Well positioned for e-mobility

Northwest Italy is often associated with fashion and cars, and not without good reason. In its company history, 2A from Turin has already been involved in both of these sectors. After the die-casting foundry was established in 1974, the zinc alloy zamak was processed, which was used to make zip fasteners. The company name is an acronym of the Italian “Accessori per Abbligamento”, which is translated as “accessories for clothing”.

As the production of textiles moved more and more to China and only product development remained in Europe, 2A tapped into the automotive industry and entered the aluminium processing sector in the 90s. With its complete range of castings, mechanical machining, coating and even assembly where required, 2A today primarily targets OEM customers. The company produces parts weighing from a few grams up to 45 kilograms.

The new direction was successful for the company, which became the largest die-casting company in Italy and now employs around 300 people in three plants in Turin. There are also additional plants in the USA and China. Unlike some other suppliers, 2A does not generate its sales volume, which is currently 150 million euros annually, from just a few major customers. Instead, the company is broadly positioned both nationally and internationally. Renowned car manufacturers are supplied directly by 2A. Moreover, many parts are used in truck production and in other industrial sectors such as the manufacturing of compressors.

Seit die Druckgießerei 2011 damit begonnen hat, anspruchsvolle Gussteile im eigenen Werk selbst mechanisch zu bearbeiten, ist MAPAL bevorzugter Lieferant für Zerspanungswerkzeuge. In der Vergangenheit wurden hochwertige Komponenten für den Antriebsstrang von Verbrennungsmotoren wie etwa Getriebegehäuse und Zylinderdeckel gefertigt, aber auch Chassis- und Strukturbauteile. Den Schwenk der Automobilhersteller hin zum Elektroauto ist 2A sofort mitgegangen.

„Am Umstieg auf Elektromobilität führt kein Weg vorbei“, sagt Galiano Braconcini. „Für ein Unternehmen wie 2A, dessen Geschäftsmodell sich komplett auf Bauteile aus Aluminiumguss stützt, ist dies von Vorteil, da für die Elektromobilität aus Gewichtsgründen viel Aluminium eingesetzt wird.“ Den Anfang machten für das Unternehmen aus Turin Batteriewannen und Strukturbauteile. 2A wurde zum ersten italienischen Zulieferer für Tesla. Dass MAPAL auch beim Thema Elektromobilität erste Wahl als Werkzeugpartner bleiben sollte, stand bei 2A außer Frage. „Wir hatten keinen Zweifel daran, dass wir auch hier bei MAPAL mit dessen Erfahrungen in diesem Bereich gut aufgehoben sind und haben gleich Kontakt zu unserem Werkzeuglieferanten aufgenommen“, so Braconcini.

MAPAL technicians were on site to provide support during the commissioning. “It was very difficult in the beginning, and we needed several months until the production line was running stably”, Braconcini reports. 2A produces the stator housings on eleven machining centres. One of the main challenges in the beginning was to achieve the required accuracy of repetition when machining these thin-walled parts. This required maximum precision.

Braconcini is convinced that 2A would not have got far with simple standard tools. Forty different tools are required for manufacturing a single stator housing. “Many of them are very similar to the ones we already used for combustion engines, but there are some highly specialised tools among them”, explains Andrea Gallino, who is 2A’s Key Account Manager for MAPAL Italia. “Two custom tools that MAPAL specifically designed for machining this part make all the difference.”

Due to the slightly changed dimensions of the parts, 2A and MAPAL had to replace about 70 per cent of the tools used in the first project. However, at the same time, the partners were able to contribute the experience gained in the design and technical optimisations right from the start. What’s more, the dimensions of the stator housings differ from customer to customer, which is why custom tools are used in each case. Currently, the Turin-based company manufactures stator housings for three car manufacturers in Germany and Italy, supplying a total of 180,000 parts annually.

The path to electric mobility is far from complete and could take longer at 2A than at some other suppliers, despite its early entry. This is due to the Turin-based company’s strong truck division, where the switch is lagging somewhat. Galiano Braconcini expects there to be continued demand for combustion engine parts for at least another five years. The sector also still needs zips, which some manufacturers use on their seats. These are also supplied by 2A, of course.