Category Archives: Siemens Machine Tool Systems

Handwheel Mode For Specialized Processing Operations in Locomotive Wheel Manufacturing for SCHÖMA

By Bernard and Company Tags: Ad agencies, BernardandCompany, CNC, Industrial, Industrial PR, Industrial press release, Machine, Machinery, News Release, Press Release, Schoma, Siemens, Siemens Industry, Siemens Machine Tool Systems, Sinumerik, Sinumerik 840, Tim Daro No Comments

Practical Operation

The SCHÖMA machine factory opted for a cycle turning machine with Sinumerik 840D solution line CNC for the manufacturing of individual parts and small batches of locomotive wheels; this machine also features Siemens ShopTurn with Manual Machine function. This hardware and software solution combines the flexibility and benefits of conventional machining with the productivity and efficiency of a CNC and this is what tipped the balance in its favor for one customer.

Christoph Schöttler Maschinenfabrik GmbH (SCHÖMA) is based in Diepholz, Germany. The company specializes in the development and production of diesel-engine locomotives. The model range includes tunnel and shunting locomotives; service, field and narrow-gauge locomotives; handcars, passenger carriages and gang cars. Around 90 percent of the locomotives produced each year at SCHÖMA are destined for use in tunnel construction.

Each construction project brings its own specific requirements and each country through which the locomotives travel has different environmental and safety legislation. SCHÖMA uses a modular system to meet a diverse range of customer requirements and the resulting need for a variety of equipment and product versions. One of the tasks facing the company is working out how to equip the locomotives for transportation by rail on differing track widths. Another requirement is locomotives with driving wheels featuring diameters between 600 mm and 900 mm, depending on local track usage.

The right decision

Faced with even more demanding requirements in terms of production capacity and flexibility, SCHÖMA’s Managing Director, Christoph Schöttler, last year decided to add a cycle-control Seiger Record LC 1400 lathe to his inventory of machines. “We opted for a head turning machine, as we do not need a tailstock to produce driving wheels, axle bearing housings and gear wheels. It is working just as we envisioned, so we obviously made the right decision,” says Schöttler.

SCHÖMA constructs around 120 locomotives each year, which equates to 480 wheels. In addition, there are also repair orders, which increase the workload to between 560 and 600 driving wheels per year. These wheels are produced in two mountings from forged blanks on the cycle turning machine. The first mounting is used to machine the wheel flange on the reverse side and the wheel hub. The shaft locating bore is pre-turned. In the second mounting, the first task is to pre-turn the driving wheel profile, then the rolling circle level and the wheel shaft locating bore are finished.

Careful approach

The cycle turning machine is controlled by a Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl CNC, equipped with the ShopTurn software package with Manual Machine feature. If required, ShopTurn programming can be performed on a separate PC as part of an operator’s work planning, without interrupting the work sequences on the machine. The programs are routed to the machine via the network, where they are called up as required, depending on the workpieces to be produced. The Sinumerik CNC is used for both numerically controlled machining and manual operation with the ShopTurn’s Manual Machine functions. In manual mode with electronic handwheels, the machine behaves just like a conventional lathe with an actual value display.

During face and longitudinal turning, the process operates with the entered feed and spindle speed. The real highlight of the system is that every cycle can be used straightaway, without having to create a custom program. At SCHÖMA, the option for manual intervention is used for setting the zero point or for simple contours. Diameters are determined manually, if driving wheels have been newly profiled or if driving wheel profiles require resurfacing. The wheel profiles abrade as a result of the high loads experienced in heavy-duty operation or on poor-quality tracks or as a result of the driven wheels skidding.

“With a machine that uses only CNC, it is difficult to rework the driving wheels, as it is not possible to determine how much material needs to be removed. With this optional manual mode, however, users can adopt a careful approach. This sums up the ease of control,” explains Walter Horstmann, head of mechanical production and wheel set construction at SCHÖMA.

Siemens ShopTurn with Manual Machine for the job shop

After machine start-up, the basic MANUAL screen is immediately displayed and offers direct access to choosing machining options without having to create a parts program.

Machining procedures such as “taper turning” and “straight line face and longitudinal turning” can be executed immediately. The operator simply selects tool, feed speed, spindle speed and orientation, plus, if required, machining angle, then presses “Start”. The active direction is graphically displayed in the basic screen, using a compass rose symbol. All machining steps such as entry, thread grinding and drilling can also be started in manual mode.

For additional product information and inquirie, contact:

SIEMENS MACHINE TOOL BUSINESS
John Meyer
Manager, Marketing Communications
Siemens Industry, Inc.
(847) 640-1595
www.usa.siemens.com/cnc
SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.

—

Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.

The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.

