results today - gfms · results today 10 imagine a future in which even the most complex and...

10Results Today

Imagine a future in which even the most complex and demanding industries enjoy intelligent, high-performance, resource efficient and fully predictive manufacturing. That is the vision and the ultimate destination of Industry 4.0, a gathering force around the world.

Envisioning the futurewith Industry 4.0

GF Machining Solutions

EDM | 12 EDM | 12 Sustainability | 16 AM | 14

T.R.U.E PRECISON:Your doorwayto Industry 4.0

Perfect machiningconditions withEDM and 3DS

Blue Competence:Smart solutionsdrive efficiency

Beyond conventionalcooling, machiningwith AM technology

+ TRD | 4-5Staying aheadwith Automation

+ SHL | 6-7Innovating fora better future

+ KLEINER | 8-9Advancing a visionof perfect precision

+ Spindles | 13 Milling, Spindles topower your performance

+ Airfoils | 13 Perfect blisk/IBRmachining with Liechti

+3Customersuccesses

+Productnews

Expert insights

The global customer newspaper — English edition

Industry 4.0 brings together an array of

intelligence and modern automation, data

exchange and manufacturing technologies.

Industry 4.0, known by a wide va-riety of names, brings together an array of intelligence and modern automation, data exchange and manufacturing technologies.

Among them are adaptive cyber-physical systems engineered from seamless integration of compu-tational algorithms and physical components including machine tools. Another chief Industry 4.0 enabler is the Internet of Things and Services, a system connect-ing any device or machine to the Internet and/or with other devices, and enabling objects to become “smart” and to gather, analyze and exploit massive amounts of data (big data analytics). The services component of this system rep-resents the external connectivity providing the machine manufac-turer data from the entire machine fleet. This makes possible new services such as remote monitor-ing, predictive maintenance, and process improvements based on real-time analysis of rich statisti-cal information from machine components, consumables and performance indicators.

Pioneering the development of Industry 4.0 for manufacturing are manufacturing solutions lead-ers and research institutions like RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer Institute of Production Technology.

Solutions to meet industry’s challenges

Machine tool manufacturers focusing on full process stabil-ity—from productivity, quality and accuracy, along with cost optimi-zation, to increased agility even in turbulent markets, and environ-mental sustainability—will play a key role by developing intelligent manufacturing solutions targeting

fully predictive processes, which could be readily tuned to best per-formance with respect to specific but fast-changing requirements faced by complex manufacturing businesses.

Making such solutions possible is digitization, the conversion of in-formation into a digital format that can be understood by computer systems. Digitization establishes the foundation for cyber-physical systems.

The world’s top machine tool brands already offer the features of such systems, which are ca-pable of sensing and acting in the physical world, and “thinking” in the cyber world. That “thinking,” includes planning, analyzing, modelling, memorizing, combin-ing, and optimizing in the cyber world; it can then be fed back into the physical world of manufactur-ing. Examples are machine tools with intelligent vision units or that are connected to measurement machines delivering in-process characterization and error com-pensation and making fully auto-mated, self-optimizing manufac-turing cells, the ultimate stage of Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 industrial and research pioneers are laying the foundation for a seamless, connected factory, in which cyber-physical systems will communicate and collaborate with each other. The factory of the future will leverage new part-nerships such as information technology businesses adept at developing the bridges between sophisticated but disparate soft-ware products currently used by the most advanced industries. The resulting manufacturing execution systems solutions will enable the essential steps of continuous pro-cess improvements with planning,

execution, sensing, and optimiza-tion integrated on different layers. From the shop floor to the logistics and human resource management systems, systems will interact autonomously with one another. Thus, the “smart factory” will be highly intelligent: every facet will contribute to optimization of the overall factory.

If that all seems like a giant leap from the First Industrial Revolu-tion of the 18th and 19th centuries when rural societies in Europe and North America became industrial and urban, that is because it is.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution is still in its nascent state,” said Gary Coleman, Deloitte Consulting Global Industry and Senior Client

Advisor Gary at the 2016 World Economic Forum meeting, Mas-tering the Fourth Industrial Revo-lution. “But with the swift pace of change to business and society, the time to join in is now.”

Dear customers,

Welcome to the 10th edition of GF Machining Solutions’ customer magazine, Results Today.

In this edition of our customer magazine, you will find evidence that of our commitment to being the trusted partner of the global machining industry throughout all phases of the lifecycle of your equipment.

In these pages, you can read up on latest topics, from Industry 4.0 and zero-defect manufacturing to our role in CECIMO’s Blue Competence Machine Tools initiative. We introduce you to some of our most successful customers across Market Regions Europe and South America, the Americas, and Asia, and we profile our technologies, products and services developed to resolve your distinct manufacturing challenges.

We invite you to learn more about how our broad technology portfolio helps you outpace your competitors with world-class wire, die-sinking, and hole-drilling EDM; Milling, inclusive of high-precision airfoil machining systems and our Step-Tec in-house Spindle manufacturing;

Laser texturing and Additive Manufacturing, and a complete selection of Automation, Tooling and software solutions. And it’s all backed by our Customer Services—including our new rConnect in-depth remote machine tool analysis.

To keep you competitive, we are relentlessly ramping up our innovation in terms of Swiss quality, and we are tirelessly developing complete solutions to trigger your success wherever you are in your business lifecycle, whatever your manufacturing segment, and wherever you are in the world. At the same time, we continuously advance our internal competences and efficiency—and we pass these advances along to you in terms of supremely reliable, highest quality, seamless solutions.

Today, as never before, GF Machining Solutions is all about you.

Pascal Boillat,President, GF Machining Solutions

EDITORIAL

Smart sensors provide the data basis for

intelligent process control under Industry 4.0.

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 102 Expert insights

Your trusted partnerfor precision machiningInnovation, Swiss quality, a multi-technology portfolio of products and services, an efficient organization worldwide, and a clear vision of customers’ varied needs : These are the foundation of GF Machining Solutions’ commitment to customers in Market Region Europe and South America—and beyond.

