Rising demands for productivity, flexibility and investment security, combined with a dynamic market environment, are creating new challenges for manufacturing companies. What is needed, is not only high-performance machinery, but partners that combine technology, automation and service into cost-effective, integrated solutions – and support manufacturing companies over the long term.   

This is precisely where the Fair Friend Group (FFG) came in at the AMB 2026 exhibition in Stuttgart last month. Under the slogan ‘Stopover’ FFG invited visitors to discover new perspectives for the manufacturing of tomorrow. The ‘Stopover’ represented an opportunity for companies to evaluate technological possibilities, gain new insights and strategically plan the next steps of their manufacturing strategy. 

As a global machine tool and turnkey solutions partner, FFG brings together specialised machine tool companies around the world, combining their technology expertise and know-how across multiple disciplines. Customers benefit from continuous technology transfer within the group as well as international support for delivery, commissioning and service.  

This network provides the foundation for high-performance manufacturing concepts and reliable support across national borders. At AMB, FFG demonstrated – through specific applications and several premieres – how this approach can make the manufacturing of tomorrow cost-effective, flexible and future-ready. 

At the show, the new MAG MMH 630 represented a new development for demanding heavy-duty machining applications. Ahead of its official market launch, the company presented the first details of the new machine. 

The MAG MMH 630 was developed for the cost-effective machining of large, complex workpieces and combines high performance, precision and process stability, reports FFG. This blend makes it particularly well suited to applications in industries such as energy, commercial vehicle, heavy equipment and aerospace. 

More information www.ffg-ea.com/en 

The new three-axis high-precision Mikron Mill P 500 VHP machining centre from United Machining is designed for demanding mould tool manufacturing. Thanks to its linear direct-drive design, the machine achieves accuracies critical for producing high-precision micro-components used typically in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. 

Competing machines traditionally use ballscrew technology, which can negatively impact surface quality/surface finish due to backlash issues. The VHP’s polymer concrete machine bed, with its damping properties, reduces vibrations in support of high precision. 

Optimal force distribution and long-term thermal stability arrive courtesy of the machine’s symmetric portal design. Complementary smart technologies include Intelligent Thermal Control (ITC), Operator Support System (OSS) and Step-Tec Opticool/CoolCore spindles, which can operate at up to 42,000 rpm. Together, United Machining says these features guarantee high process reliability – essential for when the machine is operating continuously and subject to prolonged machining runs. 

The P 500 VHP’s precision and performance make it suited to the machining of high-quality mould inserts for lenses or connectors used in the ICT sector. However, applications extend to other industries: from reflector moulds for automotive or household appliances to fuel cell tools and medical device moulds. In fact, anywhere where extreme accuracies and superior surface finishes are required. 

“The intelligent automation concept with rear-loading enables significant productivity gains, while the machine’s compact footprint allows space-efficient integration into a range of different environments,” says Juan Martin, head of customer development at United Machining. 

According to United Machining, the Mikron Mill P 500 VHP offers exactly what modern manufacturers need to remain competitive: reliable precision combined with high productivity. 

More information www.machining.com

Agricultural machinery manufacturer Pöttinger has replaced an ageing flexible production system with four Heckert H75 horizontal machining centres from Starrag, integrated with automation from Promot. The complete system was installed and commissioned in just 12 weeks, while minimising disruption to ongoing operations. 

Based in Grieskirchen, Austria, Pöttinger manufactures equipment for grassland management, farming and digital agriculture. Its products are customised, making flexible manufacturing essential. Components range from small structural steel parts weighing around 300 g to gearbox housings weighing 27 kg, with some requiring micrometre-level accuracy. 

The company selected the Heckert H75 for its combination of precision, rigidity, energy efficiency and generous working envelope, despite a compact footprint. Promot integrated the four machines with a five-level, 134-position pallet storage system and a master computer linked to SAP. 

A key advantage is the shared tool management system. Each machine has a 260-position tool magazine, with Promot’s gantry loader enabling the exchange of tools between all four machines. This capability provides access to 1040 tools and allows production control to allocate components to whichever machine is available. 

Meeting the demanding 12-week installation deadline required extensive preparation. Starrag supplied digital twins of the machining centres, while Pimpel’s CHECKitB4 software enabled the simulation and checking of NC programs before installation. Pöttinger programmers also tested machining operations on the actual machines at Starrag’s Chemnitz factory in Germany. 

Further productivity gains came from moving workpiece cleaning outside the machine. While a completed component undergoes cleaning at a dedicated set-up station, machining can continue on the next part. This workflow saves at least one minute per pallet change, equivalent to almost 20% of the cycle time. 

Pöttinger can manage the four identical machines as a single production resource, allowing the flexible distribution of orders.  

More information www.starrag.com