Results Today 4 (PDF | 8.4 MB)

Transcription

THE GF AgieCharmilles CUSTOMER NEWSPAPER
04
ENGLISH
EdItIoN
Automotive • Motorsport • Aeronautic • Education • Electronics • Household • Machinery
Power Generation • Molding • Mecatronics • Luxury • Research • Medical Instruments
General Machining • Leisure • Aerospace • Sports • Medical Appliances • Automotive
Motorsport • Aeronautic • Education • Medical Implants • Electronics • Household
Machinery • Power Generation • Molding • Mecatronics • Luxury • Research • Medical
Instruments • General Machining • Leisure • Aerospace • Sports • Medical Appliances
Michael Hauser,
CEo GF AgieCharmilles
2-3 FORMPLAST
4-5 AIRE EROSION
UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO HELP
YOU ACHIEVE MORE
More technology, more precision, more automation, more productivity and more
satisfaction are at the heart of GF AgieCharmilles’ commitment to helping customers achieve more success, and our exhibition space at EMO Milan 2009 is the place
to «Experience more» of the solutions we have developed specifically to enable your
success today, tomorrow and beyond.
6-7 LEITNER AG
8-9 RAWELA
10-11 GB PRECISION
dEAR REAdERS,
the year 2009 is for the
machine-tool industry the
key year with challenges as
we have never known them
before. It may also go down in
the history of the machine-tool
industry as the year when the
economy made the difference
between success and failure.
At the same time, each crisis
brings new chances. those
acting countercyclically trust
that a downturn is followed by
recovery and, subsequently,
an upturn. For many of our
customers, who are daily confronted with new challenges,
this is not different. they want
us to respond to them with
possibly innovative and convincing solutions. And, because
they are entrepreneurs, they
think and act accordingly. Now
they invest in machinery and
equipment and simultaneously
optimize processes in order to
emerge on the market stronger
when the recovery comes.
For you, we are exactly the
right partner: GF AgieCharmilles supports you in
your efforts by offering you
specially tailored technology
with a wide range of products. We train your employees
and help you to get more out
of your GF AgieCharmilles
products in order to win out
over your competitors.
12-19 EMO MILANO 2009
20-21 W-TECHNOLOGY
Visit us at EMo Milano 2009 in
Hall 7, Booth #F13/E20.
22-23 KSF
24-25 PRONTOR
LASER TECHNOLOGY AT GF AGIECHARMILLES
We are look forward to
seeing you!
You want to differentiate yourself in a highly-competitive marketplace,
gain new customers and reap the benefits of an excellent price/performance ratio?
Sincerely yours,
Michael Hauser
CEo GF AgieCharmilles
Join us at the EMO in Milano or at the International Technology Show in
Germany and see how you can take your competitive edge with our laser
technology to the next level by doing a part like this.
26-27 BOMO
Achieve more...
AUTOMOTIVE | FORMPLAST
GF AgieCharmilles | results today | 04
2
HSM AND EDM,
WHEN PRECISION
IN MOLD MAKING
IS REQUIRED
Formplast Purkert, s.r.o. focuses on the design and manufacture of injection molds, as well as the injection molding of
demanding technical parts and the mounting of assemblies.
In the company’s own tool and mold making department, the
Czech undertaking prefers to use Milling and EDM equipment
from GF AgieCharmilles.
FROM DESIGN OFFICE TO
COMPLETE PROVIDER
The Czech company based in
Jablonné nad Orlicí in Moravia
was founded in 1992 as a design
office by its present proprietor, Ing. Zdeněk Purkert. Soon
Formplast was manufacturing tools itself, manufacturing plastic parts with its own
automatic injection molding
machines. With the mounting of
assemblies, the company took
the step to become a comWith «SolidWorks», «Catia V5»,
«Powermill», «Surfcam» and «Moldflow
MPA 7.0», Formplast has all the important CAD programs for technical mold
making at its disposal.
For graphite machining jobs Formplast
puts its trust in the MIKRON HSM 500.
The MIKRON VCP 600 is employed for
hard milling.
plete solutions provider. Today
Formplast employs 150, 40 of
whom manufacture tools and 95
produce injection molded parts.
The main customers for the high
precision, technical plastic parts
are the automobile and electrical engineering industries. With
six EDM and two HSM machines
from GF AgieCharmilles, Formplast is capitalizing on reliability
and Swiss precision.
AUTOMOTIVE | FORMPLAST
FORMPLAST
Jatečni 541
PRECISION REQUIREMENTS DEFINE THE
MACHINING PROCESS
A typical order for Formplast is
the production of a reflector for
automobiles. Beginning with the
basic dimensions from the customer for the finished part, the
development and the CAD design
are made, accompanied by
Moldflow analyses. In this phase,
Formplast determines the thickness of the sides and defines
stays for reinforcing the reflector.
In the next step, the machining
processes are determined in accordance with economic viability
and precision requirements.
Given the need for a left and right
reflector, the injection molding
tool is made by Formplast as a
two-cavity mold. Steel 1.2343 is
the material used and Moldmax
is used for details. The requirement is a surface finish of Ra
0.1 µm and a tolerance of ± 0.02
mm, which is to be achieved over
the whole mold. The MIKRON
VCP 600 complemented by EDM
is ideal for this process.
RELIABLE MACHINES
MAKE ORDERS PREDICTABLE
With the MIKRON VCP 600,
equipped with a spindle from
Step-Tec with an HSK 40 spindle
cone for rotational speeds of
up to 42,000 rpm, first of all the
coarse form of the mold insert is
milled. The mold insert is hardened for a long tool life and then
clamped on the MIKRON VCP
600 again for finishing milling.
Path after path is milled reliably
until the required roughness is
nearly achieved. The mold insert
then polished to a reflective finish. «Our MIKRON VCP 600 has
12,000 hours of operation without repair on its meter. That’s
what I call reliability,» comments
proprietor Ing. Zdeněk Purkert.
He continues, «So we can plan
orders exactly and utilise our
machines’ capacity sensibly.»
Because hardly is the injection
mold ready, production of the reflectors begins on the automatic
injection molding machines.
Willing hands then fix the mold-
ings to a mobile frame, which, as
soon as it is completely loaded,
is then moved into a coating
machine. There the reflectors are
coated statically with aluminium
powder. The subsequent final
assembly is the final production
step. A sequence that is nearly
in synchronous rhythm with the
mold making at Formplast so
that no downtimes occur. Given
its reliability, the MIKRON VCP
600 is a decisive guarantor for
this.
«With its reliability, precision and ease of operation,
the MIKRON VCP 600 is
an important component
in our tightly calculated
production sequences.»
561 64 Jablonné nad Orlicí
Czech Republic
Tel. +420-465 649 018
+420-465 467 404
Fax +420-465 467 400
Contact
Ing. Zdeněk Purkert,
said Ing. Zdeněk Purkert, Proprietor and
Managing Director and Proprietor
Managing Director of Formplast s.r.o.
formplast@formplast.cz
Machines from GF AgieCharmilles
- 1 MIKRON VCP 600
- 1 MIKRON HSM 500
- 2 FO 550
- 1 FO 350
- 1 FO 31 P
- 1 FI 440 SLP
- 1 FI 290
Clamping system
System 3R
Programming
Powermill
SolidWorks
Catia 5.0
Surfcam
Measuring, testing
Coordinate measuring machine
from Wenzel
Optical measuring machine
Scope Check from Werth
A conveyor belt transports the reflectors directly from the automatic injection
molding machines to where they are fixed
to mobile frames and then pushed into
the coating equipment.
The mold insert of the injection molding tool for the production of reflectors
with the reflecting surfaces which have
been milled with the MIKRON VCP 600.
www.formplast.cz
3
AERONAUTICS | AIRE EROSION
4
ED machines
precision in space
Aire Erosion Ltd., a contract EDM company using machines
from GF AgieCharmilles, specializes in the manufacture
of complex molds made from difficult to machine materials. Based in Leeds in Northern England, Aire Erosion is a
supplier in great demand by the high-tech sectors of the
aerospace, medical, power generation, gas and oil field and
automotive industries in the United Kingdom.
Excellent production
for exclusive use
When Steve Batt borrowed
money to found Aire Erosion Ltd.
in 1989, a success story was
born, which continues to the
present day, boasting annual
growth rates of 30%. As of 2008,
Aire employs five wire and three
die-sinking machines, as well as
two drilling machines, all exclusively GF AgieCharmilles equipment. «With these machines, I
can offer the entire machining
spectrum of electrical discharge
machining,» says Steve Batt.
«Combined with almost 30 years
of EDM experience, our knowhow about exotic materials as
well as the exceptional precision of our machines, we have
become the preferred partner of
customers from blue-chip industries.» Thus for a new aerospace
project, with which Aire Erosion
Ltd., from among three competitors worldwide, was entrusted
with the order to manufacture a
Bearing Active Preload System
(BAPS). These systems, used
in spaceship mechanisms,
must have a long operating life,
uniformly low torques, as well
as a corresponding rigidity and
bearing capacity. In addition, the
BAPS must absorb the vibrations occurring during the start
into space with exactly defined
preload forces. This explains the
design, which seems highly complicated with the finest webs and
exactly calculated dimensions of
the openings and forming.
AERONAUTICS | AIRE EROSION
Wire EDM cutting
defines the basic
precision
For this order, Aire Erosion uses
a ring made of titanium turned
externally, which is provided with
all the start holes for the wire
cutting. This begins the EDM
specialists’ work. The titanium
ring is clamped edgeways with
indexing on the FI 440 CC ED
wire-cutting machine. The brass
wire is threaded in at top and
bottom through the starting
holes on the ring so that two
openings can be cut simultaneously. By indexing in exactly
defined angles, all the openings
are cut with one full cut and five
trim cuts to achieve a final finish
of Ra 0.2 µm. This is no simple
undertaking with titanium, but
one which Aire Erosion masters
without problem thanks to the
GF AgieCharmilles Clean Cut
technology on the FI 440 CC. The
surface coating influenced by the
cut is thus minimized to a depth
of 3 to 6 µm, no oxidation occurs
and up to 66% of the impurities
in the metal are eliminated. This
ensures that the bearing active
preload system can withstand
the extreme conditions in airless
space at zero gravity.