« Whether you’re a mold-and-die maker or a manufacturer of high-value precision parts, we have the efficiency, quality, and innovation to make you more competitive. »Antonio Faccio, Head of Market Region Europe and South America

Market Region Europe and South America, GF Machining Solutions

“Market Region Europe and South America encompasses 10 sales companies serving customers within a wide range of market segments,” said Antonio Faccio, Head of Market Region Europe and South America. “From aero-space, automotive, medical/dental and watchmaking to energy to electronic components, our cus-tomers rely on us for Milling, EDM, Laser, Additive Manufacturing and micromachining products and Customer Services and efficient processes to ensure their best use of our technologies.”

GF Machining Solutions is relent-less in its effort to become ever-

more efficient while continuing to balance cutting-edge techno-logical innovation with its legacy of Swiss quality, he said.

“The way we train around our multi-technology portfolio proves how our internal efficiency serves customers. Through our Service Academy, we train our already competent personnel across all of our technologies so that every service technician and application engineer delivers complete multi-technological expertise,” Faccio said. “Increasingly, whether you have an automated cell with several of our technologies or use just one of our technologies,

you’ll see one multi-technology expert, who speaks your language and knows your manufacturing challenges.”

Building on a legacy of innovation, quality

GF Machining Solutions’ accel-eration of innovation and quality is another example of how cus-tomers in Market Region Europe and South America—and be-yond—benefit from the Division’s customer-centric strategy.

“Switzerland has a long tradition of precision in both machine tools and the industries they serve,”

said Faccio. “Likewise, quality and precision are embedded in our or-ganization, from R&D to produc-tion to Customer Services.”

To spur innovation, GF Machining Solutions’ management continu-ously monitors the technology landscape in search of technolo-gies to enable customers’ success. Examples include the Division’s long collaboration with European pioneers of Industry 4.0, integra-tion of Laser texturing into its technology portfolio and, more re-cently, its cooperation with global Additive Manufacturing leader EOS and acquisition of micromachining leader Microlution.

“Whether you’re a mold-and-die maker or a manufacturer of high-value precision parts, we have the efficiency, quality, and innovation to make you more competitive,” Faccio asserted. “You can count on us for consistent quality, expertise and service throughout the life-cycle of your machines, whatever your manufacturing business and wherever you are in the world.”

Antonio Faccio,

Head of Market Region Europe

and South America


GF Machining Solutionsresellers

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 10 3

Toyota Racing Development relies on Mikron Mill high-speed

Milling machines to produce race engines for Toyota’s NASCAR

Sprint Cup Series program.

Toyota Racing Developmentputs the ‘auto’ in AutomationObsolescence in auto racing is wasteful and costly, so the faster Toyota Racing Development (TRD) USA Inc. can manufacture, the less chance its highly engineered race engine components will become obsolete. GF Machining Solutions helps boost TRD’s production speed and puts the shop in a prime position for future increases in demand.

Staying ahead of competitors

Speed in part production pro-vides the race engine builder’s engineering group more time to develop and test new and im-proved components and ultimately achieve higher performance on the track. This need for speed drove TRD to completely rebuild its Costa Mesa, California, manu-facturing facility and incorporate a highly advanced, fully automated machining cell. The cell also gives TRD part processing flexibility, consistency and precision and in-creases overall output.

For flexibility, TRD’s Automation allows it to pull a machine “offline” from the cell as needed and use it independently for regular produc-tion tasks such as part develop-ment or simply to run occasional parts requiring manual loading.

Higher precision, greater output

According to TRD Group Vice President of Operations Greg Ozmai, the main manufacturing benefit of the cell is that it has increased the level of component precision and output capacity—in-cluding greater lights-out produc-tion—to provide maximum time for component engineering.

TRD’s primary focus is on race en-gines for Toyota’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program. Toyota, TRD and team partner Joe Gibbs Rac-ing won the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship with driver Kyle Busch and the 2016 Daytona 500 with driver Denny Hamlin. TRD’s headquarters in Costa Mesa, California, encom-

passes two buildings and employs over 200 people.

For the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, TRD supplies engines to five Toyota Racing Camrys, manu-facturing all the core components of its engines. And with the recent addition of high-speed, high-precision GF Machining Solutions Mikron Mill machining centers and System 3R Automation, TRD’s manufacturing is positioned to meet future increases in demand.

“We have the ability to produce over 400 racing engines per year,” said Ozmai. “That production includes engines for race and team test events, as well as those for internal TRD research and development. The dynamic development environment paired with a 40-hour-plus week

schedule create an ever-changing demand for precision manufactured components in the shortest pos-sible lead time. The added flexibil-ity and precision of the Mikron Mill machining centers within a new au-tomated manufacturing cell allows us to keep pace in such a dynamic manufacturing environment.”

Within TRD’s automated manu-facturing cell, one rail-guided robot works from 100 open pal-let positions to serve seven full five-axis Mikron Mill Milling ma-chines: six HPM 800U HDs and the HPM 1350U.

Staying ahead of competitors

The high-performance Mikron HPM 450U processes TRD’s smaller en-

gine components. With a rotary/tilt table, providing unencumbered, interference-free machining, it is well suited for universal, auto-mated production. On the Mikron HPM 800U HD (High Dynamics) high-performance machining cen-ters which deliver 1g acceleration rates, TRD mills mostly engine cylinder heads. For heavy-duty machining of its cylinder blocks, TRD is in the final stages of quali-fying the Mikron HPM 1350U with 1,100 mm (43.30 in.) diameter ro-tary table and a load capacity of up to 1,500 kg (3,306.9 lbs).

Part machining cycle times at TRD can range from a few min-utes to as long as 15 hours. Average part sizes run between 25.4 mm (1.00 in.) and up around 508 mm (20 in.) in any one dimen-

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 104 Americas

www.trdusa.com

Most of TRD’s parts require high-precision, complex full five-axis machining done on Mikron Mills such as the

shop’s HPM 800U HD with rotary/tilt table and 1G acceleration.

sion, with tolerances as tight as 5 microns or less. Many parts re-quire full simultaneous five-axis machining of contoured surfaces; for others, five-axis motion simply provides better part accessibility and fixturing for faster and more accurate production.

Today, with GF Machining Solu-tions’ machining centers and Automation, TRD is much more productive with the same amount of capital equipment.

