ISSUE 52 52 | SEPTEMBER 2013 AUSGABE | September 2013 MAPAL MAGAZINE MAPALTECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGIE-MAGAZIN

IMPULSE
FROM THE ORGANISATION TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Aus dem Unternehmen | Technik-H

REPORTS FROM PRACTICE

Cover story: Titelthema: EMO EBCC Highlights Polen: Tool2013 Management

HTC: HTC: MAPAL MAPAL HighTorque HighTorque Chuck Chuck Punch Powerglide: MQL machining Punch Powerglide: MMS-Bearbeitung
MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 1

 EDITORIAL

Dear reader, dear business associate, We are pleased to present this issue of IMPULSE in the new design. For the last 16 years our customer magazine has time and again provided new solutions and ideas. It was our intention to further develop IMPULSE into a modern technology magazine that reects both the benets for you, and the international character of the MAPAL Group. One of the focal points of this issue of IMPULSE is the presentation of our new products that we will exhibit at EMO 2013 with a completely new trade fair concept. Along with the new developments from all areas of the machining of cubic parts, the emphasis is above all on part-related solutions.

And even though some things are new, one thing remains unchanged: The familiar, partnership-based collaboration between you and our specialists during the development of custom, innovative machining solutions. We have summarised this point succinctly with the motto: When something exceptional develops between us: Thats the MAPAL e ect. For you as a customer this More is perceptible in the direct personal contact and is apparent in the quality of the work undertaken together. Along with the personal More there is also More performance irrespective of whether from a technical point of view or in the inten-

TOGETHER WITH
MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 2

When something exceptional develops between us: Thats the MAPAL e ect.
Dr Dieter and Dr Jochen Kress

ded increase in productivity or e ciency. These are the many aspects of the More you can expect and experience on a daily basis as part of your long-term relationship with us as a technology partner. This More is what the market and therefore you as a customer require from your manufacturer of precision tools. Today solution providers are in demand more than ever. This aspect requires a high level of technical competence from the consultant on-site, combined with very close, partnership-based contact and understanding of the tasks, as well as high level of solutions expertise from our specialists. These requirements are nothing new for MAPAL. At all times we support you in the optimisation of your processes and together nd the ideal manufacturing solution. This More can be experienced in all the major production centres of the world. We are there where the customer is, as is reected by one of MAPALs corporate principle. We remain true to this motto.

For this purpose there is comprehensive and continuous knowledge transfer within the MAPAL Group. As such every customer anywhere in the world can be sure of receiving the same service, precision and support. This aspect is of course imperative above all for large customers who expect the same technology on all sites. However, we also support smaller customers who, due to limitations on human resources, are not able to implement and support the complete process. Place your trust in the MAPAL e ect: When something exceptional develops between us! In this context, please have a good read Dr Dieter and Dr Jochen Kress

YOU TO THE OBJECTIVE.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 3

CONTENTS

26

FROM THE ORGANISATION

MAPAL press day _______________________ 6 15th Industry Forum in Wolfsburg ___________ 7 New coating plant ______________________ 8 Environmental technology prize ____________ 9 EMO highlights________________________ 10 Technical training at MAPAL _____________ 30

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 4

10

30

18

20

24 34

26

36

TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

REPORTS FROM PRACTICE

Alloy wheel machining _____________________18 MAPAL HighTorque Chuck HTC _______________20 re.tooling: interview with Frank Staebler ________24 Machining stepped connecting rods ____________34 EBCC Poland: Tool Management _________ 26 Punch Powerglide: MQL machining _______ 36

IMPRINT

Responsible for content under German press law: Andreas Enzenbach Editorial team: Andreas Enzenbach, Oliver Munz, Sabine Raab, Kathrin Rehor, Franz Joachim Rossmann, Matthias Winter Layout and design: Inge Rettenmaier Publisher: MAPAL Przisionswerkzeuge Dr. Kress KG P.O. Box 1520 | D-73405 Aalen | Phone +49 7361 585-0 | Fax +49 7361 585-150 | info@de.mapal.com | www.mapal.com

IMPRINT

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 5

 FROM THE ORGANISATION

MAPAL press day 2013

Record participation in Aalen during the 15th press day
This years press day took place in Aalen at the start of June. Representatives from the specialist press in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were invited along with journalists from local radio and the regional press. With 32 participants the interest in the press day was extraordinarily high; this was the highest participation yet. Dr Dieter Kress briefed the representatives from the media in detail on the business situation and provided an overview of the future activities of the MAPAL Group. There then followed a series of presentations on technological trends, along with energy and resourcesaving machining methods. Guest speaker Prof Dr Eckehard Kalhfer from the Chair for Machining at the university in Aalen conveyed in a clear manner the potential for higher productivity and better energy e ciency during machining. The representatives from the media were very impressed by the new production building in which a state-of-the-art coating plant, the production area for ISO tools, as well as the new and enlarged training workshop are located. In the trials and development department the journalists were able to see the latest new products in action. They also took extensive advantage of the opportunity to exchange and discuss ideas with our experts.

During the press day there were numerous interesting conversations in relation to new technologies and highlights.

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The subject of lightweight materials

MAPAL at the 15th Industry Forum in Wolfsburg
MAPAL took part in the 15th Industry Forum in Wolfsburg with a presentation on the subject of lightweight design. During the two-day conference, which tool place on the 19 and 20 June, around 500 participants and exhibitors came together, including high-level representatives from the Volkswagen concern, as well as experts from industry, commerce and politics to discuss new developments and possible options in the automotive industry. During his presentation, Dr Jochen Kress described the requirements on the machining of lightweight materials such as aluminium, CFRP or titanium and presented the range of products and services o ered by MAPAL. Based on the example of central parts such as the engine, gearbox, chassis or bodyshell, Dr Kress showed various machining solutions and explained modern methods such as stack drilling, trochoidal milling, interpolation turning or complete machining with TOOLTRONIC that make possible highly productive and energy-saving manufacturing in the lightweight sector.

You can attend our next presentation on the topic of Hybrid structures, high-strength materials, hard coating new requirements for tool solutions on 26/27 September at the 12th Powertrain Manufacturing Conference in the Wissenschafts- und Kongresszentrum Darmstadt.

Figure top: Dr Jochen Kress presenting his paper at the 15th Industry Forum in Wolfsburg. Figure on left: Tools for drilling and milling modern lightweight materials.

