CommuniCationsIssue 2014 // 02

Always one step ahead in technology

Top News: Expansion of the PR and Millforce series // Multifunctionality of boring mills // Reinforcement for the sales team

The ceramic-coated boring spindle is an innovation of UnionChemnitz to increace the wear resistance.

Technical innovation has always been a trademark of UnionChemnitz. The company does not only feel obliged to perform to the highest quality demands. During the company‘s history, technical developments and innovations by UnionChemnitz have often been pioneering for the entire industry. The courage to break new technical ground pays off: The companies of the HerkulesGroup are technological leaders in their respective industries - like UnionChemnitz in the field of horizontal boring and milling machines. With an innovation in the area of boring spindles, the company has proven once again of being a pioneer. UnionChemnitz sets standards in the market with ceramic-coated boring spindles.

surface treatment against material wear The spindle system, especially the boring spindle, is exposed to high loads during the machining of the work piece. The vibration-dependent, local contact between boring spindle and hollow shaft can lead to fretting corrosion, which can damage the boring spindle considerably with progressive material transfer. To prevent this effect, the surface hardness of the boring spindle is essential so gas nitriding is the predominant technology at the moment. Despite all advantages, this method entails some disad-vantages: Nitrided surfaces, tend to have spalling when higher local pressure is ap-plied. Thus, corrosion and fretting corrosion can damage the surfaces and small dirt particles can be induced. Deformation can also emerge during the nitriding process.

technology of the next generation: Ceramic coating “Wherever problems occur, we always see a chance - the chance to create a new solution“, as Dietmar Weiß, President of UnionChemnitz, explains the company‘s

philosophy. Therefore, the company further developed the technology of surface processing and brought the method of ceramic coating for boring spindles to the market.

more durability, higher toughnessMichael Bergmann, President of UnionChemnitz, says: “The advantages of this tech-nology for our customers are obvious: First of all, the hardness of the ceramic-coa-ted surface is much higher – therefore it is much more resistant against mechanical damages caused by a collision or swarf. In the gasket area, the wear resistance is higher, too. Secondly, the new boring spindle is more resilient and much less prone to corrosion.“ Additional advantages: The ceramic coating is almost free off distor-tion so mechanical adjustment of the boring spindle is not necessary in this regard.

Other industries have been utilizing the wear resistant material characteristics of ceramic for some time. The ceramic coating of ball bearings, worm shafts or press cylinders, the ceramic coating has been proven efficient for many years. Union-Chemnitz currently offers the ceramic-coated boring spindles for all machine types; from a spindle diameter of 150 mm and above, they are part of the standard equip-ment. “We are proud to be a pioneer in terms of technological innovation once again“, Michael Bergmann emphasizes. “After extensive testing, we can now let our customers profit from it. After all, this is most important for us: convincing technical solutions for content customers.“

Dates: INTEC 2015, Leipzig, February 24 - 27, 2015 // CIMT, Beijing, April 20 - 25, 2015 // Metalloobrabotka, Moscow, May 25 - 29, 2015

unionChemnitzCommunications

Editorial

There have never been so many refugees in the world since the start of the Second World War, as there are today. They flee from Syria and Iraq from the murdering troops of the IS. They flee Africa from brutal oppression and hunger. In Germany, we are only concerned indirectly so far. How close are the military conflicts in the East Ukraine? Do they threaten the peace in Europe? At least, they considerably change our business relationships towards Russia and the Ukraine. The precariousness in both countries holds back investors, foreign as well as domestic ones. The economic sanctions of the USA and Europe against Russia also include delivery prohibitions of boring mills manufactured by UnionChemnitz. We support these sanctions despite the negative economic conse-quences for the German engineering industry. The quarterly forecast for the engineering industry is marked down daily. The general reluctance concerns all companies of the HerkulesGroup. While we operated to full capacity until 2012, the sales figures have diminished since then.

