Swiss tool maker Fraisa has achieved efficiency gains through automation to reduce production costs by 50%.

The collaboration with Anca required a customised solution to run unattended for 50 hours and grind multiple tap types. Anca says that its TapXcell can increase productive grinding hours from an average of 105 to 150 hours per machine, per week.
Fraisa is a family-owned business that offers its customers a complete range of solid round tools with end mills, drills and taps.
Amelinda Ilardi, engineering project manager at Anca, facilitated the collaboration with Fraisa: “To enable the machine to run unmanned we needed an in-process measurement capability to ensure grinding stability, so we designed a new application where the thread pitch diameter is measured by a Renishaw MP250 touch probe. Measuring to ±0.002 mm accuracy, this feature is crucial as it ensures every batch of taps are of consistently high quality.
“Not only can the machine run unmanned for 50 hours, it is fully connected, being linked to Fraisa’s factory ERP system for further efficiency and production data gains,” continues Ilardi. “The machine can be remotely monitored using our RedaX product and automatically sends notifications to keep Fraisa’s remote staff aware of the machine’s progress, and any issues or faults that need to be addressed. In addition, RedaX can be used to track the productivity and up-time of multiple Anca machines.”
TapXcell is a complete production package for tap manufacturers. The grinder itself includes a 37 kW grinding spindle that enables the grinding even of taps above M32, as well us dual wheel dressers and between-centre work holding. Grinding capability is complemented by the TXcell’s robot loader that manages automatically changing of up to 24-wheel packs and tools.
For further information www.anca.com