AIRE EROSION LTD.
Bobbin House, Viaduct Street
Leeds LS28 6RR
United Kingdom
Phone +44-(0)113 256 0466
Fax +44-(0)113 255 9700
Contact
Stephen Batt, Managing Director
airosion@btconnect.com
- 1 FI 440 CC
- 2 FI 440 SLP
- 1 FI 240 CC
- 1 FI 230 F
- 1 FO 550
- 1 FO 550 S
- 1 FO 350
Die-sinking EDM
completes the complex production
Stephen Batt, Managing Director of
Aire Erosion Ltd., with an ED machined
component for the oil field industry.
Aire Erosion Ltd. uses twelve different
electrodes to machine the openings in
the bearing active preload system. EDM
C 3 material is used, which guarantees
the lowest wear with its composition of
60% graphite and 40% copper. After the
ED wire cutting, the remaining openings
are made on the FO 350 die-sinking machine, in part as undercuts, in that the
electrode is screwed in for machining via
the C-axis.
Details on the bearing active preload
system make clear the high demand
made by manufacturing with wire EDM
cutting and die-sinking – difficulties
increased by the titanium material itself,
which requires special EDM technologies.
The next step is the production
of electrodes, which Aire Erosion
Ltd. does using wire EDM. All
in all, twelve electrodes made
of EDM C 3 are employed per
bearing active preload system.
This material, with a composition of 60% graphite and 40%
copper, is relatively expensive.
However, it offers optimal wearing behavior and thus longer
periods of use. An opening is
also cut into all the electrodes
making standardised fixing to the
electrode holder possible. The
bearing active preload system
is now clamped to the FO 350
die-sinking machine, and the
electrode magazine is loaded
- 2 SD 1
with the electrodes. All the remaining openings are machined
in automatic operation, in part as
undercuts, in that the electrode
is screwed in for machining
via the C-axis. After a total of
68 hours, the machining of the
bearing active preload system is
completed, with half of the time
being taken up with wire cutting,
the other with die-sinking ± 5 µm
is achieved at mechanically critical points, such as the thin webs,
and all the machined surfaces
show a surface quality of
Ra 0.2 µm - performance levels that must be consistently
achieved on all twenty bearing
active preload systems Aire
Erosion produces annually.
Clamping system
Erowa
Programming
Easycam
Measuring, testing
from Kodak
«Thanks to efficient shift
operation, we achieve 2000
operating hours a month
with our EDM machines
- A performance record
which also clearly speaks
in favour of the manufacturer GF AgieCharmilles.»
said Stephen Batt, Managing Director
of Aire Erosion Ltd.
www.ezedm.com
5
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS | LEITNER AG
6
Great manufacturing
depth receives manufacturing competence
Leitner AG was founded over 30
years ago and, under its present
managing director and proprietor
Daniel Müller, has specialized
in the manufacture of surgical
instruments. Mr Müller took a
post graduate course in medical
technical studies, and is thus
the interdisciplinary interface
between surgical requirements
and manufacturing engineering feasibility for his customers.
Through complete production
and with 35 highly specialized
skilled employees, Leitner AG
maintains the competence for
quality and production for which
it uses six heavy-duty, high-speed
milling centres from GF AgieCharmilles. Drilling, turning, milling, laser welding and labelling,
as well as polishing and abrasive
blasting round off the machining
procedures. Two surgical instruments provide insight into how
Leitner AG effectively uses milling
machines from GF AgieCharmilles.
Bore gauges for surgical implants
are milled five-axially on the MIKRON
HSM 400U as re-chucking is not possible
because of the lack of reference straight
lines.
The pallet changer of the MIKRON
HSM 400U is loaded with up to sixteen
workpieces which are then automatically
worked off as finished bore gauges.
5-axis milling for
freedom of shape
when manufacturing surgical
instruments
Leitner AG successfully uses highspeed milling machines from GF AgieCharmilles for the manufacture of surgical instruments. The instruments made
of exotic materials in many cases are
manufactured completely by the Swiss
company and supplied to renowned medical technology firms all over the world.
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS| LEITNER AG
LEITNER AG
Hauptstrasse 93
CH-2563 Ipsach
Five simultaneous axes
for HSM milling without re-chucking
Leitner AG receives CAD data
from customers for the manufacture of bore gauges for
surgical implants from which
it creates the milling programs
with Mastercam and Surfcam.
Given the geometric characteristics of bore gauges – only flat
die surfaces, re-chucking is not
possible because of the lack of
reference straight lines – Leitner
AG uses a MIKRON HSM 400U.
Thanks to its five simultaneous
axes, this high-speed milling
machine makes it possible to
completely machine the bore
gauges from 1.4301 steel and
achieve a surface quality of N 6,
a dimensional accuracy of 50 µm
and a position accuracy of 30 µm
over the whole workpiece. The
machining takes place for the
most part autonomously as the
integrated pallet changer can
be loaded with up to sixteen
workpieces, which are then
automatically exchanged and
machined. «This dimensional
and position accuracy on workpieces, with practically only flat
die surfaces to be achieved, is
the most astonishing thing about
the MIKRON HSM 400U for me,»
comments Daniel Müller related
to this order.
Switzerland
Phone +41-(0)32-331 30 77
Fax +41-(0)32-331 31 19
Contact
Daniel Müller, Med. Tech. NDS/HTI
Berne, Managing Director
and Proprietor
mueller@leitner-ag.ch
- 3 MIKRON HSM 400U
- 2 MIKRON UCP 600 Vario
- 1 MIKRON UCP 600
- 1 AC Classic 2S
Clamping system
Erowa
Programming
Powerful feed with
CFC machining jobs
The second machining example
demonstrates the great variety of
materials that are machined at
Leitner AG. A surgical target clip
made of carbon-fibre reinforced
plastic (CFC) is to be milled
at full speed. Surgical target
devices are used for determining
the exact position when screwing
bones. The material used is CFC
as it has the property of being
radiolucent for x-rays and thus
not visible on the monitor for the
surgeon during the operation.
Leitner AG uses a MIKRON UCP
600 Vario for the production, as
this heavy-duty machining centre
Mastercam
with its sturdy construction and
high own rigidity guarantee a
reliable and efficient process
for the machining of the tough
material CFC. When machining
the contour of the target clip, a
vector regulation for full torque
in the lowest area applies the
power of the Step-Tec spindle
optimally to the workpiece.
«With the MIKRON UCP 600 Vario
we were able to optimise the
machining parameters for the
material CFC without any problem,» Daniel Müller explains the
milling of carbon-fibre reinforced
plastic for the first time.
Surfcam
Certification
ISO 9001
ISO 13485
The surgical target clips made of
carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFC) are
milled at full speed on the MIKRON UCP
600 Vario.
With its sturdy construction and great
own rigidity, the MIKRON UCP 600 Vario
is the ideal high-speed milling machine
for machining the tough material CFC.
A surface quality of N 6 is achieved
on the surgical bore gauge and the
dimensional and position accuracy over
the whole workpiece are in the fivehundredth range.
www.leitner-ag.ch
7
MOLDING | RAWELA
8
MANUFACTURE COMPLEX
FORMS SIMPLY WITH EDM
An excellent price and performance ratio, quick delivery as well as constantly high
quality and reliability are characteristics of Rawela, s.r.o. in Lanškroun. The Czech
company belongs to the German Weidmüller Group, and designs and makes tools
for customers in the whole of Europe.
Wire EDM and die-sinking are the precision manufacturing methods with which
the finest webs, narrow slits or complex
forms, such as in the case of an injection
molding tool for terminal blocks, can be
realized.
MOLDING | RAWELA
«We know from Weidmüller
that with machines from
GF AgieCharmilles we are
manufacturing with a guaranteed future. And with its
new branch in Brno, GF AgieCharmilles is, so to speak,
just round the corner.»
said Jiří Kolá,
Head of Took Making at Rawela
RAWELA
Žichlínek 162
563 01 Landškroun
Czech Republic
Tel. +420-465 321 240
Fax +420-465 325 003
All the routine procedures, such as
electrode or workpiece changing, are
automated to the greatest extent at
Rawela. GF AgieCharmilles has supplied
personalised solutions for this, which
meets Rawela’s requirements exactly.
TOGETHER OVER 40
YEARS OF TOOL-MAKING
EXPERTISE
THE INTERPLAY OF
MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES IS DECISIVE
Rawela s.r.o. was founded in
in 1994 as a Czech-German
tool-making business. Since
the company’s inception, it has
been based in the new industrial estate in Žichlínek near
Lanškroun, not far from the
Polish border. Together with
Weidmüller, Rawela can look
back over 40 years of know-how
in the manufacture of injection
molding and punching tools.
«Building up on this,» says Jiří
Kolá, Rawela Works Manager,
«our tools are constantly being
improved in that the latest production methods are applied.»
Rawela designs and constructs
60 completely new tools per year,
and in addition there are approx.
40 tools, which are modified and
improved. A six-way injection
molding tool for the production of
terminal blocks shows Rawela’s
method of procedure with one of
these new tools.
For the six-way injection molding tool, Rawela selected 1.2767
steel, which was vacuum-hardened after milling the external die
and the large areas. After surface
grinding, all the starting holes for
the wire EDM process were created. The next step was the cutting of the ejectors and inserts,
as well as the manufacture of the
copper electrodes with wire EDM
and Milling. Ten copper electrodes were used on the FO 350S
die-sinking machine with which
the basic forms were ED machined. A further ten electrodes
were used when die-sinking the
slide, all of which were exchanged
automatically by means of an
attached robot. After assembly,
the six-way injection molding tool,
with which then 300,000 terminal
blocks made of PA 66 were produced monthly, weighed 300 kg.
Constant quality checks and meticulous
work are the best guarantee for Rawela
for the supply of optimal products, such
as these terminal blocks.
