high performance 01|2011 performance · behind the global economy. according to experts, it is only...

Multan – the cutting fl uids that do not “split”.

With its Multan brand, Henkel has succeeded in bringing a patented bactericide-free cutting fl uid to market. Thanks to its unique formulation, Multan does not require the addition of any bactericides.

That makes Multan extremely economical for the use in machining processes, ensures enhanced work safety, and makes a signifi cant contribution to preserving the environment.

Don’t give bacteria a chance!

Order a free fi lling* now and experience the benefi ts of Multan at fi rst hand in your own specifi c application.Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, General Industry/Surface Treatment | Phone + 49.211.797.9505 | [email protected] | www.HenkelMultan.com | * We gladly fi ll one of your machines with up to 2,000 liters fi lling volume on site free of charge.

The benefi ts of Multan:

High stability against microorganisms

No additional preservation necessary

Very good corrosion protection

High level of cleanliness of machined parts, etc.

Finely dispersed emulsion with a low drag-out rate

No formaldehyde releasing agents

Odorless

Bacteria have to stay outside!

Mul_216x280_eng.indd 1 13.05.11 11:09

high The compeTence magazine for meTal cuTTing from WalTer

focal Topic WalTer mulTiply:

impetus for more efficient

processes

high PERFORMANCE 01|2011

PERFORMANCE

puBliSherWalter AG Derendinger Str. 53D-72072 TübingenTel. +49 7071 701 0Fax +49 7071 701 [email protected]

reSponSiBle for conTenTAndreas Evertz, Chairman of Walter AG

projecT managemenTUte Gutmann, Head of Marketing Communication, Walter AG

chief eDiTorStefan Richter, Storymaker GmbH

eDiTingStorymaker GmbHDerendinger Straße 50D-72072 TübingenTel. +49 7071 938 72 0Fax +49 7071 938 72 [email protected] www.storymaker.de

layouTwww.blixen.eu

prinTingWerbedruck GmbH Horst Schreckhase

phoTo creDiTSAmedeo Barletta Olaf Otto Becker Heinrich Betz OHG Corbis Fotolia Kristina Frayne gettyimages Peder IbherBirgit Jaschke Richard Läpple Gerald Münzl Herbert NaujoksSiemens AG Sabrina Stephan Verlag Hermann Schmidt Walter AG Yang Liu

liST of referenceSAll the named products are registered or unregistered trademarks of the respective companies. Copying only with express written approval from the publisher. Printed in Germany 608 6053 (09/2011) EN

_ imprint

Walter WorldWidehigh PERFORMANCE 01|2011

39

Mauricio Fonseca Marketing Manager, Walter Brazil, São Paulo23.07.2011 16:46 RE: Your questions regarding business in Brazil

Dear colleague, Thank you for your questions. Please find the answers below.

What marks out the machining industry in Brazil? Brazil is growing rapidly. Walter serves all possible sectors

which in turn manufacture very different products made from a very wide range of materials. Brazilian metalworkers have machinery ranging from antique to high-tech. As a tool provider, we have to adapt to this. “Customer-specific adaptation” is not simply a motto for us, but a necessity. Through Walter Multiply, we also offer our biggest customers Tool Management Services for complex processes.

Another special feature of our market is certainly logistics: a demanding topic, since our country is so enormous – Brazil covers almost 50 percent of South America. These are challenges that we deal with on a daily basis. Nevertheless, regardless of how complex production and logistics are, we ensure that our customers are provided with suitable solutions.

What are the most urgent challenges facing your customers in Brazil?

The industrial sector, with 40 percent of the gross domestic product, is very important to the Brazilian economy. Machines and steel contribute much to exports. To be competi-tive at global level, our customers need high-quality tools and very good process consulting. For many of them, the decision to buy is based on our high levels of service.

Can you give tips on how to deal with Brazilian business partners?

In general, Brazilians are very open and friendly. At com-pany level, they are very loyal to their employers and want to deliver their best possible work for the company. They are proud of what their company has achieved, and therefore expect a lot from their suppliers. One should therefore not expect to just lie on the beach drinking cachaça, while on a business trip to Brazil. :-)

What makes Walter do Brasil special?Out team is our strength. Walter was not well known in

Brazil in the beginning, therefore the experience and expertise of our employees was the most important door opener. In the meantime, we have become the most important actors on the Brazilian tool market. This is also because we have invested a lot in young talent. The mix of young and old has led to a special Walter culture, which we need to be able to continue our success in this rapidly growing market.

Best regards from Sorocaba, São Paulo,Mauricio Fonseca

Photos: Fotolia, gettyimages

Mail from ... ... Brazil

3

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 EdItorIal

Dear reaDer,

Walter AG is recognised as the specialist leader in metal cutting. We also make such a claim for communication with our customers. I am therefore delighted to be able to present to you today our new customer magazine HIGH PERFORMANCE. This magazine is designed to set standards in the machining sector, in exactly the same way as our innovative tooling technologies and service provisions. In future, HIGH PERFORMANCE will allow us to provide you with regular information about the latest developments at Walter, new trends taking shape in our sector and at our cus-tomers’ plants and even more, all captured through paying close attention and presented in a lively writing style.

Take China for example. At present, China is the driving force behind the global economy. According to experts, it is only a mat-ter of time until China overtakes North America and becomes num-ber one. For a multinational corporation such as Walter AG, it is therefore of major strategic importance to be well established in such an important growth market.

We started with 16 employees 15 years ago in Wuxi, 120 kilometres to the west of Shanghai. Today, our business in China has more than 200 employees and already contributes around 12 percent of the Walter Group’s total operating profit, and the trend is still rising. In order to react appropriately to the

enormous significance of the Chinese market and the entire Asian region, we opened a headquarters for the Asia Pacific area in Shanghai in April. This will allow us to react to the requirements of our customers in Asia even better in future.

More than 300 years of experience in metal machining. Not many of our competitors can boast so long a history as Walter. This history provides a lot of material for many stories, which we will be able to relate in HIGH PERFORMANCE. In many applications, our specialist brands Walter, Walter Titex and Walter Prototyp are the ultimate benchmark. In areas such as the automotive industry, aviation, mechanical engineering, the energy sector or rail traf-fic, as a competence leader in machining, we are able to help our customers gain a real competitive advantage in China. However, in order to offer our customers productivity gains, we now have to provide more than our core product – the “tool”. Under the latest of our specialist brands, Walter Multiply, we provide our custom-ers with individual services along the entire process chain – right round the clock and all over the world. You can find out the way in which the integrated approach of Walter Multiply works in the main topic of this first issue of HIGH PERFORMANCE.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue.

3

Photo: Walter AG

an

Dr

ea

s e

ve

rtz

Chairman of W

alter AG

ComplexproCessesnever seemedso easy.

win

terg

erst

& fa

iss

Services for planning

Services for maintenance

Services for manufacturing

& logistics

Services for advanced trainings

Walter multiply, the new competence brand from Walter, is a multilevel service program designed to transfer technical knowledge across a range of sectors, built on existing expertise, and pool all the resources needed to increase productivity. So even complex processes will suddenly seem easy. Walter multiply means multiplying success factors. By applying the broad expertise of our multilevel services, production efficiency can be increased far more than would ever be possible by simply adding up individual techniques and procedures. Addition in the process chain is a thing of the past. The future belongs to Walter multiply.

Complexity made easy.

www.walter-tools.comwww.youtube.com/waltertools www.facebook.com/waltertools

5

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011

.

CoNtENtS CoNtENtS

EXPErtISE 6 expertise in everything we Do A view beyond Walter.

ComPaNy 8 Facts anD Figures about walter ag

10 we go east! The opening of a new headquarters in Shanghai is a milestone for Walter in the Asia-Pacific region.

14 From karaoke to contract Cultural peculiarities often lead to amazement in everyday international business.

18 news

FoCUS toPIC 20 walter multiply: impetus For more eFFicient processes All steps of a process chain examined.

24 much more than just tools The Walter Multiply service concept in practice: the Walter expert advisers developed the entire manufacturing process for a gearbox component for drive specialist Voith Turbo.

28 services as a strategy For gaining an aDvantage Why products without suitable services are not sufficient in the long term.

tECHNoloGy 30 Quantum leap with tiger·tec® silver The new Walter indexable inserts last for twice as long as the

previous generation.

32 stable connections The ConeFitTM replaceable head system provides stability and process reliability.

34 more Depth reQuireD The Alpha® 4 XD drills from Walter Titex drill extremely deep – without stopping for a breather.

36 the invincible ones Industrially produced polycrystalline diamonds have little to offer visually, but shine in terms of cutting data.

WaltEr 39 mail From brazil WorldWIdE from Mauricio Fonseca, Marketing Manager at Walter Brazil, São Paulo.

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 EXPErtISE

EXPErtISE …… in everything that we Do – a view beyonD walter.Text: Kristina Frayne

6 Photos: Amedeo Barletta/Vestini Campagnano

walter defines itself as the leading expert in its field. This claim is based upon highly qualified employees, outstanding products, excellent processes and an efficient production network. But what does expertise mean in other areas? HIGH PERFORMANCE put this question to Amedeo Barletta, a renowned vintner from the Italian province of Caserta.

DiD you know?

The south German engineer, goldsmith and inventor Christian Ferdinand Oechsle (1774-1852) developed a method of measuring the density of grape must. The Oechsle scale is used to pre-dict the maximum alcohol content and therefore

the quality of the finished wine, and to decide when to har-vest the grapes. This scale is still used by vineyards in Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Similar methods such as the Baumé or Brix scales are used in other countries. The weight of the must is usually measured using a refractometer in the vineyard (calibrated to Oechsle, Baumé or Brix degrees) by squashing a few grapes between the fingers and collecting the drops of must in the glass of the refractometer.

oenology

Oenology is the science and research of all aspects of wine and its production, excluding the growing and harvesting of the grapes. This sub-area is referred to as viticulture. The work oenology originates from the Greek οiνος – oinos, “wine”, and λογος – logos, “language”, “logic”, or “science”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oenology

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 EXPErtISE

interview Questions to ameDeo barletta

7

Signore Barletta, what is a product that earns the “Best-in-class” award?

