![\"A](\"http:\/\/mfgtechupdate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/AB_Heggemann_Hypermill-MAXX-Machining_Eng-7.jpg\")
<\/a>To ensure it is possible to meet the high requirements of a customer industry known for being challenging, HEGGEMANN employs highly qualified staff, both in its engineering and manufacturing operations. Employees define the most efficient manufacturing concept at an early stage during component development and construction. The engineering specialists have broad expertise covering a wide range of materials and production methods, and this is where their skills come into play. What\u2019s more, the company is well equipped with machinery for working with sheet metal and solids. There is a total of 18 milling, turning and hybrid machines available for machining, with most coming from DMG Mori and Hermle. This puts HEGGEMANN in a position to be able to respond to all requirements in terms of complexity and volumes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Modern software in all areas HEGGEMANN has used the hyper<\/em>MILL CAM system from OPEN MIND since 2009. It particularly stands out thanks to the innovative hyper<\/em>MILL MAXX Machining performance package. The \u20185axis tangent plane machining\u2019 strategy in particular has left a lasting impression at HEGGEMANN, as it offers enormous potential for savings, confirms Ren\u00e9 Reiffer, Head of Production at HEGGEMANN AG.<\/p>\n It was Dirk Lehmann, Technical Sales Consultant at OPEN MIND, that originally sparked the interest for the new finishing strategy among Reiffer\u2019s milling team in early 2015 and asked the team to test the 5axis tangent plane machining strategy. The metal removal team got the chance to do just that at the Hermle AG technology centre in Kassel. This is because Hermle, a leading manufacturer of 5axis machining centres, is among HEGGEMANN\u2019s preferred suppliers. \u201cThe result immediately won us over,\u201d explains Reiffer. \u201cWe now use the 5axis tangent plane machining strategy as often as possible, as we can achieve a significant reduction in machining times.\u201d<\/p>\n A major component of the innovative finishing strategy is the tool it employs\u00a0\u2013 a conical barrel cutter specially developed by OPEN MIND for this purpose. Its geometry has a large radius of 1,000 millimetres or more, allowing enormous line increments during finishing. \u201cWe regularly achieve time reductions of 70 to 90 per cent in test workpieces compared with the use of traditional ball mills,\u201d adds Dirk Lehmann.<\/p>\n Finishing time cut from 90 to 15 minutes The time saving is primarily due to the barrel cutter\u2019s enormous line increments measuring 4\u00a0mm during the final finishing pass. With a ball mill, it would be more than ten times the number of lines at a distance of 0.35\u00a0mm.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>HEGGEMANN AG is also state of the art in terms of the software the company uses. The manufacturing management department makes use of a manufacturing execution system (MES) that complies with the latest Industry 4.0 standards. A product data management (PDM) system manages customer data as well as proprietary 2D and 3D CAD data. Once final approval is given by the customer, programmers can access the final data record and generate the required NC programs via CAM.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Reiffer provides an example of the savings achieved at HEGGEMANN: \u201cWe just manufactured a component with deep pockets measuring 155\u00a0mm and vertical walls. Until recently, we would have milled it with a 12\u00a0mm ball mill, which would have taken about 90 minutes of machining time. Using the new method and a barrel cutter with a lateral radius of 500\u00a0mm and a tool radius of 4\u00a0mm at the tip, the finishing process only takes 15 minutes. The surface quality was Rz<\/sub> = 3.2\u00a0\u00b5m in both cases.\u201d<\/p>\n