For the 24-hour service concept of HOMAG woodworking systems, it is of great importance that spare parts for delivered machines are available promptly. The use of the LinA broaching unit has significantly reduced the response time for spare parts.
Series production and a fixed manufacturing program are terms Edwin Bronner doesn't know much about. As head of small parts production at HOMAG Woodworking Systems GmbH, he is the master of small series and individual parts. Where others groan because of high unit costs and frequent machine changeovers, he cultivates attention to detail. And not just for the fun of his job. Because behind the small parts production at HOMAG is a sophisticated concept. After-sales service in particular is supplied with spare parts from Bronner's department, which are manufactured there individually to order on a daily basis.
“HOMAG machines stand for high precision in woodworking, for example when it is about the complete processing of furniture parts. From cutting panels in batch size 1 on high-performance nesting machining centers to the high-performance edge processing line with laserTec process, we offer exactly the right product for small cabinetmakers as well as for highly complex industrial production.”
A broad product range that cannot do without comprehensive service. In addition to the classic services of assembly, maintenance and repair, HOMAG supports its customers throughout the entire lifecycle of the machines and plants: from teleservice and internet-based spare parts management to 24-hour service. The last points in particular place high demands on manufacturing.
“Flexibility and speed are the be-all and end-all for us," explains Edwin Bronner. "We don't want to build up a gigantic spare parts warehouse - if it would be feasible at all - which would cause enormous costs. Our way is specified individual production, ideally within 24 hours.”
Edwin Bronner, HOMAG
Approximately 10% of turned parts from small parts production, mainly gears and other machine wear parts, are grooved. The previous work process involved clamping the workpieces on a special broaching machine for grooving. Pre-machining was done on CNC lathes. In addition, grooves in blind holes cannot be produced on the conventional broaching machine, which forced HOMAG Woodworking Systems GmbH to outsource this work step to external service providers. A circumstance that had a more than negative effect on the defined requirements of flexibility and quickness. Therefore, a solution was intensively sought to optimize the machining process and at the same time reduce the high costs caused by outsourcing.
"With our driven tool, the LinA braoching unit, we were able to quickly win over the HOMAG managers," reports Franz Lauffer, Technical Sales at BENZ GmbH Werkzeugsysteme. Specially developed for the economical production of grooves, internal and external toothing, hexagon socket, Torx and special profiles on lathes, the broaching unit reduces main and secondary machine times in particular. Materials with a tensile strength of up to 1000 N/mm² can be machined. The rotary movements of the drive shaft are transformed into a linear movement on the output side via an eccentric. The tappet plunges with the cutting edge into the workpiece and lifts off after the broaching process via an integrated lift-off device. This also prevents wear and breakout of the cutting edge during retraction.
The BENZ tool is used in the HOMAG machine park on a MAZAK Quick Turn 250 MY. HOMAG mainly cuts grooves with a groove length of up to 32mm and a groove width of 3-8mm. Wider grooves can also be produced by indexing the turret. The advantages are obvious: The LinA broaching unit saves the additional work step "clearing" for components where a groove is required.
The component can be manufactured in one setup on the CNC lathe, which greatly reduces setup times and setup costs and also has a positive effect on the throughput times of the workpieces. The manufacturing process has thus been streamlined overall. Even grooves in blind holes can be broached with the tool without any problems. HOMAG has been able to achieve enormous cost and time savings through this in-house production, as it is no longer reliant on external suppliers.
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BENZ Tooling is one of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of components and systems for tool and machine tooling technology. The company employs about 300 people and is represented in over 30 countries worldwide. BENZ is part of the measuring and process systems division of Schenck and belongs to the Dürr Group.
