“Our core competencies in manufacturing are in milling, turning and grinding, as well as in logistics and assembly. We machine metal as well as plastic and, in doing so, achieve a high level of quality and reliably tight manufacturing tolerances,” reports Mario Maier, head of process planning at Scherzinger Pumps. “BLUM touch probes and laser light barriers, which we use in many machining centres, help us to accomplish that. The probes have an astonishingly long service life.” For example, a BLUM probe that ran in two-shift operation in one of the Heller machining centres was in use from 1998 to 2021. It was only replaced because BLUM had long since discontinued the series and the Furtwangen-based company wanted to remain flexible in case of an emergency. Even the oldest of the new TC50 probes have been in continuous operation for over 18 years – with virtually no failures.

In 2003, BLUM revolutionised probe technology for machine tools with the TC50 infrared probe and its integrated, innovative measuring mechanism. At Scherzinger, the TC50 probes are primarily used to measure bores and for workpiece zero-point detection. The housings for brine pumps, for example, are machined from two sides by rotating the clamped components in the machine. The drive is located on one side, while the two gear wheels of the actual pump are located on the other side. The through-hole of the drive axis is machined from the drive side in the first setup. After one side is finished – there are five housings per setup – the housings are swivelled by 180 degrees and the pump side can be machined.

To ensure that the two machining operations are precisely aligned with each other, the position of the through-hole is measured for all five housings after swivelling using the probe, which has been mounted in the machine spindle. The measured positions are then taken into account during the second machining operation so that, for example, the threaded holes for the cover can be precisely aligned, drilled and cut. In this way, the production specialists ensure that the housing, internal components and cover later fit together exactly and the pump achieves a long service life and runs as quietly as possible.

In other areas, the probes are used to ensure and document ongoing production quality. This is especially important when it comes to parts for the automotive industry. In addition, when measurements are performed in the machine, the measuring room is relieved. Apart from random quality checks, the parts can go directly from production to assembly. Process-integrated measurement at and the Furtwangen-based company also avoids unnecessary scrap.

The BLUM probes even deliver highly precise measurement results when operating in the presence of coolant, considering that the TC50 works absolutely reliably under the most adverse conditions. Scherzinger is also impressed by the measuring cycles supplied by BLUM, which can be readily integrated into the NC programs created: All that is required is to call up the macro for the probe and enter a few parameters. Then the NC program is created automatically. The BLUM NC modules reliably execute the measuring processes at up to 3000 mm/min. Thus, integration of the measurements generates almost no programming effort.

With the help of the BLUM touch probes, Scherzinger ensures high production quality and lower scrap production by detecting problems in the machine early on. “In addition, the precision we achieve thanks to the BLUM probes allows us to manufacture housings and covers independently of each other, which of course greatly simplifies logistics. Apart from random samples, the components can be sent directly to assembly,” Mario Maier concludes. “Because we obtain measurement data directly during machining, we can immediately incorporate it as feedback into the machining process, thereby saving time and effort. Thus, BLUM touch probes play a very central role in our processes and help to ensure the high quality of our products.”

Automate processes reliably
Blum-Novotest, the leading supplier of innovative and high-quality measuring and testing technology, will present FormControl X for reliable process automation at the AMB in Stuttgart and IMTS in Chicago. “The foundation of intelligent automation solutions is process data that is evaluated live or very quickly and serves as a control variable for process optimisation. The automation reacts to the measurement result and readjusts to ensure that the process always remains within the predefined limits”, explains Wolfgang Reiser, Technology Division Manager at Blum-Novotest. “With the new FormControl X software, Blum-Novotest is presenting a solution for machining centres which can be used to gain much more knowledge by continuously measuring workpieces in the machining process”.

While the previous FormControl version (without the “X”) was based on a scenario in which a machine operator works at a machine with the laptop and processes the measurements at the same time, the trend today is moving towards automating such processes, meaning this 1:1 relationship is now fairly rare. Genuine automation of workpiece measurement also opens up completely new areas of application. That is why the goal with FormControl X was to enable real measurement automation on the basis of a modern client-server architecture – this means moving away from pure logging and towards process integration and automation with the help of the measurement data collected by the software.

In this way, workpieces can be measured directly after each machining operation, and the results serve as a correction value and basis for optimisation for the next component. To do so, the user defines intervention limits when creating the project, which the software uses to make corresponding corrections. This makes it possible to compensate for tool wear, among other things. FormControl X works in line with the trend that bore holes, for example, get smaller and smaller as the corresponding tool wears out, and can counteract this process. This widens the focus of the software: While FormControl was focused on higher-priced parts in individual production, FormControl X also targets small, medium, and large series production.

Evaluated data and results are accessible in a web interface using various end devices. The server communicates with the machines on which measurements are taken, so an operator can run measurement projects on many different machines and have them evaluated automatically. Complex measuring routines such as the alignment function can be used to adapt the reference points of the machining programme to the position as well as the shape of the workpiece to ensure that machining runs optimally. Another innovation in FormControl X is the management of measuring devices and machines. Since it is now centrally located on the server, the data is available for all machines. Definition of the measurement is also very simple and intuitive thanks to a context wizard.

FormControl X now also makes it possible to create and evaluate data series over time. What with FormControl ended in a protocol of a single machining operation can now be used to evaluate entire machining series. This offers the operator completely new ways to gain knowledge. The protocols resulting from the measurements can also be adapted very easily and extensively, tolerance limits can be displayed as a number or image, red/green colouring can be defined and much more.