PRECISION ON THE
WORKPIECE BRINGS
PRECISION ON THE
FINISHED PART
Contact
Jiří Kolá, Head of Tool Making
Jaroslav Langer,
Head of Injection Molding
rawela@rawela.cz
A surface quality of VDI 22 had
to be reached on the form-giving
parts and a tolerance accuracy
of ± 0.1 µm over the complete
six-way injection molding tool.
These daily recurring precision
requirements and, not least, also
the good experience of the parent company in Germany, were
the crucial factors why Rawela
invested in ED machines from
GF AgieCharmilles. So the FI
2030 SI ED wire-cutting machine
and the FO 350 S ED die-sinking
machine, both of which offered
the best prerequisites for optimal
results with their high repetitive
and positioning accuracy, were
used for machining the mold
inserts of the six-way injection
molding machines.
- 1 FI 2030 SI with robot
- 1 FI 2030 SI
- 1 FI 200
- 2 AC Progress V2
- 2 AC 100D
- 1 FO 350 S
- 1 FO 350
- 1 FO 200
Clamping system
Erowa
Programming
Catia 5.0
Peps
Measuring, testing
from Mitutoyo
Profile projector
Roughness measuring device
9
MOLDING | GB PRECISION
10
With over 30 years
of experience in
tool-making for
household articles,
food and drink industry, as well as
for pharmaceutical and cosmetic
products, GB Precision Engineering
has developed an
exceptional reputation in the marketplace. The English
company uses GF
AgieCharmilles
Milling and EDM
equipment to
achieve precision
on the workpiece,
as well as economic machining.
ECONOMIC MILLING IN
TOOL AND MOLD-MAKING
SUCCESS WITH CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT
An outer suburb of Birmingham
is the base of GB Precision Engineering, where seven employees
develop, design and manufacture
tools and components. Asked
about the company’s philosophy,
the managing director, Paul
Turner, responds, «Investments
in people and machines are
money well spent, paying off with
excellent results for the customer.»
The end result of this philosophy
includes two milling and three
electrical discharge machines
from GF AgieCharmilles in use
in GB Precision Engineering’s
workshop. A mold insert job lot
for an injection molding die for
the production of beverage bottle
caps reveals the ways in which
GB Precision Engineering uses
its MIKRON VCE 1000 Pro milling
machine effectively.
MOLDING | GB PRECISION
THE FORM DETERMINES
THE MACHINING PROCEDURE
For these mold inserts, GB
Precision Engineering selected
blanks made of 440 C steel,
which were machined in nine
steps. First, the outside contour with the projecting edging
is turned. Next, all the holes
are drilled with a 0.7 mm drill
diagonally from the upper end to
the inside on the MIKRON VCE
1000 Pro. A 3 mm ball nose cutter is automatically exchanged
to create the contoured surface.
Using the MIKRON VCE 1000 Pro
means that GB Precision Engi-
neering can leave the flat surface
from turning and machine that
would normally be a turned
feature on the machine without
having to add another operation.
At least there is a further change
of tool and then the interior of
the mold insert is milled with an
8 mm milling cutter. After these
machining steps, the mold inserts are hardened by an outside
company. Back at GB Precision
Engineering, narrow slits are
made by means of die-sinking
EDM on the AT Hyperspark 2.
The mold inserts are then moved
to the MIKRON VCE 1000 Pro
once again for milling for the
concluding machining tasks.
GB PRECISION
ENGINEERING
VERSATILE ENOUGH FOR
ALL CONTRACT JOBS
«With regard to its performance
profile, the MIKRON VCE 1000
Pro is the ideal machining centre
for our application spectrum,»
managing director Paul Turner
observes, underlining this machine’s standing in his company.
And indeed, the VCE Pro series
offers a large number of capabilities and functions, which are
unique in this class:
- A good view of the workpiece from three sides
- Shorter downtimes through lateral tool changers
1 Port Hope Road
- Reliable machining with tool probe TS 27
- The Heidenhain control «speaks» the workshop’s
language
- Digital drive technology for optimal control dynamics
- Robust mechanism for
excellent damping
Sparkbrook
The above properties are
highly regarded by GB Precision
Engineering in everyday work
because they enhance manufacturing reliability and the precision on the workpiece.
Birmingham B11 1JS
United Kingdom
Tel. +44 (0)121 766 7008
Fax +44 (0)121 773 2824
Contact
Paul Turner, Managing Director
paul.turner@gbprecision.co.uk
- MIKRON VCE 1000 Pro with a
double pallet changer
- 1 Bostomatic 32 GS
- 2 AT Hyperspark 2
- 1 AC Progress 2 with Workpal
Clamping system
Dynafix Macro and Junior from
System 3R
Programmierung
«The MIKRON VCE 1000
Pro is used by us universally. From the finest detail
to coarse roughing jobs.
A machining centre with a
convincing price/performance ratio.»
Workshop drawings and mold inserts
show the forced vent apertures, which
were drilled and milled with the MIKRON
VCE 1000 Pro.
said Paul Turner, Managing Director
The MIKRON VCE 1000 Pro is the machining center GB Precision Engineering
uses to execute difficult jobs.
GB Precision Engineering
The holes, which serve as the forced
vent apertures during the injection molding process, are to be seen clearly after
the drilling process on the MIKRON VCE
1000 Pro.
11
Mastercam
Peps from Camtek
Measuring, testing
Profile projector
Co-ordinate measuring
machine from Mitutoyo
Microscope
www.gbprecision.co.uk
EMO | MILANO 2009
GF AgieCharmilles | results todAy | 04
12
GF AGIECHARMILLES:
NEW TECHNOLOGY SET
FOR DEBUT AT EMO MILAN
GF AgieCharmilles, already well-known as the world’s leading supplier of machines, automation
solutions and services to the tool and mold-making industry, will unveil a completely new
technology at EMO Milano 2009, scheduled Oct. 5-10, in Exhibition Area Fieramilano, Strada Statale
del Sempione 28, Milan. The centerpiece of GF AgieCharmilles’ exhibition at EMO 2009 is its
invitation for visitors to «Experience more» of the products and solutions that have long made
GF AgieCharmilles a preferred partner.
From 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily,
visitors to GF AgieCharmilles’
exhibition space in Hall 7, Booth
# F13/E20, will «Experience
more» of the company’s wide
range of products and solutions,
including the new laser technology that will be demonstrated
at EMO, as well as innovative
approaches to electric discharge
machining, milling, customer
services, automation, and motor
spindles. Underpinning it all is
GF AgieCharmilles’ commitment
to enabling customers’ success
across a wide range of industrial
segments: injection molding,
tool and die, aeronautics and
aerospace, motor sports, and the
production of medical and dental
implants, instruments and appliances.
Supporting this wide array of
success-enabling technologies, automation solutions and
support is the service and Swiss
reliability for which GF AgieCharmilles is known. As customers increasingly look for better
value in terms of product functionality, design and reliability,
GF AgieCharmilles demonstrates
EMO MILAN 2009:
EAGERLY AWAITED
INTERNATIONAL EVENT
at EMO Milan 2009 a selection
of EDM, Milling and Automation
Solutions that take precision and
efficiency in production to new
heights.
Specifically, GF AgieCharmilles’
EMO Milan 2009 presence will
feature three milling machines
(MIKRON HPM 800U, MIKRON
HPM 600 HD, MIKRON HSM/XSM
400/400U LP), four electro erosion machines (FORM 2000 HP,
FORM 1000, CUT 1000 OilTech,
CUT 30), a smart machine corner
demonstrating modular solutions bringing together the best
of GF AgieCharmilles’ technologies, an area spotlighting
Step-Tec motor spindles. In addition – a nice hospitality area –
where visitors can meet with GF
AgieCharmilles representatives
to discuss the range of available
technologies and solutions best
suited to their individual businesses, will be open.
Focusing on metal forming and
metal cutting machine tools,
machines for welding, thermal
and surface treatments, robots,
automation hardware and software, assembling, tools, parts,
accessories, metrology, quality
control, and safety and environmental protection systems, EMO
Milan 2009 provides an ideal
backdrop for GF AgieCharmilles’
unique offering. The exhibition is
sponsored by CECIMO, a European consortium of machine tool
organizations, and held every
six years in Milan. EMO Milan
A modern and welcoming space
featuring a variety of innovations in EDM
and Milling, as well as the unveiling of a
new technology, make the GF AgieCharmilles exhibition the place to be at
EMO Milan 2009.
«Experience more» is the promise of
GF AgieCharmilles’ exhibition space at
EMO Milan 2009. Visitors are invited to
experience more performance, greater
reliability and a wide range of machines,
services and automation possibilities.
EMO 2009
Hall 7
Booth # F13/E20
2009 represents a universe of
know-how and is widely regarded as one of the most eagerly
awaited events of each decade
by the worldwide manufacturing
industry.
With a net exhibition area of
about 100,000 square meters,
EMO Milan 2009 will feature
more than 1,250 companies
representing at least 35 countries. In 2003, EMO Milan drew
a crowd of about 155,000 people
to the capital of Lombardy to
explore exhibitions covering all
segments of the industry, from
metal forming and metal cutting
to components, tools, robots and
automation.
GF AGIECHARMILLES
TO HOST SHOW
IN SCHORNDORF
As a special follow up for those
customers and colleagues unable to visit EMO Milan 2009,
GF AgieCharmilles goes a step
further this year by hosting its
first International Technology
Show (ITS) at its new World Application Center in Schorndorf,
Germany. The event, scheduled
Oct. 23-30, will spotlight 15 GF
AgieCharmilles products in a
state-of-the-art, 1,400-squaremeter showroom.
Emo | Milano 2009
13
CUSTOMER SERVICES:
A CONTINUUM OF
SUPPORT
Preventive maintenance, training opportunities, original parts and certified consumables, a customer
helpline and the renowned Privilege Club form the core of GF AgieCharmilles’ Customer Services
Business, proudly offering the most comprehensive service package in the industry. As part of
GF AgieCharmilles’ exhibition at EMO Milano 2009, representatives of the Customer Services Business
will showcase a broad range of services designed to help customers experience more success
throughout the lives of their businesses.