We now need to use the crisis as a chance, to continue the technological and cons-tructive improvements and to optimize production processes. We must convince our customers of our unique quality in construction, production and service, instead of being put off by our cheap competitors in China. As the CEO of the middle sized companies in the HerkulesGroup, I am responsible for the preservation of the jobs, for achieving profits, and thus for the best possible transfer to the next generation. Maintaining long-term company goals is not a contra-diction to the necessary strategic adaption to the modified surrounding conditions. For my understanding, this is responsibility.

Christoph Thoma

Expansion of the product range for even more flexibility

Extension of the PR and Millforce series

The UnionChemnitz product portfolio is adjusted to various applications and custo-mers‘ demands. With the extension of the P-series (boring mill with floor plate) and the travelling column mill series Millforce, the traditional company from Chemnitz provides its customers with an even broader spectrum of machining processes.

The machines of the P-series with floor plate and RAM (PR) are designed for the stable heavy duty cutting of complex large and heavy work pieces. Now, Union-Chemnitz has extended the P-series for the machining of lighter work pieces and middle-sized machines with high dynamics. The new PR 130/150 with boring spindle diameters of 130 and 150 mm works with higher dynamics in the lower area, with a performance of 37 to 53 kW* and a max. torque of 2200 Nm. The classic PCR 150/160 is completed by two new RAM assemblies (180 and 200 mm diameter) in the range of capacities up to 68 kW and 7500 Nm.

In order to be able to offer customers boring mills and less cost-intensive travelling column mills for the economic precision machining from one source, UnionChemnitz developed the Millforce 1. After the successful launch, the request for further ranges is now accommodated: For heavy milling operations and for an extended Z- and Y-traversing distance, Millforce 2 and Millforce 3 were developed. They provide a driving power of up to 52 kW and a torque of up to 2022 Nm. The newly developed machines are equipped with basic components of the PCR 150.

With these range extensions, UnionChemnitz can react even more flexibly to custo-mers‘ requests.

Dr. Guntram Schäfer

* All performance data in the text refer to the S1 mode with 100% duty cycle

The travelling column mill Millforce 1... ...and a PCR 150 from UnionChemnitz

unionChemnitzCommunications

Reinforcements for the sales teamNew President Sales and new Senior Sales Manager

Integration of different machining operations in one machineMultifunctionality of boring mills

Reinforcements for the sales team of UnionChemnitz: Heinrich Hau-mer has been the new President of Sales for the two companies UnionChemnitz and WaldrichSiegen since September. He has been supported by Thomas Grimm, the new Senior Sales Manager of Union- Chemnitz since August.

Both new members have comprehensive professional experiences in the machine tool industry. Heinrich Haumer changed from SBA mechatronics, an Austrian machine tool manufacturer and also a company of the HerkulesGroup, to UnionChemnitz. During the last two years, he helped to reorganize the company as the COO of SBA, after he had led the business unit Renewable Energies at Siemens Austria. A joint President of Sales for both UnionChemnitz and WaldrichSiegen additionally strengthens and pushes the joint appearance in the market. According to the motto “Boring mills and portal milling machines from one source“, the product portfolios of WaldrichSiegen and UnionChemnitz complement each other in a way that is unique in Germany. Heinrich Haumer says about his new position: “It is a very attractive task for me to work out the strengths of both companies and to bring them continuously forward.“ Haumer explains: “UnionChemnitz as well as WaldrichSiegen are very tradi-

Concentrated know-how in the USAUnionChemnitz strengthens its presence in the USA

UnionChemnitz strengthens its market presence in the USA with additional sales employees, who will work from Ford City (Pennsylvania). The employees, trained in Chemnitz, are contact persons for clients and prospective clients in the USA and in Canada.

Being part of the HerkulesGroup, UnionChemnitz in the USA can profit from the con-centrated know-how of the group‘s companies situated at Ford City. The advantages for North American UnionChemnitz clients: optimal service quality and short response times.

