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Precision

Innovation

Tradition

Complexity

International

Quality

Founded 1904 – family owned in the 4th generationHeadquarter Ispringen / GermanyProduction Germany and ChinaEmployees 500 world-wideCore Competence Specialist in manufacturing of high-precision metal parts & subassembliesMain materials nickel silver, stainless steel, bronze, titanium

Know-how� Development of metal parts� Mould construction� Metal Injection Moulding (MIM)� Machining technology� Joining technology� Assembly technology� Surface technology � Layering technology with in-house galvanic

Main products� Spectacle hinges / safety screws� Components for automotive, aerospace, consumer, precision engineering

Patents >150 world-wide

Subsidiaries OBE Italia, Calalzo di Cadore (BL)OBE Hong KongOBE Trading, Shenzhen , ChinaGLOBE Precision, Shenzhen, China

Representations Japan, USA, France, South Korea, Brazil, Poland

Certifications DIN EN ISO 9001:2015IATF 16949

Environmental- DIN EN ISO 14001:2015management validated according EG No 1221/2009 (EMAS)

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OBE facts

� Specialist in developing and manufacturing complex metal components by metal injection moulding

� Tool production in-house

� Extensive post production processes

� Complete process traceability

� Customer portfolio from numerous industries

� Global key supplier for the eyewear industry

� Expert for the articulation technology

� Development of spring hinges and safety screws

� > 50 mio. spectacles equipped with OBE components per year

� Numerous global patents

OBE is divided in two business units. The optic division supplies all parts related to the articulation and comfort ofspectacles. In the second business division mimplus OBE provides highly sophisticated metal components fordifferent sectors using MIM technology.

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Business divisions

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OBE is a traditional company which dates back to the turn of the century. Since 1945, OBE has been specialisedon the production of top quality hinges for spectacle frames. The acquired know-how has made OBE a highlycompetitive company. OBE products have earned an excellent reputation throughout the world. OBE is using onlylead-free nickel silver, stainless steel, bronze and titanium from known suppliers for the production. Thanks tomany years of experience and an integrated quality system a constant precision can be guaranteed. By the use ofautomated manufacturing OBE provides a high standard of production; from maching, joining to assembling allprocesses take place in house. OBE offers finally also a wide-ranging of surface and coating technology.

World-wide presence

At OBE the efficient and close customer contact, including consulting, problem solving, technical support andservice is an integral part of our philosophy. With four subsidiaries in Italy, Hong Kong and China as well as severalrepresentatives we have a competent sales team with a global presence. Since 2016 OBE is solely conducting thecompany GLOBE thus enlarging its portfolio. Due to a high readiness for delivery, modern logistics and storage onsite we can guarantee the arrival of the products at the customers in a very short time.

Environmental orientation

An essential ingredient in the OBE corporate philosophy is the implementation of environmentally compatibleprocesses which save natural resources. We strive to reduce waste and chemicals to a minimum and accordinglyto use or dispose them properly. For better use of existing energy potentials the generated hot waster during theproduction is used for hot water an heating. By the use of a circulation the water consumption is kept to a minimum.Since 1996 OBE drives a professional environmental management and is certified to DIN EN ISO 14001 andvalidated by the EG regulation 1221/2009 EMAS.

Problem solving in division OPTIC

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Specific product development

Thanks to ongoing investments in product development and the use of state-of-the-art production methods, OBE isnow in a position to offer innovative solutions of maximum precision. Our customers benefit from the advantage ofthe high-tech location Germany: highly qualified staff and sophisticated technology. This leads to a permanentdevelopment of new product ideas and intelligent detail solutions. We are using state-of-art CAD system, with thehelp of sophisticated computer simulations and comprehensive test series. The aim is to achieve maximumprecision thanks to perfect design, engineering and production technology. The results are more than 150 patentsthat OBE has filed in the relevant markets worldwide.