FormControl X is another step on the path to integrating measurement results from machine tools into company processes and making them usable for Industry 4.0 applications. “With a networked client-server architecture, the reusability of measurements and the interaction with the machine, the new version of the software solution offers many new options for keeping processes transparent and optimising them on an ongoing basis”, Wolfgang Reiser says in summary. “However, perhaps the most important aspect for many users will be that with FormControl X, the machining process can be automated quickly and reliably, which is reflected 1:1 in productivity and in the quality of the manufactured workpiece”.

Bosch and Microsoft collaborate to develop a software-defined vehicle platform. The collaboration brings together automotive and cloud computing expertise to shape the next generation of vehicle software.

Bosch has teamed up with Microsoft to develop a software platform to seamlessly connect cars to the cloud. The goal of this collaboration is to simplify and accelerate the development and deployment of vehicle software throughout a car’s lifetime in accordance with automotive quality standards. The new platform, which will be based on Microsoft Azure and incorporate software modules from Bosch, will enable software to be developed and downloaded to the control units and vehicle computers. A further focus of the collaboration will be on the development of tools that increase efficiency in the software development process. This, in turn, will drive innovation and reduce development costs for vehicle software within and across organisations. For drivers, the platform will mean quicker access to new functions and digital services. The collaboration between Bosch and Microsoft combines the wealth of software, electronics, and systems expertise of the world’s leading automotive supplier with Microsoft’s know-how in software engineering and cloud computing. Both companies intend to make the new software platform available for first vehicle prototypes by the end of 2021.

Bosch already securely updates car software over the air today. With the comprehensive platform for software-defined cars, we want to further empower automakers to develop new functions and get them on the road faster.”
Dr. Markus Heyn,
Member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH

“Bosch already securely updates car software over the air today. With the comprehensive platform for software-defined cars, we want to further empower automakers to develop new functions and get them on the road faster,” says Dr. Markus Heyn, Member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH.

“Our collaboration with Bosch brings together the expertise of one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers with the power of the Microsoft cloud, AI and GitHub,” says Scott Guthrie, Executive Vice President, Cloud + AI, Microsoft. “With software quickly becoming a key differentiator in the automotive industry, our ambition is to help businesses accelerate the delivery of unique mobility services across passenger cars and commercial fleets at scale.”

Developing the automotive future together
Software will play an increasingly important role in future vehicle generations. New trends such as electromobility, automated driving, and modern mobility services would not be possible without it. This will also require more frequent updates and upgrades in the future. However, stringent safety requirements throughout the vehicle’s lifetime make wireless software updates and digital services for cars very complex. The wide range of different series and models makes things even more challenging. The collaboration will benefit from Bosch’s deep understanding of electrical and electronic architectures, control units, and vehicle computers, which is necessary for over-the-air vehicle updates. In addition, the company will contribute its expertise

With software quickly becoming a key differentiator in the automotive industry, our ambition is to help businesses accelerate the delivery of unique mobility services across passenger cars and commercial fleets at scale.”
Scott Guthrie,
Executive Vice President,
Cloud + AI, Microsoft

as well as software-based products and development tools for cars. This includes the basic software and middleware for vehicle computers and control units, as well as cloud-based software modules to bring over-the-air updates to entire vehicle fleets. “Having a comprehensive software platform from the vehicle to the cloud will reduce the complexity of the software development and the vehicle system integration. In this way, we will create the conditions for wireless updates to work just as smoothly and conveniently in vehicles, as they do in smartphones,” Heyn says. The pre-integrated platform will greatly reduce the complexity of over-the-air updates, which help ensure that a vehicle’s software is always up to date, thanks to the fact that the software architectures of vehicles and the cloud will now fit together seamlessly.

New software services for developers
Bosch and Microsoft also plan to enrich existing developer tools that will enable automakers and suppliers to simplify and accelerate their own software development, while adapting to the unique challenges in the automotive industry.

Having a comprehensive software platform from the vehicle to the cloud will reduce the complexity of the software development and the vehicle system integration. In this way, we will create the conditions for wireless updates to work just as smoothly and conveniently in vehicles as they do in smartphones.”
Dr. Markus Heyn,
Member of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH

The companies also plan to use GitHub’s fully integrated enterprise platform and to open-source important parts of the new software platform on GitHub.com to encourage code re-use and best practice sharing across the industry.

Can luxury watchmaking go green? While there’s a growing onus on watchmakers to be more sustainable, they must also fashion masterpieces of micro engineering from some of the world’s toughest materials, like ceramics. But these materials can cause serious issues with regards to tool life. Here, James Thorpe, global product manager at the leader in metal cutting Sandvik Coromant, explains how advanced tools including its CoroDrill® 862 micro drills can give enhanced wear resistance for more sustainable production.

Perhaps the most extreme recent example of sustainable watchmaking is the so-called Garbage Watch by Vollebak, a radical design-led British clothing brand that makes clothes and accessories using emerging materials, with new technologies and processes. Vollebak says its products are “of the future” while also being sustainable. Despite its name, the Garbage Watch is a coveted made-to-order item that has featured in the world’s top design publications.

“I thought, you must be able to build a watch out of e-waste,” Vollebak co-founder Nick Tidball told Esquire magazine earlier this year. Esquire’s article mentions findings from the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor report that a record 54 million tonnes of electronic waste was generated by all industries globally in 2019, which was up 21% in five years. Precious metals with a value of $1.7 billion were recovered from this e-waste, but this was only 17% of the total recyclable amount. The overall value of the precious metals would have been closer to $10 billion.

This figure shows how far industry is falling behind in making full use of recyclable e-waste. But steps are being made to rectify this, including by watch manufacturers. Let’s look at another e-waste material, ceramics — solid compounds that consist largely of inorganic and non-metallic components bound by strong chemical bonds. They are fully-recyclable and are becoming more popular among watch designers. According to SwissWatchExpo, advantages of ceramics include their exceptional hardness, especially when compared to steel and gold, and they are a good material for all-black watches which continue to gain popularity.