PREVENTIVE
MAInTENANCE MEANS
LESS DOWN TIME
As a world leader in electric
discharge machining (EDM)
and high-speed and high-performance milling (HSM/HPM),
it should come as no surprise
that GF AgieCharmilles offers
a superlative range of services
designed to enable customers’
success. With more than 700
engineers worldwide, more than
10,000 combined years of market
experience and the world’s best
structured sales and service
organization, GF AgieCharmilles
is uniquely positioned to make its
customers more competitive with
a continuum of support from a
single, reliable source.
ORIGINAL PARTS,
CERTIFIED CONSUMABLES
EXTEND EQUIPMENT LIFE
parts and certified consumables,
all specifically designed and
manufactured to meet our high
standards and your daily needs,
you keep your production levels
highly predictable and protect
your equipment from damage.
GF AgieCharmilles original parts
did not happen overnight; they
are the result of painstaking
research and rigorous testing
of our machines’ components
to gauge their performance and
meet highly-demanding production specifications both internally
and with subcontractors. Our
exacting quality management
process includes close analysis
of failures, allowing us to quickly
implement corrective measures
when necessary.
By using GF AgieCharmilles
original parts and certified
consumables, you extend the life
of your equipment and build your
business with the confidence that
your equipment is operating at
peak precision and performance.
Wire, resin, filters and dielectric
fluids all play important roles in
the smooth operation of your GF
AgieCharmilles equipment; that
is why we select only those manufacturers who adhere strictly
to our demanding standards
and who produce high-quality
consumables.
Only GF AgieCharmilles can
guarantee the various tolerances
demanded by GF AgieCharmilles
products. By using our original
Ninety-five percent of all GF
AgieCharmilles parts are available for next-day delivery, once
again confirming the company’s
industry leadership and commitment to the smooth operation of
your business.
HELPLINE PLACES
OUR EXPERTS
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Our experts, each completely
dedicated to providing unparalleled service, are on call daily
to answer your questions. They
draw on a legacy of experience
and knowledge to provide solutions customized to your needs.
Our goal is to continuously and
seamlessly provide you with ways
to retain your competitive advantage. Seventy-percent of equipment problems can be resolved
by telephone; our helpline team
exists to ensure your success.
Whether the economic environment is booming or receding, GF
AgieCharmilles’ preventive maintenance agreement ensures less
machine down time and greater
productivity, factors which
together mean more success for
your business.
A simple precautionary measure, the preventive maintenance
agreement can result in as much
as seventy-percent less unproductive machine time as well
as greater machine reliability,
assurance that machine operation continues at optimal levels,
longer equipment service life,
and enhanced equipment performance.
GF AgieCharmilles preventive
maintenance protects customers’ investment by positioning
customers to get the most value
from their machines.
TRAINING ENHANCES
COMPETITIVE EDGE,
MAXIMIZES POTENTIAL
Years ago, learning by doing
might have been enough to
maintain optimal equipment
performance, but in today’s extremely competitive global business environment, maintaining
performance means maintaining
a competitive edge. That is where
GF AgieCharmilles training can
play a key role in the success of
your business.
Effective training enhances your
competitive edge by improving your production quality and
enabling you to meet the growing, changing demands of your
customers. As a world leader in
spark machining and milling,
GF AgieCharmilles has developed a unique training concept
to help you achieve – and maintain – excellence.
PRIVILEGE CLUB
SHOWS OUR LOYALTY
TO CUSTOMERS
Every GF AgieCharmilles customer is a member of the Privilege Club which demonstrates
our loyalty to our customers
and offers access to exclusive
advantages. By earning Privilege Points, our customers can
receive value-added services at
special prices and save money
with each purchase.
The Privilege Club is already
available in many regions like
Italy, France, Germany, North
America and many more will
follow.
Benefits with real-world business value are at the center of
GF AgieCharmilles’ Customer
Services Business, and there
is no better time than EMO
Milan 2009 to find out just how
our service offering can help
you maximize your equipment
investment.
EMO | MILANo 2009
14
Precision
Protection
Productivity
GF AgieCharmilles’ smart machine technology brings new intelligence to Milling and EDM processes with a range of Smart
Modules that support the machine operator and improve overall performance and productivity. The distinct advantages of
smart technology will be spotlighted in a special smart machine corner in GF AgieCharmilles’ booth at EMO Milan 2009.
SMART MACHINE:
DISTINCT ADVAnTAGES
FOR MILLING and EDM
SMART MODULES
OPTIMIZE MILLING,
SUPPORT OPERATOR
To make smart machining possible on the milling side, GF AgieCharmilles established comprehensive communication between
its machines and their operators
so that the operator receives the
precise information necessary
to assess the milling process.
In addition, GF AgieCharmilles
smart machine technology supports the operator in optimizing
the milling process, considerably
improving performance. Based
on that precise information and
the operator’s assessment, the
machine optimizes the milling
process, improving both safety
and quality, all in an unmanned
operation.
The result is a whole host of
benefits to your milling operation: greater accuracy in shorter
machining times; improvements
to workpiece surface quality as
well as surface and shape accuracy; recognition and execution
of critical machining strategies;
greater process safety; higher
availability of the machine; better
operating comfort; and considerable increases in reliability in
unmanned operations.
New for GF AgieCharmilles
smart machining technology is
the PC diagnostic and reporting
software, machine monitoring
system (MMS), which promptly
recognizes possible disturbances
on the milling machine and supports preventive maintenance.
The diagnostic messages are automatically transmitted by email
via Ethernet; by LSV2 protocol
for direct alarm feeding into the
software; or by SMS with RNS
(Remote Notification System).
The MMS software supervises,
announces and visualizes operation conditions of GF AgieCharmilles milling machines and
logs all events. It is the perfect
support in the rapid recognition
and efficient avoidance of potential component crashes.
As a result, the machine user
does not have to actively compare data to notice a maintenance deficit because MMS looks
for such deficits. With MMS, the
operator observes the machine
in real time. Component modules
are diagnostic, maintenance,
process and efficiency.
Other features of GF AgieCharmilles’ smart machine
technology: the system counts
operation hours with an eye to
preventive maintenance for your
machine components; operational data counter and statistical
evaluation to improve maintainability of your machine; diagnosis
and tracking of machine errors;
monitoring of the machine’s
operating conditions; and receive
email or a text message if an
error occurs during the milling
process.
EDM NOW COMPLETES
GF AGIECHARMILLES’
SMART MODULE WORLD
The intelligence and expertise of
GF AgieCharmilles smart nodule
technology is now available as an
option or separate module on the
company’s EDM machines, representing a distinct advantage to
customers worldwide and moving
GF AgieCharmilles ahead of most
of its competitors.
Availability of GF AgieCharmilles
EDM smart modules supports
the machine operator throughout the EDM process and is a
revolutionary step in optimization
of EDM machining. GF AgieCharmilles already is known for
its wealth of achievements in
this field, including: Integrated
Collision Protection (ICP) which
protects the machine in handling
potentially-fatal errors; «expert
Three-dimensional setup on
AC VERTEX machine.
Econowatt screen on FI 240 CC.
systems» that assist facilitation
of machine use under optimal
conditions; availability of GF
AgieCharmilles expertise for
machining with large angles,
particularly in molding applications; and the transfer of data
and machining results with
the most sophisticated means,
including SMS.
Smart Modules are evidence
of GF AgieCharmilles’ keen
awareness of customers’ need
for increased productivity and
their heightened awareness of
the environmental importance of
energy conservation.
Econowatt (ECO) establishes
GF AgieCharmilles’ leadership
in energy savings and environmental preservation. ECO allows
you to stop and restore optimum
conditions for the EDM machines
with the Stop and Start option,
allowing significant energy savings. Further, the Advanced Setup
(ASET) function makes the operator aware of the exact position of
parts in the machine; different
alignment cycles acquire and automatically correct the reference.
Alignment of the upper surface
of a piece may, depending on the
machine and required tolerance,
be achieved with standard or very
high precision probes.
The Job Management System
(JMS) offers great advantages
for the multi job which can be
fully controlled through the list
of preparations parameterized
independently. Autonomous
management of each job even
offers the possibility of introducing an urgent job into the list at
any time and allows for necessary
suspensions and safeguarding
machining parameters related to
the piece at hand.
Emo | Milano 2009
15
LASER: EXPERIENCE
OUR LASER TECHNOLOGY
A new GF AgieCharmilles technology offers customers an opportunity to take their
competitive edge in Milling and EDM to the next level. Laser technology presents
a wide spectrum of intriguing possibilities for customers who want to differentiate
themselves in a highly-competitive marketplace, gain new customers and reap the
benefits of an excellent price/performance ratio.
ENTRY LEVEL TO HIGH
END: IT’S ALL HERE
At EMO Milan 2009, GF AgieCharmilles will debut its Laser
technology, which is ripe for application within a completely new
product range. Visitors to EMO
Milan 2009 will be the first to see
how the new technology extends
GF AgieCharmilles’ already
impressive portfolio of EDM and
Milling products.
Wherever you are in the life of
your business – just starting out,
growing and looking for ways to
increase your market presence,
or well-established and using
the most high-end EDM and
Milling machines – GF AgieCharmilles’ Laser technology is
available in a complete product
range, from entry-level to highend models.
Intrigued? Meet us at EMO Milan
2009 – and be prepared to experience more. Can’t wait to learn
more? Have a look here for more
information: http://www.gfac.
com/index.php?id=13803
WE ENABLe
GREATER SUCCESS
It is common knowledge that
every machining technique has
unique advantages and limitations, but GF AgieCharmilles is
convinced that its new technology
will enable customers to achieve
sustained success.
In launching its new Laser technology, GF AgieCharmilles brings
together the best of EDM and
Milling expertise for the benefit
of customers. EMO Milan 2009 is
the place to learn how our Laser
technology can be used profitably
in conjunction with your existing
or new GF AgieCharmilles EDM
and Milling machines.
A STEP AHEAD
OF THE COMPETITION
The newest applied science from
GF AgieCharmilles dovetails
perfectly with customers’ search
for new application fields, allows
them to extend their product
range and differentiates their
market presence from that of
their competitors. EMO Milan
2009 is the first step toward
acquiring the necessary knowledge to make the best use of GF
AgieCharmilles’ new technology
– before your competitors do.