As far as I am concerned, it’s a product that has been designed on the basis of a strong fundamental idea, has devel-oped a lasting identity and has been perfectly implemented. Regardless of the area or industry in which you work, a top quality product requires your best work and a real passion for what you are doing.

What does it mean in your business to produce your best possible work?

Our business has arisen from research, and this is evi-dent in everything that we do. We started by examining the local grape varieties of Terra di Lavoro (the historical name for the Caserta province). Together with researchers from the agronomic faculty of the University of Naples, we analysed the Pallagrello and Casavecchia varieties. We were interested in knowing exactly where they came from, and how we could make the best possible use of them. By means of a DNA analy-sis, we established that both grape varieties were only found in our region, and we were able to date them back to the ancient Romans. Just imagine – people in ancient times drank wine made from the same grape varieties as the ones here! We are extremely proud of the history of our grapes.

However, we are also looking towards the future. Dur-ing our daily work, we are always looking for ways of making further improvements to the quality of our product. Our wine cellars are equipped with the latest technologies for oenologi-cal research. We collaborate with the specialist department for food technology at the University of Naples, and receive fre-quent visits from international researchers. There is still a lot to learn about our ancient grape varieties and the entire wine production process.

What expertise do you expect from your personnel in order to achieve the required excellence?

Of course, we are interested in their training and experi-ence. However, their personal qualities are even more impor-tant. The employees that we recruit are team players and must have a passion for our wines and their history. The Vestini Campagnano winery is a project that concentrates on making the history of our region come alive again. It has been shown that our Campania region has a tradition of excellence, and this is something that we would like to take out to the world. As far as our employees are concerned, this means not just working for a company but for a product that represents our country and its history.

Is efficiency important for producing wine?Well, you could put the main focus on efficiency, of

course, and produce greater quantities of wine. But what we try to do is achieve maximum quality. We would like to pro-duce a special aroma which provides people with the greatest enjoyment and accompanies them during pleasant moments. If people like what we have produced, we have achieved our goals. However, an area in which we would like to be efficient is sustainability. We try to protect the environment, because endangered soil puts our entire business at risk. A large part of our wine growing estate is even in a nature reserve, and we therefore have to ensure that all of our processes are in har-mony with nature.

What makes a person competent, regardless of the industry in which they work?

I was always impressed by visionaries. Because this is what truly successful employers are. They know what people like, what people are prepared to invest in and they surpass all expectations. True visionaries are also aware of their social responsibility to their employees, society and the environment.

ameDeo barlettaAmedeo Barletta was born in 1976 in a small town north of Naples in the Italian region of Campania. He and his brother Luigi manage two of the best-known vine-yards in southern Italy: Poderi Foglia and Vestini Campagnano. They are both involved in rediscovering local types of grape, such as the red and white Pallagrello grapes and the red Casavecchia grape. The grapes were well known during Roman times, and subsequently became almost forgotten. Thanks to thorough research, the Barletta family turned these grapes into impressive modern Italian wines.

www.vestinicampagnano.it

8


maNaGING board

heaDQuarters

tübINGEN, GErmaNy

PortFolIo

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT WaltEr aG

ComPaNy

Development, proDuction anD sale oF precision tools For metal machining, integrateD service solutions For planning, proDuction & logistics, maintenance anD training

anDreas evertz (presiDent), mirko merlo, gunnar båtelsson

number oF employees worlDwiDe

3,600

number oF catalogue tools

45,000

9


proDuct range For

tUrNING, mIllING, drIllING, tHrEad CUttING

ProdUCtIoN FaCIlItIESgermany, France, usa, brazil, china

ComPaNy

subsiDiaries

33 (oF which 20 in europe, 5 in north anD south america anD 8 in asia)

Carbide and PCD indexable insert tooling systems for turning, drilling and milling, for example the Tiger·tec®, Xtra·tec®, MODCO® product ranges

Solid carbide and HSSE drilling and boring tools, for example the product ranges X·treme and XD·Technology

Solid carbide and HSSE thread-ing and milling cutters, for example the product ranges Paradur® and Protostar®

Customised service solutions for planning, production and logistics, maintenance and repairs, and training courses

all-roUNd EXPErtISE From oNE SoUrCE

Photos: Walter AG

ComPaNy HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011

10

WE Go EAST!the opening oF a new heaDQuarters in shanghai is a milestone For walter in the asia-paciFic region.Text: Karsten Eiß

千里之行，始于足下

A long journey begins w

ith the first step:

Illustrations: Blixen

11

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 ComPaNy

11

accorDing to an old Chinese saying, a long journey begins with the first step. However, the greatest amount of energy is often required to make this first step. The Walter representa-tives, who arrived in China in 1996, also found this to be true when it came to setting up production facilities for the Tübingen-based manufacturer of precision tools. The head of production at that time, and today’s designer, Joachim Adam was also among the project team deployed to Wuxi, 120 kilometres south-west of Shanghai. Adam can well remember how much effort was required during these first steps fifteen years ago in Wuxi: “In particular, we continually encountered difficulties in communication. For exam-ple, we needed an interpreter to carry out job interviews.”

中 china wants to Do more than 华 make cheap gooDs anD counterFeit proDucts

Today, Joachim Adam is certain that the move to China was right for Walter. What began with just six employees in manufac-turing, four in administration and another six in sales now gen-erates about twelve percent of the Walter Group’s overall result with its 300 or so employees, with an upward trend. Even though Walter is a premium provider, the company is doing good busi-ness in China. “Our Chinese customers place increasing value on high-quality tools in order that they are able to supply quality products”, states Per Törnell, Walter’s Market Manager in China. This is, for example, how Chinese automotive manufacturers such as Chery Automobile, BYD and Geely Automotive or joint ventures such as North Benz and Shanghai VW use the tools and the exper-tise from Walter in order to become more efficient and ultimately to be taken seriously as an exporter. Walter Manager Törnell also observed that companies are no longer only interested in reliable and durable tools. “Our expertise in the efficient design of all pro-duction processes is increasingly in demand. Customers increas-ingly have several tool manufacturers compete with each other to see who has the best machining strategy. Whoever can machine the workpiece – for example an engine block – quickest and simultaneously in the best quality gets the contract, which often involves several million yuan.”

In this endeavour, Walter often has an advantage over the competition: services and process consulting are among the strengths of the company. The combined expertise of Walter, Walter Titex, Walter Prototyp, Walter Valenite and Walter Multiply, after all, is based on more than a hundred years of experience in metal machining. “Competitors cannot make up for this advantage in a few short years”, says Törnell. That is why Walter was, and is, >

ComPaNy HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011

12

有知才有得Only those who know about their business can reap the reward.

> well positioned for China’s long journey to becoming the best in the world, even in strategic sectors such as mechanical engineer-ing, the energy sector, or railway transportation. For China, trans-portation is currently one of the key industries needed to maintain high economic growth. Therefore, the government is strongly promoting the expansion of the railways, including the network infrastructure and high-speed trains, for example. Another focus of China’s economic policy is the promotion of high technology – because the profit margins are higher than in the contract manu-facture of low-tech products. Walter is prepared for this trend: At the Wuxi site last year, a new technology centre was opened in which the company’s high-tech products for turning, milling, drilling and threading were demonstrated. This is what is needed for com-plex and high-quality products.

中华 china is not the whole oF asia

For a multinational company such as Walter (which has 34 subsidiaries worldwide), China is not only a strategically impor-tant market, but also the centre of rapid growth in the Asia Pacific region. This is why Walter recently opened its new regional head-quarters in Shanghai. In future, Walter’s Asian business will be managed by Jean-Paul Dissous. The 57-year old Frenchman is what you call an old Asia-hand in English. For the past ten years, he has been travelling between Europe and Asia for Valenite, a US company that has now become part of Walter. According to Dis-sous: “The potential of this region for Walter is enormous. We are talking about growth rates of over 50 percent and there is no end to this development in sight.” For Dissous, one factor for success is to adequately take into consideration the differences between Asia and the established markets in Europe and the US: “This concerns the processes, the machines, the raw materials used and, of course, the culture and mentality of the employees. Even within Asia, there is great diversity.” To prepare the team at the new headquarters for their duties, all of the employees underwent intercultural training. Because, in the words of another Chinese proverb: Only those who know about their business can harvest the fruit. _

13

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 ComPaNy

13

interview Four Questions For jean-paul Dissous

Along with its main headquarters in Tübingen, Walter now has a second headquarters in Shanghai. Why?

When our subsidiaries in the Asia-Pacific region were faced with a complicated technical problem from a customer, they had to ask for support from the headquarters in Tübingen. The Walter specialists from Germany then flew to the country in question to solve the problem on site. This was expensive and time-consuming. With the new headquarters in Shanghai, we have a regional base and, in four to five hours, we can be any-where in the region to support our customers in person – apart from Australia, which is a little further away. Moreover, custom-ers can contact our experts without having to worry about the time difference. Shanghai helps us to progress within the com-pany. Our subsidiaries can optimise their processes and focus on their core task of sales and distribution, because we are now centralising functions in China, such as personnel, finance, sec-tor management and marketing.

As a premium provider, Walter competes with many lower cost providers in the region. Can this go well in the long term?

Yes, it will go well. In the western world, we often have false impressions of Asia. Even in countries with a relatively low living standard, for example Indonesia or the Philippines, there is a demand for high-quality tools. You have to remember that many foreign companies have production facilities there – with a quality requirement that makes these locations able to export. None of the multinational corporations can afford to devalue its brand with reference to lower quality standards at certain pro-duction sites.

You have many years of experience when it comes to Asia and Asian customers. From today’s perspective, how have you personally paid your dues?

Each Asian country is different – in terms of the culture found there and the nature and manner in which business is conducted. My first experience in Asia was in Japan in 1986, and it taught me a lot: I found out that you have to forget everything that we Europeans consider to be “business standards”. My first reaction was to see the Japanese partner as strange. But curios-ity quickly led me to paying more attention to the Japanese cul-ture. I wanted to know what they meant by business relations. And this allowed me to discover another approach: As soon as I started to imitate their behaviour, it was much easier to commu-nicate with them and to do business. I was suddenly no longer just the “gaijin” (a foreigner) and everything went much better.