But ceramics are often very difficult to machine. As confirmed by a study by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the BMS College of Engineering in Karnataka, India: “Machining of ceramics is also plagued by surface damage, excessive tool wear, and edge chipping when machined using conventional techniques.” It continues: “Non-conventional techniques such as electric discharge machining (EDM) and abrasive water jet machining are characterized by poor surface finish and excessive occurrence of pits, respectively.”

BMS College’s report identifies achieving dimensional accuracy and minimizing collateral damage, such as surface cracks, as the main challenges of machining ceramics — and neither obstacle is conducive to sustainable manufacturing. How can watchmakers overcome these challenges?

Drilling ceramics
The answer lies in more wear-resistant tools. Sandvik Coromant has evolved its tool offering by introducing two new micro drill families to its product range, CoroDrill® 462 with -XM geometry and CoroDrill® 862 with -GM geometry, which each offer a wide range of cutting diameters and lengths. Both tools are designed to be ideal for precision machining in industries dealing with small parts, while also offering more sustainable performance.

In particular, each tool is designed to offer superior wear resistant properties that deliver outstanding performance with challenging materials within all ISO applications areas, including ISO P, M, K, N, S, O and H. This is further enhanced by the option of purchasing the micro dill with a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) vein cutting edge. Based on successful tests of PCD drills on micro parts made from platinum, Sandvik Coromant has found that PCD is up to 100 times more wear resistant than solid carbide and, in addition, is more accurate and can produce tighter tolerances than solid carbide tools.

The tools are also suitable for machining ceramics and semi-fired ceramics. In one test, a Sandvik Coromant CoroDrill® 862 tool with a veined PCD cutting edge was used in a horizontal machining centre to drill 8.38 mm (0.330 inch) deep blind holes in an alumina ceramic workpiece, a fine ceramic material well-known for its chemical and physical stability, with no pecking. The tool was run at a diameter (Dc) of 1.70 mm (0.067 inches), a cutting speed (vc) of 53 m/min (174 ft/min) and feed rate (fn) of 0.025 mm/z (00.001 in/z).

In the end, 933 holes were drilled and the hole quality and tool life were both excellent. Aside from these results, the key takeaway is the lifecycle advantages of CoroDrill® 862 micro drill. Customers can achieve longer-lasting, reliable and predictable performance that better-complements the plant’s sustainability strategy. Sandvik Coromant’s engineers also recommend PCD to those seeking to drill micro-sized holes in notoriously difficult-to-machine materials, such as titanium, aluminium, glass and also ceramics.

As with macroscale applications, the importance of coolant must also be considered in microscale applications like watchmaking. It’s critical to have quality coolant delivery to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole drilling with micro tools.

The features and performance of veined PCD for extended tool life, are shown to overcome the machining challenges posed by tough materials like ceramics. Sandvik Coromant’s expanded CoroDrill® family of tools show that more productive and sustainable production processes are available, and can help contribute towards a greener future for watchmakers.

Jointmedica Ltd., based in Worcestershire, UK, produces Class 3 implants in the orthopedic sector, and has, in its product portfolio, an innovative mobile-bearing Knee Replacement, as well as development activities relating to Hip Resurfacing and the manufacture of custom-made devices for specific patients created directly from CT scans.

Development is done in-house!
The high-level development activities can now be undertaken in-house at Jointmedica’s facility in Hallow, utilising ALPHACAM’s computer-aided machining software. As well as allowing them to take advantage of the brain trust and Intellectual Property available via the company’s founder, Prof Derek McMinn, ALPHACAM assists the design team to further explore these innovative new designs and incorporate new materials driving the advancement of Orthopaedic Hip and Knee Replacement surgery, therefore exacting controls, and the highest quality, is paramount.

Technical Director, Roger Ashton, says: “If we consider the Hip Resurfacing market in isolation, several years after the procedure began, a small number of patients suffered physiological problems due to hypersensitivity to various metals. The end result was that a small percentage had bearing related failures. This led to a sharp decline in the use of metal-on-metal articulations in the Resurfacing context. It is Jointmedica’s purpose to work with alternative bearing materials such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, using the successful Resurfacing methodology to generate a product that will re-establish the Hip Resurfacing market. In terms of our surgeon team, we are privileged in being associated with the most experienced Hip Resurfacing designers and surgical innovators in the world.”

When the company brought their manufacturing research and development in-house, the need for investing in a suitable machine and CAD/CAM software became apparent. Roger says: “It was clear we were going to have an interesting combination of 2D turned profiles and surface machining with milling, drilling, and slotting, and we were conscious that we had a lot of complex geometries to deal with. So, we needed a CNC machine tool and software that could manage all of our milling and turning requirements, including sometimes more than 3-axis.” And, he says, their Brother Speedio M140x2 full 5-axis CNC machining centre fit the bill perfectly. “Many products require a combination of 3-axis and 4-axis machining, plus turning operations. So ALPHACAM will always be an integral part of our manufacturing process now.”

Customizing implants
Generating custom implants at Jointmedica begins the moment they receive the patient’s CT scan, which allows them to start modelling the bespoke product. They use two CAD systems to design the solid models – mainly Creo, and occasionally SolidWorks. The files are usually sent as an XT file, STEP file, or as a DXF file for the turning cycle in the lathe software.