“With the Automation and five-axis machining, we have gained the flexibility and confidence—due to the accuracy and performance

consistency of the Mikron Mills—to now produce any one of our parts on any one of our machines without skipping a beat,” Ozmai said. “With the advanced machine tool technology and exceptional support from GF Machining Solu-tions, we are well on our way in achieving a level of production to stay ahead of the competition.”

« The added flexibility and precision of the Mikron Mill machining centers within a new automated manufacturing cell allows us to keep pace in such a dynamic manufacturing environment. »Greg Ozmai, Group Vice President of Operations, TRD USA

« With the advanced machine tool technology and exceptional support from GF Machining Solutions, we are well on our way in achieving a level of production to stay ahead of the competition. »Greg Ozmai, Group Vice President of Operations, TRD USA

The robot in TRD’s GF Machining Solutions/System 3R

automated cell loads/unloads both parts and fixtures for

process flexibility and nonstop production.

One rail-guided robot works from 100 open pallet

positions to serve seven full five-axis Mikron Mill

machines in TRD’s automated cell.

TRD has the ability to build more than 400 racing engines per year.

Toyota Racing Development

USA Inc.

335 Baker St E

Costa Mesa, CA 92626 USA

Contact

Phone: + (714) 444-1188

www.trdusa.com

GF Machining Solutions machines

1 Mikron HPM 450U

6 Mikron HPM 800U HD

1 Mikron HPM 1350U

1 System 3R WorkshopManager

Software, System 3R Delphin pallets,

System 3R Fanuc linear cell


With its cornerstone beliefs in in-novation, quality and commitment, and support from GF Machining Solutions, the group today is the world’s largest privately owned designer, developer and manu-facturer of advanced drug delivery systems.

The group was established 26 years ago by Swedish entrepre-neur Roger Samuelsson with the vision of combining world-class manufacturing in Asia with the strengths of Western manage-ment practices. SHL today em-ploys over 3,000 people and has a global presence with locations in Taiwan, Sweden, the US and China. With a worldwide customer base, including pharma heavy-weights Pfizer and Amgen, SHL designs, develops and manufac-

tures advanced drug delivery sys-tems such as auto injectors, pen injectors, and inhalers.

Innovation, quality and commit-ment guide the group’s strategy, product development, manufac-turing, and business relationships.

“We strive to provide the most in-novative products and solutions customized to meet customers’ needs,” said SHL Tooling General Manager Ingo Herrmann. “This is achieved by investing continuously in learning and improvement, driv-en by our undying passion to excel.”

Quality embedded in every endeavor

Quality is embedded in SHL’s every endeavor.

“As a result, the services we offer and products we manufac-ture are often used as industry benchmarks,” Hermann said. “We listen to and communicate with customers regularly to es-tablish strong business relation-

ships while responding promptly to customers’ needs.”

Among the group’s success fac-tors is a strong engineering-ori-ented workforce. SHL CEO Roger Samuelsson and R&D Vice Presi-

dent Frank Isaksson came from mechanical engineering back-grounds and have a special appre-ciation for machines.

“True to this culture, most of our workforce comes from a very

SHL Group’s vision: innovation, quality, commitment

Perfect 16-cavity plastic

injection mold machined

with GF Machining Solutions’

innovative EDM solutions

Ingo Herrmann, SHL Tooling General Manager

Taiwan-based Scandinavian Health Ltd. (SHL Group) began in 1989 as a high-quality original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original design manufacturer (ODM) with just 20 employees. Today, SHL is a partner to 80 percent of the world’s top 25 pharma companies.

« This is achieved by investing continuously in learning and improvement, driven by our undying passion to excel. »Ingo Herrmann, SHL Tooling General Manager

Innovating for a better future

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 106 Asia

specialized background in tooling, computer numerical control, auto-mation, molding and mechanical engineering,” Herrmann said.

A go-to partner for complete solutions

Supply partners—including GF Machining Solutions—play an im-portant role in keeping SHL com-petitive and successful.

“It is crucial for us to be in regular communication with our suppli-ers to understand the latest avail-able technologies that might suit our various projects,” said SHL Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Manager Thomas Koch. “Often we need supplier support to brainstorm innovative solutions to a complex problem. So, being able to work closely together is a key to success.”

SHL has partnered with GF Ma-chining Solutions since 2004.

“We choose GF Machining Solu-tions’ EDM machines over com-petitors’ products based on the good experience our Swiss joint venture company had with the same machines,” Koch said. “One important point was the good ser-vice for which GF Machining Solu-tions is known all over the world.”

The GF Division’s wire-cutting and die-sinking EDM technologies help SHL overcome such chal-lenges as super tight tolerances, perfect surface quality, repeat-ability, and time to market.

“For example, AgieVision elec-trode management ensures that we can maintain minimum devia-tion within series of mold inserts,” said Koch.

Direct access to expert support

As a 24/7 tool shop, machining reli-ability is crucial, and SHL leader-ship appreciates direct, fast access to GF Machining Solutions’ experts.

“We have had no machine break-downs lasting longer than one day—even with us being 10,000 ki-lometers away from GF Machining Solutions headquarters,” he said. “We get direct access to experts and a network of application engi-neers, and same day responses to minimize machine downtime. Main-tenance is also essential to our reli-ability, and we rely on GF Machining Solutions’ Customer Services for constant machining performance.”

GF Machining Solutions also col-laborates with the group to pro-vide training solutions to quickly

address specific demands. “One of the challenges we have faced in Taiwan is finding highly skilled machine operators,” he explained. “GF is quick to respond with spe-cific training solutions.”

SHL continues its mission to make the best products for customers and patients—with GF Machining Solutions at its side.

Components for an auto injectorCore pin for a plastic injection mold

Machining setup for core pins

This slider insert for a plastic injection mold illustrates the successful

collaboration between SHL and GF Machining Solutions.

With GF Machining Solutions’ EDM technologies, SHL easily executes tight tolerances and delivers perfect

surface quality with highest repeatability to ensure fast time to market.