Reliable machining of CFRP, GFRP, titanium and composite materials

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 FROM THE ORGANISATION

One of the most modern coating plants in the world

MAPAL expands coating portfolio: state-of-the-art hard coating
With a new CVD plant, MAPAL has placed in operation state-of-the-art technology that represents the latest in coating technology and that is one of the most e cient coating plants in the world. As a world-leading provider of ne machining tools with indexable blades, it was in our own interest to advance the development of indexable blade technology and to exploit potential. And its importance continues to increase as is shown by the innovative machining solutions with indexable ISO inserts, for example for machining brake calipers or stub axles. Modern coating systems are necessary to make these machining tasks as productive as possible. In the 70s, as coating technology became available, MAPAL was one of the rst organisations to produce its own CVD coatings. However, there were limitations on the system coatings and it was not possible to address the new requirements optimally. For this reason, MAPAL has been involved in intensive research in the area of coatings since 2000 and has now invested in the new coating plant. Dr Dirk Sellmer, head of the research and development department at MAPAL, is enthusiastic: The coating plant opens up totally new possibilities for us to increase the performance of our tools and in this way to increase the cost-e ectiveness for our customers. Coating makes it possible to signicantly increase the cutting speed and to extend the tool life of machining tools. To ensure that tools achieve their optimal properties, the requirements on coating specialists are particularly high, as there are many parameters that a ect the service life and dimensional accuracy of the tools. The structure of the coatings plays just as important a role as the number of coating layers or the coating sequence. With the new plant MAPAL can apply coatings with extremely high temperature resistance to tools. One of the reasons for the realisation and planning of the plant is that we have been working together with institutes on CVD coating development for years and are involved in industrial projects. Several patents have resulted from this work. With the new plant we are able to produce such coatings on an industrial scale, says Dr Wolfgang Baumann, head of product development for the coatings area at MAPAL.

Details on the CVD coating plant: Coating thicknesses from 1 20 m can be realised Very large number of coating systems

Presentation of the CVD coating plant during the 15th MAPAL press day. Batches of indexable inserts after coating as well as a selection of fully coated indexable inserts.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 8

Environmental technology prize 2013

Green Drill and energy-e cient tool concepts from MAPAL nominated
MAPAL has been nominated twice for the Environmental technology prize 2013 by the Environment Minister for BadenWurttemberg, Franz Untersteller, for its energy-e cient tool concepts and the completely new dry drill, the Green Drill. In the energy e ciency category the tool concepts from MAPAL achieved high rankings, the Green Drill successfully won the material e ciency category. These two innovations are therefore among the most environment-friendly new developments among the 118 products and technologies assessed by a top-class panel of specialist judges. With the Green Drill it is now possible for the rst time to machine hybrid structures made of bre-reinforced plastics and metals completely dry, that is without the usage of any polluting lubricants. Resource-saving machining processes that have been optimised using energy-e cient tool concepts from MAPAL reduce manufacturing costs and contribute to improving the overall energy budget for a product.

In the picture from left to right: Dr Peter Mueller-Hummel (MAPAL BU Aerospace), Matthias Winter (MAPAL marketing) Franz Untersteller (MdL, Minister for Environment, Climate and Energy Policy in Baden-Wuerttemberg) and Dr Jochen Kress (member of the senior management at MAPAL) during the award of the certicates.

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 FROM THE ORGANISATION

MAPAL at EMO in Hanover:

Producing with the MAPAL e ect

Quickly,

AEROSPACE MECHANICAL ENGIN AUTOMOTIVE POWERTRA CHASSIS WIND ENERGY SERV

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 10

reliably, e ciently.
MAPAL will be represented at this years EMO in Hanover with a completely re-designed 360 m stand. Under the motto: Produce quickly, reliably and e ciently MAPAL is presenting technologically leading tool solutions for modern manufacturing processes.
The trade fair concept has been completely re-designed for this event. Dr Jochen Kress says on this issue: We want to place our core competence, complete machining solutions for cubic parts, in the foreground and give everything the necessary space. The MAPAL e ect, that is the real customer enthusiasm for our solutions, is again a major feature on the trade fair stand. As such the visitor immediately nds his/her related sector reected on the stand: automotive, aerospace, general mechanical engineering and so on. Based on representative parts, the complete range from MAPAL is exhibited: the product spectrum, engineering and the matching services. The individual products are exhibited in a separate area behind. These include the new products from the areas of reaming and ne boring, drilling, milling, clamping, mechatronic systems and services. A clear structure for the stand was a key criterion for us while drawing up the new concept. The visitor should be guided through the stand, states Andreas Enzenbach, head of marketing and corporate communications. This aspect also includes a separate communication area in which constructive conversations can be held in a pleasant atmosphere. The latter can also be continued after the o cial end of the trade fair: on Wednesday,

Hall 4 | Stand D13

In addition, we will be represented with tools at:

ANGER Machining Hardinge J.G. Weisser Shne MAG IAS SEMA Maschinenbau SHW Stama WFL MillTurn Technologies

Hall 12, Stand B37 Hall 11, Stand D60 Hall 17, Stand D57 Hall 12, Stand B82 Hall 16, Stand A14 Hall 13, Stand A34 Hall 12, Stand B100 Hall 26, Stand F27

18 September 2013, at 6 pm
the rst MAPAL stand party will be held. The MAPAL team is looking forward to a pleasant evening with live music and you. Of course, there will be plenty of refreshments.

NEERING AIN VICES

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 FROM THE ORGANISATION

EMO Highlights 1
EasyAdjust-System drastically reduces setting time

MAPAL has achieved a breakthrough in the eld of guide pad tools with indexable inserts, which signicantly increases the cost-e ectiveness of the tools. Innovative cassette with integrated back taper The heart of the EasyAdjust-System is an innovative cassette that stably holds the inserts with their six or four cutting edges without any play. The back taper of the minor cutting edge is already integrated into this cassette. The setting time for the back taper is completely eliminated. Due to the exact guidance of the cassette on a precision guide pin, the back taper remains unchanged even during diameter adjustments. Matching cassettes and clamping jaws are available for di erent back tapers that can be selected and employed, depending on the application. The secure mounting of the indexable blade is

ensured by a stable, force-closure system of clamping groove and clamping jaw. Signicant economic benets In practice the EasyAdjust-System signicant improves the cost-e ectiveness: The HX inserts with six usable cutting edges can be inserted quickly and precisely with di erent back tapers. Only the diameter has to be set. Therefore process reliability

is increased after insert changes an e ect that becomes all the more apparent, when more inserts are being used in a tool. And the time for adjustment per insert is reduced to a fraction by the new development! With this new development, MAPAL has succeeded in maintaining the high precision of the MAPAL guide pad tools while at the same time increasing cost-e ectiveness by simplifying the handling.

AT A GLANCE:
Setting time drastically reduced Cost-e ectiveness, ease of handling and process reliability increased Precision remains high

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 12

Reliable machining of engines with thermally sprayed coatings using MAPAL tools

In aluminium cylinder crankcases, lining of the cylinder bore surfaces with cast or shrink-t grey iron bushes is today state-of-the-art. In order to be able to build aluminium engine blocks with even thinner walls and lighter weight in future, the cast bushes are replaced by thermally sprayed ferrous metal coatings. On the one hand these can be applied far thinner, and on the other the friction between piston ring and cylinder bore surface is also reduced. Conditioning of the cylinder bore surface with PCD contour blades For this new technology, MAPAL has developed new tools for the pre-machining and conditioning of the cylinder bore surface before thermal spraying in order to ensure optimum coating adhesion. PCD contour blades are used to create a dened structure on the cylinder bore surface with which the sprayed coating can optimally interlock and adhere itself. The structuring needs to have small under-

Microsection of a thermally sprayed coating.

cuts and at the same time be designed to prevent blistering or inhomogeneity in the sprayed coating. Fine machining tool with HX inserts as preparation for precision honing After the spraying of the coating, the cylinder bore surfaces are dressed using ne machining tools with HX inserts. The geometry of the bore surface is thus prepared for the nal precision honing. Tools with PcBN blades are used here, as the very hard sprayed coatings place a

very high load on the cutting edges. As with other applications in hard machining, the know-how in the choice of the right PcBN grade and the edge preparation are crucial for success. The ne machining tool is furthermore equipped with coolant-controlled actuator mechanisms and cutting compensation.

