In order to ensure economic housing machining for the entire product range, GEA took the decision to make their facility in Berlin state of the art. Since numbers have grown so much recently that part of the production had to be moved out, returning to entirely in-house production required additional capacity.

The plan was to replace two ageing horizontal machining centres. This came with the need to dramatically reduce machining times (especially downtimes), to increase machining accuracy and to devote particular attention to high-pre- cision depth machining of bore holes. A high level of machine availability was also in the list of requirements along with the latest Siemens 840 D sl controller and a switch to HSK-100 tool holders. “We considered every detail in terms of opti- mising the machining process”, stresses Production Manager Hanno Heim. “Then we thoroughly compared the relevant machines from various manufacturers. This included time studies for a reference component, involving all the necessary machining processes.”

Burghardt Krüger, a process engineer involved in machining housing for many years at GEA, was involved in the decision. He emphasises a strength which other manufacturers aren’t able to provide: “Starrag offers a quill even on its mid-sized 630 and 800 Heckert HEC machining centres. For our deep bore holes, this is an enormous advantage because it enables us to use short, compact tools which bring high precision and process reliability.” The alternative to a quill (125 mm in diameter and 500 mm extension length) is to use long, heavy tools. These are more expensive and also tend to vibrate and bend, increasing the likelihood of machining inaccuracies.

Large working area and convenient chip collection

Burghardt Krüger also mentioned the working area, another important detail: “With the Heckert HEC machining centres, we have been able to considerably increase the interference range and traversing paths compared to previous models. This means we can go one machine smaller than in the past, which really helps when installation space is limited.”

The working area is also designed in such a way that the chips fall freely into the centrally-positioned swarf conveyor. This prevents chips from piling up in the working area and endangering process reliability. Krüger also rates the use of fixed plates instead of telescopic covers positively, as they provide the functional elements with optimal protection from chips and coolant. This enables higher acceleration and rapid traverses, as the plates do not need to be carried along with the linear axes.

The results of the modernisation measures are pleasing: In practice, processing times for housings in the GEA Grasso M series have been reduced by around 45 % on the Heckert HEC 630. The savings for the XL screw compressors in the GEA Grasso LT range, machined on the Heckert HEC 800, are of a similar magnitude. It was proven practical successes such as these which convinced management to replace another machine sooner than planned. In December 2016, the Heckert CWK 1000 made way for an additional Heckert HEC 800 in the Berlin GEA factory. The shorter processing times not only reduce manufacturing costs. They increase production capacity to such an extent that previously outsourced housing machining can now be brought back into their own factory.

The new investment also means that the Berlin GEA plant is well equipped for the future and “Industrie 4.0”. This is why Head of Maintenance, Manuel Marks, is delighted to be looking after the three new machines: “These machines can be monitored remotely with Starrag Conect. This means I can find out about the current operating parameters of individual machines, such as parts program, axle position, spindle speed, NC block, tool etc., at any time from anywhere with a tablet and an internet connection. Preventive maintenance is therefore replaced by situation-specific maintenance, because I can monitor the condition of the machine constantly by means of temperature and vibration sensors. The software detects increasing wear or failing lubrication so that I can respond at exactly the right time.” The software also reports faults and error messages, and offers direct access to the complete machine documentation when required. If GEA later decides to enhance its manufacturing with further machines from the Starrag, these can be integrated easily into the Starrag Connect system.