Revolutionizes 3D electrode texturing.
Roll engraving and texturing.
Distinct surfaces like loudspeaker grids.
Plastic cap molds.
New opportunities for thermo forming
technique.
Three-dimensional mold texturing.
The history of industrial development shows that there are
certain rare windows of opportunity when critical decisions must
be made. The decision to invest
in a new technology at a certain
point in time should not be made
lightly. GF AgieCharmilles – an
established technology leader –
is positioned with a track record
for enabling its customers’
success, as well as the products,
services and emerging technologies to help take your business to
the next competitive level.
EMO 2009
Hall 7
Booth # F13/E20
EMO | MILANo 2009
16
The MIKRON HSM/XSM LP series features linear motor technology on all axes.
The MIKRON HSM/XSM LP series pushes
technology to the limit with a perfect symbiosis of dynamics and precision.
EMO 2009
Hall 7
Booth # F13/E20
HSM/XSM LP series:
A BRIGHT IDEA
BECOMES REALITY
Versatility and attention to both
accuracy and surface finish make
GF AgieCharmilles HSM/XSM LP
(Linear Performance) series with
approved linear motor technology
the ideal solution for a wide range
of machining operations, whether
the focus is prototypes, molding,
or fully-automated small series
production.
Two years after GF AgieCharmilles
premiered a prototype of its
MIKRON XSM technology at
EMO Hannover 2007, the idea
has become a mature product
line that will debut at EMO Milan
2009, with the MIKRON HSM/XSM
400/400U LP, which have demonstrated their reliability during
beta testing with customers.
MILLING:
POSITIONING
CUSTOMERS FOR
MORE SUCCESS
For machining operations large or small, fully, partially or
not yet automated, GF AgieCharmilles Milling products
position customers to experience more success than their
competitors.
Visitors to our EMO Milan 2009
exhibit will get a taste of GF
AgieCharmilles’ leading-edge
applied science, including intel-
ligent tool measurement, linear
motor technology, multi-axis
machining, and expanded palletization options, all engineered
with an eye to each customers’
needs for more machine value
and greater productivity.
To achieve the superior performance and reliability expected
of a mature product line, GF
AgieCharmilles relied heavily on
feedback from customers using
the MIKRON HSM/XSM 400/400U
LP series under demanding conditions. As a result, while the external appearance of the series is
unchanged, most internal components were completely redesigned,
yielding an extremely powerful
and solid HSC machine. For the
customer, these improvements
mean extraordinary value across a
wide range of applications.
The new OPTICOOL 42,000 min-1
motor spindle by Step-Tec, with
its high- torque of 8.8 Nm (S6,
40 percent) – double the torque
of the previous spindle model –
yields economical axial and radial
cutting depth during the milling
process, efficiently addresses the
high chip removal requirements
for today’s milling from solid. At
the same time, the OPTICOOL
concept of the spindle nose cooling system permits a previously
unknown degree of precision
on the workpiece during long
processing times with a single
tool, and the oil/air system continuously lubricates the spindle’s
ceramic hybrid ball bearings.
Efficient chip management is
another feature of the series,
providing excellent results under
regular workshop conditions, as
well as a solution to industries
dependent on the recuperation of
even the smallest chips of highvalue materials like gold and
other precious metals. The construction deliberately separates
the chip from the lubricant. Several chip management options,
including a wash down system to
keep the work space free of chip
deposits, are available.
For the reduction of unproductive – and costly – down time, GF
AgieCharmilles offers a range
of automation solutions for the
HSM/XSM LP series, from a wellestablished pallet magazine with
System 3R and Erowa interface
to single part handling with an
industrial robot supported by a
vision system. Optional automation systems allow for highlyefficient use of the machine as
well as alignment of production
to specific needs and situations –
putting customers in the driver’s
seat when it comes to flexibility.
The MIKRON HSM/XSM LP series
takes precision chipping to a new
level. Precise compliance of the
tool path in high feeds defines
the surface quality of the concave
and convex surfaces, so the milling texture on the workpiece is
among the most critical considerations in high-speed milling
(HSM). The MIKRON HSM/XSM
400/400U LP represent a new
benchmark, with geometrical
stability ensured by continuous
control of every cooling circuit.
Because each linear axis has its
own cooling circuit, the heat is removed entirely from the machine
and not distributed within the
machine.
Outstanding accuracy is achieved
through digital cleaning of the
tool cutting edge before milling.
This revolutionary approach enhances dramatically the reliability
of accurate machining.
In total, the HSM/XSM LP series
stands as a new benchmark in
milling and a testament to GF
AgieCharmilles’ commitment to
making its customers more successful.
EMO | MILANO 2009
MIKRON
HPM 600 HD, 1200 HD
OFFER A WORLD
OF ADAPTABILITY
When performance counts,
customers count on GF AgieCharmilles to support them
as their businesses grow and
change, as evidenced by the
MIKRON HPM 600 HD and 1200
HD high-performance machining
centers. The HPM HD series is
impressively adaptable: nonautomated machine tools today,
GF AgieCharmilles pallet changers tomorrow, and industrial
robots to take your operation into
the future.
The spectrum of requirements
fulfilled by the series is both vast
and specific. Prototype construc-
tion, mold making, fully automated small series production, output intensive high-performance
cutting (HPC) milling operations,
and dynamic surface finishing
are just a few of the applications
to which the MIKRON HPM 600
HD and MIKRON 1200 HD are
perfectly suited.
The HPM 600 HD is the smallest machine in the range, and
its larger sister machine, the
HPM 1200 HD, offers increased
X working range. Both have a Y
working range of 600 millimeters
and a Z working range of 500
millimeters for trouble-free machining of large workpieces.
Since chip volumes generated by
HPC milling can take on considerable dimensions, even small
amounts of chip accumulation
must be avoided. The solution is
highly efficient removal of chips
from the machining area. Several
chip management options are
available.
How can the MIKRON HPM HD
range be adapted to meet chang-
Work area
Longitudinal
X
Lateral
Y
Vertical
Z
Working spindle (40% ED, S6)
15’000 rpm, ISO-SK40
20’000 rpm, HSK-A63
Feed rate
Feed rate / Rapid traverse (X, Y)
Feed rate / Rapid traverse (Z)
Work table
Clamping surface
Max table load
mm
mm
mm
kW / Nm
kW / Nm
PALLET CHANGING GETS
EASIER WITH MIKRON
HPM 600U AND 800U
GF AgieCharmilles makes pallet
changing a snap for the MIKRON
HPM 600U and 800U, now available with a two-pallet changer
or seven-, nine- or 12-pallet
magazine. Customers will get
a close up look at the MIKRON
HPM 800U with a seven-pallet
magazine at EMO Milan 2009.
The MIKRON HPM 800U takes versatility to a new level, allowing mixed use and
pallets loaded up to 500 kilograms each.
Shown here is the loading station for
two-pallet version of the MIKRON HPM
800U. The pallets can be rotated 360 degrees, so the work pieces are accessible
from all sides.
The loading of pallets with a crane is
much easier with the big magazine door
of the MIKRON HPM 800U. Oscillating
workpieces can be placed securely.
The MIKRON HPM 800U changes the
pallets through the machine, resulting in
unlimited work room and loading station
ergonomics.
The pallet changing system
expedites machine operations
without limiting ergonomics
in the work room and loading station. But that is not the
only exciting characteristic of
the MIKRON HPM 600U and
800U, designed for the universal
production of high-quality parts
with three, four or five axes. The
series also features state-ofthe art motor spindles, directly
driven rotary and swiveling axes
and stable construction which,
together, are the ideal foundation for economical and accurate
machining in modern tool and
mold making as well as the production of high-quality parts.
The high-performance machining centers boast a unique machine base concept containing
strong driving elements of the X,
ing needs? The basic machine
with its 30-piece tool magazine is
a reliable production asset without automation but a world of
automation possibilities opens up
with the 60-piece tool magazine,
readying the machine for easy
automation with pallet changers
and automation interface. There
are several automation alternatives available–from the established Mikron solution in-house
pallet magazine to robot assembly by well-known manufacturers. Also a novelty is the accessibility of a Delphin table. This
innovation makes the HPM series
even more flexible and functional
than it already is. The addition of
an industrial robot is easily accommodated by retrofitting or as
a special solution, depending on
the customer’s particular needs,
m / min
m / min
mm
kg
thanks to modular design and
engineering.
In addition, low-vibration movement control on all axes allows
for not only output intensive
rough machining but for dynamically precise path guidance during surface finishing.
Top view of Delphin clamping chucks
250 mm
250 mm
MIKRON
HPM 600 HD
MIKRON
HPM 1200 HD
600
600
500
1200
600
500
39/84
39/84
39/84
39/84
40
30
40
30
800x600
500
1400x600
1200
Y and Z axes, allowing optimal
automated loading of workpieces
via the pallet changer, and a
tool changer that can accommodate 30, 60,115, 165 or up to
210 tools.
The MIKRON HPM 600U and
800U line is a stable, extremely
compact basic machine featuring a large work area. The
maximum X-Y working range of
the MIKRON HPM 800 U is 800
millimeters x 800 millimeters.
At the Z axis, the machine offers
17
a clearance of 800 millimeters
from table surface to the spindle
nose. The maximized work
area enables the machining of
cylindrical workpieces of up to
800 millimeters in diameter.
The dimensions of the rotary
swivel table make it possible
to machine workpieces up to
600 millimeters tall, using 100
millimeter-long tools.
EMO | MILANO 2009
18
High performance, high precision and deep understanding
of EDM customers’ needs GF AgieCharmilles hallmark, and
these values are mirrored in three new product ranges to be
featured at EMO Milan 2009.