AT A GLANCE:
Tool solutions for current developments Structuring of the bore surface Fine machining before precision honing

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 FROM THE ORGANISATION

EMO Highlights 3
Indexable insert drill

MAPAL is presenting a new high-performance drill for the middle to upper diameter range the indexable insert drill. It impresses with a very good chip formation and reliable chip removal thanks to an optimised chip ute. Sturdy mounting, simple clamping system The indexable insert is held in a particularly sturdy and precise prism connection so that high cutting values and bore qualities can be achieved. The clamping system for the indexable insert is both particularly simple and extremely e ective. It consists of a spring-loaded screw that is inserted transversely through the indexable insert, clamping the insert securely in the prism connection.

13 - 32 mm / up to 8xD
Indexable inserts for steel, stainless steel and aluminium The standard range starts with indexable inserts with optimally adapted blade geometries and coatings for the machining of steel, stainless steel and aluminium. Very good tool lives with high process reliability are achieved and ultimately a very cost-e ective drilling process.

UNIBASE-M
cation of the selected drawer. UNIBASE-M can be easily integrated into external ERP systems on and in existing operating facilities.

The new UNIBASE-M automatic tool dispensing system stands for optimum storage and management of tools, components and accessories and o ers numerous innovative as well as user-friendly features. UNIBASE-M is designed as a modular system. Starting from a basic module with computer unit it can be individually congured to suit the application. Storage is either centralised or decentralised directly at the machine. Completely new is the intuitive software with extended functions which ensures optimum tool availability. For example, a control logic gives the user an indiMAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 14

OptiMill-Silent highly e cient and extremely quiet

Particularly for milling applications, the avoidance of vibrations and the associated high noise level is an important starting point for further developments. The OptiMill-Silent sets new standards here. Vibration-free thanks to special cutting edge spacing The new OptiMill-Silent solid carbide milling cutter has been specically developed with the goal of milling vibrationfree, and hence of achieving very good results with regard to quality and tool life even with the highest cutting rates. All the parameters of the milling cutter were therefore optimally matched. The special cutting edge spacing and the path

of the chip utes, in particular, contribute to ensuring that practically no vibrations occur even with thin-walled parts. Ideal for high cutting values The outstanding characteristics of the OptiMill-Silent come to bear in particular with high cutting values. The new milling cutter has proved to be very e ective even for trochoidal milling. With this milling strategy, low radial cutting depths are used so that milling can be carried out with twice the normal cutting speeds and infeeds. During trochoidal milling with the OptiMill-Silent, even contact depths of 3xD and more can also be used.

OptiMill-Composite-Speed machines CFRP parts on robots

The further spreading of complex CFRP parts in industry depends greatly on how quickly it becomes possible to machine these parts cost-e ectively. Various research projects are already investigating which machining method is the best solution here. In one joint project focussing on the possibilities of producing and machining CFRP parts with robots, MAPAL is responsible for the machining tools.

MAPAL milling tools meet demands of robot production Due to their large number of interacting axes, robots cannot be compared with machining centres with respect to stability, precision and vibration behaviour during machining. These boundary conditions therefore have to be taken into consideration during the development of the tools. For these machining applications, MAPAL o ers special milling tools that work with very low cutting forces and therefore transmit minimum vibrations to the whole system. They are particularly suitable, for example, for the trimming of CFRP parts using robots. MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 15

 FROM THE ORGANISATION

EMO Highlights 7
Micro-DrillChuck

High-performance micro-tools are required for the machining of very small parts and components. An important prerequisite for developing performance is the high-precision, reliable clamping of the tools. Standard clamping systems do not meet these requirements Most collet holders used today do not meet the performance demands. Furthermore, they have a comparatively large tool restriction. Other clamping principles such as shrink chucks or expanding chucks cannot be used with very small diameters or are highly complex and expensive.

Micro-DrillChuck with optimum characteristics The MAPAL Micro-DrillChuck o ers the advantage of a small external contour combined with straightforward handling and a large clamping range from 0.2 to 3.4 mm. Spindle speeds of up to 60,000

rpm, radial run-out accuracies of better than 0.01 mm and a homogeneous force distribution ensure reliable clamping of the tools during the process.

Three-edge drill for optimum working in di cult drilling situations

The Tritan-Drill was presented in 2010 as the problem-solver for di cult drilling situations. Since then the three-edge drill has been employed successfully and reliably in numerous applications where conventional drills reached their limits. Furthermore, MAPAL achieved a signicant optimisation of the lead geometry in 2013. The new three-edge drill will be presented at the EMO. Innovative lead geometry for very good chip removal and low cutting pressure The three-edge drill has unique generous point thinnings machined into the chip space which discharge the chips with minimum friction into the chip utes. Cutting pressure and edge temperature are very low, and practically no build-up edges occur even during dry drilling of aluminium. The aggressive, self-centring chisel edge bites into the material on the rst contact with the workpiece and holds the drill reliably in position. Ideal for through-drilling or on entry into cross bores The Tritan-Drill demonstrates its strengths particularly in situations where other drills fail: While two-edge drills drift during through-boring and create a signicant burr, the three-edge drill remains stable, the bore outlet sharp-edged and with minimum burr. The three-edge drill is perfectly suited also to precise positional drilling with large projection lengths.

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World rst UNISET-P the completely redesigned setting xture from MAPAL

WORLD FIRST
The greatest benet of the new UNISET-P compared with conventional setting xtures is the very good accessibility to the tool during adjustment, and hence unprecedented ergonomics. The portal construction creates the space necessary to allow optimum access to the setting systems on the tools. Measuring camera and back-light source are integrated into the pillars of the portal and are therefore not in the way during adjustment as with the conventional bracket constructions. Furthermore, the portal construction ensures maximum precision and is both mechanically and thermally very stable. The UNISET-P has a very compact design, but nevertheless practically all tools up to a diameter of 500 mm and a length of 600 mm can be perfectly measured and set. Various measuring methods It o ers as standard additional light and transmitted light measurement, for example when setting the diameter of guide pad tools or for the axial adjustment of face milling cutters. As an option

50 % und mehr mglich

the UNISET-P o ers an additional crossmember in the portal that can be coupled to the drive of the measuring lens. An additional measuring sensor or measuring lens can be attached to the cross-member in order to be able to carry out axial measurements or even a rotational centre measurement. Innovative software o ers numerous advantages The integrated software was developed strictly on the basis of user-friendliness aspects. It is thus possible, for example, to create fully automated program runs within seconds thanks to the integrated control geometries. Tools are automatically detected and selected. The new software even allows the contour of a rotating tool to be determined. Thanks to the wide variety of options and modular expansion possibilities, the UNISET-P can now be tailored even better to the specic wishes of the customer.