SHL Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) Manager Thomas Koch

« One of the challenges we have faced in Taiwan is finding highly skilled machine operators. GF is quick to respond with specific training solutions. »Thomas Koch, SHL EDM Manager

www. shl-group.com

A fleet of 16 GF Machining Solutions wire-cutting, die-sinking,

and hole-drilling EDM machines help keep SHL Group going strong.

The SHL Group

136, Kuo Sheng 2nd Street

Taoyuan City, Taiwan 330

Contact

[email protected]

Phone +886 3 217 0303


4 FORM 2000

2 FORM 3000 HP

2 FORM 30

2 FO 350 Sp

1 Robofil 6050 TW

2 AC Progress VP3

1 CUT 20 P

2 DRILL 20


Founded in 1985 by Thomas and Joachim Kleiner, the business to-day is an energetic, 240-employee company intent on optimizing quality, delivery time and costs. GF Machining Solutions’ electrical discharge machines (EDM) help KLEINER achieve those goals.

KLEINER’s success is based on a corporate culture in which “it’s the people who make the difference” and state-of-the-art technology and machinery as the foundation for producing tools with maximum service life, high flexibility and simple maintenance.

Quality has its price but it’s a good value

KLEINER accepts only the high-est quality in materials and pro-cessing, and that includes its GF Machining Solutions machines.

“Our focus on quality certainly has its price, but it’s still a good value. KLEINER stamping tools convince you through long life and precision on every single part you produce,” said Christian Haman, KLEINER Business Unit Manager-Tool Engineering.

KLEINER’s global customer base includes automotive, electrical and medical engineering, and re-newable energies manufacturers. They depend on the company for all kinds of lead frames, press-fit zones, plug and socket con-nectors, micro stamping, snap domes, and many other items. At its second location, KLEINER primarily produces assemblies for the automotive industry.

“We manufacture 80 high-perfor-mance stamping tools and over 1.6 billion parts per year,” said

KLEINER GmbH advances a vision of perfect precision

Christian Haman, Business Unit Manager-Tool Engineering, KLEINER GmbH

Snap domes used as modern force

feedback elements for tactile feedback

in the automotive industry. The tooling

used to produce these elements is

machined on GF Machining Solutions

EDM machines.

If you want the tourist version of Pforzheim, Germany’s tradition of precision, the area’s museums dedicated to jewelry and vehicles may suffice. But if it’s an insider’s look at precision manufacturing you seek, innovative stamping technology company KLEINER GmbH is a genuine showcase of toolmaking mastery.

KLEINER

« Precision stamping tools of this quality, with this reliability, and at such consistently high volumes cannot be stamped by just anyone. »Christian Haman, Business Unit Manager-Tool Engineering, KLEINER GmbH

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 108 Europe

Haman. “Precision stamping tools of this quality, with this reliability, and at such consistently high vol-umes cannot be stamped by just anyone. But we can really do it!”

KLEINER’s zero-defect process ensures its ability to stay ahead of demand while maintaining preci-sion, quality and on-time delivery.

“Making things really well, right from the start, is very important for all of our processes,” he said. From development, engineering and our production techniques like wire EDM, high-speed cut-ting (milling), eroding starting holes, grinding and optical profile grinding, as well as prototyping, we implement the main part of the complete production process in house.”

Just one partner for EDM solutions

GF Machining Solutions’ EDM and Milling technologies contribute sig-nificantly to KLEINER’s processes.

“All of our EDM machines are from GF Machining Solutions,” said KLEINER Project Manager Benjamin Dankert. “We use them primarily to produce active parts for our stamping tools, such as cutting stamps, matrices and bending elements, but also mod-ules plates and a large variety of customer-specific parts.”

Due to stamping parts’ highly demanding specifications, the manufactured tooling components must be extraordinarily dimension-

ally stable and their surfaces must be highly precise, even on very complex designs. GF Machining Solutions’ EDM technologies help overcome those challenges.

“We especially value the AC Vision user interface,” Dankert said. “We also appreciate the low-maintenance machine con-cepts and the high surface quality on processed parts.”

All of KLEINER’s EDM machines are equipped with Automatic Wire

Changer, 3D setup, thin wire pro-cessing capabilities and automatic workpiece changing.

“The automatic workpiece chang-ing has helped us increase our efficiency and implement an operator-independent workflow for a longer period of time,” he said. “Plus, by installing automatic pre-calibration of workpieces on a connected measuring device, we have increased our EDM produc-tivity by 15 percent.”

GF Machining Solutions wire EDM also helps KLEINER meet big challenges such as reproducing increasingly complex geometries while increasing components’ du-rability and quality. And the Georg Fischer Division’s fast, expert after-sales and application sup-port plays a big role, too.

“We require fast solutions and spare parts, and the availability of a competent contact person on short notice is one of our major de-mands when we have technical ap-

plication questions,” he added. “GF Machining Solutions is a partner with an outstanding quality stan-dard, one that provides machines for continuous long-term opera-tion—exactly what we require.”

Progressive stamping tools from KLEINER GmbH, in Germany,

for the production of automotive, medical and electronic components

Highly precise progressive stamping

tools from KLEINER GmbH

« By installing automatic pre-calibration of workpieces on a connected measuring device, we have increased our EDM productivity by 15 percent. »Benjamin Dankert, Project Manager, KLEINER GmbH

www.kleiner-gmbh.de

KLEINER GmbH

Göppinger Strasse 2-4

75179 Pforzheim, Germany

Contact

[email protected]

Phone: +49 7231 6072-0

Fax: +49 7231 6072-1039


9 EDM machines

1 Milling machine

Uncompromising accuracy is a chief benefit of KLEINER’s nine GF Machining Solutions

wire EDM machines, says KLEINER Project Manager Benjamin Dankert.


While the term Industry 4.0 has been around for only a handful of years, the research behind it has been going on since the late 90s, says Dr. Odd Myklebust, Project Manager in the Department of Production and Quality Engineer-ing at the Norwegian University of Technology (NTNU) and Coor-dinator of the European project, Intelligent Fault Correction and Self-Optimizing Manufacturing Systems (IFaCOM).

