On 8 March 2017 the groundbreaking ceremony of the new innovation and production center of GF Machining Solutions, a division of GF, took place in Bözingenfeld in Biel (Switzerland). The modern facility will be completed by the end of 2018.

On an area of around 24‘500 m², GF Machining Solutions will build a state-of-the-art production plant to manufacture machine tools and spindles. The new facility will include a cutting-edge research & development center as well as a modern application center. The three existing GF Machining Solutions sites Nidau, Ipsach and Luterbach (all in Switzerland) will be concentrated under the roof of the new building, which will provide space for a total of approx. 450 attractive working places. Responsible for the development and construction of the plant is the total services contractor HRS Real Estate AG.

In the presence of Christoph Ammann, member of the government council, Erich Fehr, major of the city of Biel, Martin Kull, CEO and owner of HRS Real Estate AG, and Pascal Boillat, Head of GF Machining Solutions and its management, together with all project participants, celebrated the start of construction in a groundbreaking ceremony. Yves Serra, CEO of GF, commented on the event: “This substantial investment underscores the commitment of GF to Switzerland as an attractive business location. Besides allowing us to bring together all milling production activities in a state of the art plant, the new facility will provide the most modern innovation environment able to attract the best engineering talents.” Overall, GF is investing about CHF 80 million in the new plant over the next three years.

GF Machining Solutions provides machine tools, automation solutions and customer services for the production of molds, dies and high value-added metal parts. The division has manufacturing facilities in Switzerland, Sweden and China, and serves its customers in more than 50 countries.

GF Automotive, a division of GF, has received a major global order for passenger cars’ structural parts from a well-known European car manufacturer. The contract amounts to EUR 84 million. The components will be simultaneously produced in Europe, China and the US as of 2018.

The order comprises suspension strut domes, essential components in the car body construction. These structural parts will be manufactured by aluminum pressure die casting at the GF Automotive facilities in Altenmarkt (Austria), in Suzhou (China) and at the future facility of the GF Linamar joint venture in Henderson County (North Carolina, US).
GF Automotive has been awarded the contract for the global production thanks to its lightweight expertise. The cast suspension strut domes replace conventional sheet metal welded constructions resulting in a significant weight reduction of the car body.

GF Automotive is one of the leading automotive suppliers worldwide and a technologically pioneering development partner and manufacturer for components of passenger cars, trucks and industrial applications. The division manufactures some 600 000 tons of iron, aluminum and magnesium at eleven production plants in Germany, Austria, China, and the US.

GF Machining Solutions, a division of GF, has agreed to purchase 100 percent of the shares of Microlution Inc., Chicago (Illinois, US), a specialist of micro-machining based on milling and laser technologies.

The company Microlution was founded in 2005 by three engineers from the Chicago region. It specializes in 5-axis milling and femtosecond laser for hole drilling and micro-cutting in a wide range of industries including aerospace, medical and automotive. The company generated in 2015 a turnover of USD 10 million with a workforce of 30 employees. The acquisition is in line with the strategy of GF Machining Solutions to enlarge its technology portfolio to cover the needs of its key target sectors such as the aerospace and medical fields. Both parties have agreed to keep the sales conditions confidential.

“We warmly welcome Microlution to GF. The company has developed within a short time a remarkable know-how in micro-machining which complements very well the technology portfolio of GF Machining Solutions”, stated Yves Serra, CEO of GF. “We look forward supporting Microlution in widening its presence in the US and worldwide.”

Andy Phillip, President and Director of Microlution Inc. says: “We are excited for our team, products and technology to join forces with GF Machining Solutions. Microlution’s customers have benefited from our innovative systems for nearly 10 years. With our new partner we will increase our ability to serve our customers and grow.”

GF Machining Solutions provides machine tools, automation solutions and customer services for the production of molds, dies and high value-added metal parts. The division has R&D and manufacturing facilities in Switzerland, Sweden and China, and serves its customers through its own sales companies in more than 50 countries.

On stand C06 in hall 9, EMO visitors will experience the GF Division’s central theme, “Machining Solutions—for You.” That includes world premieres of products and services, live demonstrations of the best value delivered by GF Machining Solutions’ broad portfolio of manufacturing technologies, process expertise, and productivity enhancing services to customers across a wide range of industries.

That technology portfolio—including Milling, electrical discharge machines (EDM), airfoil machining solutions, Laser texturing, Automation, Tooling and Spindles—along with Customer Services—makes GF Machining Solutions the world’s leading provider of manufacturing solutions to the tool and mold making industry and to manufacturers of precision components.

World premieres to be discovered at EMO include the Mikron MILL P 800 U for Milling, the CUT E 350 for wire-cutting EDM, the LASER 400 family of Laser texturing solutions, and Customer Services’ new rConnect central communications platform for Milling, EDM and Laser.

In addition, the stand will feature GF Machining Solutions’ deep process expertise across the tool, mold and die industries, and the production of high-value parts; value-adding Customer Services; and a special VIP area focusing on dedicated solutions for aerospace manufacturers. Furthermore the first solutions resulting from a strategic cooperation with additive manufacturing leader EOS, Kralling, Germany will be presented.