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 TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Alloy wheel machining revolutionised

Complete machining in record time
The automotive sector is customer sector number 1 for MAPAL. Even early in the organisations history, close partnership-based collaboration was established with renowned automotive manufacturers and their suppliers. In particular, MAPAL tools are indispensable in the power train and chassis areas and tap new productivity potential with continuous innovation and optimisation. The list of parts machined successfully in the automotive sector has just been expanded with alloy wheels. Here it was possible to signicantly optimise two very important machining tasks with the aid of MAPAL technology: the wheel bolt bores and the high-gloss turning. Wheel bolt bores in one machining step with impressive tool lives The PCD competence centre in Pforzheim developed special drilling tools with which the wheel bolt bores are fully machined in one machining step. During this process the tool design takes into account all aspects of the process conditions such as machine, clamping system, coolant and coolant pressure, the material to be machined and the manufacturing process for the wheels. The very di erent drilling situations with to some extent very low wrapping are also taken into account. The most im important quality criteria are the absolute geometric and position accuracy of the bolt holes, as well as a clearly dened surface without shading, scoring or scratches and with a high quality visual appearance. The key features of the successful tools are: Polished tool bodies reduce the friction and result in optimal chip transport. Integrated guide pads stabilise the process. For the application in porous aluminium a high precision negative chamfer is applied to the entire PCD contour. Chip breakers or lasered chip guiding stages can also be integrated. The correct positioning of the cooling channel outlets ensures the optimal ushing of the chips to the rear. The PCD tools are available with all common shank systems. Today the tools from MAPAL are in use at many renowned wheel manufacturers with impressive results. In comparison with the tool from a competitor used previously, the MAPAL tool achieves signicantly higher cutting speeds.

Up to 500,000 bores with one tool

Multi-stage PCD tool for the complete machining of the wheel bolt bore on a wheel.

High-gloss turning without tool change

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 18

Tool drawing for a double turning holder tted with PCD inserts for the high-gloss turning of alloy wheels.

However, it is the tool life that impresses above all else: the tool reliably achieves 150,000 250,000 bores. In some applications more than 500,000 bores can be machined with one tool! Reliable high-gloss turning For aesthetic reasons the visible side on many alloy wheels is high-gloss turned. This machining step covers both the outer edge of the wheel at the tyre, as well as the spokes; it therefore represents a combination of a smooth cut and an interrupted cut. It is this combination that is also the di culty. Of course, the visual appearance is quality criterion number 1. With increasing wear on the cutting edge, matt areas are produced at the transitions from the smooth cut to the interrupted cut. With the systems used previously, it was necessary to use two tools for the machining. MAPAL managed, by designing the tool with two cutting edges with di erent contact angles for the cutting edges, to undertake the machining using one tool. This tool is a turning tool with cylindrical shank designed as a double holder and is tted with two PCD-inserts. The second cutting edge is o set to the rear at an angle of 45 to the rst cutting edge.

It machines the outside diameter of the wheel at the tyre, which cannot be accessed using the rst cutting edge. Machining parameters for the MAPAL solution:

Cutting edge 1 Spindle speed Feed Cutting depth 1,600 min-1 0.6 mm/U 0.1 mm

Cutting edge 2 2,000 min-1 0.3 mm/U 0.1 mm

Along with the increase in productivity due to the removal of the tool change, it is also possible to signicantly increase the process reliability and tool life using the MAPAL tool for highgloss turning. In some applications the end of tool life has still not been reached after 12,000 alloy wheels.

arbeitungszeiten, eine bessere Werkzeugausnutzung und einen sprbar geringe arbeitungszeiten, eine bessere Werkzeugausnutzung und einen sprbar geringe arbeitungszeiten, eine bessere Werkzeugausnutzung und einen sprbar geringe arbeitungszeiten, eine bessere Werkzeugausnutzung und einen sprbar geringe

MAPAL MAPALImpulse Impulse52 52||Page Page19 19

 TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Keeps a rm grip even when it gets hot

HTC the optimal tool-machine connection
During machining the tool adapter has a direct e ect not only on the machining process, but also on its costs. It should therefore not be ignored on assessing productivity. The universal chuck HTC features very good damping properties and high holding forces that are retained even in case of extreme tool temperatures. Particularly during high performance cutting (HPC) and high speed cutting (HSC) on machining abrasive materials and during MQL machining, this chuck can therefore make an important contribution to increasing the productivity of the machining process. Many metal machining businesses are looking at ways of tapping the remaining potential savings during machining by using energy and material e ciently. High-speed machining, high-volume machining or minimum quantity lubrication are therefore a clear trend. To achieve optimal results here, in particular if the issue is high machining precision and process reliability, it necessary to use not only the correct tool-machine combination, but also the appropriate clamping system as the crucial connection between the tool and the machine tool.

Frank Fluhrer, tool engineer in the Mercedes-Benz works in Untertuerkheim: We are successively replacing conventional shrink chucks with the HTC from MAPAL in those areas where we need to set tool lengths to an accuracy of a hundredth of a millimetre and short set-up times are required. This is particularly the case on transfer centres on which several workpieces are machined at the same time. Thanks to the change from conventional shrink chucks to the HighTorque Chuck from MAPAL we have been able to reduce the set-up times, including the tool preparation times, by a factor of ve. This reduction is essentially achieved due to the signicantly more straightforward, more convenient and quicker length adjustment on the HTC compared to shrink chucks. Even though our many years of experience with shrink chucks have given us extensive skills in correct length adjustment, prior to our change to the HTC time and again there were problems with incorrect length settings and time-consuming additional shrinking processes were necessary. The latter was additionally di cult because the shrink chuck must cool down between the removal and insertion process so that the tool length can be set exactly to the hundredth of a millimetre. Two years ago we put an end to this problem. As the rst organisation in the automotive industry, we successfully use the HTC in series production in the Mercedes-Benz works in Untertuerkheim for drilling and milling processes on transfer centres for machining turbine housings. The advan-

MAPAL HTC HighTorque Chuck with a trochoidal milling cutter

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 20

HTC HighTorque Chuck

However, this aspect is not so easy, at a large range of clamping systems is available on the market. Widely used types here are shrink chucks and hydraulic chucks. Shrink chucks In the case of shrink chucks the cylindrical bore for the tool is manufactured undersize. To insert the tool, the shrink chuck is heated with the aid of a separate shrink unit as a rule using induction until the location bore has expanded to the point that the tool can be inserted without problems. After cooling and the related chuck shrinking, force transfer by friction contact with good run-out properties is ensured. Due to the rigid connection between tool and mounting, very high radial sti ness and torques can be achieved. The system is mechanically insensitive. However, vibration is not damped and is transmitted to the spindle or workpiece. In addition, a tool change takes a comparatively large amount of time, an expensive shrink unit is required and there is a
F.l.t.r.: Frank Fluhrer (Daimler tool technology), Volker Jergentz (technical consultant MAPAL) as well as Damir Lakic (supervisor, setting room).
Chuck remains in the temperature range of the cooling lubricant: no effect on the clamping force Small amount of heat produced at the tool: minor effect on the clamping force Large amount of heat produced at the tool: major e ect on the clamping force

risk of burns. With increasing operating temperature, the holding force also drops. This situation can have a negative e ect on the machining process particularly in the case of the machining processes mentioned, such as high performance cutting, roughing or dry machining. Hydraulic chucks Commercially available hydraulic expansion technology is also only suitable for operating temperatures from 20 to 50 Celsius. If this temperature range is exceeded because the heat is not adequately dissipated via the chips (e.g. blunt tool), bursting may occur. This problem is caused by the large di erence

>>

tages of this new chuck are particularly apparent during HPC milling. Conventional hydraulic chucks are only of limited suitability for milling the turbine housing comprising heat-resistant 1.4849 cast steel because the radial forces that occur are not cleanly transferred to the workpiece by this type of chuck. Furthermore, the MQL process we use result in high temperatures that prevent the usage of the majority of hydraulic chucks. For the HTC chuck these aspects are not a problem. Due to the excellent properties, we can use it both for drilling and also for high performance milling. The HTC therefore rightly earns the label universal.