Which countries are in the Asia-Pacific region?For Walter, there are currently 8 countries: Thailand,

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. All the markets tick differently – just like the differ-ences you find in Europe between Italian, French, German or Spanish customers. We chose Shanghai because it is centrally located in the region. Moreover, Wuxi, our largest subsidiary, is only about two hours away. Wuxi is home to our production facilities and a Walter Technology Centre that is just as well equipped as the Technology Centres in Germany and the USA. This means that we can conduct exactly the same tool tests and training courses very near to Shanghai as we do in Europe and North America.

Photo: Walter AG

jean-paul DissousHead of the Walter Headquarters for Asia/Pacific in Shanghai

14


playing golF, an art auction or a shared foot massage at the spa: such items hardly ever get put on the agenda of a busi-ness meeting in Europe. However, in China you should be prepared for this. Personal attention, mutual understanding and harmony are extremely important in business in East Asia. On the other hand, if you ask German managers what the hallmarks of a good meeting are, many would answer: its brevity. A guided tour of the city in this country is not necessarily considered a customer meet-ing. Business associates are less interesting as individuals. Yes, it can even be seen as rude to “stick to your partner like a leech”.

Different countries have different customs. This becomes clear when Scandinavians sit down at a table with French, Italians or Irishmen. However, cultural peculiarities become more apparent than ever when East meets West. This is when languages, men-talities and values which have evolved relatively independently over thousands of years collide with each other. These different ways of thinking and mannerisms often lead to misunderstandings in professional interactions, for example, between Chinese and Ger-mans. Threats for the uninitiated are lurking everywhere: numerous obstacles must be overcome – from business lunches to a visit to a karaoke bar and even in the actual contract negotiations. Those who wish to avoid putting their foot in the wrong place usually require intercultural guidance.

cultural peculiarities in transnational Daily business oFten cause amazement. Text: Carolin Brandl

ComPaNy

FROM KaraoKE TO CONTRACT

15


intercultural manuals

In German bookstores, metres of special cultural guides line the shelves. “Chinese Etiquette”, “Culture Shock China” or “Curiosities from the Middle Kingdom” are only a small selection from there. Manuals for the “Land of Smiles” are booming and hardly any Germans still go there without such a compendium of collected tips in their luggage to be ready for any situation when visiting their Chinese business associates. But why is it so difficult for the two cultures to understand each other? The key to understanding a foreign culture is their cultural stand-ards. These standards are unwritten laws that all members of a cultural community automatically follow – whereas for outsid-ers, they are mostly a mystery. The Chinese characteristic of immediately asking new acquaintances about their family and financial situation, and the clear separation of work and private life in Germany cause each opposite party to merely shake their heads and feel somewhat perplexed. >

commuters between the cultures:The two Walter employees Tao Fang and Daniel Waller

the german-chinese artist Yang Liu has been busy working on European-Asian misunderstandings. Born in Beijing and raised in Paderborn, she knows her way around the two cultures. In her book “East meets West” she puts some important differences in a nut-shell. (Published by Hermann Schmidt Mainz, ISBN 978-3-87439-733-9)

selF-image. In German culture, the concept of “I” is given high priority. Self-awareness is required, and individuality is important to many people. While Germans prefer to be independent, com-munity and cohesion are top priorities in China. This is why Guanxi, a network of personal relationships, represents important social capital that business people and also employees generate in a company. There are always two sides to relationships in China: if you ask for a favour, you must return the favour at some point – otherwise trust will suffer. A well-maintained customer relationship is often more important than the best of quotations. To a greater extent, a close personal relationship is a part of a business offer.

ComPaNy

FROM KaraoKE TO CONTRACT

16


What do Chinese managers notice when they negotiate with Europeans, for example Germans? Are there differences?

The Germans are much more direct when negotiating, and begin with topics related to work. Most Chinese view small talk as a way of building relationships with business partners. This relationship is very important to Chinese people. It facilitates the negotiations and can be useful in further cooperation.

Are there certain signals when communicating that the Germans simply do not notice or regularly misunderstand?

Chinese people are not accustomed to expressing their own wishes or opinions directly. When the Chinese, for example, are invited to business lunches, they rarely say what they want to eat or drink: They let the host order for them. A good host and connoisseur of our culture will nevertheless repeatedly check with his guests until they finally say what they would like.

Is there an attitude among the Germans that you find obstruc-tive in your daily operations?

Leisure time and holidays are very important in Germany. Regardless of how important or urgent a task is: if the colleague is on vacation or it is already the end of the working day, you just have to wait. My Chinese colleagues are often completely aston-ished by this. That would be unimaginable in China.

Is there an attitude among the Germans that you would consider rude?

Even though all Germans do it, I am amazed every time I see it: Germans blow their noses frequently and loudly – even in public. The Chinese are rather quiet people, that is probably why I still cannot stand people blowing their nose.

In your opinion, what could the Chinese do to adapt a little better to the Europeans?

Chinese people should be more interested in foreign cul-tures, that is to say, they should, for example, learn something about the Germans if they wish to work together with them or to study in Germany. This avoids unnecessary misunderstandings on both sides.

interview gooD hosts ask Questions

problem solving. While the German is heading straight towards a task that they will work through quickly, in China, the problem is considered to be as flexible as the people. Therefore, according to many Chinese, it is often worth waiting for the right moment for the solution. Conflicts are rarely openly held in China because the loser would lose face. An example: A Chinese com-pany decides not to proceed with contract negotiations with a Ger-man supplier. However, no one says this to the Germans. Only after inquiring several times are they informed that the Chinese are no longer interested. The reason: The customer had hoped that, by waiting out the problem, the Germans would forget, thus saving the German negotiators any embarrassment.

homework is always worthwhile

> An ancient and unfamiliar culture like China’s contains many new ideas, many amazing aspects and many contradictions for the German. Some aspects are daunting, while other aspects are exciting. But those who do their homework, are open to a foreign culture and can move about in it confidently will always be at an advantage. Professional and methodological compe-tence in a multicultural environment alone is sometimes not enough to lead a project to success. The German at a company event in China, who clinked glasses with each one of the hun-dred plus Chinese employees would have a headache the next morning – but would also have left a good impression. _

Photos: Kristina Frayne, Birgit Jaschke, Yang Liu, Published by Hermann Schmidt, Mainz

ComPaNy

tao Fang (33) comes from Wuhan, a city in the middle of China with 7 million inhabit-ants. He has lived in Germany for nine years and, after studying in Stuttgart, he now works in the development department at Walter in Tübingen.

17


trust pays oFF

What do German managers notice when they negotiate with Asians, for example with the Chinese?

The first thing a German notices is how boring the nego-tiations are. Depending on the size of the project, the negotia-tions can be drawn out over days, weeks or even months. There is haggling over every minute detail and the large amount of bureaucracy delays everything still further. Yet mutual trust in China is at least as important as the price, so it is worth invest-ing the time.

Are there certain signals when communicating that the Chinese simply do not notice or regularly misunderstand?

A tight schedule or a strict working structure is often per-ceived by Chinese customers as impatience on the part of the other person. It is not without reason that precise planning is “typically German”.

Is there an attitude among the Chinese that you find obstructive in your daily operations?

Something typically Chinese is the so-called guanxi rela-tionships. Every Chinese person has such a network of personal contacts and it is almost impossible for foreigners to find their way into a local network.

Is there an attitude among the Chinese that you would consider to be rude?

There is an exception to the more or less indirect com-munication style of the Chinese: They are very curious regard-ing the private life and financial situation of their counterparts. These are personal subjects in Germany, which are not discussed with everyone. In China, such information is important in order to get to know each other better and to build trust.

What could the Germans do to adapt a little better to the Chinese people?

Those who speak a little Chinese will be welcomed by the Chinese with open arms. A few sentences is usually already enough to improve the working climate. And we should be more flexible when finding solutions and not be deterred by lengthy negotiations. This takes time but pays off in the end.

opinion. Germans are very happy to give an opinion and they often speak directly and openly. To have your own point of view and also to defend it, shows strength of character. Talking to each other “plainly” and being loud if necessary is sometimes a natural part of this. Unlike China: The style of communication in China is like a winding path. The Chinese do not wish to scare you with their own views. It is considered impolite to speak your thoughts directly.

anger. If the German is upset with someone, he often has dif-ficulty hiding it. Body language in Germany mostly gives you clear information about their state of mind. A colleague from China also gets angry, but he hardly shows this in his outward manner. The motto here is: Save face, stay polite, do not bother anyone with your own mental state – just as Confucius taught.

ComPaNy

Daniel waller (32) comes from Tübingen. For the past four years, he has worked for Walter AG in Beijing and in North China. Today, he works as a tool management expert for Walter Multiply in Tübingen.


