Measure every step of the manufacturing process

However, to use these benefits, special tools must be manufactured with especially high accuracy. Michael Mauth comments: “Maintaining the highest quality and accuracy is crucial for the machining results when it comes to special tools. Workpiece geometries produced using a special tool cannot be corrected, because the accuracy is determined by the profile of the special tool.” To ensure that the special tools ground in Oberndorf correspond to these requirements, Michael Mauth invested in appropriate measuring technology several years ago. “At our facility, the skilled workers in production measure tools directly in connection with individual grinding processes. This is the only way to ensure that we produce high-precision tools that correspond to the specifications at every machining step and avoid time-consuming, cost-intensive scrap,” he explains.

As Michael Mauth explains, he considers the automation of numerous production processes—even at a tool grinding shop—to be sensible and forward-looking. “To be and remain competitive in the global market, automation is simply indispensable,” he highlights. That is why the tool grinders in Oberndorf have automated numerous internal processes, particularly for grinding batches of several hundred special tools. The tool grinders manufacture tools in batches of 10 or more using tool grinding machines equipped with pallet stations and robots for loading and unloading. This allows skilled workers to focus on programming and producing one-off pieces as prototypes. 

Through automation, they have implemented multi-machine operation, which has proven especially cost-effective. During regular work shifts, the tool grinding machines are set up and loaded with pallets. The blanks arranged on the pallets are then ground during unattended night shifts.

A company-wide network for data exchange between CAD/CAM programming, order planning, and CNC machines also contributes to cost-effective manufacturing with minimal effort and short lead times. A central database contains all information relevant to the production of the tools. Specialists can access this data via the network from nearly all production stations in the grinding operation. 

Michael Mauth comments: “This organization and structure creates transparency and significantly speeds up internal processes. It eliminates the need for individual skilled workers to make unnecessary trips to different departments and to make time-consuming requests.” Michael Mauth has also largely optimized the internal material flow. This ensures that the tool grinder can flexibly manufacture and provide even complex special tools within the shortest possible time. 

Automated Measuring Technology 

The tool grinders in Oberndorf are now also using automation when measuring special tools that are ground in series of 10 or more. Michael Mauth comments: “Given the current shortage of skilled workers, we’re relieving our personnel of repetitive, tedious tasks. We make sure to assign our skilled workers to meaningful tasks. These include tasks that require creativity and expertise.” That is why he recently invested in a »»roboSet 2«« robot cell in connection with a »»genius«« measuring machine from ZOLLER. It accommodates up to eight pallets, each holding up to 150 special tools. An integrated robot uses it to load and unload the connected measuring machine. It also sorts out tools that do not correspond to specifications based on the measurement results. 

Once the robot cell and the measuring machine have been set up and the pallets have been loaded, the measuring process runs fully automatically and unattended. “This robotic cell ensures that, even for production runs of several hundred tools, we can economically measure all tools without exception and thus guarantee their quality 100 percent,” highlights Michael Mauth. For production runs of several thousand tools, the tool grinders can at least measure a sample—for example, every fiftieth tool—cost-effectively and with reasonable effort.

After several months of experience with automated measurement, the specialists in Oberndorf confirm that the system operates reliably and, above all, relieves them of tedious tasks. Depending on the dimensions, it measures anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred tools overnight without supervision. It records and stores the measurement data. It also performs the transmission of the information to the central database, to which the »»genius«« measuring machine is connected. This enables the tool grinder to consistently generate and provide clients with the documentation that corresponds to the quality of the special tools it produces. 

Practical Application 

Michael Mauth confirms the economic benefits of the »roboSet 2« robot cell in combination with a ZOLLER »«genius»« measuring machine. He is also impressed by the excellent collaboration with the specialists at ZOLLER. “The technicians and engineers at ZOLLER are always willing to listen and take into account the practical needs and requirements of users. They are very interested in optimizing the setting and measuring machines for users,” he says, praising the achievements of the Pleidelsheim-based manufacturer.