The company uses ALPHACAM Ultimate Mill and Standard Lathe to machine the finished product with the Brother capable of both turning and milling. Oliver Clayton, Manufacturing Engineer at Jointmedica, explains: “I take ALPHACAM’s 3+2 system and incorporate it into some of the bespoke custom devices, and then, an easier 3-axis and turning program definition on the cutting paths for a simpler, axisymmetric product. In the turning program, I mainly use the CAD side in drawing the geometry and applying the toolpath. That’s extremely useful because I can incorporate not only the model but draw my own toolpaths in there with the geometry.”
As an example, the materials for a ball and socket type of bearing, which work well when implanted in the body as a Hip Replacement, can include ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene of differing formulas, and a counterface of cobalt chrome, ceramic, or other material.

“Through accurate machining driven by ALPHACAM, material wastage is kept to a minimum, and we can also ensure the final, bespoke product is suitable for the patient,” Oliver says it’s of the utmost importance that the implants are of the highest precision. “When we come to CMM measurements they must be dimensionally correct, and ALPHACAM ensures we get the right results every time. When considering our prototyping expectations, we are comfortably achieving the industry expected tolerances and a bearing surface finish of 0.8 Roughness Average for one-offs. We know that future production capability will significantly exceed these figures, and we are confident in the solution afforded by the Brother CNC driven by ALPHACAM.”
“Due to ALPHACAM’s accuracy, I can be totally confident that ALPHACAM guarantees the product will be right first time, every time.”

ALPHACAM’s accuracy
For Jointmedica, a particular challenge facing the manufacturing process was manipulating the toolpath to get the quickest machining time for a particular part. ALPHACAM’s ability to define the best cutting tools and toolpaths allow these to be manipulated to set the quickest timescale with the best path for the device to be manufactured accurately. Oliver concludes: “When I refer to accuracy, I don’t just mean the speed and accuracy of a geometric toolpath I put over a CAD model that’s come into ALPHACAM; I mean combining a number of different types of operations – the accuracy and ease of ALPHACAM coming in and picking up at a point that I’ve designated on the software, at a later stage on the product with an alternative type of machining method. It picks up accurately, as verified with our CMM equipment, and it is always within the specified critical dimensions. This is a huge benefit.”

Established in 1986 Mictu’s core business is the eyewear industry. As the company has grown they expanded into aerospace, automotive, dental, and mechanical. Boasting a team of 15 people and producing more than 200,000 tools per year, Mictu exports tools to China, Hong Kong, North and South America, Switzerland and Germany, as well as servicing their local Italian market.

Andrea Colavo, the son of the founder of Mictu said, “There has been significant growth in our company since its beginning. We have a big body of knowledge as the eyewear industry gave us the opportunity to test our tools in many different materials giving experience in working with many kinds of plastics and metals.”

Servicing the changeable eyewear industry
The eyewear industry is different from other kinds of industries, mostly because it’s fashion. Eye wear trends are constantly changing and customers require different tools to machine different shapes.

The industry also uses very small tools and Mictu have produced tools with a 0.2 millimetre diameter mill. For example, a hinge requires very tight tolerance – in fact drawings often specify plus or minus one hundredth of a millimetre.

Understanding different materials is fundamental
Andrea continues, “We are a curious team who understand the value of trying new approaches and materials. If a customer is asking to use a material we have no experience in – we ask them how these material reacts to machining and describe the chips of this material. This helps us build a picture of how the material reacts to cutting. We make a sample tool and analyse its performance – is the tool working correctly or does it require adjustments? In the ANCA 3D simulator we can make these adjustments to produce a second batch and try again at the customers.”

Mictu has developed many different tools for many different materials. The most common plastics are nylon or polycarbonate and metals are titanium, stainless steel or cast iron.

Designing the best tool takes trial and error
“I think that anyone can make a tool, especially now that we have more intuitive software. However experience is still key. Cutting tool makers should consider the dynamics of the grinding wheels and need to know the right speed that will not cook your material as otherwise it will break like glass.”

“Generally we start from a drawing of the finished part and ask our customer how he wants to machine their component. Next we use our ANCA 3D simulator software program to simulate the tool to evaluate the best performing shape for that tool.”

“We start using 3D simulation with an ANCA MGX that we bought in 2002. The 3D simulator has changed the way we make tools, mostly because using this software means we are making less errors.”

“The characteristics that make a tool perform best is choosing the right material.

“A cutting edge must be appropriate for the material you have to machine for example, sometimes a very sharp cutting edge is not the best choice. Very sharp edges are weaker than a rounded edge and can vibrate more. So for soft materials you need a very sharp edge but for hard to cut materials you need a stronger cutting edge. “

“I have found it is important to make mistakes. This means you can learn what is not working and that helps you next time you are designing a tool.”

Technology matters – ANCA’s MGX has produced more than 350,000 pieces and is still running
Mictu invested in an MGX in 2002. Andrea recalls, “It’s our first ANCA and is still performing with more than 350,000 pieces manufactured over the years. We found the MGX is a very good machine for producing small to medium batches of very small tools.”

“More recently we purchased two new FX7 Linears because of their flexibility. They are excellent machines for producing varied sizes batches of tools. So far, we have been running them all week, overnight and on the weekend with big batches. During the day we use them to produce smaller batches. On the FX7 we mainly produce drills, step drills and mills and sometimes even end mills with a profile.”

“The FX7 can produce very different tools in the same batch making the machines extremely efficient. Another big advantage of these machines is that we can measure the tool without looking at it. The machine has a laser that measures and if necessary, corrects during the grinding process. Even if no one is looking at the machine, we know the machine is automatically taking care of the tolerance of our tools and that the end quality will be high. I sleep much better because I know the laser is doing its job checking the diameter of every mill you are producing.”

