Small precision parts can be machined with high precision on large EDM machines, but not vice versa.What is already possible in EDM drilling, bes Funkenerosion from Fluorn-Winzeln also wants to achieve in wire cutting.
German manufacturer bes Funkenerosion has had to reject orders in the past because their wire EDM machines did not have these travel distances.”We have more than 500 active customers, and if you can’t take orders simply because the size of the machine doesn’t allow it, it’s naturally difficult,” explains managing director Markus Langenbacher.
However, the machine park with Sodick EDM machines is already quite impressive, one ALC400G, one SLC400G, one AG400L and one AQ750LH.Wire EDM services in contract production have hardly thwarted any of the customer’s wishes, except that within the XXL range they have to turn down orders from time to time.
“We used wire EDM from the beginning, and soon we also added die sinking,” says Jörg Romen, who is in charge of the wire corrosion department.When contract orders start to increase, new EDMs must be purchased.The choice fell on Sodick.“Sodick provided us with an attractive all-inclusive offer for the three machines, which also convinced us of their quality and precision,” says Jörg Roming.Of the first three machines, only one is still in operation; two have been replaced over time.“We also roughed a lot of aluminum, which put a lot of pressure on the machine. Today we know that if we were cutting aluminum on the machine all day, every now and then we would have to grab a rag with the door open and spend five minutes removing all the Everything is washed clean, otherwise it will affect the life of the machine.”
XXL Machining: Originally purchased as a replacement machine, it is now the perfect complement to seamlessly continue wire cutting large parts from the drilling process.(Source: Ralf M. Haaßengier)
As a contract manufacturer, bes Funkenerosion masters all corrosion processes from EDM to drilling and wire corrosion.Customers can also purchase accessories and consumables directly from the company in Fluorn-Winzeln, such as drilling and threading electrodes in virtually all lengths and diameters.Key customers include toolmakers, moldmakers, medical technology companies and the aerospace industry.”Consumables are one of our main pillars and we have a wide range of stocks in stock, so we can always guarantee short delivery times”, assures Markus Langenbacher.
The electrode materials are performance tested in the trial department to guarantee customers the best possible results during the EDM drilling process; this approach means that even special customer requirements will not cause any problems for the company.Just recently, a customer ordered 20,000 electrodes from the company after a successful trial.
When the company founder decided to retire in early 2021, a new managing director was needed.This summer, Markus Langenbacher took over management of bes Funkenerosion.Of course, this is fortunate, as it is not always possible to find a suitable successor for a manufacturing company.It is not uncommon for foreign investors who understand neither erosion nor the client environment to take over.After a few years, these companies are sometimes sold again as “individual parts” and then go bankrupt.However, under the leadership of Markus Langenbacher, a very experienced employee took over at the helm.Having been with the company for 21 years, he knows not only the business and in and out processes, but also the customers.
Markus Langenbacher knows his clients’ concerns well: “The client’s reaction is to wait the last two to three years before placing an order. After all, they don’t know what will happen to the company when the founder retires. They can take comfort when demand picks up again.
This constellation is interesting because the employee has known each other for 20 years, and now the former colleague suddenly becomes the boss.Jörg Roming, who has been with the company for 18 years, sees this as a very positive thing: “We talk more openly with each other because we’ve known each other for so long. That’s a huge advantage. When things go wrong, we can Talk to each other and find solutions together.”
Ultimately, suppliers like Sodick also benefit from the overall positive development of EDM.After the smaller ALC400G was delivered to the Fluorn-Winzeln-based company as a replacement machine in early 2021, its larger counterpart, the ALC800GH, followed in late summer.“We have taken the first steps to further expand our WEDM contract business to XXL parts with a larger WEDM machine. This allows us to serve this market exclusively and we It is no longer necessary to reject orders,” explains managing director Markus Langenbacher.New orders will be generated by providing information to a broad customer base.“Through our machine park, we are also trying to specifically target some of the customers we already have in EDM drilling. Customers want complete machining of their XXL components from a single source, and we can now offer that.”
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Over the years, bes Funkenerosion has had a unique selling point in the field of wire EDM: with a lateral path of 1460 x 600 x 1,020 mm, it is possible to drill parts weighing up to 6 tons.These applications are also very challenging.In a recent machining case, approximately 3,000 holes were drilled in a part in 145 etching hours.“We also dealt with parts with 14,000 holes – a 1.5-meter long pipe that could barely fit on our machines,” recalls the managing director of bes.Using an electrode changer, processing was performed day and night until the tube was fully perforated.”These are our typical contract manufacturing orders. However, our expertise in wire cutting goes back further. That’s where we started in 1983 as a manufacturing company.”