EDM:
HIGH PERFORMANCE
AND HIGH PRECISION
In the EDM spotlight at GF AgieCharmilles exhibition space will
be the FORM 2000 HP and FORM
3000 HP, the FORM 1000, the
CUT 1000 OilTech and the CUT
20 P and CUT 30 P.
FORM 2000 HP/3000 HP:
HIGHEST PRECISION
AND PRODUCTIVITY
FORM 2000 HP: A graphite electrode
with very thin walls is a typical example
of a highly demanding application where,
thank to iQ technology, machining can
be performed with wear-free erosion of
the electrode for highest accuracy and
efficiency.
High precision is the hallmark of
GF AgieCharmilles’ new FORM
2000 HP and FORM 3000 HP,
die-sinking machines that take
over where the FORM 2000 and
FORM 3000 left off. Engineered
to meet the most exacting
standards of accuracy and highest productivity demands, the
FORM 2000 HP and FORM 3000
HP offer modular automation,
high removal rates, innovative iQ
technology for minimum electrode wear in electric discharge
machining and exceptional positioning accuracy to meet the very
strict requirements of technical
mold making.
The FORM 2000 HP and FORM
3000 HP features a new, sophisticated and unique Thermo
Control system which compensates for temperature variations,
offering unmatched precision
under workshop conditions.
Temperature stabilization is
achieved by cooling the X, Y
and Z glass scales with stable
temperature dielectric, acting
as a constant reference for the
temperature compensation system. As a result, each individual
machine axis is optimized for its
specified size.
With µm-exact precision on the
workpiece, both ED die-sinking
models meet the high demands
of technical mold making and
highly demanding applications.
Typical applications include
multi-functional plastic parts,
like webs, jaws, apertures and
cavities which make possible the
installation and secure mounting
of electrical components. The
necessary precision is achieved
by ED machining with µm-exact
axis positions. Properties that
make maximum productivity and
maximum precision possible
include: modular, integrable
electrode and pallet changer;
improved travel paths of 400 x
300 mm the X, Y and Z axes on
the FORM 2000 HP, and travel
paths of 600 x 400 x 500 mm on
the FORM 3000 HP; and an ISPG
generator for high removal rates
in all application fields.
In addition, the series features
GF AgieCharmilles’ own iQ
innovative quality technology
as an integrated feature. This
outstanding and unique feature
makes wear-free ED machining
possible with graphite electrodes, vastly reducing electrode
costs and providing for higher
form accuracy. At EMO Milan
2009, GF AgieCharmilles will
debut some astounding improvements to this already outstanding technology.
Another impressive innovation
on the FORM 2000 HP and FORM
3000 HP is the introduction of
Smart Modules, allowing the
operator to take advantage of the
series’ powerful features to max-
imize efficiency and economics.
An example is Econowatt, which
enables consistent savings of
electrical power by optimizing
the use of power-consuming resources. Other smart machines
enable consistent savings on the
number of electrodes required
to machine multi cavities, or
connection of the machine with
an external server for remote
monitoring.
Emo | Milano 2009
High positioning and high accuracy of
the shapes and the details are required
(surface Ra <0.1µm). Steel component:
tool insert for producing packaging (clips)
clamping.
Examples of applications for the FORM
1000 in the micro sector.
Finest roughness down to Ra µm and
perfect surface quality are the requirements for this extrusion die made of
carbide.
0.1 mm
Perfect contour accuracy, small wire
down to 20µm diameters and small internal radii are required for this element of a
punching tool made of carbide and micro
shapes.
CUT 1000 OILTECH
SETS THE STAGE
FOR MACHINING IN OIL
GF AgieCharmilles’ new CUT
1000 OilTech, a variant of the
well-known CUT 1000, allows for
the use of oil as a dielectric and
boasts a new generator to cover
the requirement of specific application fields. Its design, thermal
behavior and control system are
consistently identical to the CUT
1000.
The CUT 1000 OilTech was specifically developed to accommodate oil as a dielectric fluid. The
new machine will no doubt interest the watch industry because it
FORM 1000
REPRESENTS LEAP
IN ACCURACY
will yield finely machined parts,
ready for assembly, with no visible corrosion. Another example
is the manufacture of carbide
stamping tools for the microelectronics industry: surface
finish and cutting-edge quality
will be perfected with no affected
layer or micro cracking, resulting
in longer tool life.
To meet the high requirements of
machining with oil dielectric, the
CUT 1000 OilTech has a completely new generator, enabling
surface finishes of Ra 0.05 and
perfect surface quality of finished
parts. The small wire/workpiece
distance allows extremely small
radii and the highest profile
With the FORM 1000, GF AgieCharmilles – already a technology leader – offers a leap
in accuracy by building on the
experience, know-how and
performance established by the
FORM 2000/3000.
Equipped with the ultra-modern,
high-performance ISPG generator that allows for a high
degree of compatibility between
high-precision applications and
already is standard on the FORM
2000/3000 HP, the FORM 1000
is ideal for a wide range of uses
and especially for micro applications.
The FORM 1000, with the new
module generator integrated in
the work area for best efficiency
in erosion, makes it possible
to machine tool with a smaller
surface (1mm2) and a roughness
of Ra 0.05 microns on the final
piece. Thanks to new iQ technologies for nominal electrode
wear, the extraordinary performance of the FORM 1000 opens
up new application horizons in
fields like watchmaking, medical
instruments and implants, microelectronics and high-precision
molding.
A mechanical structure with innovative patented monobloc casting for separate main axes, dual
measuring system on all axes,
and strict separation of the heat
EMO 2009
Hall 7
Booth # F13/E20
19
accuracy. The high machining performance of the CUT
1000 OilTech is also improved
by its unique AC DUO, allowing
machining with two wire diameters for maximum efficiency and
economy. The range of possible
wire diameters, 0.20 mm to 0.02
mm, perfect covers the requirements of the application fields
for which the CUT 1000 OilTech
is designed. The CUT 1000 and
CUT 1000 OilTech are the only
ED wire-cutting machines in the
world which not only cut but also
thread with 0.02 mm wire.
GF AgieCharmilles’ CUT 20 P and
CUT 30 P features AC Easy CAM, a userfriendly system that allows for the easy
execution of even complex contours.
source and electro erosion create
the FORM 1000’s exceptional
characteristics: travel paths X,
Y and Z of 220 x 160 x 250 mm;
maximum piece size of 550 x 330
mm; positioning accuracy of
± 1µm on the whole axis travel;
and excellent surface quality
(RA of 0.05 µm).
The FORM 1000’s modular tool
changer has a capacity of 300
tools, allowing for the execution
of work involving a multitude of
electrodes, and the machine is
equipped with the powerful
VISION 5 control, with new
features tailed to micro erosion
applications. Other prominent
features of the VISION 5 control
are the ability to directly import
of workpiece and electrode data,
and integrated work management and data entry mode,
identical to a PC – allowing you to
perfectly match the needs of your
modern workshop.
CUT 20 P, CUT 30 P:
ATTRACTIVE PRICE, USERFRIENDLY INTERFACE
The evolutions embodied in GF
AgieCharmilles’ CUT 20 P and
CUT 30 P make the production
of standard molds and general
mechanics parts more efficient,
with a complete package and an
excellent quality/price ratio.
Characterized by a high level of
reliability, GF AgieCharmilles
products are especially appealing
to customers who are sensitive to
rising costs. For these customers the CUT 20 P and CUT 30 P
are ideal: they are available at an
attractive price and with a complete package that allows them
to quickly become productive.
The technologies developed
for the CUT 20 P and CUT 30 P
makes possible the production of
parts under less-than-suitable
conditions, because the machines’ design takes workpiece
variances into consideration,
detecting differences in material
thickness and adapting automatically to changing conditions to
ensure continuous production.
As with all GF AgieCharmilles
machines, the CUT 20 P and
CUT 30P are equipped with
quality glass scales, excellent
ergonomics, an extremely accessible workpiece area and a
user-friendly interface. The user
interface facilitates direct and
intuitive dialogue. Data input
takes place in a structured way
with pictures and symbols guiding even inexperienced operators to fast and effective results.
The series’ technology package
ensures optimal performance
in cutting speed as well as good
surface quality.
The CUT 20 P and CUT 30 P
series is completed by a computer-aided design/computeraided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)
programming system, AC Easy
CAM), onboard in the standard
configuration. Created in collaboration with FIKUS MetalCam,
AC Easy CAM allows even EDM
beginners to get up to speed in
hardly any time at all. In addition, AC Easy CAM provides for
the execution of even complex
contours and is designed to associate directly with technologies
and strategies specific to the
customer’s applications.
GENERAL MACHINING | W-TECHNOLOGY
20
Milling in the MiCron range
With two milling machines from GF
AgieCharmilles, W-Technology handles
nearly 50 percent of the production of
its components precise to the µm.
The Czech company is a manufacturer
of clamping devices and supplies customers worldwide.
Advanced in the market
for clamping devices
In Bruntál, a small town in Moravia, Milan Volf founded W-Technology in 1990. From modest
beginnings, the Czech company
has today gained a small but
respectable share of the market
share among the large clamping device manufacturers. With
six employees, W-Technology
produces some 20,000 parts annually from its range of products covering 250 components.
W-Technology carries out all
the production steps itself with
modern machine equipment at
its disposal. Apart from surface
grinding and turning, the machines from GF AgieCharmilles
are: FI 440 CC wire EDM, FO 35
die-sinker, as well as MIKRON
VCP 600 and MIKRON HSM 400
milling machines. The example
Square 15 shows how W-Technology uses milling.
GENERAL MACHINING | W-TECHNOLOGY
21
«We decided on Milling
machines from GF AgieCharmilles in order to be
able to manufacture with a
guaranteed future. A small
company with six employees must handle investments carefully.»
said Milan Volf, Managing Director
and proprietor of W-Technology.
W-TECHNOLOGY
Polní 8
792 01 Bruntàl
Czech Republic
Phone +420-554 773 300-7
Fax +420-554 773 308-9
Contact
Milan Volf, Managing Director
and Proprietor
m.volf@w-technology.cz
Production demands
interdisciplinary
manufacturing
Parallelism,
surface and precision
are decisive
- 1 MIKRON VCP 600
- 1 MIKRON HSM 400 with
sevenfold pallet-changer
- 1 FO 35 P
Before a new part is produced, it
must first be developed, then the
design is created with drawings
and CAD models, from which WTechnology derives the machining steps for a pilot run. When
the part is ready for production,
such as in the example Square
15, the process begins with
turning at full speed. After the
outside contour and thread have
thus been machined, the Square
15 are clamped in fours on a
pallet. The retainer of the Square
15 is rough milled with coated
milling tools on the MIKRON VCP
600. The next step is vacuum
hardening done outside the
company.
