In 2024, Kapp Niles replaced a 16-year-old jig-boring machine at its Coburg production facility with a high-precision Heckert HEC 800 machining centre from Starrag. For Sascha Forkel, head of prismatic machining, the replacement was akin to a heart transplant: “It’s a key machine in our production operations, without which we would no longer be able to supply.”

Kapp Niles machines prismatic components up to 1 m³ in size, to tolerances as tight as 3 µm. The components, made predominantly from cast iron, are pre-machined before finishing, where accuracy and surface quality are critical.

The ageing jig-boring machine presented an increasing failure risk, with spare parts no longer guaranteed. Kapp Niles therefore shortlisted three potential replacements and subjected each to identical trials using the same complex motor housing, tooling, NC programs and clamping devices.

The company ultimately selected Starrag and its Heckert HEC 800, equipped with a high-precision kit. Mechanical accuracy was a key consideration.

“Various manufacturers achieve similar accuracies through compensation in the control software,” explains Forkel. “This can cause problems. For us, bores must be cylindrical.”

The HEC 800 incorporates water cooling for stands, axis drives and ball screws to ensure thermal stability, while heat sources are isolated from accuracy-critical components. Starrag also further tightened the circular-axis tolerances and reduced B-axis wobble.

A direct-drive spindle was selected, with maximum speed deliberately reduced from 12,000 to 10,000 rpm to increase process reliability. An Erowa LoadMaster automation system with nine pallet stations was also installed, allowing uncritical components to be machined without human intervention.

The old machine was removed in July 2024, with the HEC 800 arriving in August. Following site acceptance and operator training, production began in January 2025.

“Our conclusion: the heart transplant was a complete success,” states Forkel.

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