Precise heart transplant

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industrial

Precise heart transplant - Starrag supplied high-precision Heckert HEC 800 to KAPP NILES

In 2024, KAPP NILES, a specialist for gear grinding machines, replaced a jig boring machine for precision finishing in its Coburg production facility. The new machine: a high-precision Heckert HEC 800 machining center. For Sascha Forkel, Head of Cubic Machining, the exchange was akin to a heart transplant: “It is a key machine in our production operations, without which we would no longer be able to supply.” It is now clear that the operation was a success!

A glance into the production halls of the Coburg-based KAPP NILES factory clearly suggests that special machines are developed here. “Order and cleanliness as well as a high-quality machine fleet are the prerequisites to build our gear grinding machines”, says Sascha Forkel. Under his management cubic parts up to one cubic meter in size are machined here: “These are key components for our machines, which are used for the high-precision manufacture of toothing and profiles.” Each one of these components must adhere to extreme shape, positional, and dimensional tolerances of up to 3 μm so that KAPP NILES machines can satisfy the high customer requirements. In the end the toothing should mesh into the gears exactly and quietly – whether in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, or in other applications. The components – made from up to 80 per cent cast iron, the rest is made from steel – are pre-machined by Forkel's team on various machining centers. An allowance of 0.3 mm remains on all areas with quality requirements. Bore holes maintain an extra 1 mm in diameter.

Then it gets complicated, as the cutting expert explains: “During the finishing process we operate in tolerance ranges of a few micrometers, not only in shape and position, but also in the positions relative to each other. The surfaces must also be of the highest quality.”

The heart of production

Up until recently this task was undertaken by a 16-year-old jig boring machine, for which, however, the supply of spare parts was no longer guaranteed. The failure risk and associated extended production downtime were too high for the persons responsible. They preferred to arrange an exchange as a precautionary measure.

Top priority: Like its predecessor, the new machine must guarantee reliable precision cutting in the micrometer range. Following a market analysis KAPP NILES shortlisted three suppliers. The machine operators were also included in the selection process. They selected the most challenging component for trial machining runs: a complex motor housing. The three shortlisted machines were tested under identical conditions: same component, same pre-machining, same clamping devices, same NC programs and tools. The machine operators from KAPP NILES clamped the pre-machined parts for the machine manufacturers in order to achieve comparable results across the board. “Experienced machine operators and NC programmers who work on the machine are required”, highlights Sascha Forkel. “The machine will be the new heart of our production, but it is not solely responsible for success. Only when the machine, operator, and NC programmer work together in perfect harmony can the components be manufactured with high precision.” For the final assessment, all three sample components produced were measured on the same measuring machine at KAPP NILES. “Following the measurement results and taking into account other technical details. We decided on the supplier Starrag and the Heckert HEC 800 machining center, equipped with the high-precision kit and other add-ons promoting accuracy”, reports Sascha Forkel.

“We developed the offer from a technological perspective so that KAPP NILES can represent its entire range of parts with our Heckert HEC 800.”

The rapid traverse rate and acceleration ramps were also reduced to avoid machine vibrations where possible. Rainer Krause highlighted the close cooperation with Sascha Forkel and his team: “We discussed a great deal in this phase and specified the plans down to the last detail – through to the gentle positioning of the pallet on the set-up point. Because if this is done too roughly, vibrations occur which continue into the machine.” Another relevant point was the accessibility of the machine. The machine operators wanted practical and safe access to the machining area for set-up and measuring tasks. As a result, steps, handrails, and a platform in front of the machine were designed. The entire operating peripherals were lifted accordingly. An automatic drilling system was also implemented.

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