Performing Complex Processes in Fewer Touches

DN Solutions’ 2026 Manufacturing Without Limits event marked the first time Heller has jointly presented machinery since DN Solutions acquired the OEM. Heller showed off two large five-axis machines, which Mario Luckman says will represent strong entry points into high-production automotive or high-requirement aerospace manufacturing.

“No one wants to make a part in three, four setups,” says Mario Luckman, DN Solutions’ director of Sales – Americas. Instead, job shops would rather use machines and software that minimize setups, maintain process integrity and improve throughput. These kinds of technologies headlined the company’s Manufacturing Without Limits event on May 5-6 at its technical center in Schaumburg, Illinois.

A Machining Foundation

“Our objective at DN is to provide a complete manufacturing solution from machine tools and automation to applications engineering and service,” Luckman says, “one that enables customers to produce complex parts efficiently and competitively.”

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To this end, the OEM aims to provide a catalog wide enough to handle a large array of applications in as few operations as possible. This includes the multitasking and five-axis machines the company showed off at the event, such as a DNX 2100S multitasking machine and a DVF 5000 five-axis machine. Luckman says demand for high-end multitasking machines has significantly increased over the past few years, while five-axis work remains popular for aerospace, defense and spaceflight applications.

The event was also the first since DN Solutions’ acquisition of Heller. As such, the event also showcased large five-axis Heller machines in addition to highlights from the more than 450 machines in DN’s catalog. Luckman says Heller’s large-format, high-precision horizontal machining and turnkey production systems bring a solid foundation for high-production automotive parts, as well as additional support for parts in the high-end aerospace, spaceflight and energy industries. DN Solutions will continue to run Heller’s Troy, Michigan, production facility, keeping a dedicated support staff for domestic customers.

Chris Robson says one of DN Solutions’ goals in the near-term is updating its machine lines so customers can easily integrate automation technology, even after the machine’s initial installation.

Putting in the Legwork

Luckman says the success of DN Solutions’ machines depends on a solid machine foundation, good service, and a solid distributor network. Ellison Technologies, DN Solutions’ largest distributor in North America, had a significant presence at the event, introducing customers to machines. DN Solutions has a close partnership with Ellison, Luckman says, training technicians from the latter to provide service on DN’s machine lineup. Ellison makes up about 60% of the distributor network in the U.S., Luckman says, with the other 40% coming from longtime partners, several of whom have worked with DN Solutions for upwards of 35 years. The longevity of these partnerships has familiarized these distributors with DN’s lineup, Luckman says, which helps these distributors maintain a high level of service.

On an in-house level, Luckman says DN Solutions provides regular tours of its technical center, which opened last year. Customers can see demonstrations of the machines and software in the technical center and provide feedback that helps guide DN Solutions’ product development priorities. The company plans to debut a few of these customer-driven machines at IMTS 2026.

DN Solutions works with its customers to determine the most profitable automation system for their needs. Chris Robson, DN Solutions’ product sales manager, HMX/Automation – Americas, says in the best circumstances, return on investment can come in under a year.

Assistive Automation

As one perennial customer need is tools to efficiently complete jobs amid talent shortages, DN Solutions has invested in hardware and software automation features, several of which it demonstrated at the event.

These include the company’s LPS 5000 linear pallet system, which was paired with an updated pallet control system. Chris Robson, DN Solutions’ product sales manager, HMX/Automation – Americas, notes it is compatible with RFID tags and QR codes to track tool life as tools are checked in and out alongside jobs. This helps shops maximize their tool life without risking failure from incorrect assumptions about how much a tool has already been used.

DN Solutions also demonstrated two automatic work changer systems, one developed at the company’s factories in South Korea and one developed by a U.S. partner company. One demo featured a DVF 5000 with a work changer, which Robson pointed out was actually added after that machine was originally installed. This is representative of the OEM’s ongoing efforts to improve its machine lines’ automation readiness, with Robson saying the company hopes to make every one of its machines compatible with automation integration post-installation. The other automatic work changer system on display, produced by Hennig, is a 40-pallet system complete with an attached tablet that operates as both a control system and a monitoring system to help evaluate job profitability.

Robson also demonstrated an IC Automation robotic setup the company is now distributing. This setup paired a TW 2600M-GL twin-spindle turning center with a FANUC CRX robot instead of a rotary table, using a vision system to ensure the robot can grip parts that it then transports between a pickup area, the machine and a secondary process (in this case, vision-based quality inspection).

DN Solutions demonstrated several AI-augmented software programs at its Manufacturing Without Limits event. The pictured machine monitoring system uses a ChatGPT-powered chatbot to provide information about machines without requiring operators to consult an expert.

In addition to automation-assisted hardware, DN Solutions demonstrated in-house software the OEM hopes will streamline programming and shop management. This includes an interface to enable remote viewing and control of pallet systems, as well as an offline digital twin and simulation software to ensure successful programming. This digital twin uses industrial AI to feed successes back into the software, helping users optimize program motion over time.

Robson also showed DN Solutions’ machine monitoring and factory floor management software, which the company is using both on its South Korean production factory floor and at the Chicago Technical Center. This software includes a ChatGPT-powered chatbot trained on DN Solutions’ manuals, which Robson says can answer questions about machines and tool paths without requiring shopfloor employees to call an expert for assistance.