18

ComPaNy

theory anD practice, hanD in hanD

As a competence leader in machining, the regular exchange of scientific expertise is of great importance to Walter: For more than ten years now, there has been close collaboration with the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences of Zwickau. This gives students valuable insights into the practical application of their knowledge, and Walter uses the results to develop new products and technologies. One focus of the cooperation is the develop-ment and testing of tools for complete machining of turbine blades for the energy industry. “In addition to providing support in the form of tools, our students benefit from cooperation with one of the leading tool companies in the sector, thanks to close and

www.panda.org

In order to raise money for the white beauty, the team from Walter AG Singapore participated in a 6.2 kilometre charity run.

those who value the tiger, must protect it

Winnie’s bright blue eyes shine – because the albino tigress from the zoo in Singapore is happy about her new adoptive par-ents: Walter’s Singapore subsidiary. Walter has set aside some funds to keep the beautiful big cat content. This enables Singa-pore Zoo to cover the costs for the upkeep for Winnie and offers its annual 1.6 million visitors a kind of training in tigers. The aim is to raise awareness about the protection of wild tigers, which are threatened with extinction due to poaching and deforestation. In addition to the Singapore Zoo, Walter AG supports the World Wild Fund for Nature with sponsorship of a wild tiger.

tools at your Fingertips

With Walter Tools & More, Walter is the only manufac-turer on the market with a smartphone application that provides you with detailed cutting data calculations: for milling operations, there is data for end, face and slot milling, for drilling operations, data for both drilling and boring, and for turning operations, data for ISO-turning and grooving. The Savings Calculator also pro-vides you with a quick and easy comparison of two tool solutions. Users can order tools using the Walter Toolshop. The user also has mobile access to online resources, such as the YouTube channel Walter TV. The free application Walter Tools & More is available in 23 languages also including Swabian (a German dialect), Thai and Hungarian. The Walter Tools & More app can be downloaded here:

pimp my velorex

The covered, motorised Velorex three-wheeled car was pro-duced in the former Czechoslovakia until 1971 and only about 15,000 were made. For years, one of them remained unused in the shed of Thomas Faltejsek of Tübingen, who lacked the time to restore it. The CEO of Walter AG, Andreas Evertz, discovered this rarity and offered to make the Velorex roadworthy and able to be licensed again. 15 trainees at the Walter Academy took on the task and approached it in the same way as the TV show “Pimp My Ride”,

http://goo.gl/iXz0N

N

E

W

SPhotos: W

alter Singapore

www.fh-zwickau.de

fruitful cooperation with Walter’s experts”, says Professor Michael Schneeweiß, Science Director at the Institute for Manufacturing Engineering at the university.


19

ComPaNy

Before and after: this is the kind of thing the apprentices at the Walter academy are capable of.

changes to graphics maDe easy

Maintaining tool data can be very easy: With the TDM 2D-Graphics Editor software from TDM Systems, users of the Tool Data Management System (TDM) can make changes to 2D tool drawings directly in the TDM software. Regardless of the standards that were used to create the graphics, users can use this soft-ware to quickly adjust it with regard to zero point, alignment and drawing layers. Previously, users had to constantly switch to a CAD system, which is time-consuming. With this intuitively operated software, this step is no longer required.

www.tdmsystems.com

walter ag – now also on Facebook!

Customers and other interested parties can find out about the company and what it has to offer on the world’s largest social media platform.

a show that is popular among young people and is about a group of imaginative auto mechanics. In the meantime, the Velorex has become a real eye-catcher in only a few months.

www.facebook.com/waltertools

Photos: Walter AG

, Birgit Jaschke

tool innovations up close

Walter regularly presents new products and product innovations at international tool trade fairs:

15.11.–16.11. | energy Days | tübingen germany

The focus of the Energy Days at the headquarters of Walter in Tübingen is current trends, new technologies and developments in the sector

www.walter-multiply.com

20

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 FoCal toPIC

the tool manuFacturer has an eye on every possible step in a process chain with its new walter multiply service concept.Text: Birgit Jaschke

Focal topic walter multiply:

Photo: Corbis

ImPEtUS FOR MORE EFFICIENT PROCESSES

21


newton’s cradle simply and yet impressively demon-strates how energy is retained within a system. If you start the left-hand ball swinging, only the right-hand ball is knocked off after the collision, the two in the middle do not move. Walter applied Newton’s discovery to metal cutting: for quality and effi-ciency, each step of a process chain must be as efficient as possible – once a mistake has been made it is difficult to eradi-cate. Walter has “consolidated” its range of services, which were previously individual. The result is called Walter Multiply, and consists of four areas which are fully networked: Walter identi-fies all ways of saving time and money with its customers’ pro-cess chains. “If a customer is going to make a decision about a tool, the best overall package is becoming the most impor-tant issue. And this includes me telling him where the most effi-cient use can be made of our tools”, says Michael Schneider. Schneider is the head of the new Walter Multiply competence brand. Know-how from almost a hundred years of tool manu-facture at Walter has flowed into this – divided into four areas.

Good service is not just exclusive to Walter in the tool mar-ket, since other providers also accompany their products with ser-vices. What is special about Walter Multiply? Walter Multiply is the answer to all questions asked in connection with the machining of a component, starting with the pre-production phases such as the choice of tools or the matter of production planning. However, Walter service does not stop with the manufacture of a compo-nent by the customer, but also includes professional recycling of tools or the environmentally-friendly disposal thereof. The first three areas of planning, production & logistics and maintenance

are then completed by area number four, which is user training. The summary: Walter has long since been more than a tool supplier to its customers, but a process optimiser over the entire manufac-turing chain.

gooD planning is halF the battle

Important details have to be clarified before machining a workpiece: the machines and tools that are needed, as well as the procedures. The planning area at Walter Multiply therefore includes a toolroom setup. “We analyse the specific situation at the cus-tomer’s and set up a turnkey tool presetting room”, says Michael Schneider, “this takes the strain off our customer’s employees, and they receive equipment that is tailored exactly to the respec-tive requirement and the associated process.” The bottom line is that Walter support reduces the cost per component. Custom-ers who already work with a tool presetting room can have it reor-ganised by the Walter experts – on paper or in reality. This means that Walter offers made-to-measure concepts for tool presetting rooms or directly implements such a concept.

Walter Productivity Services are another planning area build-ing block: by means of a detailed analysis of the entire process chain, they reveal where time and money are being invested unnec-essarily. The goal is either an improved or entirely new process. In order not to make demands on the customer’s machine capacity, the specialists run in the process in one of the Walter Technology Centres, optimise it and produce the first components. When the >

cost per part is the supreme Discipline in tool management. here we are not measureD by our tool prices, but by the amount oF money saveD per component.

Michael Schneider, Services & Engineering Director, Walter AG

22


walter multiply at a glance

services For planning _ 1 Tool presetting room_ 2 Walter Productivity

Services_ 3 Technology Centre

services For proDuction & logistics _ 1 Walter Tool Data

Management Software_ 2 Tool Management _ 3 Recycling_ 4 Walter Toolshop

services For maintenance _ 1 Reconditioning_ 2 Customised

reconditioning of PCD tools

Illustration: Blixen

services For training_ 1 At the customer site_ 2 At Walter in Tübingen_ 3 For defined components

and operations

> process is operating smoothly, they “hand it over” to the cus-tomer. “The user does not have to perform complicated and expen-sive trials in order to find the ideal procedure”, explains Michael Schneider.

proDuction like clockwork

Keeping the manufacturing process running smoothly and keeping it that way is the goal of service area number two for pro-duction & logistics. Here, it is a case of providing a constant supply of the right tools. The tool and operating material data is managed with the Walter Tool Data Management Software, as is the issue

and procurement of tools. The program can also control incom-ing and outgoing goods, and even quality management. This allows customers to organise their entire warehouse. Walter can also record the existing tool resources on computer and carry out time-consuming data entry. In order to manage tools efficiently, the tool management module has a multitude of facilities. All of the tools are available round the clock due to the automatic issue facility. Customers also obtain important insider information – such as information concerning which departments have the greatest need for tools. Michael Schneider is certain that the customer benefits on several fronts: “He can concentrate fully on his core tasks, cuts down the number of suppliers and therefore also reduces his finan-cial risk. He benefits from our know-how and therefore increases his flexibility.” Within the scope of presetting services, Walter either supplies the preset tools or provides the service on site. The Multiply area for Production & Logistics also has a recycling service: Walter disposes of worn tools. In return, the customer

receives a credit note for new products or services equivalent to the market value of carbide cutting metal. Walter processes the secondary raw materials in a professional way and uses them for new tools.

a seconD liFe aFter the shiFt is over

The tools have done their job, and many of them can be re-used if they are well looked after – time for the wellness pro-gram, i.e. reconditioning and repair. Area number three looks after the maintenance of tools. In reconditioning centres worldwide, Walter specialists restore customers’ tools almost to their origi-

nal condition. The cost benefits of reconditioning do not have to be explained here: regrinding and re-coating three times reduces the costs per operation by about half. Walter collects the tools from the customer in its internally developed re-usable “RedBox” packaging and returns them just a few days later in original quality. Walter provides this service at regular intervals as part of mainte-nance agreements.

learning From the “acaDemics”

Anyone who wishes to be successful in the manufacturing industry must be at the cutting edge of technology at all times – otherwise manufacturers cannot keep up with the productivity trends in their respective industries. With Multiply area number four for training, customers can particularly benefit from Walter’s decades of experience in all matters concerning machining. They

23


From tool manuFacturer to optimiser oF machining processes three Questions For michael schneiDer

What is special about Walter Multiply?The view of the entire process chain: the concept takes

into consideration all the steps that are necessary in machining a component. The user receives a made-to-measure consultancy and service package that reduces the complexity of his processes – with the goal of increasing productivity and reducing costs. We take over responsibility beyond the tool, and we want to relieve the customer of some of the responsibility.

Is the “service suit” always made to measure, or is it also available “off the rack”?

The areas are standardised in order to ensure that they contain our bundled know-how and that the same quality standards apply all over the world. Of course, the processes are

michael schneiDerServices & Engineering Director Walter AG

are given professional instruction, either at their own site or in the Walter Academy in Tübingen, about how to come close to achieving maximum efficiency. The main focus of the content is on issues such as alternative machining processes, individual materials or customer-specific applications. As far as the latter is concerned, the “academics” at Walter have specialised in typical requirements from the aerospace, automotive, energy and railway industries.

clear promise oF perFormance insteaD oF a “cat in a bag”

“With Walter Multiply the customer receives a perfectly coordinated consultancy and service package”, says Michael Schneider in summarising the idea of the concept, “we provide him with optimum processes with which he can reduce his fixed costs and convert them into variable costs. Anyone who collaborates with

different at every customer’s, and require a made-to-measure procedure. The main focus of training can be on the type of machining, for example, or on individual materials.

What does Walter Multiply cost?The prices that we charge for recycling and recondition-

ing tools are fixed, and are determined by the product family, for example. For on-site training we charge a fixed daily rate for the trainer. In planning, production and logistics our price is deter-mined by the optimisation targets, i.e. in accordance with the cost saving per component, for example.

