Simple and quick project execution

Every day counts in construction time when new industrial halls are built. Moving and future production processes are precisely coordinated with completion dates logistically. For Robert Hofmann GmbH, "Hofmann - Your Enabler," reliable construction partners and suppliers are an absolute must during the construction of the new production hall.

"Due to the simple and quick project execution, we decided on Efaflex hall doors. The after-sales service of the door specialist also responds straightforwardly and quickly," reports Waldemar Ziegler, Safety Officer of Robert Hofmann GmbH. "We already knew the company and had purchased some high-speed doors before, so the decision was easy." The more than 300 employees at Robert Hofmann produce prototypes, tools, test and fixture gauges, pre-series, and series products for OEMs in the automotive industry, aerospace, and medical sectors, as well as their system suppliers. Insulation, operating speed, and maintenance intervals of the EFA-STT and EFA-SST were therefore other very important criteria for choosing the doors from the specialist EFAFLEX: "It is clear that our production areas are fully climate-controlled for our highly complex processes. In all areas, we have 23 degrees Celsius. This temperature may only fluctuate a maximum of 2 degrees up or down," explains Waldemar Ziegler. "We manufacture with a precision of two to three hundredths. Maintaining this accuracy would not be possible with temperature fluctuations." Reliability of the doors is a prerequisite for the consistent climate control of the production halls. If they did not perform flawlessly, it could lead to problems and failures in production.

The control of the door seals is designed so that when entering the halls, the inner door only opens when the outer door is closed. The doors are then only open for about five seconds, i.e., for the duration of the passage. This short open time results in an extremely low loss of heat or cooled air.

Energy savings was one of the reasons why EFAFLEX engineers redesigned the high-speed spiral doors EFA-SST for hall closures. - This includes an improvement of physical properties as well as an optimization of functionality. The new door leaf is extraordinarily robust, durable, and thermally and sound-insulating. The manufacturer offers as standard thermally separated EFA-THERM insulating lamellas for the EFA-SST. Depending on the door size and the number of ISO viewing lamellas, the doors achieve excellent U-values. This feature ensures a comfortable working temperature for employees. Depending on the desired light entry and the location of the door, EFAFLEX customers can determine the number of clear-view lamellas for their EFA-SST themselves.

"The EFA-STT, which is mainly installed as an inner door in Hofmann, creates excellent conditions for employees," says Waldemar Ziegler. The door leaf of the EFA-STT, made of crystal-clear acrylic glass, is over 70% transparent and allows a lot of daylight into the hall as well as into the door seals. It is robust and yet almost completely transparent. The unobstructed view through the EFA-STT offers further decisive advantages for employees. Accidents are avoided, and smooth transport processes are guaranteed. Additionally, the doors are significantly faster, with a maximum door leaf speed of up to 3.0 m/s, than the old ones. This means that during the heating period, the heat remains inside the building.

The clear-view lamellas do not touch when wound up. The door leaf is kept in a spiral at a distance. This allows employees to have a scratch-free view for years. The EFA-STT is very versatile. Thanks to its product features, such as the modern, clear-view optics, fast opening speed, sizes up to 8,000 mm x 7,800 mm, and an electro-mechanical high-performance door drive, continuous operation in various industrial applications is conceivable.

Unlimited Range of Manufacturing Processes: Robert Hofmann GmbH

Founded over 25 years ago, Hofmann is now a medium-sized family business with locations and partners in China and Spain. Due to rapid development, the company is now one of the largest and most successful rapid prototyping providers worldwide.

Thanks to its extensive machinery, the company guarantees a high degree of in-house manufacturing in all areas. Whether in 3D printing, rapid prototyping, small and pre-series production, tool and fixture construction, or assembly of complex modules: Hofmann offers the best solutions for the most diverse applications and, depending on customer requirements, an almost unlimited range of manufacturing processes. Through market- and customer-oriented actions and the promotion of innovations, such as early recognition of the potentials of 3D printing, the full-service provider secures its competitive advantage sustainably and long-term in the growing international market.