Every year, ADAM Audio from Berlin-Adlershof produces around 75,000 studio loudspeakers, of which more than 2,000 are monitors from the high-end series at the company's headquarters. Musicians, sound engineers and producers from all over the world swear by the noble monitor boxes, which are assembled by hand according to the highest quality standards. The loudspeakers, which weigh up to 80 kg, are manufactured at ergonomically optimized workstations with ROEMHELD assembly tables.

Manufacturing Professional Audio Studio Technology with Modulog Assembly Tables

ADAM Audio, based in Berlin-Adlershof, produces approximately 75,000 studio loudspeakers annually, including over 2,000 high-end monitors manufactured at the company’s headquarters. Musicians, sound engineers, and producers around the globe rely on these premium monitor boxes, which are hand-assembled to the highest quality standards. The loudspeakers, weighing up to 80 kg, are crafted at ergonomically optimized workstations equipped with ROEMHELD assembly tables.

Growth Necessitated Reorganization of Manual Assembly

"ADAM" stands for "Advanced Dynamic Audio Monitors." Founded in 1999, the company develops, produces, and distributes loudspeakers and headphones for professional audio technology worldwide from its headquarters in Berlin. ADAM Audio has subsidiaries in the USA and China and enjoys international success. “In 2018 we had 15% sales growth to € 12 million and in 2019 we want to grow at the same rate”, explains Lars Ohmann, Head of Operations responsible for Production, Purchasing, Logistics and Quality Control.

As production numbers increased, the product range expanded to include larger and heavier loudspeaker models. This significantly increased the physical strain on manual assembly staff, with the largest studio monitors now weighing up to 175 lbs. Fitters had to pause their work to transfer the heavy monitors to the worktables, often waiting for assistance from a colleague, which extended production times.

For Alexandra Brau, Production Manager at ADAM Audio, it was evident that manual assembly needed reorganization. “We wanted to be flexible and create an innovative working environment that would also meet the high standards we apply to our products. So: no standard solution, no assembly line.”

The three most important requirements: “On the one hand, the monitors should be pulled when moving and not lifted, so that the fitters are relieved. Also, the height of the working tables should be adjustable. For safety reasons, it was important to us that the height only changed when the operator pressed the corresponding button. And thirdly, lifting and lowering must be carried out without any vibration and jerk-free to avoid loss of quality.”

Assembly Tables from the Modulog Product Range

In autumn 2018, after an extensive search and online research, ADAM Audio selected assembly tables from the modulog program by ROEMHELD. These tables feature height adjustment via two electric lifting columns. The tabletops, measuring 3000 mm wide, 800 mm deep, and 60 mm thick, can support up to 400 kg. According to Alexandra Brau, these were the only models on the market that met their requirements. The first two tables were delivered in December 2018, and the third followed in March 2019.

ROEMHELD’s modular program offers various solutions for the ergonomic and efficient manual assembly of medium to heavy workpieces. It includes a wide range of manually or electrically operated rotating, tilting, lifting, cart, and clamping modules that can be combined in different ways. ADAM Audio's chosen lifting modules come in numerous versions, with strokes ranging from 200 to 1000 mm, manual or electric operation, and lifting capacities from 1 kN to 6 kN. These features make them suitable for professional audio studios, allowing for height adjustments of heavy equipment such as mixing consoles to accommodate different users.

Safe and Easy Operation

At ADAM Audio, the reorganization centers around assembly tables that each employee can adjust to a comfortable ergonomic height. Operating these tables is effortless and safe: pressing a push-button on a control panel moves the two lifting columns up or down synchronously, uniformly, and quietly at a speed between 12 and 16 mm/s, depending on the load. The columns stop immediately when the button is released. Different positions can be preset and recalled using the memory key. The electrically controlled soft start and stop further enhances ease of operation.

To assemble a monitor box or subwoofer, the fitter rolls the components to the workstation on a transport cart. The table height is set slightly lower than the transport cart, allowing the components to be easily pulled onto the work surface without assistance. The fitter then adjusts the tabletop to the desired working height based on their own height and the dimensions of the studio speakers.

After assembly, the table is raised slightly above the transport cart, and the fully assembled loudspeakers are pulled onto the now lower cart. The speakers are then sent to a colleague for quality control.

Enhanced Comfort and Accessibility for Fitters

Brau confirms that the new working tables have been welcomed. Fitters appreciate that it is now more comfortable and convenient to work in previously hard-to-reach angles and corners. Additionally, the improved lighting makes quality control of the studio monitors easier and more effective.

For over 60 years, the technologies and products of the ROEMHELD Group have been integral to manufacturing a wide range of industrial commodities and consumer goods, from aircraft and automobiles to machine tools and smartphone cases.

Our core portfolio focuses on efficient clamping technology solutions for workpieces, as well as dies in forming technology and plastics processing. This is complemented by components and systems for assembly and handling technology, drive technology, and rotor locking mechanisms for wind energy systems.

In addition to a diverse catalog of approximately 20,000 items, the ROEMHELD Group specializes in developing and implementing customized solutions. We are internationally recognized as a market leader for quality.