In North America, there has been a successful cooperation between UnionChemnitz and the sales representative United Precision Services, located in Cincinnati, for mar-

keting, installing and servicing UnionChemnitz boring mills for many years. This co-operation will be continued. Sister companies of United Precision Services are Magna and General Tools, also situated in Cincinnati. Both companies act as contract ma-nufacturers for heavy duty machining and the biggest clients of UnionChemnitz in the USA with currently 16 machines in operation. Two additional machines will be added in the beginning of 2015. At Magna and General Tools, almost the entire spectrum of UnionChemnitz machines are installed and at the American clients‘ disposal for sample part processing and presentation.

Additional service capacity will be provided soon in Ford City. The close cooperation between the two companies ensures an optimal client service for the US market.

tional, established companies, whose worldwide success builds on reputation and values. This is what we have to focus on again, with a contemporary approach. We have to use what made us strong: innovation and creativity.“

Thomas Grimm also considers this as the key to the company‘s fur-ther success. The experienced Senior Sales Manager, who started in his new position at UnionChemnitz in August, explains: “We have to analyze the altered market behavior and recognize the new requi-rements of the market to be able to react flexibly. In terms of techno-logical innovation, UnionChemnitz has always been leading.“ And he agrees with Heinrich Haumer: “Our quality demand and our technical inventiveness will be our path into the future.“

Thomas Grimm has been working in the machine tool and mechani-cal engineering industry for 25 years now; thus, he knows the requi-rements of the industry very well. Born in Gera, he recently gained professional experience in Italy for four years. Now he is glad to be in Germany again. “‘Made in Germany‘ is exactly my way of thinking and manner. Quality, reliability as well as team spirit – these values characterize the company and the functioning of UnionChemnitz.“

One main object in the mechanical manufacturing industry is to reduce the costs per piece while maintaining high machining quality at the same time. One option to ac-complish both is to integrate different machining operations in one machine. This re-duces processing stages and omits complete work piece setups. UnionChemnitz has developed different solutions for the integration of turning and grinding processes.

An additional turning application can be implemented by a facing head that is either integrated into the boring mill, or is available as optional equipment. Alternatively, modulating tools can be controlled with the linear movement of the boring mill. Tur-ning applications are often integrated for large work pieces or for the complementary complete machining, e.g. for the complete manufacturing of tricentrical valve hou-sings. The working step vertical turning can be omitted entirely, and the machining time of the valve seat itself can be reduced significantly. Besides, no work piece-bound equipment is necessary. A further application is the manufacturing of sealary grooves of gas isolated switch disconnects.

Integrating a grinding aggregate is an additional option, e.g. for the machining of landing legs for airplanes. The appropriate seats can be pre-machined on demand with prolonged tools. After the integration of an exchangeable grinding unit, they can be ground immediately. For the grinding of wolfram carbide-coated borings for screw pumps, standard machines can be modified. The internal cylindrical grinding of bores with a diameter of up to 350 mm can be reliably carried out using grinding wheels with a diameter up to 250 mm and projection lengths up to 450 mm for serial production. For the grinding process itself, a torque monitoring with a defined lifting of the grinding wheel off the contour is conducted. The grinding performance of the boring mill remains unrestricted. By complete machining such work pieces on a ho-rizontal boring mill, customers do not have to invest in special machines. That means measurable competitive advantages for the customer.

Gunter Dittrich

Turning with a permanently integrated facing head

Heinrich Haumer, Sales President for UnionChemnitz and WaldrichSiegen

UnionChemnitz will be represented at the INTEC 2015, the international trade fair for machine tools, manu-facturing and automatization engi-neering, in Leipzig/Germany from February 24-27, 2015.

We are looking forward to welco-ming you at our booth.

Imprint

UnionChemnitz Communications

Issue: Winter 2014

Publisher:

Union Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH

Chemnitz

Clemens-Winkler-Straße 5

09116 Chemnitz

Germany

T: +49 (0) 371 8741-0

F: +49 (0) 371 8741-407

unionchemnitz.de

Responsible:

HerkulesGroup

Corporate Communications

Successful exchange of know-how in ChinaCustomer seminar in Guilin, China

“Milling, boring and turning at its best – Tailor-made ma-chining solutions“ – using this motto UnionChemnitz and WaldrichSiegen organized a customer seminar that took place in Guilin/China from Sep-tember 12-13, 2014. Approx. 80 customers accepted the invitation to learn about the innovations and technological solutions of the companies wi-thin the HerkulesGroup.