REAMING
700

DRILLING
HighTorque Chuck of universal use and maximum clamping force even at high process temperatures

MILLING*

HTC

HydroChuck

450

300

ThermoChuck

HTC Hydraulic chucks (HydroChuck)

150

Shrink chucks (ThermoChuck)

*Dry machining or MQL machining at 20 20 40 70 120

170

200

HTC HighTorque Chuck in comparison at high process temperatures.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 21

 TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

HTC the chuck for universal usage

between the coe cients of expansion for steel and oil. The oil (or grease) is the medium used in a hydraulic system to build up, with the aid of a clamping screw, an even pressure at the side walls (expanding sleeve) surrounding the tool shank and in this way to clamp the tool centrally and without play. The tool change is undertaken using a simple tool, e.g. a hex wrench. Along with straightforward handling, the special features of the hydraulic chuck include the damping e ect of the hydraulic system. This reduces the vibration that occurs during the machining process. In conjunction with the high radial run-out accuracy, there is a positive e ect on the tool life, the surface quality on the workpiece and the spindle bearings on the machine. The best of both worlds the HTC chuck MAPAL has been able to combine the advantages of the two clamping systems: thanks to an innovative manufacturing process, the HTC chuck from MAPAL combines the very good damping properties of hydraulic chucking technology with the high holding forces of shrinking technology, and that with a signicantly larger operating temperature range. Damage at high temperatures is excluded by design measures. Indeed, the HTC technology actually uses the e ect of the pressure rise with increasing temperature to its advantage. The holding forces increase even further with increasing temperature! Temperatures of up to 170C at the tool shank, as occur during MQL or dry machining, can therefore not a ect the HTC chuck. In this way a pocket can be dry milled in heat-treated steel 42CrMoS4 using a 12 mm milling cutter without problems with 0.08 mm feed per tooth, 220 m/min feed rate, 5,835 rev/min spindle speed and an axial cut of 18 mm.

MAPAL HighTorque Chuck

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 22

HTC HighTorque Chuck

A radial run-out accuracy of better than 3 m and a bending resistance 1.4-times higher than on conventional shrink chucks in accordance with DIN 69882-8 guarantee a high quality surface nish as well as accurate workpiece machining. Due to the damping in the system, microstructure cracking at the cutting edge is minimised and with it the tool life and the service life of the spindle increased. The holding force of the HTC and with it the torque transmission is signicantly higher than the holding force of conventional hydraulic chucks and shrink chucks thanks to special high-pressure technology. The resulting higher milling speeds are reected in shorter machining times. A convenient setting feature ensures the tool length can be correctly adjusted. Unlike on conventional shrink chucks, there is therefore no time-consuming shrinking process to correct an incorrectly adjusted tool length. The advantages of the tool length adjustment are even more important on multiple spindle machines. In addition, the risk of injury due to hot shrink chucks is avoided and a shrink unit is not required. As such the HTC from MAPAL is a universal chuck for straightforward and also demanding machining tasks. Due to shorter set-up times and its suitability for resource-saving machining processes such as HSC, HPC, MQL or dry machining, it helps organisations to exploit to the full the potential of the machine and tool, and in this way to increase the quality of machining and e ciency in manufacture.

Jochen Schmidt, head of clamping system product area, MAPAL As a close partner of the machining industry, MAPAL knows what tool users want. We take up the latest trends and bring our extensive process understanding competently into play in order to recognise synergies in the individual machining operations in a holistic consideration and to exploit these through optimum tool solutions. An impressive result of these e orts is the HTC allround chuck that satises all the demands made on a universal chuck, and thus helps the user reduce the previously unavoidable number of chuck variants. Thanks to its adaptability to the individual demands on tool and machine, the HTC ensures higher process reliability and exibility in the structuring of the machining processes.

Jochen Schmidt, head of clamping system product area, MAPAL

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 23

 TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS INTERVIEW

More service the re.tooling service

Mr. Staebler, re.tooling was launched in 2009 to realise new projects using existing machinery. How did this new service come about? To achieve a perfectly functioning machining process, all the components must interact optimally. Along with the tools, this aspect also relates to the clamping tools, the xtures, the NC technology, as well as all the engineering before and during the process. The design of tools for processes is also a major strength of MAPAL with the Tool Expert Teams. It therefore made sense to bundle the knowledge acquired with other process blocks and to o er this bundle to the customer as a service. A further important point is the fact that the product life cycle for parts is becoming ever shorter such that production must be changed to new parts with increasing frequency. Modern, exible machine tools make it possible to re-tool without investing in new machines. However, the complete process must be replanned within as short a time as possible. And it is here that our know-how in the area of re.tooling comes into play and supports the customer with a complete solution from a single source. The customer obtains savings in resources and time. Exactly which services does re.tooling encompass? In a re.tooling project, MAPAL takes over the complete responsibility for the machining process. Along with the denition of the machining strategy, MAPAL denes the tool technology and xture concept, prepares the NC programs and installs the process. Here MAPAL guarantees the process capability of the machining. We now o er this service no longer just for existing machines, but also for process design on the procurement of new machinery. What does a re.tooling project look like in detail? The process is dened during the planning phase. This phase includes a cycle time calculation as well as the calculation of the machine output. The clamping concept is also dened here. In the next step the xture is designed and manufactured. We make use of the latest 3D design programs to simulate the machining and

re.tooling

Collision assessment for a swivel bearing with a MAPAL combination tool

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 24

IMPULSE in conversation with Frank Staebler, responsible for the MAPAL services area, on the content and importance of the re.tooling service
to check for collisions. In collaboration with the TET department, the tools are dened and the NC programs prepared based on the 3D data. Critical machining tasks are simulated on a machining centre in our trials department in Aalen and tested. Of major signicance is the commissioning of all the components on site at the customer. Clamping system, NC programs and tools are installed and the machine operates with the stipulated cycle time and machining quality. Re.tooling ends with a certied process capability. Engineering services are o ered by a number of organisations these days. What is the di erence with MAPAL? Without doubt the know-how at MAPAL is unique and is our greatest asset. Also the interaction between the sales representatives on site, the TET department as well as the specialists from the re.tooling team is excellent. The re.tooling team only comprises members of sta with many years of experience in the area of machine tool manufacture, xture design and NC technology and who are very familiar with all the di erent types of machine and NC controllers on the market. There are also many details in favour of MAPAL. For example, prior to project start we check the machine geometry and undertake, for instance, dynamic measurements using a ballbar test and a simple test piece. The 3D collision assessments are a further plus point. And nally our experience in these engineering projects plays a very important role. Re.tooling services have been in frequent demand from the start and demand is increasing. The list of satised customers is already long and covers, on the one hand, individual machines used for various steering, gearbox and clutch housings, injection manifolds, throttle housings and even chassis parts. On the other hand there have also been major projects such as re-tooling 10 double spindles for various swivel bearings or the modication of a complete engine line (cylinder head, crankcase and bed plate) with 22 machines. And: We o er re.tooling at an international level. We are therefore looking forward to the future with great optimism. Thank you for the interview, Mr. Staebler.