Walter can concentrate on his core competencies.” Walter Multiply is already being successfully provided in Germany and the USA, and the market launch in other European countries and China is pend-ing for 2011. _

Photo: Walter AG

a lot morE THAN JUST TOOLS

FoCal toPIC HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011

24

gooD collaboration From left to right: Uwe Eberle (Manager OEM Support, Walter AG), Michael Dirrigl (Tool Technology, Voith Turbo Garching), Josef Pfaffeneder (Machine Procurement, Voith Turbo Garching), Günter Vonay (Technical Consulting and Sales, Walter Deutschland GmbH).

the walter multiply service concept in practice: the consulting experts at walter DevelopeD the complete proDuction process For a transmission component For the Drive specialist voith turbo. Text: Birgit Hummler

at first sight, the part does not look very spectacular. But Josef Pfaffeneder and Michael Dirrigl are well aware of the difficulties involved with manufacturing the piston ring carrier. The thin-walled workpiece, which is made of GG 25 grey cast iron with different wall thicknesses and, as a result, different hardnesses in a vari-ety of areas, causes stresses during machining. This leads to dis-tortion. The specifications for position and surface tolerances of the finished piston ring carrier are nevertheless extremely tight: For example, a drilled hole with a diameter of 66 millimetres and a depth of 113 millimetres must have a roundness of a hundredth. Due to the way Voith Turbo builds them, high precision is crucial for piston ring carriers, because they control the individual gear speeds in automatic transmissions. Shifting mechanisms in these transmissions are triggered hydraulically via oil channels. If a hole were drilled inaccurately, oil would escape – and the transmission would no longer shift accurately.

For more than ten years, the blanks at Voith Turbo in Garching near Munich were machined on several machines, one after another – in four turning sequences and three mill-ing arrangements. At the beginning of 2010, the drive specialist switched to a new manufacturing strategy. The goal was the com-plete machining of the piston ring carrier on only one machine – including turning, milling and drilling. “We needed absolute process stability for this in order to reliably cover the daily requirements of about 90 parts”, said Joseph Pfaffeneder, who is responsible for new technologies and machine procurement at Voith Turbo. In the end, Pfaffeneder’s choice was a turning and milling machine from MAG Böhringer.

A new machining strategy also had to be developed for the new machine. Voith Turbo asked Walter if they could be of assis-tance. In reply, Günter Vonay, the customer consultant responsi-ble at Walter, not only suggested the choice of tools but also >

www.walter-multiply.com

25


25

_ 1 precise: Big challenge – the central hole

_ 2 beFore: Grey cast iron blanks for piston ring carriers

_ 3 aFter:Piston ring carriers for Voith bus transmissions

_ 2 _ 3

_ 1

Photos: Olaf Otto Becker

FoCal toPIC HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011

26

machine with all milling heaDs:

Turning and milling machine with three

turrets and 36 tool places

> proposed to undertake the entire manufacturing process – from the NC programming, to reaching an agreement with the machine manufacturer and the suppliers for the clamping equipment, through to running in the start of series production. Vonay had a colleague and experienced specialist join the team: Uwe Eberle, who is responsible for the OEM support at Walter in Tübingen and is therefore mainly responsible for initially equipping machines. Eberle got down to work and finally presented his ideas to Voith Turbo. After this, it was clear: Voith Turbo intends to take this route and initially buy a complete project as a service from a tool supplier.

with a lot oF know-how anD even more tinkering

Since the beginning of 2010, the piston ring carriers have been manufactured completely on one machine. Josef Pfaffeneder is satisfied and says: “The new system got underway fairly quickly. With the new process, we have reduced the machining time by about 30 per cent. Moreover, the parts are of a higher qual-ity because we only manufacture on the one machine and errors caused by reclamping are avoided.” This success was not a mat-ter of course, but the result of hard work. The piston ring carrier, as mentioned earlier, has its pitfalls: In particular, the stresses in the grey cast iron that occur once the outer skin is removed and may lead to distortion of the part. In the old manufactur-ing process, this caused fewer problems because the stresses could be released in the time between two work steps on differ-ent machines. During machining on the new machine, under no cir-cumstances should this distortion be allowed to affect the position tolerances and the roundness of the drilled hole in the middle of the workpiece. The exact planning of individual work steps is more important than in the old “multi-machine production”. Even the pre-cast oil channels already in the blank, which disrupt the inner surface of the opening to be drilled, made the high-precision drill-ing a challenge, since the drilling and boring tool has to deal with many interrupted cuts.

walter technology centre

An important element of the Walter Multiply competence brand is the planning of machining processes. At the Walter Technology Centre, both existing processes and new opti-mised processes are being drafted. Walter puts this facility in Tübingen at the disposal of their customers in order to test tools and processes on customer parts, away from the distrac-tions of everyday duties which series production brings in its wake.

our collaboration with walter was exemplary. the unDertaking was well worth it. Josef Pfaffeneder,

Machine Procurement, Voith Turbo Garching

27


27

It was Uwe Eberle who found the solution: “We created a special indexable insert especially for this application and tested it in our Technology Centre in Tübingen. The cutting tool material which we used is the tried and tested Walter WAK10 Tiger·tec® grade for cast iron machining. But, in this case, the insert has a cutting edge geometry with a specially designed edge rounding. In this way, it was possible to reduce the cutting pressures during the finishing operation on the drilled hole and prevent the boring bar from deflecting.”

The Technology Centre was able to help with another prob-lem: Voith Turbo were experiencing initial difficulties with a man-drel. Because the clamping was not stable enough, the workpiece was turning out of position during the drilling of the central hole. Together with the clamping device manufacturer, Uwe Eberle and his colleagues conducted several tests and worked meticulously to find a solution. He said: “The Technology Centre gives you the opportunity to design tools in direct contact with the Walter devel-opment and manufacturing department. There are not that many tool providers that can offer that.”

In addition to quality-critical criteria, Eberle and his team optimised the time required to manufacture the piston ring car-rier. Five clamping arrangements were originally planned between the two spindles of the machine. The newly developed machin-ing strategy for the MAG Böhringer in the end only required three. Moreover, all machining steps on the component are performed in parallel to the primary processing time using special tool solutions. By using the special tool from the Walter Cut parting off system that is required to do this at the same time, three different cuts are made within the same cycle time – in the specified tolerances and surface finish qualities.

Fine tuning the process and machine was ultimately an intensive three-week phase of the cooperation between the machine manufacturers, clamping device suppliers, Walter spe-cialist Uwe Eberle and the Voith employees Michael Dirr and Josef Pfaffeneder. Pfaffeneder’s summary: “This collaboration between all partners, was exemplary, particularly the collaboration between Voith Turbo and Walter. For us, it was worth it!” _

voith anD voith turbo

Voith Turbo is a specialist manufacturer for hydrodynamic drive, coupling and braking systems used in road and rail vehicles, in industry and for marine propulsion, and is a divi-sion of Voith GmbH Group in Heidenheim. Voith sets new standards in the energy, oil and gas, paper, raw materials and transport and automotive markets. Voith was founded in 1867 and, with almost 40,000 employees, sales of €5.2 billion and locations in around 50 countries across the world, is today one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe. At their manufacturing location at Garching near Munich, Voith Turbo has approximately 500 employees and manufactures drive components for road and rail vehicles.

machining process: Three grooves in the same cycle time

FoCal toPIC

the technology centre gives you the opportunity to Design tools in Direct contact with the walter Development anD manuFacturing Department. Uwe Eberle,

OEM Support Manager, Walter AG

SERVICES AS a StratEGy to GaIN tHE advaNtaGE

FoCal toPIC

a fishing rod looks simple in the Amazon area: a hook is sus-pended from a half-metre piece of string attached to a branch about the same length. However, regardless of how simple the tool is, inexperienced people rarely catch anything with it – even dur-ing the dry season, when the fish are concentrated in the low river bed. It’s not just a case of dropping the bait into the water some-where. The tips from the natives make the difference. They know

why proDucts without suitable services are not a long term solution. Text: Kristina Frayne

the right technique for making the fish bite: fishermen dip the bait into the water a few times, which sounds like an insect falling into the water. The piranhas grab the bait.

What does this story tell us? Even simple tools require an explanation. This is even more the case with complex products, which are also part of a sophisticated process. According to stud-ies carried out by corporate consultancy McKinsey, only someone who is well capable of doing this has the right stuff to become an expert. Companies like this are characterised by three qualities: the developers know the customers’ markets and all of the technolo-gies that are used down to the finest detail. Secondly, they do not just know the products, but also the processes. And thirdly they know how to make the best use of technologies. Take Siemens as an example: in order to be able to approach airport operators as a full service provider, the company bundled different technologies from various company units. In the Siemens Airport centre in Fürth, the “airport without a runway”, customers can experience and test their products interactively – from new check-in procedures to lighting concepts and luggage conveyor systems. If an airport has a special requirement, Siemens carries on developing its technolo-gies together with the customer with an eye on the entire process of passenger or cargo logistics.

ibm

IBM, nickname “Big Blue”, is one of the world’s biggest pro-viders in the information technology and B2B solutions area with turnover of 99.9 billion US dollar in 2010. The company currently has about 400,000 employees and operates in more than 170 countries.

www.ibm.com


28

Illustration: Blixen

29


interview three Questions For geralD münzl

The evolution from product suppliers to service providers started in the IT industry about 20 years ago. HIGH PERFORMANCE therefore asked Gerald Münzl, who works in marketing for tech-nology services at IBM Germany, how the computer manufac-turer managed the step to becoming a service company – and therefore safeguarded its existence.

IBM has relied more and more on services since the 1990s. Why?For IBM it was the painful discovery that more and more

customers were demanding complete solutions, and fewer were asking for individual IT products. In 1992 IBM had an extremely difficult year: losses of 8.1 billion dollars, and the share value dropped by half. A new CEO was appointed from outside the company to whip it into shape again. Louis V. Gerstner started the transformation of the previous IBM business model. The main strategic component was relocating the dominant hard-ware business into services.

In 2002 IBM took over the management consultancy division of Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Was technology no longer enough?

IBM set itself the target of becoming the world’s biggest IT service provider. It was a matter of consistency to also rein-force adjacent service areas. We now have an all-round service portfolio with the management and strategy consultants. It encompasses IT and management consultancy, project imple-mentation, IT infrastructure maintenance, outsourcing services and even financing solutions.