“I’ve worked in information technol-ogy (IT) in manufacturing since the start of CAD/CAM in the 80s; since then we have seen the integration of systems in all corners of manu-facturing,” Myklebust explains. “IFaCOM and others were among the first to see the possibilities of digitization and the advances—in-cluding zero-defect manufactur-ing—it can bring to manufacturing.”

For the record, Industry 4.0—In-dustrie 4.0 in German—as a cohe-sive vision for the future of manu-facturing was born of the German government’s High-Tech Strat-egy 2020. That vision represents a paradigm shift to decentralized manufacturing and production, with smart production becoming the norm thanks to information and communications technology-based machines, systems and networks able to independently exchange and respond to informa-tion and manage industrial pro-duction processes.

Advanced communication in manufacturing

Myklebust says it just makes sense for industry to use the most advanced means of communica-tion. The number of existing inter-

net protocol (IP) addresses proves the ubiquity of digital technology.

“There are around 15 billion IP addresses today for seven billion people on earth, and it’s said that there will be 50 billion IP address-es before we reach eight billion people,” he says. “The internet is in your car, your home appli-ances and—increasingly—in the manufacturing technologies used to manufacture these products in our everday lives.”

As products become more com-plex, the chances for errors in-crease from an IT and mechanical point of view; that’s where zero-defect technologies can make a significant contribution to the manufacturing process.

But what does zero-defect manu-facturing really mean?

“It means close to zero defects. The ‘zero’ in zero-defect manu-facturing is a vision, something we should aspire to, but you’re never going to have absolutely zero de-fects. We say: If you’re going to make errors, make them early in the process. That’s cheaper and gives you greater ability to keep errors from impacting final part quality,” Myklebust says.

In aerospace component manu-facturing, for example, the impact will be chiefly economical.

“Air travel today is very safe—but that’s because many component defects are still found during post-production part inspections,” he says. “If process errors are identified early in the manufactur-ing process, you have a chance to correct them and prevent part defects, allowing less costly

manufacturing, better and more precise maintenance. In this way, the process becomes predictive.”

The technology behind self-optimizing systems

IFaCOM envisions a manufactur-ing system with three primary loops: real time vital parameter control, process optimization, and machine system optimization. Software integration, sharing and visualization enable cognitive sig-nal analysis, simulation, behavior prediction, and fault prognosis.

As a result, manufacturing defects can be corrected in real time, and processes and machine systems can be optimized through self-adaptation. The manufacturing process—including controls and machines—feed information to intelligent sensor systems, which

Industry 4.0: Paving the way to near-zero manufacturing defectsThough it’s often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0 is more of an evolution than a revolution—and near-zero defect manufacturing is among the advances it will enable.

Expert insights

« We say: If you’re going to make errors, make them early in the process. That’s cheaper and gives you greater ability to keep errors from impacting final part quality. »Dr. Odd Myklebust, Coordinator, EU Intelligent Fault Correction and Self-Optimizing Manufacturing Systems (IFaCOM)

Prof. Odd Myklebust, Coordinator, EU Intelligent Fault Correction

and Self-Optimizing Manufacturing Systems (IFaCOM)

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 1010 Expert insights

feed data back into the software, as do materials and end products.

But IFaCom doesn’t stop with sim-ply envisioning a system. It carries out real research ranging from sensoring and cognitive signal analysis, self-optimization, and ar-tificial intelligence techniques for machine system self-adaptation, to data communication, integration and storage, and demonstration, development and implementation. All of those operations enable zero-defect manufacturing.

“We’re already seeing advances in zero-defect manufacturing being made in industry, including the machine tool industry, to improve resource savings and quality con-trol,” he says. “The best machine tools today make better use of the data generated by their pro-cesses in order to optimize those

processes. Stable and sustainable processes are very important in manufacturing, even if those pro-cesses are very simple.”

The key, Myklebust says, is contin-uous process optimization, all the

way from CAD to assembly—and that will require both machines and skilled workers.

“Some processes that are man-ual today will be automated in the future, and a new generation

of automation will require more engineering-aligned operators,” he explains. “Humans have been self-optimizing their processes

for thousands of years; now technology is making it possible for manufacturing systems to do the same.”

« Humans have been self-optimizing their processes for thousands of years; now technology is making it possible for manufacturing systems to do the same. »Dr. Odd Myklebust, Coordinator, EU Intelligent Fault Correction and Self-Optimizing Manufacturing Systems (IFaCOM)

GKN Aerospace Norway AS has implemented IFaCOM solutions to automate its production of turbine rear frames for jet engines used on Dreamliner

and the new 747. Pictured here is GKN Aerospace Norway Senior Project Engineer Leif Andersen.

IFaCOM’s itelligent sensor and regulator system on research

partner GF Machining Solutions’ CUT 200 Dedicated wire

electrical discharge machine anticipates three types of defects,

increase quality and reduce scrap.

IFaCOM Sensor Suite

monitors a polishing

process in near-real time

and can register process

defects and incidents.

Through sensor fusion and

signal analysis, IFaCOM

allows European companies a

completely new grasp of their

manufacturing processes.

IFaCOM framework

Software integration, sharing, visualization platform

Cognitive signal analysis, simulation, behavior prediction, fault prognosis

Real time deviation

correction

Process optimization

(self-adaptation)

Machine system optimization

(self-adaptation)

Process

Controls

Machines

Intelligent sensor systems

ProductsMaterials


CAD/CAM PREPARATION

PowerSHAPE Electrode study

WorkOrder Data Generator

WorkCenter Manufacturing order

and part identification

RFID

WSM CellManager management of all

processes

Interface

Interface

28° C

20° C

Cut your parts and costs faster with the wire-cutting CUT E 350/600 series, allowing you to achieve a 15 percent reduction in parts costs by using AC Cut VS 900 wire. Addi-tionally, you can achieve 20 percent faster cutting, thanks to our gen-erator’s speed-oriented capability, and preserve 100 percent reliable accuracy and surface quality.

Speed-dedicated processes char-acterize the CUT E 350/600. Fast cutting is ensured and superior accuracy is preserved by AC certi-fied wires and a digital Intelligent Power Generator. Running costs are reduced by its productivity-enhancing features and the Econowatt module managing machine power use. Moreover, our human-machine interface’s powerful tools set the stage for safe machining preparation and perfect high-value parts.