A varied and comprehensive program awaited the partici-pants: After the host introduced the company, WaldrichSiegen and UnionChemnitz presented the overview of their product portfolio. Then followed the lecture “Efficient machining of components for wind energy plants“ and questions were fielded on energy technology.The topic “application“ also do-minated the day‘s second half: Technological solutions for the machining of turbine housings and rotors, diesel engines, chassis for locomotives and

Learning from the best

heavy lorries, gear units and compressors were in the focus. During lectures about the ma-chining of highly complex work pieces on vertical turning and milling machines, horizontal lathes as well as horizontal bo-ring mills, the customers had the opportunity to get detailed information about the ma-chines‘ technical potential.

After this comprehensive appli-cation relevant product infor-mation, the final lecture focused on the after-sales-service: Ji-axing GMT German Machine Tools, a service company be-longing to the HerkulesGroup, gave insights in its scope of tasks as a central contact point for the entire Chinese market. Great interest was aroused with the topic “high quality moder-nization of older machines“, which is highly considered as an alternative to new invest-ments in China.

“The seminar was an enrich-ment for both sides – for our

customers as well as for us as a company“, as Dietmar Weiß, President of UnionChemnitz, sums up. “We could provide a great deal of detailed know-

Boring and milling machines of UnionChemnitz are demanded worldwide. The design and ma-nufacturing of these machines requires immense know-how and qualified employees. Union-Chemnitz is aware of that and offers young people various op-tions for schooling and training.

Martin Glienke for example is a Dual Student at UnionChemnitz: He studies Electrical Enginee-ring/Automation Engineering at Berufsakademie Gera (Uni-versity of Cooperative Edica-tion), his practical training is provided by UnionChemnitz. The 25-year-old found his way to the company by following

his father. He had worked for the former sister company of UnionChemnitz, Union Gera, in the times of the former Ger-man Democratic Republic. A sightseeing tour through the shop floor in Chemnitz confir-med Martin Glienkes decision to apply there: “The heavy machine tools impressed me a lot. Moreover, I was fascina-ted that I could trace the whole machining process – from the planning to the finishing of the machine.“

After his apprenticeship as a cutting machine operator, he knew, where his further pro-fessional training should focus

on: “As early as during my ap-prenticeship, I was especially interested in the machines‘ “inner life“. Thus, the choice of the subject of study Electrical Engineering/Automation Engi-neering was clear very soon“, Glienke tells. “The Dual Studies provide the huge incentive, to apply the theoretically learned right away. Studies and app-renticeship demand 100%, but since one always sees the direct connection between theory and practice, one is fully motivated. Besides, our instructors pro-mote and support us optimally.“

In his second year of studies, Glienke worked independently

on a project in the field of elec-tric construction, which he fi-nalized with the best possible grade. “To be part of the team from the very beginning, and to have own responsibility is very satisfying“, Martin Glienke says. He is going to finish his studies in the coming year. Af-terwards, he is going to use his freshly acquired knowledge at UnionChemnitz to help develop tomorrow‘s future technology today.

Dual studies at UnionChemnitz: A student reports

Martin Glienke, Dual Student at UnionChemnitz

New representatives

From now on, UnionChemnitz coo-perates with new sales representa-tives on the Bavarian market and in the Benelux countries.

In Bavaria, H.T.B. Werkzeugma-schinen Vertriebs GmbH is the new contact for machine tools from UnionChemnitz. For the Be-nelux countries, Gelderblom CNC Machines B.V. is the competent contact.

Dates: MACHTOOL, Poznan, June 9-12, 2015

INTEC 2015

ledge to our customers and an-swer a lot of questions. Once more, we learned very much about our customer‘s require-ments and problems.“

The participants gave a very positive feedback on the con-tents and organization of the seminar and would like a re-currence soon.

Dietmar Weiß during a lecture at the customer seminar in Guilin, China

The worldwide sales and service network of UnionChemnitz