(847) 934-4500

Contact us today:

Category Archives: German Machine Tools of America

GMTA News Of Note (Issue 2013-5)

vlcsnap-2012-05-30-15h26m58s146

Ann Arbor, Michigan – GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema and WMZ.  These machines are sold to the North American market by GMTA primarily for gear and spline production, as well as other power transmission applications.  The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG and other heavy equipment manufacturing.  Machines are provided for gear honing, gear grinding, the patented Scudding® process for gearmaking, polygon milling, turning, gear tooth pointing and multi-task machining operations.

-GMTA is embarking on an aggressive new ad program in 2014, seeking to expand its market reach in automotive and gain additional exposure in other machine tool end users sectors, including aerospace, medical and energy.  This effort will be enhanced by a direct marketing and social media campaign, as the company ramps up to a major presence planned for IMTS in September.In the news…

IMG_1444

-GMTA recently sponsored a learning day for local area school children, including all 7th graders from the Saline, Michigan schools who are currently studying German.  The group visited Frankenmuth, Michigan, which bills itself as “the American town with a German Bavarian heritage.”   The group visited the historical museum and enjoyed an array of fun activities.  Frankenmuth is also home to America’s premier Christmas store!

-GMTA recently became a member of the Michigan Chapter of the German American Chamber of Commerce.  Claudia Hambelton from GMTA attended the annual Fall Dinner, where the keynote speaker was Sheryl Connelly, the Global Consumer Trends and Futuring Manager for Ford, who spoke on the topic of how companies can prepare themselves for oncoming trends in the market.

-An open house to celebrate the newly expanded facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan will be held soon.  Details to come, so stay tuned!

-A definitive explanation on the Scudding® process for gearmaking, plus informative videos on this breakthrough technology, are now available from GMTA.  Click HERE to access the video.

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (GERMAN MACHINE TOOLS OF AMERICA)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  scott@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy
Connect with GMTA online: yt twit gplus fb

Continue reading

GMTA News Of Note (Issue 2013-4)

Ann Arbor, Michigan – GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema and WMZ. These machines are sold to the North American market by GMTA primarily for gear and spline production, as well as other power transmission applications. The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG and other heavy equipment manufacturing.  Machines are provided for gear honing, gear grinding, Scudding®, polygon milling, turning, gear tooth pointing and multiple machining operations.

MaikSchminke

Maik Schminke is named Manager of Controls Engineering & Programming

In the news…

-Effective October 1, Maik Schminke was named Manager of Controls Engineering & Programming at the Ann Arbor facility of GMTA.  According to GMTA President Walter Friedrich, “This appointment fills our need to provide and support customers with machine tool controls, SPS, PLC and CNC programming.” Schminke has worked for the past 12 years at the German partner to GMTA, Diskus, part of the large DVS Group in Germany). Prior to Diskus, he worked at Pittler, another GMTA partner company in Germany and also a DVS Group company. Schminke completed his apprenticeship program, while at Pittler.

-EMO was a BIG success for all the partners to GMTA. Walter Friedrich and Scott Knoy from GMTA attended the show and saw many North American customers and friends, then visited their partner companies. As it was Oktoberfest in Germany, Walter and Scott also sampled several local brews. A good time was had by all!

-Plans are underway to have an open house at the newly renovated GMTA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  This expanded facility now houses parts and service, a full machine demo center, sales and corporate management for this growing machine tool company.  GMTA is the exclusive North American distributor for leading German machine tool builders and tooling suppliers, concentrated in the gear and spline production machine markets.

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  scott@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online: yt twit gplus fb

Continue reading

GMTA News Of Note (Issue 2013-3)

Ann Arbor, Michigan – GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema and WMZ.  These machines are sold to the North American market by GMTA primarily for gear and spline production, as well as other power transmission applications.  The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG and other heavy equipment manufacturing.  Machines are provided for gear honing, gear grinding, Scudding®, polygon milling, turning, gear tooth pointing and multiple machining operations.

In the news…

– The renovation of the GMTA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan is now complete with plans in the works for future expansion of the campus.  Additional floorspace, showroom capacity and training facilities, plus more personnel, are planned, according to company VP Scott Knoy.  In that regard, two personnel announcements were made by GMTA company President Walter Friedrich on August 1.  Doug VanDeven is now GMTA Parts Manager and Shawn Wilkin is now GMTA Service Manager.  As Friedrich remarked, “These two positions are essential parts of our business, as they reflect our company’s image to our customers.”