Whether a customer’s focus is on cutting costs, exploring new business areas or seeking inspiration from examples, GF Machining Solutions’ EMO 2015 stand aims to provoke thought and inspiration among visitors. They will access to the industry’s broadest portfolio of machining solutions and application and process expertise.

At CMTS 2015, GF Machining Solutions will showcase machines from its high-speed milling and versatile wire EDM product lines in Elliott Matsuura Canada’s exhibitor space, which encompasses booths 2149, 2160, 2348 and 2360. Attendees to the space can expect to see the Mikron HSM 500 MoldMaster, Mikron HSM 600U LP and AgieCharmilles CUT 20P in action.

Mikron high-speed machining centers are typically 10 times faster than conventional milling machines in terms of cutting speed. They also have the wherewithal to achieve greater accuracy and better surface finishes. With more than 10 models in its HSM series, GF Machining Solutions is able to meet the demands of moldmakers and precision-based part manufacturers across all industry segments.

The company developed the Mikron HSM 500 MoldMaster (MM) high-speed milling machine with today’s mold and die makers in mind. As an all-in-one production system, the machine’s specific features and capabilities give shops the versatility to produce a wide scope of mold and die related components –from 58 Rc steel mold cores to hot pressing dies and even sinker-EDM electrodes for intricate mold cavities – all with one machine tool.

In terms of large, complex parts production, GF Machining Solutions upped the ante when it added the Mikron HSM 600U LP to its high-speed options. The linear performance (LP) milling center processes workpieces in a true 5-axis simultaneous high-speed fashion via linear motor technology in the main machine axes and optimized direct-drive motors for the B and C axes. The machine’s 36,000-rpm vector spindle promotes excellent surface finish and part detail, while reducing machining time for semi-finishing and finishing operations.

The AgieCharmilles CUT 20P is one of more than 20 options in the company’s versatile wire EDM portfolio. As a general-purpose machine, the CUT 20P brings high levels of flexibility and low energy consumption to shops using wire diameters from 0.006″ to 0.12″. The machine comes standard with 0.10″ wire guides, while 0.006″, 0.008″ and 0.012″ wire guides are also available. Furthermore, the machine’s low-maintenance, reliable wire threading system boasts autonomy and reduces operating costs.

GF Automotive, a division of GF, announces a 50/50 joint venture with the world leading machining specialist Linamar Corp., Guelph (Ontario, Canada). Together, GF and Linamar Corp. will invest in a new high pressure light metal die casting plant in the Southeast of the US. Under GF’s industrial lead, GF Linamar LLC will start operations in 2017 with the local production of light metal components for a European car manufacturer. Both parties will also cooperate in Asia and in Europe in order to meet their respective customers demand for integrated casting solutions. 

The joint venture plans to produce lightweight powertrain and structural components, drawing from the expertise of both partners. Start of production is planned for 2017. The overall investment over the next five years will amount to approx. USD 100 million. Closing of the transaction is anticipated for the beginning of September 2015.

GF Automotive is today present in Europe and in China, two global key automotive markets. With this partnership, GF Automotive and Linamar will be in a position to serve and expand with their customers in the top three automotive markets of the world.

“GF and Linamar complement each other very well combining leading expertise in casting respectively in machining”, says Yves Serra, CEO of GF. “Our cooperation allows both partners to offer integrated solutions to their customers and for GF Automotive to expand its activities in the promising North American market.”

Linda Hasenfratz, CEO of Linamar Corp., states: ”Both companies share similar cultures in manufacturing excellence and sustained shareholder value. We look forward to the combination of our technical capabilities in order to serve our global customers even better.”

Linamar Corp. was founded in 1966 by the Hasenfratz family and is listed at the Toronto Stock Exchange. With its 48 worldwide manufacturing facilities and a workforce of 19 500 employees the company generated sales of CHF 3.1 billion (CAD 4.2 billion) in 2014. Its reputation is built upon its expertise in precision machining of metallic powertrain products for the automotive industry. Linamar’s products are also found in a wide range of global industries from aerial work platforms to agricultural products.

GF Automotive is one of the leading automotive suppliers worldwide and specializes in lightweight solutions for the automotive industry. It produces more than 600 000 tons of iron, aluminum and magnesium components at nine production plants in Germany, Austria and China. With 4 898 employees, GF Automotive generated sales of about CHF 1.4 billion in 2014.

GF Machining Solutions’ global installed machine base hit 100,000 in June. The milestone further confirms the solution provider’s commitment to delivering the value its customers have come to expect.

With a complete portfolio of Milling, electrical discharge machining (EDM), Laser, Spindle, Automation, Tooling and software solutions and the world’s most comprehensive Customer Services offering, the Division GF Machining Solutions of Georg Fischer continues building on a long legacy of customer-centric innovation.

That legacy reaches far back into history, and includes Mikron AG’s introduction of the first rounding up tool for fine wheels in 1910, Charmilles’ development of the world’s first industrial electrical discharge machine (EDM) in 1954 and—the same year—Agie’s development of the AGIETRON AZ4 with pneumatic servo drive for the Z axis.