In your opinion, in which areas are services still lacking?In all areas companies are now thinking about upgrading

their product portfolio with services, and there are many pio-neers. The basic prerequisite is that the services that are offered supplement the products. And then the employees have to be given thorough training. Because a product vendor cannot sud-denly sell services overnight. This usually means that the sales department has to be radically restructured because the existing sales team cannot deal with the new tasks on its own. Sooner or later, all product manufacturers will have to meet this challenge.

ibm as a service proviDer

> IBM Global Services is one of the world’s biggest provid-ers of business and technology services, and has 190,000 employees. The consultancy division is divided into Global Business Services (GBS) and Global Technology Services (GTS).

> In 1993 services were responsible for 15 percent of the total global turnover, whereas in 2010 this was 57 percent.

Dealing with crises with services

Services are extremely suitable for customer bonding, as maintenance or insurance packages around a machine, a vehicle or software, for example. They stabilise areas of a business which are sensitive to changes in the economic situation, and also provide a prospective for growth and an assurance of survival in difficult times. Take Xerox as an example: until 1975 the manufacturer of printers and copiers experienced continuous growth. This is hardly surprising, because it covered almost 100 % of the market in the USA alone. Then the monopolies and mergers commission became involved. Xerox had to agree to license its patents to the com-petition. The company then became more reliant on services and experimented for a long time in order to find the right combination. Document management is now an important product, and custom-ers can outsource entire business processes such as accounting to Xerox.

Independently of a certain industry, overall packages con-sisting of products and services are now commonplace. Custom-ers often perceive these products as superior. They appreciate the added value that an all-round solution from a single source pro-vides, also because they can give up some of the responsibility in the process. The feeling of knowing that your are in good hands with a supplier is even stronger if they are more than a supplier: in other words, they are a service provider. _

Photo: Münzl

29

geralD münzlGlobal Technology Services (GTS), Marketing IBM Germany Management & Business Support GmbH

HIGH PERFORMANCE 01|2011 tECHNoloGy

30

_ 1 large-scale machining at msb: Machine table at the company for a pallet changing system.

_ 2 the new tiger·tec® silver inDexable insert in use: Productivity increased by 100 per cent

_ 1

Photos: Sabrina Stephan

the workpiece is five metres in length: a machine table for a palette changing system. As many as a few dozen kilograms of chips can collect together on the large portal milling machine. In a good mood, machine operator Michael Zimmer sweeps them aside. Zimmer is also in a good mood because the chips are produced so abundantly, or in other words: since he started using the new indexable insert from Walter. “We noticed an enormous difference immediately”, declares Michael Zimmer. “The service life of the tools has almost trebled.”

Zimmer’s employer is the metal machining specialist MSB in Bischofsheim an der Rhön, a good one and a half hours north-east of Frankfurt am Main. The company, which was established 111 years ago, has 110 employees, and palette changing systems like the one that Michael Zimmer is machining have been in the product range for 20 years. MSB has been a customer of Walter for a good many years and, during that time, has purchased mills, drills and taps such as the solid carbide shank mill with diameters ranging from 2 to 25 millimetres, all from a single source. Then,

_ 3 successFul collaboration Walter Field Service employee Stefan Ortlepp (left) and MSB machine operative Michael Zimmer work closely together.

_ 2

_ 3

QUaNtUm lEaP WItH tIGEr·tEC® SIlvEr

the new walter inDexable inserts last For twice as long as the previous generation.Text: Birgit Hummler

31


of course, there are the indexable inserts, with diameters ranging from 16 to 200 millimetres. Norbert Gensler, who manages the pro-duction and contract manufacture areas at MSB, says: “We con-sider the relationship to the tool supplier to be a partnership. The more the tool manufacturer supports us, the better we can posi-tion ourselves in the market. A partner such as Walter is therefore very important for us.”

Just one letter makes all the difference on the portal mill-ing machine used by Michael Zimmer: the letter S. The WKP35 indexable insert that was previously used was superseded by the WKP35S. Of course, there is a lot more to it than this: “S”, like sil-ver, stands for a new generation of CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposi-tion) coated carbide indexable inserts from the Tiger·tec® product range which Walter has been offering since as early as 2001. The Tiger·tec® Silver technology is based on a unique combination of coatings with the addition of a novel surface treatment. The result is an insert surface with significantly reduced stresses in the coat-ing. The brittleness which inevitably results during the CVD coat-ing process is more than counterbalanced by the newly developed procedure: The toughness of the cutting tool material has again increased considerably, with the performance improving by up to 100 per cent. An external indicator of the new generation of tools is the silver-coloured flank faces on the cutting surface, which still remains black. This allows MSB machine operator Zimmer to detect cutting tool material wear at a glance.

large parts, small series

At MSB, the professional advice provided by the Walter customer service department is greatly appreciated. “Even if we announce a requirement at very short notice, the tools are soon with us at our works”, says Norbert Gensler, Production and Sub-contracting Manager at MSB. Stefan Ortlepp, the Walter field ser-vice employee who is responsible for MSB, likes to explain why this is the case: “the sooner we succeed in integrating the latest Wal-ter technologies in the manufacturing process, the more effective our collaboration will be. After all, what really matters is constantly improving production systems, thereby ultimately ensuring the future of the manufacturing facility in Bischofsheim.”

tECHNoloGy

MSB is a supplier to all renowned milling machine manufacturers, includ-ing at international level. Since 1994, IBS Industriemaschinen-Bergbau-Ser-vice GmbH has also been part of the company, specialising in excava-tion and road heading machinery for tunnelling and mining, plus the associated materials han-dling equipment. Synergies between the two companies develop not least because of the collective use of the machinery potential. In addition, a main pillar of MSB’s activity is the subcontracting of parts with milling lengths of up to 14 metres. At MSB, it is mainly individual pieces or small batch runs which are clamped up for machining, often involving 50 to 100 hours of machining time on each piece. The chips that are produced in the process can sometimes even be weighed in tons. The key to rising productivity for this medium-sized company from the Rhön region lies therefore in the tools which they use. Stefan Ortlepp from Walter explains: “If we increase the tool life of the insert by at least twice as much, the downtimes for changing the inserts will naturally be reduced. That has a noticeable impact in the case of workpieces that are often on the machine for days”. A test at Walter revealed that when the tool life per cutting edge is extended, for example, from 18 metres to a reliable 36 metres, machining speed is increased by 20 per cent. The free machine capacity thereby released accumulates considerably over the year, especially at a large-scale machining company such as MSB. Wolf-gang Faust, Technical Manager of MSB and IBS, is therefore very pleased: “We used the previous version of the Walter tool because it was one of the best products on the market. But Tiger·tec® Silver technology represents a further quantum leap.” Faust now considers that the machines rather than the tools are the “eye of the needle” which needs to be passed through in order to achieve higher performance, saying “Even efficient machines sometimes cannot now produce the necessary rotational speeds and, on occasion, even the feed rates required to make the most effective use of the Tiger·tec® Silver indexable inserts. The ball is therefore now in the court of the machine manufacturers.” _

sales value proDuctivity report

present Figures (wkp35) tiger·tec® silver (wkp35s)

Tool Walter mill F2010 Octagon insert

Walter mill F2010 Octagon insert

Materials S355J2G3 S355J2G3Diameter mm 125 125Indexable inserts ODHT0605ZZN

WKP35ODHT0605ZZN WKP35S (Silver)

Cutting speeds m/min 236 283 / + 20 %Speed rpm 600 700Depth of cut from mm 4 4the feed rate mm/min 1584 2000Tool life per cutting edge m 18 36 / + 100 %

32


StablE CONNECTIONS

the coneFit™ interchangeable heaD system ensures stability anD process reliability.

Text: Erich Schwab

_ 2 _ 3 _ 4

_ 1 installation complete: Stainless steel system for coating flat screen monitors

_ 2 eFFicient: ConeFit™ spherical cutter

_ 3 in action:Valve rail on the machine when milling a round groove

_ 4 stable: Valve rail with the finished round groove

Photos: Heinrich Betz OHG, Richard Läpple

_ 1

33


soliD carbiDe end mills come at a price. Which means that many metal-machining businesses that specialise in one-off or short production runs prefer to work with the cheaper high-speed steel (HSS) tools. For metal-cutting manufacturers that don’t want to do without the advantages of solid carbide, Walter can offer a smart alternative in the shape of the ConeFit™ modu-lar interchangeable head system. The system has already been put to the test at the specialist plant maker Heinrich Betz of Lissberg near Ortenberg in the German state of Hessen, where they are now totally convinced of its benefits.

Heinrich Betz, a long-established, medium-sized company with 120 employees, manufactures components for high-tech machines that make solar cells and flat-screen monitors – mainly in the Far East. Those components are made up of multiple, her-metically sealable chambers measuring up to 2.8 metres square in which glass or other substrate materials are coated inside a vacuum or a specific gas atmosphere. The sensitive screen com-ponents are conveyed along the process chain automatically, using a lock system. The locks and all their valve systems are also made by Heinrich Betz. The mid-German enterprise is well versed in all the necessary production technologies. “This also includes, along with milling and turning, deep-hole drilling to depths of up to four metres and machining very large workpieces as much as 14 metres long, for example,” explains Gert Minnert, Head of Process Engi-neering. The skills offered by Heinrich Betz also include modern welding methods such as inert gas and electron beam welding. Its wide range of manufacturing capabilities allows the company to attract a diverse customer base, for example from the packaging industry.

Faster, Further, cheaper

A feature of high-tech mechanical engineering is that it often involves machining highly refined materials. That results in an enormous diversity of materials that medium-sized suppliers are required to machine. Alongside standard and stainless steels, workpieces may also be made of titanium, copper or aluminium. Heinrich Betz uses stainless steel for its vacuum chambers and in the past machined them with a shank ballnose cutter made of HSS-E. Spherical cutters were used because square-section grooves would have weakened the components too much. As far as Gert Minnert was concerned, solid carbide was out of the question in the past because of the heavy pressure on prices in the busi-ness. However, Walter’s new solid carbide interchangeable head system with ConeFitTM interface looked promising and, in the end, he and his colleague Michael Strupp tried it out. The system allows different solid carbide milling heads to be screwed onto economi-cal steel shanks of various lengths. When the solid carbide mill-ing head is worn, only that part has to be changed rather than the entire implement, as is the case with conventional solid car-bide tools. A special tapered thread combined with a support face ensures maximum stability. After some initial tests, the two pro-duction specialists programmed the tool, a 16-millimetre spherical cutter, according to Walter’s recommendations. “The tool func-tioned excellently,” Gert Minnert recounts.

