Drawn and stamped parts in all metals with in-house toolmaking for small and medium series
Walter Förster GmbH
Geesthacht (headquarters, production and administration)New on Amplifa
Precision through tradition – since 1886
Walter Förster GmbH manufactures deep-drawn and stamped parts in all metals with sheet thicknesses from 0.01 to 4.0 mm in Geesthacht near Hamburg. The company processes sheet metal into components and assemblies for medical technology, measurement and control technology, switchgear construction, the ceramics and optics industries, mechanical engineering, and aerospace. In addition to conventional deep drawing on hydraulic presses up to 400 t, the company uses hydroforming with water pressure of up to 4,000 bar, stamping and bending technology, CNC metal spinning, and CNC turning and milling. Tools are developed and manufactured entirely in the company's own design department and toolmaking shop. Through a network of partner companies, surface finishing, heat treatment, and laser technology are also offered. On approximately 11,000 m² of production space with 120 employees, small and medium series are manufactured for industrial customers worldwide; deliveries are made, among others, to Siemens, ABB, and Endress + Hauser.
- Site
- Geesthacht
- Processes
- Deep drawing, Hydroforming / water-based forming (4000 bar), Hydromechanical deep drawing, Stamping, Bending, Metal spinning (CNC spinning), CNC turning, CNC milling
- Materials
- all metals (sheet metal, thickness 0.01 - 4.0 mm), Metals (deep-drawn and stamped parts), Sheet metal (all metals), Deep drawing, Hydroforming (4,000 bar), Hydromechanical deep drawing, Stamping and bending, CNC metal spinning
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015
- Founded
- 1886
- Employees
- 120
- Industries
- Medical technology, Measurement and control technology, Switchgear construction, Ceramics industry, Optics industry, Mechanical engineering
- 01
Design and product development
- 02
In-house toolmaking (stamping, deep-drawing, and hydroforming tools)
- 03
Deep drawing / hydroforming / stamping / bending
- 04
CNC turning, CNC milling, CNC metal spinning
- 05
Spot and stud welding, thread cutting
- 06
Surface treatment (degreasing, vibratory finishing, shot blasting)
- 07
Finishing and heat treatment with partner companies
- 08
Quality inspection and metrology
- 09
Assembly of assemblies and logistics
Materials and processes
Sheet metal (all metals)
Processing of all metals with sheet thicknesses from 0.01 to 4.0 mm for drawn and stamped parts.
Deep drawing
Cold forming with tensile-compressive stress on hydraulic presses from 25 to 400 t for prototypes and series production.
Hydroforming (4,000 bar)
Forming with high water pressure for curved and complex sheet shapes without a punch.
Hydromechanical deep drawing
Forming on a 400-t press with a hydromechanical forming unit.
Stamping and bending
Cutting out and contouring on eccentric presses from 4 to 250 t as well as a 100-t transfer press.
CNC metal spinning
Production of rotationally symmetric molded parts such as lids, bottoms, and flanges for prototypes and small series.
CNC turning and milling
Precise single parts to medium-sized series with tight tolerances and demanding surface values.
Spot and stud welding
Joining technology for components and assemblies made of all metals.
Surface treatment
Degreasing, vibratory finishing, and shot blasting in-house; electroplating, painting, and coating with partners.
Location
Geesthacht
DEProduction and administration (headquarters)
- Part weight / size
- Sheet thicknesses 0.01–4.0 mm
- Lot size
- Prototypes, small and medium series
- Materials
- All metals (sheet metal 0.01–4.0 mm)
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep drawingForming | Precision down to 1/500 mm tolerance (metrology) | – | – | Small series – Medium series | all metals, sheet thickness 0.01 - 4.0 mm |
| Hydroforming / water-based forming (4000 bar)Forming | – | – | – | – | sheet metal, all metals |
| Hydromechanical deep drawingForming | – | – | – | – | all metals |
| StampingForming | – | – | – | – | all metals, thickness 0.01 - 4.0 mm |
| BendingForming | – | – | – | – | all metals |
| Metal spinning (CNC spinning)Forming | – | – | – | Prototypes/small series – Small series | all metals (sheet/blank) |
| CNC turningMachining | tightest tolerances (unspecified) · most demanding surface values | – | – | Single parts – medium-sized series | all metals |
| CNC millingMachining | – | – | – | Single parts – medium-sized series | all metals |
| Spot and stud weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | all metals |
| Thread cuttingMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| DegreasingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Vibratory finishingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Shot blastingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly manufacturing (assembly)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| In-house toolmaking (stamping, deep-drawing, and hydroforming tools)Engineering | Tool manufacturing accurate to hundredths of a millimeter | – | – | – | – |
| Metrology / quality control (tactile measurement, optical measurement, manual measurements)Testing | Precision down to 1/500 mm tolerance | – | – | – | sheet metal 0.01 - 4.0 mm |
| Vacuum annealingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| HardeningHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| ElectroplatingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Laser cutting and weldingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| BrazingJoining | – | – | – | – | – |
| PaintingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Plastic coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Product development / design / support in product developmentEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
21 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic deep-drawing presses | – | – | Press force 25 - 400 t | – | Geesthacht |
| Hydraulic drawing presses with KUKA robot | – | 3 | 160 t press force each | 2024 | Geesthacht |
| Hydromechanical deep-drawing press | – | 1 | 400 t | 2007 | Geesthacht |
| Hydroforming press | – | 2 | 4000 bar | 2014 und | Geesthacht |
| Eccentric presses | – | – | 4 - 250 t press force | – | Geesthacht |
| Transfer press | – | 1 | 100 t press force, up to 11 stations | – | Geesthacht |
| Four-action drawing press | – | 1 | 250 t | 2024 | Geesthacht |
| 315-t drawing press | – | 1 | 315 t | 2021 | Geesthacht |
| Eccentric frame press with coil feed line | – | 1 | 318 t | 2017 | Geesthacht |
| Spinning machine (CNC) | – | – | – | erste ab | Geesthacht |
| CNC automatic lathes / lathes | – | – | – | – | Geesthacht |
| CNC lathe with 3D measuring probe and CUBE.Box connection | – | 1 | – | 2024 | Geesthacht |
| CNC milling machine / milling machining center | – | – | – | – | Geesthacht |
| Trimming machines | – | – | – | – | Geesthacht |
| Vibratory finishing systems | – | – | – | erneuert | Geesthacht |
| Degreasing systems (per degreasing systems, with ultrasound) | – | 2 | – | 2011, 2018 | Geesthacht |
| Spot welding machines | – | – | – | – | Geesthacht |
| EDM machine (toolmaking) | – | 1 | – | 2023 | Geesthacht |
| Coordinate measuring machine incl. laser measurement | – | 1 | – | 2021 | Geesthacht |
| Rockwell hardness tester | – | – | – | – | Geesthacht |
| Blasting systems | – | – | – | erweitert | Geesthacht |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and metrology
Quality assurance includes tactile and optical measurement, surface roughness measurements, hardness testing (Rockwell), coating thickness and torque testing with precision down to 1/500 mm tolerance. A coordinate measuring machine with laser measurement, statistical evaluation via computer systems, and certified management systems according to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 ensure dimensional accuracy.
| Evidence | Geesthacht |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 | |
| ISO 14001:2015 |