W-Technology deals with nearly half of
all production parts with the two milling
machines MIKRON VCP 600 and HSM 400.
Back at W-Technology, the
Square 15 is completed and
clamped to the pallet again
in fours. Thanks to the palletchanger, the MIKRON HSM 400
can be loaded with a total of seven pallets so that unsupervised
night and weekend operation can
be executed. The Square 15 parts
now obtain their final quality on
the MIKRON HSM 400: a surface
quality of Ra 0.1 µm and a contour tolerance of ± 2 µm. Quality
features which were an important argument for the purchase
of the MIKRON HSM 400. The final working step is a 100 percent
check, which is documented. The
total machining time consists
of 40% turning, 50% milling as
well as 10% other works, which
proves the high status of milling
at W-Technology.
- 1 FI 440 CC
- 1 HD 30
Programming
Visual Mill
Bobcut
Measuring, testing
Microscope
Roughness measuring device
Two further clamps from the range of
over 250 components from W-Technology.
When a Square 15 has been finished,
each one is provided with a protective film
against chemical and physical influences.
Every finished Square 15 goes through a
100 percent check, which is documented.
www.w-technology.cz
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS | KSF
22
HALVING THE MIcRON
WITH WIRE EDM
Small runs for medical technology,
watches, machine building and special
machine building, as well as inserts for
cutting tools are the core business of
KSF Feinwerktechnik.
With six wire EDM machines from
GF AgieCharmilles, the young Pforzheim-based company produces precision parts in the micron range in job
contract work.
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
MODEL WITH HIGH-PRECISION WIRE EDM
The company KSF Feinwerktechnik was founded in 2002
by its present managing directors Andreas Krüger and Jens
Schulze. The company is based
in Huchenfeld near Pforzheim,
the «Gold City» in the south of
Germany, which historically has
always maintained an affinity for
precision mechanics. In KSF’s
fully air-conditioned facility, the
four members of the staff manufacture high-precision parts,
which push the limits of feasibility
of wire EDM again and again. The
finest surface finishes, narrow-
est slits, smallest inside radii
or highest fitting accuracy are
superlatives which certainly apply
in the case of KSF, and which the
company skilfully combines with
profitability. Three examples show
the masterly use of wire EDM
from GF AgieCharmilles: A punch
and die for a blanking die, an eye
operation instrument as well as a
fixing aid for the manufacture of
emitter slats.
A member of KSF staff prepares the
starting drill holes for the subsequent ED
wire-cutting jobs. The smallest threading
opening for the AC Vertex 1 ED wirecutting machines is the wire diameter
plus 50 µm.
The AC Excellence 2SF+F ED wirecutting machine is set up for the next
machining job.
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS | KSF
1 mm
PUNCHES AND DIES WITH
SMALLEST CUTTING PLAY
KSF received the order to manufacture a small series of carbide
punches, as well as the accompanying dies for a blanking die.
The punches were wire cut with
one full cut and eight trim cuts,
and were just 0.2 mm thick at
their thinnest points. KSF used
the finest CCA Microcut wire of
0.05 mm diameter and achieved
a surface quality of Ra 0.08 µm.
Internal user knowledge enabled
KSF to connect the punches in
such a way that they could be
detached in conclusion with a
separation cut. Thanks to the
fully automatic double spool operation on the AC Vertex 1, it was
possible to wire cut the die in
one clamping operation in a fully
automatic sequence. The inside
radii were just 0.1 mm, which
is nearly identical with the wire
diameter. 100 percent linearity
and the finest surfaces produced
a clearance of just 1 µm between
the punch and die.
A metal block with curved slits serves
as a fixing aid for parts in medical technology. Eight thin metal plates are then
packaged and clamped in two of these
blocks, and emitter slats are manufactured in small series by making 0.06
mm thin slits with ± 5 µm tolerance
using ED wire cutting.
«ED wire-cutting machines
from GF AgieCharmilles offer an enormous technology
potential. Our know-how
coupled with many years of
experience in ED wire cutting
exploits this optimally.»
said Jens Schulze, Managing Director and
Co-owner of KSF Feinwerktechnik GdbR.
The carbide punch was cut with one full
cut and eight trim cuts. It is just 0.2 mm
thick at its thinnest points, has a surface
quality of Ra 0.08 µm and the smallest
inside radii are just 0.1 mm.
PRECISE WIRE EDM
CUTTING FOR PRECISE
EYE OPERATIONS
23
KSF
FEINWERKTECHNIK
GdbR
Andreas Krüger + Jens Schulze
Huchenfelder Hauptstrasse 80
KSF received pre-engineered
parts made of special steel for
the prototypes of an eye operation
instrument. Andreas Krüger, responsible for 2D and 3D programs
at KSF, optimised the CAD model
from a production engineering
respect for ED wire cutting. The
13.5 mm high outside and inside
contours were ED wire cut on an
AC Vertex with one full cut and
four trim cuts. The requirement
for an exact fitting fixture for the
operating scalpel was fully met by
fine surfaces and exact linearity.
75181 Pforzheim
Germany
Tel. +49-(0)7231-280 92 9-0
Fax +49-(0)7231-280 92 9-9
Contact
Andreas Krüger, Managing Director
Jens Schulze, Managing Director
info@ks-feinwerktechnik.de
- 2 AC Vertex 1
- 1 AC Excellence 2SF+F
- 1 AC Excellence 3
- 1 AC Challenge 3
- 1 AC Evolution 2SF
WIRE EDM CUTTING
MAKES MICRON-EXACT
FIXING POSSIBLE
Clamping system
Mecatool from System 3R
Programming
A further application example
completes the spectrum of
KSF’s services: The fine wire
application with a fixing aid.
Meandering slits had to be cut
into metal blocks with an area of
19 x 12 mm by means of ED wire
cutting. Eight thin metal plates
were then packaged and clamped
in each case between two of these
blocks. These 0.2 mm thin plates
were slit into emitter slats which
are used in medical technology.
The slit width of 0.06 mm with
5 µm tolerance was also cut on
an AC Vertex 1 using fine wire
technology.
Peps 5.3.13
Mecanic Meca 02
CAD ME 10
2D CoCreate Drafting
3D CoCreate One Space Modeling
(Solid Designer)
Measuring, testing
Profilprojektor Starret VF 500
Tesa microhite plus
The prototype for an eye operation
instrument made of special steel is delivered pre-engineered. The final machining
of the 13.5 mm high inside and outside
contours is then carried out by means ED
wire cutting. With one full cut and four
trim cuts, a surface quality of 0.1 µm is
achieved.
www.ks-feinwerktechnik.de
MECHATRONICS | PRONTOR
24
MORE FREEDOM AVAILABLE
WITH FIVE-AXIS MILLING
The casing for optical systems was
continuously planned, designed and
optimised with ProEngineer.
Thanks to an exchangeable touch
probe, the zero point reference can be
set and the levels aligned directly on the
MIKRON UCP 600.
For over a hundred years, Prontor GmbH has been a reliable
system partner for world-famous undertakings. Conception, process-control design, optimizing, construction and
series production on schedule are the fields of competence
nowadays for medical technology, precision mechanics and
lithograph optics. EDM and Milling machines from GF AgieCharmilles are used by preference at Prontor GmbH for special productions.
OFFERING ECONOMIC
SOLUTIONS TO SUIT
PRODUCTION
Bad Wildbad-Calmbach is the
idyllic location of Prontor GmbH,
which was founded in 1902 and
today has 280 employees on its
payroll. The company is part
of the Mechatronics Group, an
independent system supplier for
famous industrial undertakings.
The main field of business is the
development and manufacture
of assemblies and subsystems
in precision mechanics and
medical technology. With its
Special Production Depart-
ment, Prontor GmbH focuses on
customers’ wishes. «Our scope
of supply ranges from highly
complex unique items to a few
prototypes for test purposes,»
Michael Zwadsich, head of this
department explains. In fact,
the competence of the Special
Production Department satisfies nearly every customer goal
and need. Whether it is a matter
of complicated molds, unusual
materials or even tight delivery
deadlines, economic solutions to
suit production are always found,
as the example of a casing for
optical systems shows.
MECHATRONICS | PRONTOR
PLAN, DESIGN AND
MANUFACTURE
CONTINUOUSLY
Beginning with the customer’s
first requirements with regard to
material, precision and geometry,
milling from the solid was specified as the machining process for
the casing for optical systems.
The CAD design was carried out
with ProEngineer from which the
CAM machining technologies
were then derived. In conclusion, the milling strategies were
optimised and checked, and it
was then possible for the block
to be clamped. Michael Zwadsich
commented, «With our continuity
from the design through to the
first milling path, we reduce the
error rate to nearly zero.» He
went further to say, «Machining
is hardly likely ever to be error
free, because the human factor
is also involved.» Nevertheless, in the Special Production
Department they are proud of
the fact that nearly everything
succeeds100 percent straight off.
The MIKRON UCP 600 Vario, a
five-axis heavy-duty machining
center from GF AgieCharmilles
with an optimal swivelling range
from -30 to +110 degrees, was
chosen for the challenging machining of the casing made of the
alloy «AlMg 5».
25
PRONTOR GMBH
WITH THE SMALLEST
INTERFERENCE CIRCUIT
IN THEIR CLASS
The zero-point reference was determined and the levels aligned
on the square ingot made of the
alloy AlMg 5 using the exchangeable touch probe of the MIKRON
UCP 600 Vario. Twenty-nine
milling cutters were employed
for the machining in order to cut
the intended surfaces, walls, apertures, drill holes, recesses, undercuts and webs from the solid.