Process technologist Andreas Haker checks the smooth function of the NC program.

Frank Staebler in conversation with the IMPULSE editorial team.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 25

 REPORT FROM PRACTICE

Transparency and cost-e ectiveness

Tool management at EBCC
European Brakes and Chassis Components GmbH (EBCC) was founded in 1961 in Breslau, the fourth largest city in Poland with a population of 630,000. Today the company is part of the stock-market listed ACE Group. 7.5 million aluminium brake calipers and master brake cylinders are manufactured annually at EBCC. The products are supplied both as castings and as machined parts to all the renowned automotive suppliers in the chassis area. EBCC has its own aluminium foundry and modern machinery. Continuous expansion of the partnership EBCC and MAPAL have been working together since 1999, when EBCCs investor at that time moved brake caliper production to Breslau. The related transfer line was also supplied fully equipped with MAPAL tools. In usage the tools have proven to be reliable and cost-e ective. Together with the technological support o ered on site by MAPAL Poland, these were decisive arguments for EBCC to procure from MAPAL new tools and replacement tools for the very successful production line. Here service has always played a major role: in 2004 a consignment store was set up in Poznan, where MAPAL Poland has its headquarters, to be able to recondition PCD tools quickly and e ectively. Tool management for e ective cost reduction In 2012 the management at EBCC decided to award a tool management contract for the mechanical parts to be machined. Adam Wawrzyniak, head of production and procurement at EBCC states the following as key reasons for this decision: Exact knowledge of tool usage and the costs per part, The possibility of reducing the tool inventory, The ability to outsource procurement and logistic processes, as well as Partnership-based collaboration during process and product optimisation.

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The roughing of the piston bore is one of the critical machining operations in brake caliper production due to the uctuating stock removal situation.

Brake caliper series production on the way to the washing machinee.

Piston bore with recess and spot face for dust cap.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 26

Tool Management
EBCC relies on tool management

Cost transparency and guaranteed annual savings Improvement of the procurement logistics

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 REPORT FROM PRACTICE

E ective and continuous process and cost optimisation

The tool management project covers aluminium brake calipers as well as cast brake calipers and holders a total annual production quantity of two million parts. The expected increases in these quantities are also included in the project. Successful together Adam Wawrzyniak sees the long-term successful collaboration as an important criterion for the decision to award the tool management contract to MAPAL: We have been working together with MAPAL for many years. The precision tool manufacturer is our primary supplier in the area of PCD tools. This partnershipbased collaboration makes it possible for both organisations to further expand their technological know-how and to form synergies. For EBCC the tool management represents a further step in process and tool optimisation of mechanical machining. A further important reason for entrusting MAPAL with the tool management was the existing know-how in this area from other successful projects. E ective, continuous cost reduction as well the support from MAPAL in the case of new tasks were and are ensured. EBCC can rely on a team of MAPAL specialists on site: the tool manager is Marcin Wawrzonkowski, Danuta Haligowska is responsible for the tool logistics. Technical support is provided by Tomasz Klamrowski. In addition, Timo Killinger from the tool management team in Aalen also visits Breslau several times a month to provide support on site. Cost transparency over the entire process In the rst few months the focus of the project was above all on optimisation measures. The necessary transparency in relation to tool costs was established in close collaboration with Damian

Adam Wawrzyniak (EBCC):

Alexander Koch (Schunk GmbH & Co. KG, Lau en am Neckar):

Der Dialog war sehr gut organisiert, interessant und abwechslungsreich. Ich habe viel ber die MMS-Technik erfahren.

We have been working successfully together with MAPAL for many years and therefore rely on the know-how and the experience of MAPAL specialists in the area of tool management.

F.l.t.r.: Damian Zarzyka (tool and production planner at EBCC), Marcin Wawrzonkowski (technical consultant, MAPAL Poland) and Adam Wawrzyniak (head of production and procurement at EBCC) during a production meeting on site.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 28

Successful tool management at EBCC the result of years of close collaboration

Zarzyka, technologist at EBCC, the procurement logistics were improved. In this way it was possible to optimise especially the quantities of tools in circulation that are used for discontinued parts. A key instrument for this measure was the installation of tool dispensing systems. A reduction in the number of suppliers and a technology update realised further potential. The introduction of tool life statistics made possible a detailed picture of the performance of the individual tools. In combination with regular reports on the tool costs, cost transparency is possible. The evaluation covers both the total cost per part as well as the portions of the costs from the individual tools. Broad optimisation program taps signicant potential Based on the data evaluated, MAPAL and EBCC prepared an optimisation program for each part. Signicant potential for improvement was tapped by using new cutting materials and coatings. The usage of combination tools led to cycle time reductions. Due to improved re-grinding quality on solid carbide tools, it was possible to sustainably lower the tool reconditioning costs. Together with MAPAL, Adam Wawrzyniak is looking forward optimistically to further expansion in the hard-fought chassis market.

PCD step boring tool roughing the piston bore.

Measuring the piston bore and the recess using a 3D measuring machine.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 29

 FROM THE ORGANISATION

Modern training
New apprentice workshop in Aalen
A successful organisation needs specialised sta . Only with well-trained, motivated and committed sta is it possible to react quickly and exibly to the requirements of the market, says Dr Dieter Kress, managing partner of MAPAL Dr. Kress KG. With its current 118 trainees, MAPAL is one of the largest training organisations in the region and sector. A good 80 young people are undergoing training solely in technical trades. One of them is Matthias Mahler. The 19-year-old will shortly complete his three-year training as a machine operator. In the new apprentice workshop opened at the start of the year he is able to optimally prepare himself for this task. After leaving school, Mahler wanted to learn a manual trade but was not sure where he should decide for the wood sector or the metal sector. After talking to other MAPAL employees in his home town he applied initially for a work experience position. He spent a week of his summer holidays in the MAPAL apprentice workshop. Drilling, turning, milling, marking, measuring at the end the result was a small locomotive. He enjoyed the work, he had found his vocation. 1,000 applicants a year Every year around 1,000 school-leavers apply for a training position at MAPAL. The healthy state of the business and the family atmosphere in the organisation have become known among young people. MAPALs commitment to co-operation with schools and nursery schools, its presence at numerous training trade fairs and its willingness to provide young people an insight into the world of work at the organisation by means of work experience, holiday

