“I think the main spindle is very smart,” Pooch explains. “It makes it easier for our operators to switch from a standalone lathe to the machining center.” With its HSK-40 tool spindle (30,000 rpm), very small components can bemachined precisely to 0.000059 in (1.5 µm), either bespoke or off the shelf (maximum diameter: 1.25 in (32 mm)). Pooch has two sons who work alongside him, one of whom speaks very enthusiastically about the new possibilities. “On its own, our former core business of lathing nuts and screws has not been enough to sustain us for a long time,” says production engineer and general manager Tobias Pooch. “But now, with the Bumotec, we can position ourselves even better than before with high-precision components, and also establish ourselves internationally.” There is great resonance with the customer base, because the Bumotec has allowed Heinrich to open the gateway to completely new worlds, and therefore growth.

Burr-free corners and edges

The new component is the centrepiece of the final product, connecting the oxygen cylinder with the respirator. The initial material is a forging blank from a special aluminium alloy that contains silicon (AlSi05). “It is extremely unpleasant to process on a lathe, because it results in extremely long chips,” Christian Pooch reports. “In contrast, cutting on the Bumotec is much easier, with shorter chips.” The s181 has a system that provides the tool with coolant under high pressure (90 bar) that not only removes the chips but also cools the tools. The internal coolant supply through the tool is particularly effective. “It saves time in the order of seconds when working with aluminium, ensuring higher productivity,” says Christian Pooch. One example of the precision offered is the H7 opening, which is cut to exactly 14 µm. Christian Pooch: “It’s astonishing that a drilled hole be cut so precisely – with absolutely no burrs on any of the corners or edges.”

All in all, the new Swiss addition lives up to the Starrag claim “Engineering precisely what you value” in many different ways. Heinrich has put a special emphasis on profitability, reliability and growth. The Berliners have already achieved one of their goals: since its first hour of operation, the s181 has run reliably and without any tolerance deviations. “With this process reliability we can capture a new customer base,” says the senior partner.

Furthermore, it has already become clear – a few months after the commissioning of the new machine – that the goals of profitability and growth will soon be achieved. Thanks to the first order, we are already in a good position in terms of recouping the investment in the s181. And we have already received some very interested enquiries from customers, although we have had to tell them that we don’t intend to start any new orders until the middle of 2018.”

And potential customers are not the only ones who have reacted positively to the investment. “The valuation department of our financing company essentially told us that the Bumotec puts us in the Champions League,” the managing partner says happily. “The machine performs extremely well in terms of resale value and longevity.”