Gerhard Rauch GmbH in Trasdorf, Austria, machines complex mechanical components and assemblies to tight tolerances. For high-precision prismatic machining, the company has standardised on the use of milling centres from German firm Roeders, which are available in the UK and Ireland exclusively from Hurco Europe.

CEO Anton Buresch says: “We produce punching tools to extremely high accuracy. For example, the mass production of aluminium foil yoghurt pot lids requires tools with clearances of 2 µm in some cases. This requires a tolerance of less than ± 1 µm for both the punch and the die.”

In the past, the company required multiple operations to manufacture such tools. Following pre-milling, hardening would result in a certain amount of distortion. Separate milling and grinding would take the tools to their final dimensions. This multi-stage process was necessary because the previous machining centres struggled to process hardened steel.

The solution was to invest in prismatic machining centres from Roeders, which are both rigid and precise enough to machine even extremely hard materials to the required accuracy, including tungsten carbide. Gerhard Rauch GmbH can now clamp and machine to final dimensions by milling and jig grinding on the same platform. This capability results in enormous savings in terms of personnel, throughput time and cost.

Today there are five five-axis Roeders machines on the shop floor in Trasdorf: three RXP 501 DS and two RXP 601 DSH models. All are automated with an RCE 1 pallet storage system which, depending on the pallet type, can hold between eight and 45 workpieces.More information www.hurco.co.uk

Based in Lower Bavaria, Huber GmbH CNC-Präzisions-Werkzeugschleiferei is a user of sharpening machines from Vollmer, with a VGrind 360S grinding machine the most recent arrival. Huber is using the Vollmer machine and its 24/7 automation capability to boost the production of semi-standard milling tools for the machining industry.

Manufacturing standard and special tools, resharpening circular/bandsaw blades and supporting customers with reliable services – this is how Huber generates a profit of around €2.7m a year.

“Our latest VGrind 360S grinding machine with chain loader enables production around the clock, seven days a week, allowing us to fulfil our high order volume quickly and with high precision,” says Christoph Ziegler, production manager at Huber GmbH. “As such, the Vollmer machine is a perfect match for our guiding principle and self-imposed goal to deliver the best possible quality and precision ‘despite’ the high speed of our processes.”

Alongside automation, the decisive factor for Huber was that the VGrind 360S is suitable for ensuring consistently high-quality machining thanks to the wear-free linear induction motors in the X, Y and Z axes, as well as reducing maintenance costs. With two grinding spindles situated one above the other and the grinding wheel set positioned at the C-axis pivot point, the VGrind 360 tool grinding machine enables efficient multi-level machining. The company can reduce machining times thanks to the shorter travel distances of the linear axes, which is also beneficial in terms of the speed promised by Huber.

As a final point, a plate heat exchanger cools both the machine’s spindles and motors to increase thermal stability and improve both the precision and performance of the grinding process.

More information www.vollmer-group.com