“We use the iBalance to ensure our wheel packs are balanced, reducing the vibration on our tools. This is fundamental when you’re making very small tools. If you have even very small vibration, you’re cutting edge will be hammered and cheap. If you have it balanced well, it will work much smoothly and have a nicer cutting edge.”

“Personally I also liked the appearance of the machine, I would even say it is good looking! With the new Linear models, we expect a longer machine lifespan and improved surface finish. The small footprint is welcome and its many features help with the repeatability of our tools. In summary we choose the ANCA FX7 Linear because it is a complete package with a wheel changer, large loader, laser measurement technology and has 3D Simulator software.”

Professional facilities build trust with customers
Mictu recently moved to a new facility and are reaping the benefits of investing in custom design. Andrea continues “The biggest benefits we’ve seen moving to a new facility was starting from a blank sheet. We decided to put all the pipes needed for the oil for the grinders underground to make a clear surface with less stuff that can leak on the floor. The measuring machines have been installed in a separate environment to keep them on a steady temperature. Since moving we have seen improved production, better quality control and overall we are more efficient and have a better environment for our people because it’s clean and fresh.”

“I think it’s really important for a customer to visit your facility so they can assess the working environment. Pleasingly, customers are very impressed which helps us build trust in our products and services. Customers choose to work with us because we are very lean and listen to their needs. We have a skilled and experienced team who are able to solve problems.”

Fewer than 30% of manufacturers have extensively adopted Industry 4.0 technologies, according to responses to a new report. But, manufacturers’ reluctance to go digital might have to change if they are to adapt to an unpredictable future. Here, James Thorpe, global product manager at Sandvik Coromant, the global leader in metal-cutting tools, explains how, by combining advanced software with the correct machine tools, manufacturers can digitalise profitably, and on their own terms.

The Industry 4.0 & Smart Manufacturing Adoption Report by IoT Analytics suggests that the Industry 4.0 technology uptake is still low among manufacturers. Given that the advantages of Industry 4.0 are now so well-understood, why aren’t more manufacturers digitalising their processes?

One perception is that applying Industry 4.0 to existing production setups is expensive when, actually, it doesn’t have to be. Another reason for the slow uptake is that manufacturers see no reason to upgrade their existing tooling set-up and processes. If it isn’t broken, why replace it? Manufacturers in this category may be unsure of how Industry 4.0 fits into their established way of doing things.

The truth is, automated Industry 4.0 technologies can greatly benefit manufacturers’ bottom lines. For instance, Sandvik Coromant has found that a 20% increase in machine utilisation can provide a 10% higher gross profit margin and automated systems can massively increase machine uptime.

Automated equipment can also support the growing trend for machining with limited, or no, human supervision — particularly amid the pandemic. As stated in a recent Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) report, COVID-19: What it means for industrial manufacturers, “For companies vulnerable to a viral outbreak within their ranks, this would be a critical time to explore a proactive deployment of automation technologies.”

Today’s Industry 4.0 technologies, including sensors and machine learning can also be beneficial in minimising the number of production stops. Again, increasing profit. This includes stops needed to replace worn tooling, like drills.

Previously, operators had to rely on manual monitoring to detect wear in machine tools. PwC’s report points towards the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) as an alternative. An example of this is Sandvik Coromant’s latest CoroPlus® Machining Insights platform, an expansion of the company’s CoroPlus suite of connectivity software.

Using Machining Insights, CNC machines can connect through Ethernet and transmit information at higher volume than they can currently. This includes manufacturing data to improve workshop efficiency and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). And this isn’t limited to new machinery. Most machines are connectible to the network, and there are adapters for older machines to make them compatible. In other words, Industry 4.0 can be integrated easily, even with legacy hardware.

Tool technology in practice
As manufacturing becomes increasingly automated, unpredictable tool 
life is more of an issue. In Korea, an automotive manufacturer experienced 
this exact issue and worked with Sandvik Coromant to improve tool life.

The CoroDrill 860-GM is suitable for all applications where hole quality 
is critical. This includes aerospace, general engineering, oil and gas, nuclear 
and renewable power. Its optimised reliability is also proven in automotive 
production, including the drilling of engine blocks, casings, flanges and 
manifolds.

The application used the CoroDrill 860-GM to drill through holes for 
automotive transmission connectors. Overall, eight 8.2 mm (0.32”) 
diameter through holes were drilled into each component that measured 
a depth of 10 mm (0.39”). The previous tool produced 200 components, 
1600 holes in total, with a cutting speed (Vc) of 80m/min (3102 RPM) and
cutting feed (Vf) of 381 mm/min. In comparison, the CoroDrill 860-GM 
produced 2300 components (18400 holes) with a Vc of 100m/min 
(3878 RPM) and Vf of 814 mm/min.

The result was a significantly improved tool life of 1150%, and a productivity 
increase that lowered the overall costs-per-part.

As well as facilitating longer tool life, these tools can deliver increased 
cutting data and therefore enable faster cutting rates. In fact, an 
engineering company in Lancaster, Ohio, US, was able to achieve a 57% 
faster cutting rate when using the CoroDrill 860-GM versus a competitors drill. 
The application used the tool to drill sensor housing components made from 
304 stainless steel — 11 holes in each, 6.6 mm (0.260”) in diameter.

Predictable wear
Machining Insights is designed to give manufacturers greater visibility of machining processes and provide information to identify and eliminate downtime and inefficiency. This includes during periods of largely or fully-automated processes.

Let’s face it, one of the biggest threats to production is unpredictable tool life. For a tool to properly support automated production, limiting continuous, controllable wear and eliminating discontinuous, uncontrollable wear are the keys to success.

Sandvik Coromant’s specialists had this in mind when developing the CoroDrill® 860 with enhanced -GM geometry, a new design solid carbide drill that’s optimised for a wide range of materials and applications, across all industry sectors.