Perfect machining in every condition

What ever the environment, get the conditions for perfect machining with the CUT 200/300 mS. Achieve repeatable positional accuracy to 3 μm, thanks to its thermostabili-zation, and save on maintenance costs due to five-axis collision pro-tection. And—another big plus—get 10-second angle accuracy up to 45 degrees overall Z axis with our available TAPER EXPERT. Target

new markets with this extremely versatile machine.

3DS: Reach new levels of perfection

Take your surface texturing to new levels of perfection with GF Machining Solutions’ revolu-tionary new three-dimensional surface (3DS) technology for die-sinking EDM.

Achieve higher productivity, flex-ibility and quality with 3DS deliver-ing perfectly homogenous surface structures, the precise degree of glossiness, and greater scratch re-sistance on injection molded parts. Boost your quality with 3DS reduc-ing maintenance of your mold.

Your speed, cost efficiency and process expertise are at the heart of three groundbreaking GF Machining Solutions’ electrical discharge machining (EDM) solutions.

Start with perfectEDM machining conditions

Fewer human errors and rejected parts, optimized geometrical re-production from electrode to fin-ished part, and higher part value are among the advantages deliv-ered by T.R.U.E. PRECISION, the first production solution in the GF Division’s T.R.U.E. (True Response to User Expectation) line.

An innovative manufacturing solu-tion for optimizing the die-sinking EDM process based on the true geometry of the electrode, T.R.U.E. ensures perfectly secure digital data use through an uninterrupted workflow. Your results: highest accuracy and consistency, from computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) all the way through to ex-ecution of the final part.

Say goodbye to time consuming and error-prone manual process-es, whether you’re using T.R.U.E. PRECISION to support a single AgieCharmilles die-sinking EDM machine or a fully-automated cell. Achieve tightest tolerances for per-fect final parts and attain an even higher degree of accuracy than

the most experienced machine operator can deliver. All this is pos-sible because T.R.U.E. PRECISION brings together three well-known and proven software products: Delcam’s PowerINSPECT, GF Ma-chining Solution’s Multi-Process Preparation (MPP) and System 3R’s WorkShopManager (WSM).

Fewer human errors and scrapped parts—and less reliance on skilled labor—are the direct result of T.R.U.E PRECISION’s automated workflow from CAD/CAM to execu-tion. You’ll produce higher quality parts in less time due to this solu-tion’s process optimization allow-ing better use of the machine’s power and deliver highly reliable reproduction of electrodes for more geometrically accurate final parts. Final part value is increased with T.R.U.E. PRECISION ensuring tightest tolerances and functional aspects, as well as the possibility of automating part assembly by robot.

Connect directly to the precision, efficiency and productivity of Industry 4.0, with GF Machining Solutions’ groundbreaking new T.R.U.E. PRECISION intelligent manufacturing solution.

T.R.U.E. PRECISION : Your doorwayto the advantages of Industry 4.0

PowerMILL Milling

programs

PowerINSPECT measuringprocedure

PowerINSPECT CMM measurement

Intelligent data processing

MPP EDM programs

EDM optimization algorithm

CUT 200/300 mS

5 axis collision protection for maintenance cost savings

3 µm positional accuracy thanks to thermostabilization

10’’ angle accuracy up to 45° overall Z axis thanks TAPER EXPERT

CUT E 350/600

-15% reduction in parts costs by using AC Cut VS 900 wire

+20% faster cut thanks to speed-oriented generator capability

100% top accuracy reliability and surface quality down to Ra 0.12 μm

3DS technology X200

EXECUTION

JOB PREPARATION

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 1012 News, GF Machining Solutions

MILL S 600 U

The new Mikron MILL S 600 U is designed for mold and die makers looking for high accuracy and sta-ble processes over long machining periods in the most productive environment.

Whether your application is for automotive, ICT, home appliances or packaging, this solution delivers

the stable precision required for multi-cavity molds of automati-cally assembled parts despite long, large machining challenges. Pro-viding perfect surface quality, it also shortens the process in a highly productive and repeatable way.

High dynamics and thermal accu-racy are key to success: Combining a stable machine base with high-dynamic drives and ingenious soft-ware is GF Machining Solutions’ high-speed Milling heritage. The Mikron MILL S 600 U is enhanced with the Econowatt (warm-up upon requirement), Ambient Ro-bust (thermal management of all drives and base machine) and OSS extreme technologies (per-formance tuning upon machining phases), all essential to your long-term precision.

Greater precision, stability with HVC140

Meet the toughest requirements for precision, surface finish, re-peatability, and reliability thanks to the even greater accuracy and stability of Step-Tec’s renowned 13.5 kW, 42,000 rpm OptiCool Spindle (OCS).

Based on the proven OptiCool principle, the latest-generation HVC140 Spindle’s polar thermal balance is slashed in half com-pared to its predecessor yet within 1 Kelvin around the contacting surface. In addition, the enhanced precision and stiffness meet to-day’s challenging requirements in the mold and die market.

Also contributing to the Spindle’s performance is an all new bearing design using ultra-high precision ceramic hybrid bearings. As a result, the radial and lateral stiff-ness are increased by 16 percent and 60 percent respectively and lowest-ever radial and axial run-out and repeatability at the tool interface of less than two microns are achieved to push the techno-logical boundaries.

Increased process stability, quality, and productivity are just a few of the important benefits delivered by GF Machining Solutions’ Mikron MILL S 600 U and the new Step-Tec HVC140 Spindle.

Power your processes withthese Milling and Spindle solutions

A blisk/IBR is a steel, aluminum or titanium turbomachine com-pressor component comprising both rotor disk and blades manu-factured as a single part as opposed to a disk and individual, remov-able blades.

Blisks/IBRs have many advantages: They have a rigid compound between the blade and ro-tor and allow no leakage in the blade/rotor compound, high compressor power, long lifes-pan and weight savings of up to 30 percent. But producing them brings its own challenges.

Among those challenges are the component’s thin, twisted and complexly shaped blades, the need for accessibility in a single

setup, expense and long machining cycle times

requiring highly re-liable machine

tools, reducing tooling costs by finding the sweet spot in ma-chining con-ditions, and

achieving re-quired surface

quality—especially in critical leading and

trailing edge zones.