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 30

TR

jobs and site tours do the rest. Although we are sensing the demographic change, up to now we have not had any problems nding enough applicants says the head of human resources Hans Krauss. In autumn 2013, 40 young people will start their training at MAPAL. Along with six Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) students and industrial business

management assistants, there are 22 machine operators for milling and grinding machine systems and six industrial mechanics for precision equipment manufacture. The portion of girls in the rst year of training will then be 25 percent. MAPAL has adjusted the number of trainees to the continuous growth of the organisation. Compared to the previous year, the number of training places will increase by 20 percent and it is intended that the number of places will increase further. 2,500 square meters for highly modern training The organisation has always aimed to o er young people qualied, varied and modern training. The decision of the senior management to also integrate a new apprentice workshop in the new production building, opened in 2013, was very popular among the trainers

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TRAINING RAINING

TRAINING

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 31

 FROM THE ORGANISATION

A future at MAPAL with varied training and further training options

and the trainees. With a oor area of 2,500 square metres the new apprentice workshop is twice the size of the old workshop and is unmatched in the sector. On 30 of the latest CNC machines, including two 5-axis machining centres as well as 20 conventional turning, milling and grinding machines, the trainees can implement their theoretical knowledge with broad, practical experience. For each machine workplace there is an ergonomically designed workbench with related tool cabinet. A further 28 workbenches are available for basic training. Arranged in a circle they promote teamwork and help the trainees to get to know each other during the initial phase of the training. Signicant investments have also been made in the area around the apprentice workshop with various trials, training and social rooms. There the trainees can, for instance, use electric welding and brazing equipment, work on pneumatic and PLC controllers or use various measuring tools. There are three training rooms which have been equipped with the latest media technology. Here general technical issues are explained and information provided on CNC and computer technology. We use these rooms almost every day, explains training manager Franz Moser. They are also a popular meeting point among the trainees for group work and exam preparation. The recreation room with tea kitchen where the young people spend their breaks is also very popular. The entire apprentice workshop is light, friendly and spacious, an ideal environment that contributes signicantly to a feeling of well-being among the trainers and trainees: The atmosphere is very pleasant, say Matthias Mahler and Franz Moser. Step by step toward productive professional life Training manager Moser and his team of three, a supervisor, an engineer with vocational education training, as well as a techni-

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 32

for our qualied specialist sta and rst-class products of tomorrow.

cal administrator take care of the around 80 industrial trainees. Matthias Mahler values this professional support: There is always someone there if I have a problem. His training started with the basic training course. Initially he worked on various workpieces in a vice. Four weeks later the training continued on the rst machines, initially the smaller, conventional machines that are operated manually. Step-by-step he was familiarised with increasingly complex machines. After one and a half years our trainees are already productive, says Franz Moser. With the manufacture of supplementary parts they provide services to the individual departments. In parallel with this activity, the trainees are introduced to the programming and setting of the machines. To become more familiar with the organisational processes, Matthias Mahler has spent four weeks in a number of departments in the organisation, from the cutting shop, the turning shop, to adapter manufacture. In this way I quickly found out which department is for me. And the colleagues saw whether he would t into the team as a member of sta . During the third year Mahler is concentrating entirely on preparation for the nal exam. He already has the theoretical part behind him, the issue now is the practical part with practice exams on the machines. 75 % of the trainees become long-term members of sta Due to his good results Mahler has already had his training shortened by six months. He will receive a job o er from MAPAL, like all the trainees who will soon complete their training. And further training is also not an empty promise at MAPAL. The sta are continuously further qualied and trained, and combined with the good working atmosphere in the organisation, many people stay with the company for many years. Three quarters of all trainees in the headquarters in Aalen take up permanent positions in the organisation.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 33

 TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Modern machining concepts for connecting rods

Stably and reliably machining lightweight connecting rods
Connecting rods are engine components subjected to high dynamic loads. Current developments in engine manufacture, for instance downsizing or the reduction of the CO2 emissions with the same or even higher engine power output, require new approaches during the development and manufacture of connecting rods. By using high strength, innovative materials as well as new manufacturing processes, today it is possible to manufacture ever lighter connecting rods. Lightweight connecting rod with innovative design of the small pin bore Also for the latest lightweight connecting rods, such as tapered or stepped connecting rods, MAPAL o ers tool solutions for complete machining that reliably and cost-e ectively meet all the requirements. In the case of a tapered connecting rod, the side faces of the small pin bore have a tapered shape. The so-called stepped connecting rod is a further development of the tapered connecting rod with a stepped side face. On both connecting rod types these geometries are used to taper the pin bore toward the top and in this way to save weight at this point. Even a few grams on each connecting rod have a positive e ect due to the high speed at which the connecting rods move up and down in the engine. The chamfered or stepped side faces on the small pin bore result in interrupted cutting conditions at the entrance and exit on machining the bore and therefore di cult machining conditions. The many years of experience of MAPAL technologists in the area of connecting rod machining and the very close contact with the manufacturers resulted in, among other issues, two innovative tool solutions for the complete machining of all machining tasks on the small pin bore. Drilling from the solid and applying two chamfers To drill the small pin bore from the solid and to produce the two chamfers for pressing in the connecting rod bush, only one combination tool with indexable ISO inserts is used. The tool is of particularly sti design to compensate for the high resultant cutting forces due to the inclined drilling. Specically, this aspect signies a minimum projection length with maximum possible tool cross-section. Accordingly the chamfer cutting edges integrated into the tool feature

MAPAL tools for the complete machining of connecting rods.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 34

tangential technology; these cutting edges produce the insertion Drilling from the solid and application of two chamfers. chamfers on both sides of the bore Semi-machining and nish machining. using circular milling. The tangential installation position of the red to adjust the blades is signiindexable inserts weakens the tool core diameter signicantly DRILLING FROM THE SOLID cantly shortened. (You will nd less than the radial installation position. In addition, the cutting Radial o set = 0 mm more information on the EasyAdjustforces are reduced by the tangential indexable inserts. System in the MAPAL EMO highlights section on page 12) Semi-machining and nish machining A special feature of the combination tool used for this machining is the cut distribution. Starting with an ISO boring stage and a cutting depth of ap = 0.3 mm, a machining step with two HX indexable blades and guide pads for the nish machining follow with a cutting depth of ap = 0.15 mm. The HX blades are arranged using the twin-blade principle for micro-machining. Here one of the two blades is arranged radially and axially trailing and only machines a very low chip thickness. In addition, the optimal positioning of the guide pads ensures perfect support and balanced cutting forces over the entire depth of the bore. In this way the bore is reliably produced in IT7 quality with excellent surface nish. The HX blades are embedded using the new EasyAdjust-System, as a consequence the e ort and time requiAlong with the tool highlights described, MAPAL o ers innovative tool solutions for complete connecting rod machining as well as a comprehensive range of services. In the context of complete planning, for instance, these services include the denition of the correct machining strategy, design of the clamping xture or the preparation of NC programs.