– GMTA will be exhibiting at Gear Expo in Indianapolis in September.

– All the member groups of GMTA will be exhibiting at EMO in Hannover, Germany in September.  GMTA representatives Walter Friedrich and Scott Knoy will attend.

– A major sale was recently secured on the Chrysler nine-speed transmission program.

– GMTA will now represent K+G (Kristen + Goermann) carbide inserts, toolholders and cutters, plus offer a new line of GMTA Scudding® tools.  An agreement negotiation to represent Naxos grinding wheels and hone rings is underway at this time, as well.

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  sales@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online: yt twit gplus fb

Continue reading

GMTA News Of Note (Issue 2013-1)

Ann Arbor, Michigan – GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema and WMZ.  These machines are sold to the North American market by GMTA primarily for gear and spline production, as well as other power transmission applications.  The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG and other heavy equipment manufacturing.  Machines are provided for gear honing, gear grinding, Scudding®, polygon milling, turning, gear tooth pointing and multiple machining operations.

In the news…

-DVS, the parent company of Pittler, Praewema and WMZ in Germany, has plans to expand its North American operations, owing to the success achieved with GMTA in this market

-Scudding® technology, pioneered by Profilator, continues to impact the North American gear and spline markets, due to its superior performance compared to other methods of production; several competitors trying to offer it, proving that indeed, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

-The renovation of the GMTA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan is now complete with plans in the works for future expansion of the campus.  Additional floorspace, showroom capacity and training facilities, plus more personnel, are planned, according to company VP Scott Knoy.

-Now in final runoff with anticipated start-up in June, GMTA has provided eight machines (16 spindles total) for the advanced cylinder lining program to the Caterpillar operation in Mapleton, Illinois;  project for GMTA valued at $15,000,000

-Order received from Chrysler for Phase III transmission line at IPT1 in Indiana

-GMTA and DVS will have joint booth space, considerably expanded, at IMTS 2014

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  scott@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online: yt twit gplus fb

Continue reading

New Website For GMTA

Company name change, all machine lines and more featured at new website

 Ann Arbor, Michigan– German Machine Tools of America (the former American-Wera) has rolled out its new website, www.gmtamerica.com, which includes details on the name change, all the lines of high-quality German machine tools represented by the company with links to those manufacturers’ sites, operational videos, full machine specifications and a complete listing of the GMTA network of sales and service offices in North America.

GMTA is the American partnership that represents all the following lines of German machine tool manufacturers:

Profilator
WMZ
Pittler
Praewema
MAE

These machines, which include grinders, hones, lathes, mills, turn/mill, mill/turn and fully robotic machining centers and work cells, are primarily used for gear and spline making, as well as bar, billet, shaft, axle straightening and wheelset pressing in the automotive, off-highway, rail, steel and other heavy-duty or high-production metal manufacturing markets in North America.  The company pioneered scudding technology and is an acknowledged market leader in this high-precision, high-speed method of gearmaking.

GMTA provides application engineering, machine sales, commissioning, training and complete customer service from its various locations.  Company headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan is currently being expanded to further supply assistance to customers and will include a full showroom of machinery, to be used for demo and training purposes.

Commenting on the new website, GMTA Vice President Scott Knoy comments, “We now have a website that reflects all our capabilities, shows customers and prospects our machines in action and gives them a very easy-to-navigate site, through which they can access our full team of sales and support professionals, as well as our German partner companies.”   GMTA President Walter Friedrich adds, “We are very proud of this website and we know it will help our business grow to benefit our partners and us. We have a strong presence in the North American machine tool market and this site tells our story quite well.”

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  sales@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online: yt twit gplus fb

Continue reading

GMTA News Of Note

Crown Equipment in Mexico bought one of the MAE straightening presses from the GMTA booth at IMTS. Crown is a world leader in forklift trucks.

The expansion of the GMTA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan is underway and targeted for completion in several months.  When completed, the new facility will house a new machine demo and training center, plus additional sales and service personnel.  GMTA continues to grow steadily, representing numerous high-quality German machine tool builders in North America.

Siemens in Mexico bought a Pittler PV630 ValueLine vertical turning machine for motor manufacturing.   Take a look at video of this machine in action!