Unique approach to design
For Sandvik Coromant’s specialists, the key to longer tool life is not limited to the amount of time a tool spends in use, but the drill design itself.

The CoroDrill 860-GM has an innovative, polished flute design. The ground-breaking design improves the evacuation of chips and yields greater hole quality, while also helping to reduce heat build-up and cutting forces while drilling. Other key features of the drill’s design include a reinforced core and corner chamfers, edge preparation to remove cutting micro defects and a double margin to enhance drilling stability. The drill’s point is also designed with refined clearance angles and improved surface quality.

Go online
To increase tool life, manufacturers must invest in Industry 4.0 technologies, like Machining Insights, to monitor wear. That said, they must not overlook investing in strong tooling to begin with. Sandvik Coromant’s CoroPlus® Tool Guide simplifies tool selection. By accessing the online application via a web browser and the entering workpiece material and application, users can find the best solid round tool and cutting data for their requirements.

Meanwhile, along with Machining Insights, Sandvik Coromant’s digital machining portfolio includes CoroPlus® Process Control, a process control solution comprising both hardware and software. The solution monitors machines in real-time and automatically acts according to defined rules, rather than just providing an alert. Actions can include stopping the machine in case of a collision, or replacing a worn tool.

There are countless productivity, profit and maintenance advantages available to machine shops that are willing to overcome their reluctance to embrace Industry 4.0. Through the correct use of these technologies, manufacturers can go digital on their own terms — and be within the 30% of manufacturers, cited in IoT Analytics report, that are prepared for an unpredictable future.

For over 50 years, elm-plastic GmbH in Dudeldorf/Germany has stood for high-quality, technically sophisticated articles in plastic. With some 100 employees, this mouldmaking and injection moulding company in the Eifel region produces primarily injection moulded parts for the pharmaceutical industry. An existing 500 kN injection moulding machine was to be used for a small DIY-store article. The perfect solution with an optimum opening stroke was provided by the new Streamrunner, with an additive-manufactured manifold block, from HASCO, the Lüdenscheid/Germany-based standard component and hot runner specialist.

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Even though elm-plastic’s product range mainly comprises pharmaceutical primary packaging materials and dosage aids for human and veterinary preparations, the company repeatedly works on projects from different areas. These include a product with a highly demanding geometry that is to be sold in DIY stores in future. The HDPE injection moulding is produced on an 8-cavity mould. “The customer calls off batch sizes of 400,000 articles several times a year,” explains Roman Möhs, development manager at elm-plastic. The geometry of the article posed a particular challenge, however. “Our 500 kN injection moulding machine is actually ideally suited to this article with its 8-cavity production,” explains Möhs, “but the permitted installation height is somewhat tight for the application. We had to find a different solution, because switching to the next largest 750 kN machine was not a real alternative.

Streamrunner – Compact 3D-printed HASCO hot runner system
The in-house mouldmaking department at elm-plastic, which produces some five to ten moulds itself each year, relies on standard components and hot runner technology from HASCO. Roman Möhs looks back to the last K – the world’s leading trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry in Düsseldorf – where the HASCO specialists presented a new development. “The new Streamrunner has indeed made it possible to save 10 mm on the mould thickness for this project, despite the complex installation situation and the demanding gating,” explains Stephan Hatarik, a technical sales engineer at HASCO hot runner. Since the manifold block, which is available on the market exclusively from HASCO, is manufactured in an additive laser sintering process, the complete “hot half” can be produced much more compactly. “This gives us the necessary space for the opening stroke to ensure reliable demoulding,” says Möhs, “and we also have a certain reserve when it comes to the installation height and ejector stroke, etc.” This would have been almost impossible with a conventional standard hot runner, the development manager stresses. “And 10 mm is really a lot for a cylindrical article with a length of 25 mm,” he adds. A further key advantage of the 3D-printed manifold is that the flow channels can be freely designed to suit the precise requirements, thus ensuring an optimally balanced design with radii everywhere and hence, no dead corners. The additive manufacture of the hot runner employing the 3D laser sintering process enables the complete manifold block, including all the threads, to be manufactured in one piece in a single operation. “No deflection elements have to be shrunk in, which could then leak,” Hatarik explains. In addition, 3D printing permits very close hole spacing and highly variable nozzle configurations.

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Small, but very complex, DIY-store article

It became clear during the 3D design process for the mould already that the space problem could be solved with the aid of the 3D-printed manifold. The demanding gate for the relatively small, complex article prompted HASCO to additionally conduct a Moldex filling simulation, or flow analysis – a service that HASCO generally offers its customers free of charge. This simulation resulted in the gating point being moved by a number of millimetres prior to the manufacture of the mould so as to avoid air inclusions.

Möhs was pleased that the delivery time for the individually designed and manufactured 8-cavity Streamrunner with its modified screw-in 20 mm Techni Shot nozzles was only slightly longer. “We can easily recover the slightly higher costs by using the smaller machine.” He was delighted about the HASCO innovations, which enabled the entire project to be carried out and handled without any problems. The fact that the nozzle tips and the heating can be installed from the parting plane also proved to be a great help, since this facilitates maintenance.

The mould has moving parts on the ejector side. The DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating on the slideways reduces the coefficients of friction and permits a considerably longer mould life without separate lubrication.

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Even though the current project is an article for DIY stores, the absence of lubrication is important for elm-plastic because the machines are operated primarily in a clean-room environment for the production of medical devices. All the injection moulding machines at elm-plastics have all-electric drives.

Faring well in the crisis with medical devices
Since elm-plastic produces mainly products for eminent international pharmacists and contract fillers working for the pharmaceutical industry, the Eifel-based company has not suffered any significant loss of sales during the corona crisis.