Defeating the challenges of blisk/IBR production

Resolving those manufacturing challenges is exactly where Liechti Engineering—a unit of GF Machining Solutions—proves its prowess.

With Liechti Dedicated Solutions, complex, full five-axis blisks/IBRs are easily machined in a single setup at highest performance.

Behind that challenge-defeating performance is Liechti’s turnkey solution from one single source. Liechti’s TURBOSOFT plus CAM

software enables efficient pro-gramming and process optimiza-tion, and the robust machine design allows ultra-dynamic Milling with high jerk and no vibration marks. The high-acceleration horizontal Spindle rotary tilt table configura-tion provides best accessibility and complete blisk/IBR machining in a single setup.

Under pressure to meet demanding resource efficiency targets, aerospace and power generation customers turn to Liechti Engineering for blade integrated disk (blisk)/integrally bladed rotor (IBR) solutions.

Blisk/IBR machining done to perfectionwith Liechti Engineering solutions

Visit www.liechti.com and see why Liechti is the go-to blisk/IBR solutions partner to global aerospace leaders.

Liechti g-Mill 1350

OptiCool with enhanced

polar thermal balance

New-generation

HVC140


LASER P 1000 U

LASER P 600 U

AM S 290 Tooling

Plastic material use has increased 20 times in the past 50 years and is due to double in the next 20 years. Plastic packaging—central in the delivery of safe, high quality consumer products—will continue to play an important role. From PET bottles, plastic caps and food containers to highly differentiated cosmetics packaging, GF Machin-ing Solutions helps plastic injec-tion mold manufacturers world-wide achieve zero defects, higher quality, perfect repeatability and infinite design possibilities—along with a new degree of environmen-tal sustainability.

With the AgieCharmilles LASER P 600 U, for example, you can real-ize all manufacturing operations for a plastic cap mold cavity in one setup, simplifying your process. The GF Division’s Laser texturing process allows you to boost your productivity.

Perfect matt textures on cosmetics packages

At the same time, GF Machining Solutions’ AgieCharmilles LASER P 600 U and LASER P 1000 U tex-turing solutions deliver new pos-

sibilities for designers of plastic cosmetics packaging. Brands can easily differentiate their designs, for example, and ramp up the perceived value of their plastic end products, thanks to Laser texturing and a heat and cool molding process providing superb contrast between high gloss and matt surfaces.

By using Laser texturing in a heat-and-cool molding process, you achieve the desired contrast and excellent detail reproduction with a unique design created by the Laser technology. Distinct matt surfaces are made possible— at the touch of a finger—by GF Machining Solutions’ easy-to-ex-

ecute Laser blasting strategy. The result: a supremely homogenous matt surface, true to the design-er’s vision, on the end product.

The AM S 290 Tooling, based on EOS technology, is GF Machining Solutions’ first 3D printing solution fully aligned with the Division’s mis-sion of resolving manufacturers’ real-life application and business challenges. As a new technology, this AM solution can produce mold inserts as never before, allow-ing you to transcend conventional conformal cooling and experience the thermal management benefits

of conformal cooling channels for plastic injection.

With a System 3R MacroMagnum chuck integrated into its build platform, the AM S 290 Tooling leverages the Reference Point License software to permit loca-tion of parts relative to the build platform’s X/Y plane. That’s a big benefit for when you’re manufac-turing hybrid workpieces.

Perfect production of hybrid mold inserts

The machine simplifies production of hybrid mold inserts, the most economical solution for parts with geometrically simple and complex sections. Depending on material and size, such parts can be printed directly on top of a conventionally manufactured base on the chuck, or by separately finishing and as-sembling both parts.

It further integrates build platform handling with other machining processes to separate workpieces or accurately refurbish build plat-forms for reuse. The integrated chuck is used in combination with standard pallets (e.g., for hybrid parts) or build platforms equipped with a standard reference element. Print any kind of insert for any plastic product in any segment

with the AM S 290 Tooling, wheth-er you’re a mold and die maker or a plastic products OEM. Thanks to conformal cooling, if you make a million parts of a very basic prod-uct, you can increase your pro-ductivity. Moreover, if you make a very critical plastic part, with

thin layers, you can improve the quality of the part. Applications for tools, dies and other uses are under development.

Plastic packaging manufacturers simplify their processes, save time and money, and achieve faster time to market with GF Machining Solutions’ Laser texturing technology.

Optimize thermal management during plastic injection with GF Machining Solutions’ AM S 290 Tooling Additive Manufacturing (AM) solution.

Laser texturing simplifiesplastic packaging manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing: beyondconventional machining and cooling

Go beyond

conventional

conformal cooling

and experience the

thermal benefits

of conformal

cooling channels,

thanks to GF

Machining Solutions’

new Additive

Manufacturing

solution: the AM S

290 Tooling.

GF Machining Solutions Results Today 1014 News, GF Machining Solutions

For more information, please e-mail [email protected]

As an interface with your manu-facturing system, the Matrix sys-tem accelerates your setup to re-duce machine idle time, so you can pre-set beside the machine while it is running and—in just a matter of seconds—set up the machine again. That’s a big benefit for pro-ductivity and especially essential in short series and one-offs.

Easily sink any high or long work-piece into the chuck, thanks to the accurate and rigid Matrix system’s hole all the way through the draw-bar. The stability of your mounting is optimized, thanks to the reduc-tion of the distance between the connection’s reference surfaces and the part of the workpiece to be machined.

Uncompromised capacity, accuracy

The capacity of your machines is uncompromised by the Matrix system, due to its rigidity, and ac-curacy is ensured because it allows parts to be consistently produced at tighter tolerances with less grind-ing needed as a result, and when parts are moved between various machining processes.

At the same time, Matrix is avail-able in a Nano version that has demonstrated time and time again its prowess in assuring accuracy of less than 1 μm.

Available in five different pallet sizes (Ø110, Ø142, Ø185, Ø220 and Ø260 mm) and locking forces of up to 24,000 N, System 3R’s

Matrix system has automatic air-blast cleaning of the references, is sealed against dirt and swarf to withstand severe work environ-ments, has enhanced turbo-lock-ing clamping force, and is suit-able for automatic changing with System 3R Automation solutions.