For more information:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  sales@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online: yt twit gplus fb

Continue reading

American Wera Changes Name to German Machine Tools of America (GMTA)

New name to better reflect the scope of the machinery now represented throughout North America by the company  

Ann Arbor, Michigan –Effective June 11, 2012, American Wera is now officially renamed German Machine Tools Of America (GMTA) and continues to represent various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema, WMZ and MAE.  These machines are sold for gear and spline production, vertical turning, flexible machining solutions (blank to finish part solutions), as well as bar, pipe and tube straightening plus wheelset pressing.  The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG, rail, wind energy, aerospace and other heavy equipment manufacturing.

This announcement was made jointly by GMTA President Walter Friedrich and Vice President of Sales Scott Knoy.

“The reason for the name change is simply that the parent company wished to use a name that is more representative of all the lines we handle in North America,” said Knoy.

Originally formed as the North American subsidiary for Wera in Germany, GMTA today provides application engineering, sales and service for a broad range of machine tools and metal fabricating equipment.  GMTA has representatives throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Other key company individuals include Claudia Hambleton, Treasurer; Doug VanDeven, Service/Parts Manager and Shawn Wilkin, Senior Service Engineer.  Joseph Kemple remains the dedicated Product Manager for the MAE line of straightening and wheelset presses.

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  sales@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy, VP
Facebook: GMTA
Twitter: @GMTA_US

Continue reading

American-Wera News of Note

Ann Arbor, MichiganAmerican-Wera represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema, Diskus, WMZ and MAE.  These machines are sold for gear and spline production, as well as bar, pipe and tube straightening plus wheelset pressing.  The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG, rail and other heavy equipment manufacturing.

In the news…

-Caterpillar selects Pittler as manufacturing partner for new cylinder liner project; Peoria, IL location to use inverted spindle turning centers with 16 spindles for high production

-Linamar Mexico adds second Scudding machine from Profilator at Nuevo Laredo plant for use on Getrag Ford project; Scudding is a unique and patented form of gear and spline production from Profilator

-IMTS 2012-Our booth N6260 will include information on all our gearcutting machines and feature two MAE straightening presses in action…come and see the show!!  

-We’re expanding our facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan-North American facility expands in floorspace and showroom capacity, with additional staff to be added soon;  full application engineering assistance, sales, service and training offered for our customers and field sales representatives

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) Formerly American Wera
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  scott@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy
Facebook: GMTA
Twitter: @GMTA_US

Continue reading

MAE Straightening and Wheelset Presses on Display at AISTech 2012

Major German supplier joins with new master distributor for North America; variety of presses to be marketed to iron & steel industry sectors

Ann Arbor, Michigan – During the upcoming AISTech show, May 7-10 in Atlanta, MAE Maschinen-und Apparatebau Götzen GmbH (Erkrath, Germany) will display its various press technologies for the iron and steel industry and related business sectors in Booth 1536.  MAE recently announced its formation of a partnership with American Wera here for representation throughout North America.

Wheelset Press

Built on three pillars:  The MAE product portfolio

In the last decades, MAE has developed increasingly from a manufacturer of standard hydraulic presses to specialists for select niche markets.  The company has established a leading market position with innovative products in the fields of straightening machines, hydraulic presses and assembly machines, serving metals producers, rail, heavy equipment, energy and marine markets.

Straightening– MAE has the broadest portfolio of manual and automatically controlled straightening machines for handling round, profiled and complexly shaped workpieces available worldwide. Press forces from 15 to 25,000 kN make it possible to straighten workpieces with lengths from 40 mm to 30 m and weights from 5 g to 20 tons. Straightening accuracy to 0.01  mm is possible. In addition to the conventional bending-straightening method, MAE also offers peening-straightening for through-hardened workpieces and torsion-straightening for twisted section bars. The MAE straightening controller for the manual straightening presses in the S-RH and P-H RH Series guarantees precise and repeatable metalworking and does not necessitate specially trained operators. Measurement and straightening in one setting ensures optimal cycle times. The M-AH, ASV and ASRU Series enable automatic straightening of small, large and complex shaped workpieces. The software of the RICOS straightening controller is the result of decades of experience with various applications. Innovative MAE design ideas are further making the straightening process increasingly more powerful and faster. Various interlinking concepts allow continuous operation with low manpower requirements.