“Our product range primarily comprises pharmaceutical packaging materials and dosage aids for human and veterinary preparations. Apart from disposable syringes, this also includes products such as pipettes, applicators and injectors in a wide range of designs, dosage aids, perforated screw caps, pipette wipers and a great deal more,” explains Möhs.

During the corona crisis, additional orders have been received, even from the USA, for items including measuring beakers and a wide variety of pipettes.

The positive experience obtained with these projects is the reason for elm-plastic “to continue working together closely with HASCO” says Möhs.

For elm-plastic, is it a huge advantage that all HASCO’s standard components can be supplied from stock and that replacements are available without any problems in the event of a failure. “If we order a replacement part in the online shop, it’s there within 24 hours”. We can’t even produce a replacement part ourselves that quickly,” adds Möhs. And the restructured hot runner zone in the HASCO online portal has also had a large amount of information added to it. One feature is the new, intuitive enquiry form, which can be used to request hot runner systems in a straightforward and time-saving manner.

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With more than 100,000 products, HASCO is a full-range supplier for tool and mouldmaking and supplies its customers with everything from a single source. A modular standard-component range, perfectly tailored to customer requirements, and individual hot runner solutions provide a reliable basis for high-quality moulds and hence, sustainable competitiveness.

Sometimes a sintered part appears to be finished – but you are not satisfied with the result. Something is missing. The final touch so to speak. We have the solution for perfect deburring and honing of the edges, so that your sintered part gets rounded off.

Introductory remarks :
Burrs are considered to be an annoy-ing accessory when punching, preci-sion cutting and machining. In practice, there are various processes to remove them, but which is the right one for you? – electro-mechanical deburring, high-pressure water-jet deburring, me-chanical deburring with deburring mil-lers, drag finishing, thermal deburring, barrel finishing and brush deburring. René Gerber AG is quite clearly in fa-vour of the latter and finds brush de-burring a truly exciting process. Thus the company aims to advance the de-velopment of this technology in order to constantly offer an even better solu-tion to its customers.

Solution :
The Gerber brushing, polishing and deburring machines are used when it is necessary to deburr workpieces with indentations or pockets with high preci-sion and to round them off in a defined narrow tolerance range. At the same time, the surface roughness is quite significantly improved by the process. This technology is incorporated in a large number of precision components where absolute absence of burrs and an undamaged surface are a must. In this process, a brush, which is coated with an abrasive or which consists of bristles with incorporated abrasive grit, is allowed to slide over a sharp-edged workpiece. The result of this is an edge ounding. Since no secondary burrs arise during honing / deburring with brushes, the rounding is absolute-ly reproducible through the setting pa-rameters.

Brush deburring of milled, turned, sintered and punched parts with the BS Power The high performance BS Power transfer brush deburring system has one of two planetary brush heads and can simultaneously deburr and polish workpieces reliably and uniformly up to a diameter of 400 mm or also on both sides up to 180 mm. Neither heavy burrs nor the smallest contours consti-tute a barrier. The planetary brush heads were developed by Gerber and each have three large disc brushes with a diameter of 260 mm, forming a rotational circle of 570 mm. The ma-chine is universally applicable. Higher parts such as rotors, planetary gears and housings etc. can be reliably deburreds with this technology The BS Power is designed for high perfor-mance, so that heavily burrs resulting from punching, laser cutting, milling or turning are rapidly and reliably re-moved.

Its smaller sister, the BS Eco fills the gap as an efficient and cost-effective solution for smaller quantities with a diameter of up to 250 mm. The system is compact and reliable and optimally combines three work steps, selective deburring, edge rounding and surface polishing in one process.

Process
Part designation: Rotor and stator for a hydraulic lamella pump (Ø40×32 / Ø56×32 mm)
Material: Sintered steel
Industry: Automobile supplier
Task formulation: Deburring and honing of the sinter burrs
Brushes: 3x Tynex Ø250 interspersed with silicon carbide
Workpiece handling: Transport belt and pull-down permanent magnet
Processing time: 90 seconds
Output: 325 pieces / hour
Processing is carried out as a continuous process.
The grit is flushed out of the machine room.

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is perceived as an innovative processing method to replace traditionally produced parts, including castings and multi-component parts. 3D printing helps to create parts in a brief timeframe, with least material wastage, and permits a more elevated level of customisation.

In this case, two brackets were made using AISI-316L grade for aviation applications, using laser powder bed fusion technology. A thorough analysis was performed on the powder to check for structural integrity to qualify the component for functional testing. A large amount of material was removed, extreme machining time and related issues, for example, residual stress and warpage conceived, which would happen in conventional methods, have been eradicated by taking up additive manufacturing.

The mechanical properties meet the prerequisites of the ASTM F 3184-16 norm, resulting in similar or better part build. Despite the successful build, a minor contortion was noticed in the thin wall region, which was resolved by adding extra stock in the thin section and later, post processed by machining. The brackets were found to be free from any defects > 100 µm, as non-destructive testing was performed by the large macro CT. Furthermore, it has been identified that there is ample scope for topology optimisation, which can lead to weight saving, thereby increasing efficiency.

The challenge
The challengeConventional production of the AISI-316L brackets relies on casting and shaping of bulk feed stock materials, followed by subsequent machining to final shapes and dimensions. These ancient manufacturing processes forever inevitably end in an outsized quantity of fabric waste, high machine hours, high producing value and long lead times. The material needs for producing Type-I bracket of weight 3.5 kg was calculable to be a forged/rolled block of 100 kg and thickness 125 mm, wherein 96.5% of fabric is wasted throughout machining. The buy-to-fly ratio is ~ 28, just in case of a conventionally factory-made one. Additive manufacturing will bring down the get-to-fly ratio to ~ 1, leading to significant value and time savings.