Legacy of innovation continues
GF Machining Solutions’ tradition of innovation has continued, with the introduction of over 900 machine types and a staggering range of firsts in the machine tool industry: the first universal Milling center, the first numerical control wire EDM machine, the first automatic wire-threading solution, the first Milling machines with a direct drive on all axes in 1982, the first Milling machine line with an automatic tool changer and fully enclosed work area to protect the user, the first standardized computer numerical control for wire and die-sinking EDM,  the first true high-speed machining center, the first robot integrated on a die-sinking EDM machine, iQ technology for lowest electrode wear, and the world’s largest and most affordable Laser texturing solution.

Today, GF Machining Solutions’ installed base includes 65,000 machines in Market Region Europe, 20,000 in Market Region Americas, and 15,000 in Market Region Asia. The GF Division’s biggest market is Germany, followed by the United States, Switzerland and China.

The Machine Spindle Protection smart machine module “MSP” for GF Machining Solutions’ Mikron HPM 600U and HPM 800U has earned the most prestigious Swiss technology innovation award in the field of manufacturing and production. The PRODEX award was presented during the PRODEX trade fair, a specific event for machine tools, tools and production equipment, this month in Basel, Switzerland.

With MSP, GF Machining Solutions has engineered a revolutionary spindle protection system that delivers considerable added value for customers by eliminating spindle damage, mis-aligned machine geometry, machine downtime, and their related costs in case of unwanted, unexpected spindle crashes.

The winners were selected by a panel of seven experts including representatives of university and industry associations, exhibition management, SMM Schweizer Maschinenmarkt, and MSM Le Mensuel de l’industrie magazine. Nominated products and processes were subjected to a thorough, independent evaluation, and only three prizes were awarded.

MSP delivers value
The MSP smart machine module, available since April 2014, has garnered plenty positive attention not only at PRODEX, but at the 2014 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in the United States and at the 2014 AMB international metalworking exhibition in Germany.

To understand the value of MSP, it is important to recognize how it operates:

Collisions mostly occur when a new computer numerical control (CNC) program is executed for the first time. MSP protects the machine and spindle during the setup process. With the MSP, the spindle is able to absorb axial and lateral displacements in case of spindle crashes. The MSP restores a perfect accuracy once the spindle returns to normal operating conditions after the crash.

During the set-up, the machine operates in safe mode with reduced feed rates that allows common cutting operations. The combination of MSP and reduced feed-rates ensures that the spindle and machine are protected against crash-related damage.

In production, fast feed rates are required, and the machine switches back to standard mode and can move the axes at full speed. The MSP secures protected machine geometry, reduced machine downtime, full cost control, reduced machine breakage insurance costs, and calcu­lable machine availability.

The always active MSP smart machine module is supplied with the 20,000 min-1 HPC 190 motor spindle built by GF Machining Solutions’ spindle manufacturer Step-Tec.

GF Machining Solutions has joined the Blue Competence Machine Tools sustainability initiative, after meeting the initiative’s pre-defined sustainability criteria for production and business practices. The initiative is in line with European policy objectives and highlights the machine tool industry’s commitment to contribute to the European Union’s climate and energy goals.

Criteria for Blue Competence Machine Tools partnership includes defining sustainability objectives and actions for products and personnel, applying sustainability criteria to every phase of a product’s life cycle, and providing product documentation describing resource conserving operational aspects and ensuring the resource efficiency of products. Furthermore, members must create concepts for professional and proper disposal of products at the end of their period of use, and members’ service offerings must include professional energy efficiency/resource conservation during products’ day-to-day use. Blue Competence Alliance Members declare their willingness to quantify the sustainability and sustainable effectiveness of their products and maintain management systems to set and monitor sustainability objectives, including a continuous improvement process. In addition, each alliance member assigns sustainability to a management member.

By meeting those criteria, GF Machining Solutions joins Blue Competence Machine Tool initiative Alliance Members in preparing to tackle the challenges facing the European machine tool industry.
Examples of GF Machining Solutions’ sustainability measures include:

• The Introduction of a new Econowatt smart module, which is already available on the CUT 1000, 2000 and 3000 and will be applied to all other EDM products. In addition the spark generators of the EDM machines are currently being upgraded from low efficient architectures towards the most energy efficient one, which is the resonant switching mode topology. This architecture achieves the highest cutting rates and thus lowers overall energy consumption from the time usage perspective as well as costs for our customers.
• On the Milling side, our Mikron HSM LP and LP Precision series’ new standby mode saves energy while the machine is idling; a new, efficient oil extraction system saves compressed air; a new chip management using frequency controlled pumps eliminates the need to con-stantly run the pumps at full power; and new light emitting diode (LED) lights save energy, too.
• Fully digitized, non-polluting and sustainable Laser texturing technology of the AgieCharmilles LASER products.

As a member of the Blue Competence Machine Tools initiative, GF Machining Solutions is committed to delivering cutting-edge technological and technical innovations that promote energy and resource efficiency.