CHAMFER FORWARD Radial o set = 0.7 mm

CHAMFER BACKWARD Radial o set = 0.7 mm

Stepped connecting rod

Tapered connecting rod

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 35

 REPORT FROM PRACTICE

Lubricating production costs using MQL

Minimum quantity lubrication in series production
Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) is today a mature alternative to the conventional cooling lubricant process in series production. It signicantly lowers production costs and reduces the impact on the environment. The Alsace-based manufacturer of automatic gearboxes, Punch Powerglide Strasbourg, has compared the two lubrication processes during a practical eld test and found savings of up to 95 % in the cooling lubricant costs and up to 25 % in the energy costs. There were no signicant di erences in the tool lives and tool costs. Punch Powerglide Strasbourg has been manufacturing automatic gearboxes for cars for more than 40 years. The Strasbourg works is designed for an annual production of 300,000 gearboxes and has its own foundry. Gearbox housings and converter housings for in-house production are manufactured there. Currently the organisation is manufacturing 6-speed automatic gearboxes for customers like BMW, GM and Tata. In 2014 production of the new 8-speed automatic gearbox 8HP 50 from ZF will start. In the run-up to this production start, Punch Powerglide has made detailed checks on minimum quantity lubrication in relation to its suitability for usage in series production. The objective was to identify an alternative to the wet process we have used in the past so that cast aluminium parts can be manufactured more e ciently, more economically and more eco-friendly, was the motivation, states the tool researcher and process manager in the area of machining of prismatic aluminium parts at Punch Powerglide, Richard Muller. In view of the signicant costs for the maintenance and operation of the central coolant supply system for 35 machines, the potential saving is enormous. Just the replacement every ten years of the 35 m of coolant required costs 100,000 euros including preparation. To obtain reliable information on the suitability for series production and the specic requirements of

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Left: PCD boring tool for the central bore. Right: PCD combination tool for milling the surfaces for various oil channels.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 36

MQL

Minimum quantity lubrication

Reduction of the energy costs by 20 25 % Saving in emulsion costs of 95 %

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 37

 REPORT FROM PRACTICE

Conservation of important resources

MQL, Punch Powerglide turned to the tool specialists MAPAL and placed an order for the machining of 250 converter housings in its trials and development centre in Aalen under realistic production conditions using MQL. It was important for us that this test was undertaken under production conditions that were largely the same as ours, explains Richard Muller. For this reason the parts were produced using the same process sequence and in two-shift operation on an Ex-Cell-O machining centre using a two-channel MQL system machining centre from Bielomatik. MAPALs task was the development and manufacture of the solid carbide drills and PCD tools tailored to the process, as well as the adjustment of the feeds for optimal removal of heat from the workpiece. The clamping xture, the CNC and measuring programs, as well as the blanks were provided by Punch Powerglide. As the test object for the eld trial Richard Muller selected the converter housing for the automatic gearbox 6L 50 made of AlSi9Cu, as its machining places high requirements on the precision and covers a broad range of machining processes and tools: 25 di erent tools are used for drilling, milling, reaming and thread cutting. During these processes, surface nishes with an average roughness of Ra 1.0, bore tolerances with a standard tolerance of IT6, and atnesses with a maximum 10 m deviation are to be met. The trial has shown us that these requirements can be met using MQL and less than 1 ml oil is consumed in the process, Muller summaries. In view of the positive results, in autumn 2010 the process was transferred to a machining centre from the Urane series manufactured by Comau that Punch Powerglide had used up to this point to completely machine converter housing parts with the aid of a conventional cooling lubricant process. It was necessary to modify the machine for MQL machining. For this purpose a two-channel MQL system from Bielomatik and an extraction system for chips and oil particles from Keller was installed. Stainless steel plates were also tted to the clamping xture to better channel the ow of chips. We decided for a two-channel MQL system here, as depending on the requirements for the machining operation we machine dry, only with air

F.l.t.r..: Richard Muller from Punch Powerglide, Thomas Faul (MAPAL regional sales manager) as well as Christian Schmidt (product specialist MQL at MAPAL).

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 38

Fit for manufacturing processes with minimum quantity lubrication

or with an oil-air mixture and can e ciently set and control the related quantities, explains Richard Muller. Directly beside this machining centre modied specially for MQL there is a further, comparable Comau machining centre on which the converter housings are still manufactured using the conventional wet process. These are then the best preconditions for reliable comparison of the two processes. The results of this comparison are clearly in favour of MQL machining: Punch Powerglide has recorded a reduction in the lubricant costs of almost 95 %. While with the wet process it is necessary to spend 333 euros per machine each month for the coolant, after the conversion to minimum quantity lubrication the costs reduced to 20 euros per month and machine. There was also a reduction in the energy costs of 20 to 25 %. Due the removal of the highpressure pump and associated costs, despite the somewhat higher compressed air requirement not only the energy costs but also the investment are reduced, Richard Muller is pleased to state. To say nothing of the fact that with the change to the MQL process we can save the e ort for the replacement and preparation of the coolant. Last but not least, it was also possible to improve the cycle time by increasing some of the cutting data by 5 % and to increase the heat removed via the chips. As the chips are clean, they can be melted down directly without any pretreatment. In relation to tool lives and the costs for the tools, the direct comparison has shown that there are no major di erences between the two processes. All the solid carbide drills are uncoated, also for the MQL process. They are only high-gloss polished so that chips do not adhere so well, adds Richard Muller. The tool researcher and process manager at Punch Powerglide does not conceal the fact that there were also a few hurdles during the introduction of the technology: In case of standstills of around two days, tool fractures occurred with increasing frequency on small solid carbide drills and tap drills. It was found that the cooling ducts were clogged with residual oil. The problem was solved by a warm-up program on starting the machine; this program calls each MQL tool and blows oil through it. In an internal test Richard Muller has also found an e ect on the machining precision due to the temperature of the blank during some machining operations: During the machining of a pocket using a PCD circular milling cutter, problems occurred with the dimensional accuracy of the diameter. Since then Punch Powerglide has therefore left the blanks in the production building for a while so that the scatter on the temperature is maximum 5 C. The machining process was adapted correspondingly so that today absolute dimensional accuracy is achieved, with the di erence for the machine operator that with the conventional cooling lubricant process the workpiece is wet after ejection. The parts manufactured in the machine with MQL are, on the other hand, dry; only a few chips adhere to the surface. For the operator this means a signicantly cleaner and more attractive working environment, even though the machining centre with MQL is noisier, as the attenuating e ect of the cooling lubricant is missing, concludes Richard Muller. The operators therefore take every opportunity to ask when the next machines will be converted to MQL.

Production line for the manufacture of the converter housing at Punch Powerglide. On the left of the picture the machine with MQL technology, on the right the process with wet cooling.

MAPAL Impulse 52 | Page 39

MAPAL SPOT LIGHT

Actuating tool for the ne machining of tapers or inclined recesses on a machining centre

Large selection of cutting materials and geometries

Contour of inclined recess

Taper machining from the small diameter to the large diameter possible Actuation using coolant pressure, alternatively using pull/push rods, centrifugal force or TOOLTRONIC possible

Various machine connections possible

During the manufacture of tapers and inclined recesses, very high requirements are placed on the machining tool. Shape, angle and position tolerances must be met and the actuating function of the slide must be ensured. The coolant pressurecontrolled tool from MAPAL combines the highest accuracies with the necessary exibility even with small quantities.

KEY FACTS:
Flexible usage on machining centres Replaceable mounting tool Short machining times High process reliability

FURTHER INFORMATION:

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IMP52-E-01-120-0913-WD Printed in Germany. Right of technical modications reserved.