Add value to your manufacturing system in any of a broad array of market segments with System 3R’s comprehensive program of quality tools and pallets and Au-tomation systems.

With rConnect, GF Machining Solu-tions Customer Services con tinues to push technological boundaries to deliver the future of services to you—today. As the machine tool industry’s most in-depth remote machine tool analysis, rConnect represents Industry 4.0’s vision of intelligent, high performing and fully predictive services.

The first rConnect module, Live Remote Assistance (LRA), delivers highly secure, direct, customer-authorized, real-time remote as-sistance by connecting you with your local diagnostics center and GF Machining Solutions’ Technol-ogy Units. With LRA, Customer Services can inspect your machine tool remotely, with diagnostics carried out by your technician or

a GF Machining Solutions expert. As an even stronger Industry 4.0 link, LRA in the future could incorporate the use of smart glasses to allow a direct, remote visual interface between Customer Services or your on-site technician to quickly resolve machine issues.

On the horizon : rConnect Messenger

Already, Customer Services is envi-sioning the next success-triggering rConnect module: Messenger.

The first phase of Messenger will transmit standard machine status information, service requests and error message alarms, and report on machine technical availability. Future Messenger versions will add value with system-relevant data collected by sensors, such as alarms based on machine data, limits that can be set, current program running, and individually programmed alarms.

rConnect Messenger will allow you to use one app to link to and

receive receive information from GF Machining Solutions wire-cut-ting, die-sinking and hole-drilling EDM to Milling, Laser texturing and Additive Manufacturing ma-chines. With rConnect Messenger, the GF Division proves once again its commitment to driving custom-ers’ highest productivity.

Get ready for maximum uptime, blazing fast troubleshooting, live interventions, and remote monitoring for your GF Machining Solutions machines with Customer Services’ rConnect.

Customer Services rConnect:driving the future of service—for you

ImprintPublished byGF Machining Solutions Management SAArmando PereiraHead of Marketing, Business Development & Segmentation

© 2016 – GF Machining Solutions Management SA. Illustrations and specifications do not necessarily apply to products and services offered in each local market. Technical specifications are subject to change without prior notice. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Rue du Pré-de-la-Fontaine 8CH-1217 Meyrin 1, Genevawww.gfms.com

Editor in chiefAurélia MorillèreHead of Product Management

ContributorsChuck Bates (dgs Marketing Engineers), Alexandre Gabella

Art direction and layout David Hirsbrunner

Content developmentcorrieri.net | works

TranslationsIFA-TRADUCTO GmbHKarsten U. TimmerLiveorient AG

Image creditsMarinus van Breugel, IFaCOM, dgs Marketing Engineers, Alexandre GabellaOther images: GF Machining Solutions,iStock, Shutterstock

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Achieve significantly higher productivity and competitiveness with GF Machining Solutions’ System 3R Matrix system, renowned manufacturers’ pallet system of choice.

Increase your productivity withSystem 3R’s Matrix pallet system

Secure, customer-authorized,

remote connection to your


machines

In the future, rConnect’s LRA module

could use smart glasses to allow

a direct, remote visual interface to

quickly resolve machine issues.

Laser texturing simplifiesplastic packaging manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing: beyondconventional machining and cooling

Matrix chucks Pallet/holder, drawbar,

and chuck

Here, the workpiece

(a hip joint) is mounted into the

Matrix pallet for stable fixation.

The Matrix system aids precision

production in the medical

industry. Here, the workpiece

(a knee joint) is mounted onto the

Matrix pallet.


As a member of the European Association of Machine Tool Indus-tries (CECIMO) Blue Competence Machine Tool sustainability initia-tive, GF Machining Solutions has declared its willingness to quantify the sustainability of its products and continuously embed and measure sustainability throughout every phase of its products’ life cycles. Moreover, the GF Division’s Customer Services solutions help customers use their machines more efficiently and productively.

Energy savings you can measure

Customers can reduce their ener-gy consumption by 20 percent dur-ing machine idle time, thanks to GF Machining Solutions’ products,

process expertise and customized planning. And, with the available EXPERT systems, customers can easily select and implement op-timal strategies for achieving the best ecological balance with their machines.

Examples of GF Machining Solu-tions’ commitment to customers’ ecological sustainability include clean filtration systems with auto-matic particle separation, chip and cutting fluid separation, reduction of compressed air consumption, and machine pump power adap-tation according to customers’ needs in terms of filtration, cool-ing and flushing.

Embedded sustainability

Simultaneously, GF Machining Solutions engineers ecological sustainability into the DNA of its products to reduce energy efficien-cy, analyze waste and self-adapt to optimize energy use, and develops high-tech tools like Customers Services’ rConnect remote moni-toring platform to reduce in-per-son service interventions and the pollution produced by air and car travel by service technicians.

Across its full range of technolo-gies, GF Machining Solutions is relentless in its effort to improve the sustainability of its solutions. A couple of good examples: A new Mikron Mill machine can reduce

a customers’ CO2 emissions by 4,000 kg per year, and the efficient injector for oil extraction on an EDM machine uses 57 percent less compressed air. All of the GF Divi-sion’s machines use LED bulbs for workspace light and signal lamps, so customers conserve electricity.

That commitment includes the evolution of mature technologies toward “greener” performance, and introducing extremely envi-ronmentally-friendly newer tech-nologies like Laser texturing and Additive Manufacturing. Laser textures molds and replaces pol-luting processes like chemical etching, and requires no material-consuming cutting tools.

Helping customers achieve ecolog-ical sustainability while maintain-ing highest accuracy, precision and productivity is measurable proof of GF Machining Solutions ongoing customer-centric commitment.

Smart solutionsto drive your efficiencyFrom go-to mature technologies like electrical discharge machining (EDM) and Milling to newer processes such as Laser texturing and Additive Manufacturing, GF Machining Solutions drives customers’ resource efficiency by engineering ecological sustainability into its solutions.

Blue Competence Machine Tools

16 GF Machining Solutions Results Today 10Sustainability

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