The fact that it worked was a foregone conclusion as far as Wolfgang Taube, technical consultant at Walter, was concerned. As he sees it, the chief arguments for changing over from HSS

system supplier For special-purpose machine construction

Heinrich Betz OHG based in the Lissberg district of Ortenberg in the German state of Hessen supplies individual parts, assemblies and complete special-purpose machines. The his-tory of this medium-sized, family-run business reaches back as far as 1901. In the beginning, they made tools for the clock industry. Today, the company manufactures components for production plant for making solar modules and flat-screen monitors.

to ConeFit™ are the greater cost-efficiency, the substantially greater cutting depths and feed rates, and the consequent shorter machining times. In detail: the milling of grooves on valve rails at Heinrich Betz previously involved five operations but with ConeFitTM now requires only two. The cutting speed has been almost tripled from 50 m/min to 134 m/min, the feed rate has risen from 150 mm/min to 975 mm/min, and the machining time per component cut down from ten minutes to 36 seconds. Instead of 30 machine-hours using HSS tools, the people at Heinrich Betz now reckon only 1.8 hours. And with ConeFitTM, solid carbide changeable heads are no longer more expensive than HSS tools. On the contrary: with tool lives almost twice as long, the ConeFitTM mills are actually more cost-efficient.

As well as ConeFitTM spherical cutters, the Walter catalogue contains many other types with the new interface. Gert Minnert now also uses new interchangeable-head cutters like these for machining titanium components. With such versatility, perfor-mance improvements and cost benefits, Minnert has no doubt: “The arguments are convincing. For us it is just a question of time before we start using more ConeFitTM tools.” As the system has been so well-received by clients, Walter has extended the clamping options with ConeFitTM. The new monoblock toolholder offers users a spindle clamping system with as few interfaces as possible. The toolholders with the ConeFitTM thread fit directly into the machine spindle so there is no need for the usual junction between modular tool shank and collet chuck. The entire system comprising tool and clamping arrangement is thus substantially more stable. It ena-bles extremely high cutting data and ensures that the performance capacity of the tools can be fully utilised. _

Gert Minnert (left), Head of Process Engineering at Heinrich Betz, is convinced by the ConeFitTM system. On the right is Wolfgang Taube, technical consultant at tool manufacturer Walter.

34


GrEatEr dEPtH IS IN DEMAND

tECHNoloGy

Deep holes in one operation – when it comes to this, the XD drills from the Walter Titex brand are unbeatable. In one opera-tion, without pausing for pecking, the solid carbide drills eat their way extremely deeply into the metal. The gas turbine engineers from Siemens have also recognised this benefit, and use the Walter Titex Alpha® 4 XD deep-hole drills. The Siemens factory in

the Moabit quarter of Berlin is part of what is known as the energy sector of the company and is the largest gas turbine production plant in Germany.

The manufacture of the individual components is extremely complex. That applies in particular to the rotor disc, one of the most important components. Temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Celsius are generated within the turbo-machines. The rotor discs are therefore manufactured from a high temperature material and have an ingenious cooling system. The system includes drilled holes through which cooling air can flow into the rotor discs. Depending on the size of the disc, these drilled holes can be up to 255 millimetres in depth. Drilling deep holes is already an art in itself, and is made a good deal more demanding by the particular tensile strength of the material when highly-heat resistant steels are used. The rotor discs can measure up to two metres in diam-eter, and so it is never possible to completely rule out the pres-ence of hard spots within the material. Manufacturers therefore require reserves in performance, as it is a risky undertaking to make demands of drills which take them to the limit of their capa-bility. Another consideration is that turbine rotor discs cannot be acquired at bargain prices - just one can cost up to 200,000 euros. In addition to the quality of the drilled holes with cleanly cut sur-faces, manufacturers therefore rightfully demand the highest of process reliability from the tools.

no reason any more For withDrawal

A few years ago, Siemens turbine engineers mainly used to use HSS (high speed steel) drills for deep drilled holes. For just one hole, they required up to three drills in graduated lengths. To remove the chips, the machine operators had to withdraw the drill spindle already after drilling only a few millimetres. They could not fully bore out the drill hole using a special tool until after the pre-drilling was completed. The surfaces were then smoothed off with a reaming tool. The work sequence which involved many differ-ent tools was both time-consuming and susceptible to failures. The production specialists at Siemens started to look around for alternatives on the tool market. Michael Silber, Team leader for tool technology in the Berlin gas turbine production plant at Sie-mens says: “We approached several tool manufacturers and asked whether they could supply solid carbide drills for our cooling air bores. Only Walter declared that they were prepared to manufac-ture such drills for us”. Siemens is still reaping the benefits of this to this day: Production time was cut, processes became more reli-able and productivity increased.

What makes the Walter XD drill so special? “Deep holes can be created in one operation without pecking”, explains Michael Hartsch, technical consultant at Walter. “Thanks to the polished flutes, the chips are reliably cleared out of the hole.” Fewer tools

Benchmark for deep-hole drilling: The Alpha® 4 XD solid carbide drill from Walter Titex

the alpha® 4 xD Drills From walter titex Drill “extremely Deep”, without pausing For breath.Text: Erich Schwab

35


in Depth The deep hole boring specialists at Siemens Energy in Berlin have put their trust in Walter Titex XD technology for a year now. From left to right: Thomas Werner, rotor production and housing mechanics technology; Christian Scheffel, ; Michael Silber, tool technology team leader; Thomas Reich, tool tech-nology; Michael Hartsch, technical consultant at Walter.

_ 1

are needed because the collection of HSS drills which was often usually held is no longer required, and boring and reaming are now also superfluous. Because of the internal cooling of the XD drill with two spiral coolant channels, the number of chip removal cycles is reduced. A head piece with optimised geometry and coat-ing, a special flute geometry and four leading chamfers complete the outstanding properties.

70xD is a worlD recorD

Walter has proven its expertise in deep-hole drilling many times over, though now the Tübingen tool manufacturers have once again gone a significant step further: the 70XD is on the market, for drilled holes with a depth 70 times greater than the diameter. That is a world record! The trend towards increasingly greater depths was previously set in small steps, as far as 30 or even 45 x D. But with 70 x D, it’s no exaggeration to talk of a tech-nological leap. Three design details are essentially responsible for this enormous increase in depth: Firstly, Walter uses a new pro-duction method for the solid carbide blanks which is essential in making such long twist drills at all possible. Secondly, Walter uses a novel grinding process. And thirdly, internal channels provide the cooling, as is already the case with all XD drills. Despite the great drilling depth, special coolant equipment, such as an external high-pressure system, is not necessary. A standard coolant unit with a pressure of 20 to 40 bar, such as those used in any machining centre, is sufficient. The Alpha®4 XD70 is at present available as a special tool, in diameters ranging from 5 to 12 mm. Two tip coat-ings are available depending on the material: TFP for steels, XPL for cast iron. “On the one hand, the Alpha® 4 X D70 is based on the technology of its shorter companions, while on the other, it is a completely new tool due to our technological refinements”, says Helmut Gschrey, Product Manager at Walter. And he is quite sure about one thing: anyone who needs extremely deep holes requires XD technology. _

_ 1 impressive: Gas turbine in the Moabit Siemens factory in Berlin

_ 2 stays cool: Deep cooling air bores are drilled into the gas turbine rotor discs with Alpha® 4 XD solid carbide deep-hole drills from Walter Titex.

_ 2

Photos: Walter AG

, Siemens AG

, Richard Läpple

36


THE INvINCIblE oNES

a diamond is the cubic modification of the element carbon. Chem-ical formula: C. Outstanding property: unconquerable hardness. This diamond is 140 times harder than the second-hardest mineral in the world, corundum. Diamond – comes from Adamas, which is Greek for “unconquerable”. Due to this unique quality, diamonds are also very popular with cutting tool specialists.

Walter has been making tools with polycrystalline diamond cutters (PCD tools) for a long time. In light metal machining, PCD has been the ultimate benchmark for years, especially in the auto-motive industry. For the machining of cylinder heads or gearbox housings made of non-ferrous metals, a high proportion of PCD tools is state of the art. Cutters made from diamond allow or, to put it more precisely, demand significantly higher cutting speeds than carbide tools. In comparison with carbide, the tool life of dia-mond tools is many times longer. Despite being costly to manu-facture, PCD tools are therefore worth it: they need to be changed less frequently, and the costs of downtimes are reduced. An addi-tional extra is almost burr-free machining – no other cutting tool material achieves this so readily.

Metalworking companies that use PCD tools intelligently and sys-tematically can, in certain cases, reduce the cycle time to such an extent that the purchase of a new machine is no longer required. Ultimately, consumers benefit from the high-end tools because, without PCD in industrial production, the productivity gains of

recent decades would not have been possible and a car, for exam-ple, would be a lot more expensive. Today, diamond tools are used in many sectors including medical technology, the aerospace industry, shipbuilding and even by sporting goods manufacturers.

DiD you know?

