With around 15 percent growth per year, the Czech supplier ZLKL has an impressive success story. Advanced production technologies with automation components play a decisive role in this. For example, around 25 EMAG machines are in operation at ZLKL’s Czech sites. Karel Zeman, Senior Manager Machining at ZLKL, discusses his company’s formula for success.
Machines
For over 50 years, Kordel has developed a variety of drive systems and transmissions used in agricultural and construction equipment, as well as industrial trucks. This is a task that requires both robust machining and precision, simultaneously. The family-owned business with its headquarters in Dülmen near Münster, Germany relies on the competence of its employees, flat hierarchies and a high level of integration with a “state-of-the-art” machine system. For over 20 years, EMAG’s pick-up technology has played a major role at Kordel. More than 17 production solutions from the Southern German machine builders are used at the production sites in both Germany and Poland. The most recent additions are two VLC 200 GT turn-grind centers. Below is a conversation we had with the Kordel Managing Director, Johannes Kordel, about the success of his company, and the important part mechanical engineering has played in it.
For over 30 years, Bäringhaus & Hunger, based in Grünhainichen near Chemnitz, have been active in the part manufacturing industry – experiencing growing success with the production of high-precision turned and milled parts. About 90 percent of orders received at Bäringhaus & Hunger come directly from suppliers in the automotive industry. From almost the very beginning, EMAG has played an important role in this as a mechanical engineering partner, and currently have over 20 machines on the Bäringhaus & Hunger shop floor. How did this partnership develop and why is it still so important today? We spoke with partners, Matthias and Sebastian Hunger, the second generation of the family to run the company, about the secret to their company’s success.
Interprecise Donath GmbH, based near Fürth, Germany, develops and produces rolling bearings that are used in a variety of machines and gears – an extremely precise task that involves just a few micrometers and requires special surface qualities. For about three years, VL vertical lathes from EMAG have been used for this machining, achieving lower unit costs in the soft and hard machining of many components. We sat down for a conversation with Interprecise Managing Director, Christian Witte, about the market challenges and advantages of pick-up technology.
Development of the new VLC 350 GT Turning/Grinding Center – Interview with Marina Manger
The VLC GT series is one of the most successful new product developments for EMAG in recent years. The combination of the proven pick-up automation system, vertical machining operation and the option of using different technologies for hard machining in the spacious machining area, has made some fantastic production solutions possible.
With the VLC 350 GT, the next biggest expansion stage is being launched. We spoke to Marina Manger, assistant team leader of the TPM-1 application team, about the new machine and the ideas its development was based on.
CNC-Technik Weiss GmbH joined the EMAG Group at the end of 2019. We’ll interview Bernd Weiß, the company’s Managing Director, to learn more about the company, as well as the plans for the development of new cylindrical grinders.
The VL 1 TWIN has set the new standard for the high-output, simultaneous machining of workpieces with a maximum dimaeter of 75 mm (3 in). This turning center has two main spindles in one machining area that are able to simultaneously machine two identical workpieces – resulting in substantially increased output quantities, and lower unit costs.
The production of turbocharger components is one of the most challenging tasks in automotive engineering and EMAG has created a complete line solution that delivers both speed and precision.
How can commonly mass-produced transmission components, such as planetary gears be produced even more efficiently? The EMAG Group provides a customized answer to this question with the development of the twin-spindle pick-up turning center, VL 1 TWIN. It machines two identical components simultaneously in the same machining area. This technology opens up a wide range of possibilities: When two machines are combined in a line, the planetary gear can be machined from two sides—and all that is completed with shorter cycle times. What exactly does the line solution for planetary gears look like?
The HLC 150 H horizontal gear cutting machine by EMAG KOEPFER is the perfect complete solution for machining workpieces up to module 3 with a maximum length of 500 mm (20 in). It not only features all relevant gear cutting technologies such as gear hobbing, skiving, screw milling and worm skiving, it also includes press deburring and chamfering integrated into the machining area. As a result, an extremely wide range of workpieces can be finished without burrs – including gear and anchor shafts, steering pinions, planetary gears and worm gears.