To ensure a perfect start for the first orders after the installation of the new Sodick machines: Markus Langenbacher, Managing Director of bes Funkenerosion, and BW Daniel Günzel, Regional Sales Manager for Sodick Germany.(Source: Ralf M. Haaßengier)
Initially, the Sodick VL600QH was purchased as a replacement machine.But since the ALC800GH was on the market for a short period of time, Markus Langenbacher and Jörg Roming took a look and finally decided to support it.”Also, in combination with the drilling EDM machine we use, we already have a lateral path, and the ALC800GH is ideal for closing the circle between 800 mm start drilling (up to 1,000 mm possible) and 800 mm wire EDM EDM”, says Jörg Roming The new EDM machines are also satisfied in this regard.
It was a seamless transition: the old machine was dismantled, a flatbed trailer with the XXL machine arrived, and the old machine was exchanged for the new machine, with corresponding savings in shipping costs.”We both work together in the best possible way,” confirms Jörg Roming.While the machine was in the hall, he tested it with a granite angle calibrated to 2 meters and a length of 800 mm.Packed onto the machine from all directions and tested, even the smallest machine and angle failures become visible.Since every Sodick machine is quality tested with generator calibration and geometric measurements before delivery, there is of course no deviation from the granite angle.
By the way, the work that started on the old machine now continues seamlessly on the new machine: cutting height 358 mm.“We immediately noticed the difference in quality. Another huge advantage for us was that the control system was almost identical, save for a few enhancements. We immediately moved on to the ALC800GH,” recalls Jörg Roming.He was also able to transfer the program to the new machine immediately.”We only needed minor changes to the post processor, otherwise the transition was completely seamless.”
For threads, the new EDM represents a huge leap forward, and the fact that the operating instructions are digitally integrated on the control system is a huge advantage, he said.No more flipping through and searching for user and programming manuals.Drawings, illustrated maintenance instructions, everything itemized.Part numbers can even be found instantly with the search function.”The temperature compensation of the ALC800GH naturally has an effect on the accuracy, so even the XXL components are corroded with high precision,” Jörg Roming is clearly satisfied.
Our range of wire EDM machines can produce up to 500 pieces.”For us as EDM specialists, this is a huge amount,” explains Jörg Romen.The average quantity for mass production is between 2 and 20 pieces, but a large portion is made up of individual parts.This is not the case with drilling, where the 1,000-piece weekly series is not uncommon.”These are mainly from precision tool makers, for example, we use EDM drill cooling channels as extension workbenches,” says Markus Langenbacher.
Customer enquiries are received in different ways: one customer emails an enquiry and expects a quote, another sends the component directly in a package with drawings, 3D data and delivery date, and a third customer visits in person us.“Many jobs also include the repair of tools such as die punches, which, if possible, would have been needed yesterday,” smiles Markus Langenbacher.He has good reason to laugh because his machine is so flexible that it can handle most orders.Especially in the case of online cutting, inquiries usually come by e-mail or special mail with components, and discussions are held with the customer over the phone.Example clients provide 100% reliable datasets.For the past 30 years, one employee has only been in charge of CAM programming for wire EDMs, but she is retiring in early 2021.So the company replaced the wire EDM CAM system with the new Sodick machine.Since the old CAM is not updated and can only display 2D, it will be gradually replaced by the new CAM.Jörg Roming is now running the CAM with the 3D data provided by the customer and has already got pretty good simulation parameters on which faces have to be machined and how.”The entire commissioning process, including the post-processor, is like clockwork for the new CAM,” the EDM professional enthuses.
Although the toll-free hotline is available for every newly delivered machine for the life of the machine, Jörg Roming has barely used it so far.”Our hotline is more direct here,” he smiles at Daniel Günzel.”If you take good care of your machinery, you hardly ever have to call the hotline.”
Thanks to the sink’s design with no painted parts, only stainless steel and all-ceramic, and a smart water head design, maintenance and cleaning can be easily accomplished in just a few minutes.When the machine has been running all day and has a heavy workload, it is usually sufficient to use the included water gun to spray the sink and spray head.Nevertheless, the team at bes Funkenerosion takes maintenance very seriously.Markus Langenbacher explains: “We recently developed a list of cleaning and maintenance specific to each machine. Jörg Roming adds: “It is very important to me that my EDM machines run reliably.It would help a lot if we did a thorough maintenance once a year, I’m sure when I want to start working on a machine I can start right away without any hassle.”
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