Diamond is the hardest known mineral and corresponds to hardness 10 on the hardness scale according to the German-Austrian mineralogist Carl Friedrich Christian Mohs (1773–1839).

scale of hardness

mineral machining

1 Talc Can be abraded with the fingernail

2 Gypsum Can be scratched with the fingernail

3 Calcite (calcspar) Can be scratched with a copper coin

4 Fluorite (fluorspar) Can be easily scratched with a knife

5 Apatite Can be easily scratched with a knife; tooth enamel has the same degree of hardness

6 Orthoclase Can be scratched with a steel file

7 Quartz Scratches window glass

8 Topaz Can be scratched with corundum

9 Corundum (e.g. sapphire and ruby)

Can be scratched with a diamond

10 Diamond Can only be scratched by itself

inDustrially proDuceD polycrystalline DiamonDs have little to oFFer visually, but shine in terms oF cutting Data. Text: Erich Schwab

37


THE INvINCIblE oNES

The rapid proliferation of carbon-fibre and glass-fibre reinforced plastics has played a major role, and these are used to make heavy-duty downhill skis and fuselage sections of aircraft and ships. For example, the latest generation of passenger jets already consists of 50 % modern composite materials. These new materials are lighter and more stable than those previously used.

walter senDs the DiamonD express

Industry-wide, nine out of ten PCD-tipped tools are special tools. That sounds like long delivery times for clients and custom-ers. But not for those who opt for the “PCD Express” from Walter. Walter uses prefabricated basic bodies and tool adaptors, which are always available as a semi-standard. This is why Walter can usually deliver within four to six weeks. “That is extremely fast for special tools,” says Ünal Bostancioglu, Walter’s Product Man-ager for PCD tools. “Our customers are used to delivery times that are twice as long when purchased from elsewhere.” In addition,

Walter also offers its customers inten-sive advice and process support so that PCD tools are optimally integrated into machining processes at the customer site. “The best tool is useless if it is not used properly,” says Ünal Bostancioglu. PCD is more consulting-intensive than carbide, because the cutting param-eters often involve extreme values and the tool must be adjusted perfectly to

the task. Those who want to use the strengths of industrial dia-monds correctly must define the machine and clamping arrange-ment accordingly. For example, an increase in the hardness also means a reduction in toughness – vibrations are therefore the natural enemy of PCD drill points. If these kinds of vibrations occur, the cutting edges can break.

PCD providers need to have extensive experience in this cut-ting tool material. For example, is a tool with fixed, brazed-in cut-ting edges required or will an insert solution suffice? An indexable insert solution is usually less expensive, as it can be used in stand-ard tool bodies. However, the brazed variant is recommended in

_ top Special PCD mill and special stepped tool with PCD drill points

_ right: The Reconditioning Service from Walter Multiply for PCD tools is worth it: regrinding tools three times reduces the tool costs by about half.

_ tool costs 100 %

75 %

50 % 100 % 65 % 55 % 50 %25 %

0 % New 1 x 2 x- 3 x tool Regrind Regrind Regrind

the cutting tool material pcD reQuires particularly intensive consultation anD process support.

Ünal Bostancioglu, product manager for PCD tools at Walter:

Photos: Walter AG


38

tECHNoloGy

interview pcD tools a Focus oF attention at walter

Walter has always been known as a carbide specialist. Why are you increasing your involvement with PCD?

We see ourselves as a full supplier of metal machin-ing solutions. Our aim is to offer a solution for all machin-ing requirements. With this in mind, the development of PCD expertise has been one of our main topics of interest for several years. Naturally, in today’s world we have to think about more than simply metal machining - composite materials are increas-ingly common in various sectors. These materials are extremely suitable for machining with PCD. We have therefore signifi-cantly increased our base of PCD specialists. For example, we have teams who are exclusively dedicated to the machining of components typically needed in specific sectors. An important milestone was the expansion of our Niefern-Öschelbronn site in Pforzheim. This is the location of our Competence centre for PCD tools.

Where are the most important growth markets for Walter as far as PCD is concerned?

Around 80 % of PCD users are from the automotive sector. Much pioneering work was carried out in this industry and it is likely to remain the most important user pool even in the long term. However, productivity potentials are largely exhausted in this sector, at least in Western Europe, North America, and Japan.

_ Left: Gearbox housing and cylinder heads made from aluminium alloys are typical components that are machined with PCD tools.

Photo: Walter AG

cases where maximum precision is required. “When the tool is fin-ished,” explains Bostancioglu, “experienced applications engineers begin with the piloting process. This means they determine the optimum parameters. In the case of stepped tools, this is demand-ing work.

In addition to consulting their customers during production, the reconditioning of tools is also offered by the After Sales Ser-vice from Walter Multiply. Because the reconditioning of PCD tools is worth it: regrinding tools three times reduces the tool costs by about half. The PCD Reconditioning Service from Walter Multiply

does more than just regrinding. Brazed cutting edges are replaced where necessary or completely renewed. In addition, the subject of regrinding is an important criterion for or against using PCD. Ünal Bostancioglu says: “If the supplier cannot offer this service, the bottom line is that the tools are too expensive. Our Regrinding Cen-tres are therefore well-trained in handling PCD tools; they have the relevant specialist expertise as well as the required type of machin-ery.” The Walter Product Manager is certain: If the service is good, then diamond tools are worth a similar amount to a piece of jewel-lery, yet much more practical. _

In emerging countries such as China, India or Brazil, the use of PCD in the automotive industry will increase in any case.

Other sectors are on the rise, above all this will include industries which, in addition to aluminium, process a lot of composite materials. Examples are the aerospace and medical industries.

Most PCD tools are special tools. Are there also developments in the field of standard tools?

There is a trend towards component-specific solutions. Trends of this kind are generally very selective or industry-dependent. Our latest examples are the new PCD rivet coun-tersinks and twist drills, which we launched for the aircraft industries. These tools are used especially for producing rivet bores in fuselage parts made from composite materials. In this case, instead of dealing with the high component quantities which are normally found in PCD applications, we need tools which can handle countless bores. In this case, the cutting tool material PCD has the advantage of enabling extremely high tool lives along with excellent hole quality.

ünal bostanciogluProduct manager for PCD tools, Walter AG

puBliSherWalter AG Derendinger Str. 53D-72072 TübingenTel. +49 7071 701 0Fax +49 7071 701 [email protected]

reSponSiBle for conTenTAndreas Evertz, Chairman of Walter AG

projecT managemenTUte Gutmann, Head of Marketing Communication, Walter AG

chief eDiTorStefan Richter, Storymaker GmbH

eDiTingStorymaker GmbHDerendinger Straße 50D-72072 TübingenTel. +49 7071 938 72 0Fax +49 7071 938 72 [email protected] www.storymaker.de

layouTwww.blixen.eu

prinTingWerbedruck GmbH Horst Schreckhase

phoTo creDiTSAmedeo Barletta Olaf Otto Becker Heinrich Betz OHG Corbis Fotolia Kristina Frayne gettyimages Peder IbherBirgit Jaschke Richard Läpple Gerald Münzl Herbert NaujoksSiemens AG Sabrina Stephan Verlag Hermann Schmidt Walter AG Yang Liu

liST of referenceSAll the named products are registered or unregistered trademarks of the respective companies. Copying only with express written approval from the publisher. Printed in Germany 608 6053 (09/2011) EN

_ imprint

Walter WorldWidehigh PERFORMANCE 01|2011

39

Mauricio Fonseca Marketing Manager, Walter Brazil, São Paulo23.07.2011 16:46 RE: Your questions regarding business in Brazil

Dear colleague, Thank you for your questions. Please find the answers below.

What marks out the machining industry in Brazil? Brazil is growing rapidly. Walter serves all possible sectors

which in turn manufacture very different products made from a very wide range of materials. Brazilian metalworkers have machinery ranging from antique to high-tech. As a tool provider, we have to adapt to this. “Customer-specific adaptation” is not simply a motto for us, but a necessity. Through Walter Multiply, we also offer our biggest customers Tool Management Services for complex processes.

Another special feature of our market is certainly logistics: a demanding topic, since our country is so enormous – Brazil covers almost 50 percent of South America. These are challenges that we deal with on a daily basis. Nevertheless, regardless of how complex production and logistics are, we ensure that our customers are provided with suitable solutions.

What are the most urgent challenges facing your customers in Brazil?

The industrial sector, with 40 percent of the gross domestic product, is very important to the Brazilian economy. Machines and steel contribute much to exports. To be competi-tive at global level, our customers need high-quality tools and very good process consulting. For many of them, the decision to buy is based on our high levels of service.

Can you give tips on how to deal with Brazilian business partners?

In general, Brazilians are very open and friendly. At com-pany level, they are very loyal to their employers and want to deliver their best possible work for the company. They are proud of what their company has achieved, and therefore expect a lot from their suppliers. One should therefore not expect to just lie on the beach drinking cachaça, while on a business trip to Brazil. :-)

What makes Walter do Brasil special?Out team is our strength. Walter was not well known in

Brazil in the beginning, therefore the experience and expertise of our employees was the most important door opener. In the meantime, we have become the most important actors on the Brazilian tool market. This is also because we have invested a lot in young talent. The mix of young and old has led to a special Walter culture, which we need to be able to continue our success in this rapidly growing market.

Best regards from Sorocaba, São Paulo,Mauricio Fonseca

Photos: Fotolia, gettyimages

Mail from ... ... Brazil

Multan – the cutting fl uids that do not “split”.

With its Multan brand, Henkel has succeeded in bringing a patented bactericide-free cutting fl uid to market. Thanks to its unique formulation, Multan does not require the addition of any bactericides.

That makes Multan extremely economical for the use in machining processes, ensures enhanced work safety, and makes a signifi cant contribution to preserving the environment.

Don’t give bacteria a chance!

Order a free fi lling* now and experience the benefi ts of Multan at fi rst hand in your own specifi c application.Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, General Industry/Surface Treatment | Phone + 49.211.797.9505 | [email protected] | www.HenkelMultan.com | * We gladly fi ll one of your machines with up to 2,000 liters fi lling volume on site free of charge.

The benefi ts of Multan:

High stability against microorganisms

No additional preservation necessary

Very good corrosion protection

High level of cleanliness of machined parts, etc.

Finely dispersed emulsion with a low drag-out rate

No formaldehyde releasing agents

Odorless

Bacteria have to stay outside!

Mul_216x280_eng.indd 1 13.05.11 11:09

high The compeTence magazine for meTal cuTTing from WalTer

focal Topic WalTer mulTiply:

impetus for more efficient

processes

high PERFORMANCE 01|2011

PERFORMANCE

high performance 01|2011 performance · behind the global economy. according to experts, it is only...

Documents