturing

Under one roof
A stand-out feature of our Hilchenbach and Mönchengladbach locations is the direct interaction between engineering and manufacturing. This naturally facilitates a continuous exchange of ideas between these departments for ongoing optimization of our products.

Expertise makes all the difference
Key to meeting your requirements is the skill of our employees. Future specialists start their careers at SMS as junior staff in special apprentice workshops. Every year, more than 170 young people embark on vocational training at SMS, learning their skills from the bottom up.

Welding is too important to be left to chance
Components for metallurgical plants must withstand extreme static and dynamic stresses. That's why SMS uses a wide range of conventional and automated welding systems to ensure optimal welded joins. Our employees are experts in welding together different materials. You can rest assured that we meet all safety and quality assurance specifications.

Turning, drilling, milling, grinding, and shaping
All our manufacturing centers are equipped with latest-generation machine tools tailored to the specific requirements of heavy plant construction. Equally important, our equipment is CNC controlled. It's standard procedure for us to write the machining programs offline using a 3D-CAM system. Then we simulate the processes in advance so we can detect and correct errors even in extremely complex machining schedules. That ensures shorter lead times.

Specialists for heavy gears
Operation under high loads, at low oscillation, and around the clock - these are requirements our gears take in their stride. Yet that's only possible because we achieve precise dimensions, shaping, and positioning. Simultaneously, all our gear parts feature high surface quality, especially on the toothing. To meet the exacting demands of these special products, we set up a dedicated production area in Hilchenbach. It covers a floor-space of 4,000 m2 and includes complete machining centers for tooth milling and grinding, plus quality assurance and assembly zones. A standalone measuring machine inspects the gearing and can handle gearwheels weighing up to 40 t with diameters of as much as 5,500 mm.

Nothing is left to chance
Depending on the order, our teams pre-assemble or fully assemble products in several dedicated halls. Also included in the assembly workshop program are functional tests and trial runs performed on our own test rigs. Next there is our pipeline field where you benefit from precise CNC bending, welding, and laying of various tube and pipe materials. Furthermore, we carry out surface treatment of components, i.e. painting and preservation, as well as preparation for shipment.

Quality assurance
High production quality is our hallmark, with quality assurance an essential factor in achieving it. Here we apply our own standards, which go far beyond the usual norms. Our testing and inspection personnel is certified according to ISO 9712. This standard specifies principles for the qualification and certification of personnel carrying out non-destructive testing. To assure the quality of our corrosion protection and colour coatings, several employees are certified as coating inspectors in accordance with NS 476 FROSIO.