In the manufacturing workflow

Die FERRATEC GmbH Has stood for quality and reliability in the areas of tool and mold making and plastics technology since 1989. The Hösbach company offers complete solutions from a single source — from the design and development of tools to sample parts and series readiness to the assembly of the finished components. The area of activity includes mold making for our own plastic injection molding production as well as tool making for special machines, devices, cutting tools, series production, assembly and contract manufacturing.

In order to guarantee the highest quality standards, FERRATEC is constantly investing in new technologies, including, of course, in the area of quality control. The most recent achievement is that SF 87 coordinate measuring machine By WENZEL for workshop use. With a large measurement volume, a small footprint and a wide operating temperature range, the SF 87 meets all requirements for successful measurements in the direct production environment.

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“The SF 87 has a measurement volume of 800 x 700 x 700 mm. That is three times the measurement volume of competing products with a comparable footprint,” says René Kunkel, KMG Product Manager at WENZEL. “Further efficiency improvements can be achieved by using more powerful probes and optical sensors,” he continues. The SF 87 from WENZEL can also be operated at temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius. In contrast, conventional CMMs require around 20 degrees Celsius, which is unsuitable for use in production halls.

At FERRATEC, the SF 87 is primarily used to evaluate the dimensional accuracy, shape and position, surfaces and casings for automotive and energy generation parts. The decision for the measurement solution from solution was easy. “We have been working successfully with a WENZEL LH series portal measuring device for several years now,” explains Max Mustermann, head of QA at FERRATEC. He was particularly impressed by the high quality of WENZEL products and the fast and good service. “In order to be able to guarantee our customers top-quality products, we produce almost all tools ourselves. It doesn't matter whether you want individual pieces or small series. Wenzel's measurement solutions contribute to the highest level of product quality, productivity and satisfied customers,” says Mustermann.

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While the LH is available in the measurement room for highly precise measurements, the SF 87 is integrated into the machine tool workflow. “The SF 87 is in a typical shop floor environment with direct sunlight, which is what it was designed for,” reports Kunkel. The next step involves automated assembly and a first visual check using optical sensors.

“The SF 87 is already prepared for use in production lines and automation solutions and can be easily integrated via the optional WENZEL Automation Interface (WAI). The accessibility of the measurement volume from three sides is ideal for automated assembly by robots and can be flexibly adapted for more complex tasks,” explains Kunkel. The ability to seamlessly integrate with automation solutions was also a decisive point when SF 87 received the “Global New Product Innovation Award 2018” from Frost & Sullivan in March this year.

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