Machines and consumables for mass finishing, cleaning, coating of bulk parts as well as industrial furnaces
Forplan AG
Biel/Bienne (CH) · Villingen-Schwenningen (DE) · Zofingen (CH)New on Amplifa
Surface technology solutions from Switzerland
Forplan AG, headquartered in Biel/Bienne, is a Swiss provider of complete solutions for surface treatment in various manufacturing processes. The portfolio includes machines and systems for mass finishing (trowalizing), deburring and polishing of precision parts – including vibratory finishers, bowl centrifugal, planetary, rotational and magnetic mass finishing systems – as well as systems for cleaning, drying, separating and coating of bulk and mass-produced parts. In-house developed industrial furnaces and fully automatic heat treatment systems for aluminium structural parts (e.g. T5, T6, T7 with air or water quenching) complete the range. At the Zofingen plant, the metal engineering division manufactures metal structures for plant and machine construction; the same applies to the German subsidiary Forplan Technology AG in Villingen-Schwenningen. In addition to plant engineering, Forplan offers contract mass finishing and contract washing, process development, mass finishing training, maintenance and spare parts service, as well as its own finishing media, compounds, powders and pastes.
- Site
- Biel/Bienne
- Processes
- Mass finishing, Trowalizing, Deburring, Polishing, Vibratory finishing (mass finishing vibrators: deburring and polishing of mechanical parts), Cleaning of bulk parts (mass/bulk cleaning), Cleaning / pre-treatment (drum washing systems, belt washing systems, centrifuge-based, Coating of mass-produced and bulk parts (dip centrifugal coating systems, Forplanet 515)
- Materials
- Aluminium, Stainless steel, Gold, Non-ferrous metals, Plastics, Carbon fibre composites, Copper (chip medium), Inox (cylindrical chips)
- Industries
- Surface treatment, Bulk and mass-produced parts, Automotive (heat treatment of aluminium structural parts, CQI-9), Electroplating / post-plating, Aluminium structural parts (automotive-relevant heat treatment, CQI-9)
- 01
Consulting & process development
- 02
System design (metal engineering Zofingen)
- 03
System manufacturing & assembly
- 04
Consumables (finishing media, compounds)
- 05
Contract machining (mass finishing & washing)
- 06
Commissioning, maintenance & spare parts service
- 07
Trading in used systems
Materials & Media
Aluminium
Focus of the heat treatment systems for aluminium structural parts (solution annealing, quenching, artificial ageing).
Stainless steel
Processing of stainless steel parts in mass finishing and polishing, also using inox chips as finishing media.
Copper
Copper chips are partly manufactured in-house and serve as a medium for high-end surfaces.
Non-ferrous metals
Processing including with plastic-bonded finishing media, which are well suited to non-ferrous metals and aluminium.
Carbon fibre composites
Processing of composite materials in polishing, deburring and edge rounding, among others with planetary mass finishing systems.
Plastics
Processing of plastic parts, among others with ergospin+ planetary mass finishing systems.
Gold
Delicate gold parts can be processed, among others, in planetary mass finishing systems.
Porcelain & ceramics
Finishing media in many abrasive grades for grinding, fine grinding and polishing.
Locations
Biel/Bienne
CHHeadquarters, sales & mass finishing workshop
- Lot size
- Prototype to series (contract machining)
- Materials
- Metals, stainless steel, gold, non-ferrous metals, plastics, carbon
- Mass finishing vibrators
- Bowl centrifugal systems
- Planetary mass finishing systems
- Magnetic mass finishing systems
- Handling & washing tables (ergoclean)
Villingen-Schwenningen
DEGerman subsidiary (Forplan Technology AG), sales & machine/plant engineering
- Industrial furnaces
- Coating systems
- Automation / PLC
Zofingen
CHPlant (metal engineering): manufacturing of metal structures for plant and machine construction
- Materials
- Metal
- Plant and machine engineering manufacturing
- Industrial furnaces / heat treatment systems
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass finishingSurface | – | – | – | – | Metals, Stainless steel, Gold, Non-ferrous metals, Plastics, Carbon fibre composites |
| TrowalizingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| DeburringSurface | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel, Gold, Non-ferrous metals, Plastics, Carbon fibre composites |
| PolishingSurface | – | – | – | – | Stainless steel, Gold, Non-ferrous metals, Plastics, Carbon fibre composites |
| Vibratory finishing (mass finishing vibrators: deburring and polishing of mechanical parts)Surface | – | – | – | – | a wide variety of materials |
| Cleaning of bulk parts (mass/bulk cleaning)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cleaning / pre-treatment (drum washing systems, belt washing systems, centrifuge-basedSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Coating of mass-produced and bulk parts (dip centrifugal coating systems, Forplanet 515)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Post-plating (drying, oiling, passivating, application of topcoats, lubricants, sealantsSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Oil recovery (processing of pressing, cutting and rolling oils)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Heat treatment of aluminium parts (T5, T6, T7; solution annealing, quenching air/water,Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Drying (hot air, vacuum, condensation, centrifugal and corn cob drying)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminium, all other metals |
| Separating of workpieces and mass finishing mediaSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Contract mass finishing & contract washing (contract machining, process development)Surface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Metal engineering (manufacturing of metal structures, plant and machine construction)Assembly | – | – | – | – | Metal |
| Development and production of industrial furnaces and heat treatment systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
20 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass finishing vibrators (round, rectangular, triangular) | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bowl centrifugal systems (including automatic with automatic loading) | Forplan Turbo FPW 60 Auto | – | – | – | – |
| Planetary mass finishing systems | Forplan ergospin + | – | – | – | – |
| Magnetic mass finishing systems | – | – | – | – | – |
| Separating systems | – | – | – | – | – |
| Drying systems (hot air, vacuum, condensation, centrifugal, corn cob drying; centrifuges | – | – | – | – | – |
| Handling & washing tables (Ergoclean product range) | Forplan ergoclean | – | – | – | – |
| Cleaning systems (modular, workshop environment) | – | – | – | – | – |
| Coating system for bulk parts (planetary system) | Forplan Forplanet 515 | – | – | – | – |
| Dip centrifugal coating systems (1-basket and 2-basket 'FORPLANET') | Forplan FORPLANET | – | – | – | – |
| Drum washing systems | Forplan | – | – | – | – |
| Belt washing systems | Forplan | – | – | – | – |
| Centrifuge-based cleaning systems | – | – | – | – | – |
| Basket cleaning systems | – | – | – | – | – |
| Oil recovery systems | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fully automatic heat treatment systems for aluminium (continuous/chamber furnace, | Forplan | – | – | – | – |
| Post-plating centrifuge systems (with furnace systems e.g. hydrogen embrittlement relief, automatic | – | – | – | – | – |
| Lift-and-tip devices | – | – | – | – | – |
| Vibratory conveyors & belt conveyors | – | – | – | – | – |
| Industrial furnaces / chamber and continuous furnaces | Forplan | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Company History
- 2021
Introduction of the ergoclean washing table product range
- 2025
Report by trade journal FTI on investments, partnerships, innovation and sustainability; launch of the Forplanet 515 coating system