The solution
A reduction of lead time and cost will be achieved for parts, thanks to a number of characteristics of additive manufacturing; shorter lead time from design to production, adaptability to design changes, complicated geometries at no additional price and significantly less post-processing, as compared with the conventional production routes. For this case, we found powder bed fusion to be the most suitable and optimum option to ensure part-built quality and integrity.

Process and specification
Stress-relieving of 3D-printed brackets was performed by soaking at 600 °C for 2 hrs as per AMS 2759-4C. The temperature of 600 °C is adequate, as 3D printing doesn’t generate any major residual stresses, like thick section moulded product. Also, a high-temperature stress-relieving would cause distortion of thin sections. Brackets were subjected to sandblasting for improving the surface finish.The following activities were performed in the entire additive manufacturing process:
» Mechanical property improved
» Microstructural evaluation at par
» Computed Metro Tomography (CT) inspection was successful
» Dimensions and geometrical inspection ensured accuracy of the final part
» Dimensions and geometrical inspection ensured accuracy of the final part
» Structural testing resulted in real-time results.

Testing and approvals
Computed metro tomography analysis confirms the soundness of brackets realised by 3D printing. The porosity level in this process is higher than that of wrought products and size approximated to be

100 µm. However, this will not affect the functionality of the products. It may also be noted that the porosity noticed in 3D-printed components is less than the sizes resolvable by conventional NDT techniques, such as ultrasonic testing and X-radiography.

Comparison
The tensile properties achieved by the LPBF 3D printing process for AISI-316L have been compared with wrought products of 100 mm section thickness, as shown above. It is observed that the yield strength achieved in the LPBF process is much higher than that achieved by wrought products, whereas percentage elongation is on the lower side. A similar trend of mechanical properties has been reported. In this case, it may be noted that AISI-316L stainless steel wrought products are processed by hot working, followed by solution annealing at temperature ~ 1040 °C. LPBF being a layer-by-layer processing, stress relieving at 600 °C is adequate for relieving the residual stresses generated by the processing.

Microstructure
Subsequent to tensile testing, the cross section of tensile specimen ends was prepared as per conventional metallographic polishing and then, etched using 10% oxalic acid electrolytic reagent to reveal the microstructure as shown in Fig. 5a–d. The microstructures shown below revealed that the thickness of each melt pool layer was ~ 100 µm, indicating two to three layers of power are fused during each laser beam scan.

Orientation

The ‘standard specification for additive manufacturing stainless steel alloy with powder bed fusion as per ASTM F3184-16 in Class A condition (stress relieved condition)’ was followed for 3D printing of these brackets. Test coupons in four directions (X, Y, Z and 45° to XY, YZ and ZX planes, i.e., body diagonal of an imaginary cube) were 3D printed along with the brackets for evaluating the tensile properties and impact strength. Build orientation followed for 3D printing of brackets and test coupons for characterisation are as shown above.

TensileTo compare the mechanical properties of LPBF 3D printed AISI-316L test in solution-annealed condition, the specimens were subjected to solution annealing and tensile properties were evaluated. The comparison is shown above. These results confirm that the LPBF process can give better mechanical properties (including the minimum guaranteed % elongation) as compared to the conventional wrought products even in solution-annealed condition.

Testing
Functional acceptance tests of LPBF 3D printed brackets were performed by structural testing (test setup shown below) by applying four times the actual thrust and inertial loads. The brackets successfully withstood the test, and strains observed were very benign/negligible of ± 9 με in tension and compression loading conditions. Thus, these brackets were qualified for the intended end use. Trial suiting of the brackets with the thrusters was carried out and found to meet the geometric requirements for the intended application.

Conclusion
Two kinds of brackets for aerospace applications were realised through the LPBF/ DMLS 3D printing, followed by stress-relieving heat treatment and subjected to careful characterisation. The subsequent are the conclusions from this study:

⇒ The distortion noticed on the thin wall regions was avoided by adding additional stock at thin sections and removing by post-processing
⇒ The mechanical properties in a stress-relieved  condition meet the necessity as per ASTM F 3184-16 and also the achieved properties are akin to the moulded product. The LPBF method provides higher mechanical properties than the standard moulded product, even in the solution toughened condition.
⇒In the early stages, failure ascertained in 45° specimens was attributed to incomplete sintering at these layers. The basis cause was established as improper spreading of powder at one amongst the layers.
⇒Non-destructive testing was performed by macro CT and brackets were found to be free from defects. The porousness was approximated to be 100 µm, which cannot affect the functionality of the product. The porousness noticed in additively manufactured components is a smaller amount than the sizes resolvable by standard NDT techniques such as ultrasonic testing and X-radiography.
⇒If needed in the future, structural testing confirmed that enough margins are accessible within the designed brackets with the laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing route and additional weight reduction are often achieved by topology optimisation through design for additive manufacturing.

About Objectify Technologies
Objectify Technologies is India’s only in-house metal and polymer Additive Manufacturing Engineering Service Provider (AM-ESP) with expertise in aerospace, automotive, tooling, white goods and medical component building and consulting. Its objective is to ensure the widespread acceptance of additive manufacturing / 3D printing across all industries’ supply chain and become a flag bearer to additive manufacturing information.

Collaboration with
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is one of the main research and development establishments within ISRO. VSSC is an entirely indigenous facility working on the development of sounding rockets, the Rohini and Menaka launchers, and SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk III families of launch vehicles.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of India and has its headquarters in Bangalore. Its vision is to “harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research & planetary exploration”.