Prototype Shop Gets 20% Faster Set-up and Running Times With New CNC Turning Machine

By Bernard and Company Tags: BernardandCompany, CNC, CNC Milling, communications, Continental Machine Co, Engineer, Engineering, Fryer Machine Systems, Inc., Industrial, Industrial PR, Industrial press release, Machine, machine tools, Machinery, Marketing, Motion Control, News Release, Press Release, Siemens, Siemens Industry, SINUMERIK 840D sl, Tim Daro No Comments

Fryer Easy Turn Combination Lathe with Siemens SINUMERIK 840D sl CNC lets operators at Continental Machine program, set-up and run faster; critical for one-off operations

By definition, says Josh Johnson, vice-president, Continental Machine, Rockford, Illinois, his prototype and short-run production shop must constantly run lean. There can be no tolerating excessive programming, set-up or machining time of any kind, otherwise the shop loses and, in this economy, Johnson notes, that is simply unacceptable.

Continental Machine is a seven-person, 13,000 square-foot facility that houses a variety of CNC milling, turning, wire EDM, hole popping and grinding machines, as well as various sheetmetal and plastic injection molding machinery. Therefore, the shop is well positioned to produce a wide variety of metal and plastic prototypes used by its diverse customer base, which spans markets such as window hardware, bicycle components, automotive parts, chemical processing, medical devices and foodservice equipment. Materials processed here are just as wide-ranging, including aluminum, CRS, tool steels such as A2 and D2, zinc, brass, copper, bronze, titanium and a variety of engineered plastics such as glass-filled Delrin.

Recently, this job shop purchased a Fryer Easy Turn-21 CNC Combination Lathe, controlled by a Siemens SINUMERIK 840D sl numerical control. The two operators responsible for this machine upgrade at Continental had limited experience with CNC and none whatsoever with the Siemens protocol, as this was the first of its kind at the shop.

The Easy Turn-21 was particularly appealing to Josh Johnson, who comments, “The set-up is extremely easy. Teaching the tools, altering the lengths and diameters is kept very simple. After the initial learning curve, which took only a few days, the operators picked up on the conversational programming, right away. Also, one of the best features on the machine was that you could still turn the parts by using the electronic handwheel and just one function, such as hogging off material automatically or putting on a tapered thread.” He noted this feature was not only more comfortable for the operators, but it also allowed them to quickly and efficiently prove out part programs. Johnson commented that this would not have been possible on previous machines, owing to the flexibility of the control onboard the Fryer. The result has been a minimum 20% improvement in the overall cycle time on most part programs run at Continental. For this primarily prototype job shop, that fact translates into a substantial increase in the work product possible here.

Echoing this sentiment, Sue Ostrander, sales manager, Fryer Machine Systems, explained the process that led her company to select the SINUMERIK 840D sl numerical control for all its milling and turning machines, a move that was recently formalized by the company and announced to the trade.

“Since its inception 26 years ago, family-owned Fryer Machine Systems has based its operation on three core principles: build a quality product, price it fairly and provide quality service. This philosophy has allowed Fryer’s business to grow even in challenging times,” she said.

Fryer manufactures a diverse line of over 50 models of high-quality CNC machine tools in its 50,000 square-foot facility in Patterson, New York. Over the years, Fryer has become well-respected for its quality and innovation, throughout the job shop and production machining market segments.

“Moving to the Siemens 840D sl platform was the next step in Fryer’s ongoing commitment to provide our customers with the most innovative machine tools available in the market today,” Ostrander continued. “The Siemens solution allows machine tool end-users to achieve higher productivity through easy and intuitive features and step-by-step, on-screen programming. This enables them to dramatically reduce set-up, programming, and tooling times, while significantly increasing output.”

“The SINUMERIK 840D sl modular design allows us to take full advantage of the superior mechanical features in our machines,” continued Larry Fryer, president and CEO, Fryer Machine Systems. “Fryer has always been known for our easy conversational controls and the move to Siemens has allowed us to greatly enhance this feature,” Fryer noted. “The 840D sl menu-driven system combines an advanced geometry calculator that displays the part while the operator is programming it. Sophisticated solid model graphics allow the operator to verify the part program with more clarity than ever before,” he said.

Larry Fryer has also been impressed with the automatic tool set-up and easy part set-up, made possible by the Siemens CNC. Fryer explained that auto-run mode is where many operators experience difficulty. Siemens and Fryer Machine Systems worked together to create an electronic handwheel run mode that gives the operator a safer way to prove out program execution, both forward and backward, using a standard electronic handwheel.

Fryer further stated, “Siemens provides us with a highly flexible solution that is critical to our ability to meet the specific needs of each customer. Our enhanced capability to offer the same control for both turning and milling gives Fryer machines a unified platform that is very important to customers both in the short-term and for long range expansion. Coupled with Siemens quality and reliability, they are invaluable to us in competing in today’s aggressive marketplace.”

Johnson added this comment on the service and training received by his operators at Continental. “Siemens has been helpful and very thorough in their training and after-sale service. The ShopTurn program, being integral to the control, now enables us to accurately determine tool path, potential collisions, tool changes and real world run time. This makes our operators’ jobs much easier, with the added benefit of allowing us to estimate much more accurately than ever.” Johnson further noted the CNC has substantial hard drive space, thus allowing most programs to be stored directly on the machine, though the company does maintain a back-up system.