Products with added value

The launched products of OBE are not only characterised by high precision and quality, but often with added value.In the area of spring hinges OBE was able to eliminate the rocking of spring hinges especially in large temples bythe invention of the five barrel “flexUno” concept. OBE also offers “injection moulded plastic” hinges which create apermanent and controlled movement of temples. The built-in braking effect on those hinges leads to a perfecttemple movement and prevents the undesired sudden drop on the front glasses. Safety screws, finally provide tothe frame wearer a real insurance as they prevent an uncontrolled loosening of expensive lenses.

Standard products of OBE fit to the most common frames, as they are available in all necessary dimensions.Additionally OBE offers exclusive customer solutions if the standard solutions do not meet the customers needs.

Problem solving in division OPTIC

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Highly complex forms in nature have often served as a basis for the design of new components and systems; theircomplete realisation can however often be compromised by the limitations of conventional production processes.OBE therefore offers a highly innovative powder metallurgy forming process in the form of metal injection moulding(MIM) for the near net-shape manufacture of metal components in a wide variety of forms which e.g. would not bepossible with machined production.

The MIM process combines the advantages of the large degree of design freedom that comes with plastic injectionmoulding with the excellent mechanical characteristics of metallic materials. Based on many years of experience inthe production of precision components using machining technology, OBE has advanced to become a specialist inthe field of MIM technology since 1996 and produces high-precision metal injection moulded components for awide variety of industries under the brand name mimplus®.

Large degree of design freedom

The injection moulding of metallic powders does not only offer designers and engineers the highest degree ofdesign freedom but also has other advantages compared to conventional production processes: instead of justconnecting several parts, a functional integration can be achieved via the MIM process “from a single mould”, oftenmeaning that a reduction in weight and thus cost can be achieved whilst retaining the same level of constructionalstability.

As with the processing of plastics, many classic reworking steps such as e.g. undercuts, cross-holes, blind holes,threads, surface finishing structures or the exact reproduction of logos on the surface of the component, can beintegrated in the first processing step.

The MIM process thus connects two worlds that had been completely separate for the designer up to now: Basedon plastic components, their design freedom can now also be extended to metal components which are subject tohigh mechanical stress levels and in addition to this, conventionally manufactured metal components can now beproduced more easily and thus inexpensively or can be equipped with additional functionality.

Problem solving in division MIMPLUS

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MIM technology is always at an advantage if the time and costs for machined production are high and/or ifadditional added or assembly processes can be omitted.

The investment in an injection moulding tool must be considered as part of the economic calculation, as the MIMprocedure is a process that involves tooling. As a rule of thumb, one can say that the MIM process is especiallysuited for large-scale production runs; economic feasibility can however be guaranteed for a wide range ofproduction run number scenarios depending on the industry and the complexity of the component. As OBEsexperts have many years of experience in a variety of industries from luxury goods and medical technology right upthe optical and automobile industries, you can be sure that the competent evaluation of your project is safe in ourhands.

The development and manufacture of components and subassem blies

OBE offers a “full service” for its customers from development right through to series production: Our productmanagement team will advise you right from the first draft for the optimum design of the component for the MIMprocess and will accompany you professionally throughout the entire project until it has reached series production.

OBE designs your mould in our very own mould design department and develops an optimum mould concept,where single or multiple cavities and manual, semi-automatic or fully-automatic handling concepts are employed,together with you based on the your final projected production run numbers.

Before the series mould is produced by OBE, sample parts can be produced in our prototype productiondepartment either via the machined manufacture of green parts or by using the sample tool for very smallproduction runs. In both cases important information can be gathered in the planning phase which can be useful forthe subsequent series production.

Problem solving in division MIMPLUS

OBE world-wide

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OBE Ohnmacht & Baumgärtner GmbH & Co. KG · Turnstr. 22 · 75228 Ispringen · GermanyTel. +49 7231 802-0 · www.obe.de · info @obe.de