Series ASV Automatic Moving Frame Hydraulic Straightening Press

Hydraulic presses – The broad range of hydraulic standard presses in the S and DS Series with C- and O-frames as well as the four-column presses in the VS Series are based on a modular system. By recombining and adapting the individual modules, MAE finds an inexpensive, individually optimized solution with press forces up to 25,000 kN for customer needs. Hydraulic presses are exposed to considerable stresses in daily use. With 60 years of experience, MAE has a reputation for sturdy dimensioning on all components. Comprehensive calculation software in design, including the finite-element method, is a  further guarantee of exceptionally strong machine construction.

Assembly – Whether you want to assemble gear parts, rotor shafts or wheelsets, MAE offers many suitable solutions. The MAE machine Series S and M-S with hydraulic or mechanical servo drive are robust machines tailored to customer application. The OPUS controller with flexible software that can be modified to fulfill customer-specific requirements guarantees control and documentation of the entire assembly process. Our horizontally acting wheelset presses in the RADS Series with forces up to 8,000 kN are the industry choice for mounting and dismounting wheelsets from railway vehicles. They stand out primarily for their innovative underlying concept, rational interlinking systems and extensive control functions.

Service – An innovative and high-quality machine is only the basis for high customer satisfaction. Equally important for continuous duty with high availability are quick-response service from experienced technicians and spare parts available immediately from stock. North American installation and service is provided by American Wera service technicians in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Queretaro, Mexico.  Additionally, with our optimally staffed service centers at our headquarters in Erkrath, Germany and Beijing, China, we are able to respond quickly worldwide. Telephone support and remote diagnostics onboard the machines usually allow MAE to correct minor problems without complication or onsite service.  In partnership with American Wera, our North American master distributor, MAE seeks to continue as a powerful force in the industry.

During AISTech, the following individuals will be present to assist visitors:

Robert Singer, MAE Sales Manager for North America

Joseph Kemple, MAE Product Manager for North American distributor American Wera

For more information, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) Formerly AMERICAN WERA, Inc.

4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  joseph@american-wera.com
Attention: Joseph Kemple, MAE Product Manager
Facebook: GMTA
Twitter: @GMTA_US

Continue reading

MAE Straightening and Wheel Set Presses to Be Represented By American Wera

 North American sales to automotive, heavy equipment, steel, rail, OCTG and other metal fab markets to be handled by leading supplier of machine tools

 

Ann Arbor, Michigan-Effective October 1, 2011, an agreement was reached by American Wera, Inc. here and MAE Götzen GmbH of Erkrath, Germany for representation of the MAE line of straightening presses, wheel set presses and hydraulic presses in the North American market, comprising Canada, Mexico and the U.S. For MAE, American Wera will supply equipment, application engineering, onsite commissioning, training and all after-sale service, operating from its headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan and sales & service center in Queretaro, Mexico.  The company’s existing network of sales representatives will handle this new line, under the direction of Product Manager for MAE, Joseph Kemple. 

MAE offers a broad line of manual, semi-automatic and automatic straightening equipment with press forces to 25,000 kN, used particularly in the automotive, heavy equipment, steel, rail and OCTG markets on round, profiled and complex shaped workpieces in lengths up to 100 feet. MAE machines possess the high accuracy and repeatability necessary for extremely tight straightening tolerances on such large workpieces.

Depending upon the workpiece, the type of machine may be electromechanical or hydraulic.  All hydraulic presses are equipped with the MAE patented BiPAC hydraulic control systems for large energy savings.

Finally, MAE also offers special application presses in C-frame, as well as four-column styles with press forces to 10,000 kN. These special application presses are typically used in forming and calibration.

Scott Knoy, vice president of sales for American Wera, states, “We believe the MAE line will complement our existing equipment, making us a greater value adder to current customers, plus it will open new markets where our expertise can be helpful to a variety of end product manufacturers.” 

Executing the agreement were American Wera President Walter Friedrich and MAE Managing Director Ruediger Goetzen.

For more information on this announcement, please contact:

GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) Formerly American Wera
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone:  734-973-7800
Fax:  734-973-3053
Web:  www.gmtamerica.com
Email:  scott@gmtamerica.com
Attention:  Scott Knoy
Facebook: GMTA
Twitter: @GMTA_US

Continue reading