It was possible to utilize the
milling cutter’s optimal accessibility to the workpiece on the
MIKRON UCP 600 Vario to the
full. The swivelling and rotational
axes of the table, together with
the longitudinal, transverse and
vertical axes give attractive travel
paths with a low interference
circuit. And, thanks to the unimpeded view of the workpiece, the
operator has an overall view of
the progress of machining at all
times. MIKRON UCP 600 Vario
also combines dynamism for
rapid acceleration and deceleration perfectly with stability and
compactness for precision on the
workpiece. Thus the tolerance in
the case of level surfaces on the
finished casing lies at ± 10 µm.
The casing for optical systems
was delivered with pride to the
customer on schedule.
Gauthierstrasse 56
D-75323 Bad Wildbad
Germany
Tel. +49-(0)7081-781-1
Fax +49-(0)7081-781-499
Contact
Jochen Wacker, Sales Engineer
Michael Zwadsich, Head of Special
Production
webmaster@prontor.de
- 1 MIKRON UCP 600 Vario
- 1 MIKRON HSM 600U
- 1 FI 2030 TW-SI
- 1 FI 6030 SI
Clamping system
Mecatool from System 3R (ED wire
cutting)
Vischer & Bolli (milling)
Only on the physically real finished part
it is possible to imagine how much knowhow was required, both in designing and
in programming and milling, in order to
achieve this result.
Michael Zwadsich, Head of Special
Production, discusses a new machining
task for the MIKRON UCP 600 Vario with
an employee.
In the Special Production department
of Prontor GmbH the wire EDM machines
FI 2030 TW-SI and FI 6030 SI from GF
AgieCharmilles are also used.
«For us in the Special Production Department, the
MIKRON UCP 600 Vario is
the heavy-duty machining
center with which even
customers’ most unusual
wishes can still be manufactured economically,»
Programming
ProEngineer
said Michael Zwadsich, Head of Special
Production at Prontor GmbH
www.prontor.de
MOLDING | BOMO
26
EDM AND MILLING FOR WORKPIECE PRECISION
bomo trendline Technik GmbH developes solutions for technical injection molding. With design, tool-making, assembly and production, the Black Forest-based company is a competent producer for the automotive, medical, office supply and cosmetic branches. Milling, wire and die-sinking EDM are used
in demanding mold-making as the precision-giving production processes.
RETAIN QUALITY AND
PRODUCTION COMPETENCE WITH COMPLETE
PRODUCTION
The solid model of the mold insert
has been generated with «SolidWorks,»
showing the various wire and die-sinking
EDM segments.
Already in the CAD design phase, the
mold insert is segmented in accordance
with the machining processes.
bomo trendline Technik GmbH
was established in 1985 and
today employs 140. For the company based in Hardt on the edge
of the Black Forest, tool-making
is the basis for the optimal
realization of technical plastic
parts. bomo trendline ensures
continual competence from the
development, design and toolmaking departments all the way
through to the production of the
demanding plastic parts. The
company has 80 injection molding machines at its disposal for
these types of processes, which
in part due to state-of-the-art
technology, no longer close
hydraulically, but electrically. A
four-way injection molding tool
for the production of a functional
part for car door locks demonstrates the manufacturing competence of bomo trendline with
the combined use of wire and
die-sinking EDM equipment, as
well as a high-speed machining
center – all from the GF AgieCharmilles.
MOLDING | bomo
27
The finished functional parts made of
POM for car door locks must show an
accuracy tolerance of 50 µm on the
square socket.
BOMO TRENDLINE
TECHNIK GMBH
DETERMINE THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
DURING THE DESIGN
LETTING MILLING AND
EDM INTERACT ECONOMICALLY
bomo trendline received the
order for its Automotive Division
to produce identical functional parts for right-hand and
left-hand car door locks. The
plastic part made of POM and
subject to high stress environments was to be produced in a
quantity of 5 million. As a result,
one injection molding tool each
was envisioned for the righthand and left-hand door side
respectively. Both tools were
planned with four mold cavities,
whereby the mold cavities were
mirror-inverted on one tool.
The client’s data were recorded
with SolidWorks and segmented
already during the CAD design in
accordance with the machining
technology. Large areas were
planned for hard milling on the
MIKRON HSM 800, and the new
FO 550 S and FI 440 SLP respectively were assigned for the wire
and die-sinking machining jobs.
The CAM data for the milling and
wire EDM cutting were generated and optimized from the CAD
program so that the pre-milling
of large cavities and also the
production of copper electrodes
could take place without issue on
the MIKRON HSM 800. The inserts made of steel, hardened to
52 to 54 Rockwell, were then cut
using 0.25 mm thin brass wires
with one main cut and three
trim cuts on the FI 440 SLP, and
the copper electrodes produced
with 0.05 mm undersize were
exchanged automatically on
the FO 550 S for the roughing
and fine finishing of the molds
and cavities. All the form-giving
segments showed a surface
quality of VDI 24 after machining. An interaction of three GF
AgieCharmilles brand production
processes which bomo trendline
employed optimally in accordance with economic and qualitative aspects.
Gewerbestrasse
D-78739 Hardt
Germany
Tel. +49-(0)7422-951 60
Fax +49-(0)7422-951 40
«With GF AgieCharmilles
machine tools, we have
invested in state-of-theart machining technologies which conform with
our company’s philosophy
of high precision.»
said Michael Hug, Head of Tool-making
at bomo trendline Technik GmbH
The latest investments for tool making
at bomo trendline: A MIKRON HSM 800
high-speed machining center, FO 550 S
die-sinking machine and an FI 440 SLP
wire EDM. All three machines are
equipped with state-of-the-art technology, making it possible to monitor by
means of a mobile phone from home.
The segmented mold inserts with
offset tool separation are fitted in the
4-way injection molding tools and have
a tolerance of just 10 µm to one another.
Tempered nozzles with cold channel
subdistributors make a cycle time of just
15 seconds possible.
Contact
Thomas Haberstock,
Managing Director
info@bomo.de
- 1 MIKRON HSM 800
- 1 MIKRON WF 3
- 1 FO 550 S
- 1 FO 200
- 1 FO 40
- 1 FI 440 SLP
- 1 FI 510
- 1 HD 8
Clamping system
System 3R
Erowa
Programming
SolidWorks (designing)
MasterCam (ED machining, milling)
The articles have been selected from
the branches for which bomo trendline
Technik GmbH develops, designs and
produces.
www.bomo.de
iq-TECHNOLOGy
28
Zero Wear the «peRPetuum mobile»
of die-sinking EDM
Electric discharge machining without wear is the result when the plane of action of the graphite
electrode is built up a new again and again, balancing out the wear actually occurring. One is almost
tempted to say, zero wear is the «Perpetuum Mobile» of wire EDM.
Thin vane electrodes can be milled
from graphite, making wear-free EDM of
the finest, stepped slits possible.
State of technology
The problem of wear has
plagued electrical discharge
machining since its inception.
The process itself was invented
when the Russian husband
and wife Lazarenko team tried
to reduce the contact wear on
electric switches. In fact, electrical discharge machining always
causes wear on both electrodes.
However, the traditional application technology does offer a
compromise between intensiveremoval settings and slower, but
low-wear settings. GF AgieCharmilles offers die-sinking
EDM machines of the latest
generation (FO 350 and 550,
FORM 2000 and 3000) for this,
which counteract the wear with
various measures:
-Dosed, less frequent impulses
-Rapid removal of the particles from the spark gap
-Maximizing the removal
effectiveness of the individual impulses
-Monitoring the local distribu tion of the discharges
-Interrupting dangerous
impulses in real time
-Using appropriate amperage on the active electrode surface
-Optimized control of the
dynamism.
The graphite electrode was used with
state-of-the-art technologies.
Thanks to iQ technologies, this graphite electrode could be used wear-free.
GF AgieCharmilles is one of the first to
offer ED die-sinking machines with an
electrode wear of nearly zero.
Electrode materials
The materials used for electrodes in die-sinking EDM are
graphite, copper, copper-graphite and tungsten-copper. In micro
EDM processes, hard metal and
tungsten are used. The two most
important materials are graphite
and copper, whereby preference is given more and more to
graphite. The reasons are clear,
because the advantages are obvious in electrode production:
-Low cutting forces
-No vibration
-Burr-free
-No material tensions
-Dry machining with HSM
-Faster than copper machining (5x)
With regard to EDM, graphite
also presents advantages:
-Up to 40% more removal rate compared with copper
-Stable process
-Graphite with medium grain size is 20 - 30% more cost
effective than copper
-Thermally stable
-Lighter than copper (large electrodes)
Die-sinking EDM
without wear
Furthermore, graphite has a
special property, which explains
its outstanding resistance to
wear. Graphite does not melt,
but sublimes at 3470° C. On
the other hand, copper melts
at 1083° C. As soon as the EDM
process begins, the material removed wanders with the
decomposition products from
the carbon-content dielectric
to the graphite electrode. GF
AgieCharmilles’ new iQ technology controls the reduction in
temperature so that the carbon
precipitates onto the electrode
surface. A layer forms there,
protecting the original electrode.
iQ controls the growth of the
layer in real time and keeps it in
balance. Wear-causing impulses
take place on the protective layer.
The original electrode remains
protected, as it is nearly zero.
The wear that is caused by EDM
impulses, thus takes place on the
protective layer, and not on the
original electrode. This requires the
use of suitable process: Very fast
and efficient electronics to analyse
the spark features and a generator,
which is in a position to generate
and adapt to the appropriate current
form in real time, such is the case
with the new generators from
GF AgieCharmilles.
Imprint
Publisher
GF AgieCharmilles
info@gfac.com
www.gfac.com
Appearance
Twice a year in English,
German, French, Italian
and Spanish.
Printing
Poncioni SA,
6616 Losone,
Switzerland
Copies
50 000
No 4
© GF AgieCharmilles
2009
Editor
Global Marketing Team:
Product Management
Michael Katz,
Elke Bucher
Pictures
Marco Milani
Michael Katz
Graphic Designer
Fiorenza Simona
Tillmann Andrea
© Agie Charmilles SA, 2009
The technical data and illustrations are not binding.
They are not warranted characteristics and are subject to change.
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