For more information on this story, please contact:

CONTINENTAL MACHINE CO.
Email: conmach@onecommail.com

FRYER MACHINE SYSTEMS, INC.
Web: www.fryermachine.com

—

83% Increase in Machining Efficiency on Oil Valves Reported

By Bernard and Company Tags: BernardandCompany, CNC production equipment, Engineer, Engineering, Inc., Industrial, Industrial PR, Industrial press release, Kimray, Machine, Machinery, manufacturing, News Release, Press Release, Siemens, Sinumerik 840D, Tim Daro No Comments

Kimray, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based manufacturer of control valves and related equipment for oil and gas producing companies, reports an 83% increase in their machining efficiency, achieved largely as the result of recently acquired CNC production equipment.

Founded in 1948 by Garman Kimmell, Kimray operates a 274,000 sq. ft. facility and employs over 400 people to serve its expanding customer base of oil and gas producing companies. Kimray machines iron, steel and aluminum, as well as thermoplastic materials, to build its comprehensive line of control valves, thermostats, energy-exchange glycol pumps, gas-operated pilots and other process control devices. Their products are used to control vessel and lead line temperatures, liquid level inside pressurized vessels, pressure drops and liquid/gas flow.

The company maintains a turnkey manufacturing facility, including dozens of lathes, grinders, turning, milling, sawing and bore finishing/honing machine tools, nearly all with CNC systems onboard. Originally, two machines were purchased, an Emco Maier EMCOTURN 420 MC PLUS and HYPERTURN 665 MC PLUS Lathes, each equipped with Siemens SINUMERIK 840D CNCs and SIMODRIVE 611D drive packages. As their productivity greatly increased, Kimray decided to purchase two more Emco Maier machines to keep up with increased demand for their products.

The company operates a host system for file storage and back-up on all part production data. As one operator of these lathes observed, “I liked the Fanuc 18i-T CNC we used on other machines in the shop, but, with the SINUMERIK 840D, you can do so much more, such as instant programming and cut and paste operations, while the machine is running or stopped. Each screen allows you to be very detailed about what you’re doing, such as separating your mains from your subs with your part and workpiece programs. I use the Siemens CNC for axis and spindle movements on both machines (Emco Maier 420 Dual Main and Counter spindle Machine and the 665 Main and Counter Spindle Machine). My programs and data can be recessed easily and transferred back to the machines (from the company’s main host system), as needed. I can run my programs out of workpieces and sub-spindles, including milling and stenciling out of the sub-programs. I use the parts program as my way to transfer files and folders to the main system and back again.”

He further commented on the controls, “On a typical set-up, I like the sensitivity of the CNC. Being able to move the axis only a ten thousandth at a time to a hundred thousandth at a time comes in very handy for me. I also like the program test feature, especially on new programs. Each tool has its own geometry page and up to four offsets, making things much less complicated.”

Lastly, regarding the machine builder, this operator noted, “I received lots of good advice and training from the folks at Emco Maier, especially Doug Poling. He’s also assisted me a few times by phone, when needed.”

In the manufacture of its oil and gas production controls, Kimray typically machines bar stock of 303, 304, 310, 316 and 17-4 stainless, as well as D-2 tool steel, 6061-T6 aluminum, brass, Delrin and Teflon. Cast iron, ductile, steel, stainless and aluminum are also machined here. The 83% increase in machining efficiency has been achieved, due to these four Emco Maier machines with Siemens CNCs, according to Kimray sources and company production data.

In determining the increase in overall machining efficiency at Kimray, VP of Operations David Hill commented, “Our commitment to run CNC machine tools has long been in place and the addition of the Emco Maier lathes with Siemens controls onboard are the latest steps in this process. We’ve literally had no problems with these machines, the CNC’s or the drives. When Kimray operators can keep running and producing parts in such a way, the impact on our overall efficiency is immediate and substantial.”

Mike Morris, Kimray’s Plant Engineer, added that “the control is strong and easy for the operators to use”. Over the years, the CNCs have been virtually bulletproof.”

From the builder’s perspective, Emco Maier shares Kimray’s appreciation for the performance of its CNC/drive package supplier.

“Our 420 machine enables simultaneous production of two parts without interruption or collision. The digital drives (Siemens SIMODRIVE 611D) produce dynamic performance in both the main spindle and X/Z axes,” commented the company’s Director of Sales Support Operations for Emco Maier USA. “Plus, programming is just the same as on any CNC lathe. Only one program is generated. The program for the second workpiece is simply transferred to the bottom system by means of a selector switch. No additional programming is necessary. As we like to say, twice as nice.”

The 665 Hyperturn machine enables true 4-axis machining plus full c-axis capability on both the main and counter spindles. The 665 uses some of the same programming features, plus the same digital drive system as the 420, but in a larger package.