Fast assembly due to a pre-assembled energy chain in a machining centre

Ready-to-install energy supply systems for a machining centre with a tight budget and schedule

Turning, drilling, milling in just one clamping: that is the main feature of the DBF 630 machining centre. Added to this are accuracies of 5 to 6 µm - all features not only place the highest demands on the machine tool builder, but also on the component suppliers. In addition, the high-quality machines are to be assembled within a manageable time and cost framework. Pre-assembled energy supply systems are used here. They ensure the required savings potential in process costs.

Profile

  • What was needed: Energy supply system with pre-assembled readcable cables.
  • Requirements: High flexibility, short-term delivery, long-term system partnership
  • Industry: Special mechanical engineering
  • Success for the customer: Energy supply system was designed in such a way that as few interfaces as possible are involved and at the same time a clean supply of all components is guaranteed; cost- and time-saving assembly thanks to pre-assembled overall solution; chainflex special cables guarantee long service life
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Energy chain with chainflex cables Pre-assembled energy supply systems on the high-precision machining centre.

Problem

The product range of the machine tool manufacturer Dörries Scharmann Technologie GmbH (DST) in Mönchengladbach includes machining centres of various types: Turning, drilling and milling centres as well as grinding machines. One focus is on the machining of complex components.
The development of the multifunctional gantry machining centre "DBF 630" was launched after the machine builder realised that there was a high demand for small parts machining in the automotive sector, among others. It serves the increased customer demands for accuracy and unit costs. The complete machining with radial and axial run-out accuracy from 5 to 6 µm on pump and valve housings, fittings, sealing flanges and rock bits are among the typical applications of the new machining centre. Its guarantee for success is the turning, drilling and milling head (DBF). For turning on a stationary workpiece, the rotating turning tool can be moved radially +/- 35mm (servo axis).  Thus speeds of up to 1 200 min-1  are possible for turning operations. For drilling and milling, a 35 kW spindle accelerates up to 3 500 min¯1.   The compact machining centre with 
630 x 630mm pallets and payloads up to 600kg has a chain magazine with a capacity of up to 60 tool places.
Very high demands are placed on the availability of the machining centre in use. As a rule, it runs 24 hours in production operation. Accordingly, all used components and the complete cable guidance must be durable. Also important for the energy supply: It was important to the machine builder to install a complete system that would be delivered ready to operate by the specified deadline. Because harnessing after delivery costs a lot of time and money. There are not only storage costs, but also ordering costs. Every single part has to be handled several times and expensive assembly times do not pay off for the machine specialist.

Solution

DST has been using energy supply systems from igus for a number of years. In close cooperation with igus, the design engineers at Dörries Scharmann have developed a concept for connecting the energy supply system to the machine in such a way that, on the one hand, there are few interfaces and, on the other hand, a clean supply of all components is guaranteed.  Another major concern was to make the assembly of the machining centres as simple and planned as possible, so that no problems would arise.
In concrete terms, the "DBF 630" machining centre is now equipped with two energy supply systems that are sold with ready-harnessed chainflex cables under the name readycable. The ready-to-connect cables can be installed in a time-saving manner.  From the actual energy supply system up to each chainflex special cable, the machine builder relied on high quality parts: All bus, servo or control cables are equipped with integrated strain relief elements. In addition, there are additional interior separation elements to increase the service life of the individual cables. Connectors, connections and steel components specified by the customer round off the complete pre-assembled system.
Since Dörries Scharmann manufactures exclusively to customer specifications, the difficulty lies in defining the exact length of the supply cables. Therefore, it was important for the machine specialist to have a supplier who could provide technical support, respond flexibly to the different requirements and, above all, implement the order at very short notice. Stefan Nethövel,  Division Manager Materials Management/Logistics at Dörries Scharmann adds: "When the machine concept is established, the delivery of a completely pre-assembled energy supply system must be guaranteed within ten working days. “
"Very high demands are placed on the availability of the machining centre in use. As a rule, it runs 24 hours in production operation. All components used must have an appropriately long service life. Our high-quality machines require quality products. "
 
Stefan Nethövel, Division Manager Materials Management/Logistics at Dörries Scharmann Technologie GmbH
Energy chain with chainflex cables Pre-assembled energy supply systems with integrated strain relief and the steel components specified by the customer.
Energy chain with chainflex cables Pre-assembled energy supply system with chainflex cables.

System partnership in sight

"We developed and built the DBF 630 machining centre within around seven months. We already decided on individual suppliers at an early stage. And igus was there from the very beginning. From my point of view, there are many arguments for pre-assembled energy supply systems. However, the effort involved in construction must be manageable," Stefan Nethövel concludes.
When selecting suppliers, DST attaches great importance to  quality and partnership. Involved in the development of the new machine, they were already able to demonstrate their capabilities during the prototype construction of the DBF 630. "With the machining centre, we are proving our efficiency to our customers and offering them a high level of process and future security. Our suppliers must be able to follow this technical demand to adapt their own processes to the permanently changing requirements at any time. We have not only initiated many a development, but also expect to be able to participate in the technical know-how of our system partner at any time. In the cooperation with igus, we gained good experience in this regard during the development of this machining centre," Stefan Nethövel remarks, looking back on the collaboration.