The GF AgieCharmilles Customer Newspaper
05
ENGLISH
EDITION
<
Customer
successes
pennco tool & die
4
kummer
6
brügger
10
asahi
12
3 | Market Region Americas
is uniquely positioned to meet
wide range of needs
The Nokero solar LED
light bulb, invented
by Stephen Katsaros,
could bring light to
the 1.6 billion people
8-9 | Expert insights:
improved patient care at heart
of AO innovation
worldwide who live
without electricity.
(Denver Post photo)
LED TECHNOLOGY
IS CHANGING THE WORLD
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are everywhere these days, and not just in expected
applications like mobile phones, televisions and lighting systems. LEDs are also
turning up in hospital operating rooms, industrial vision systems, and as aircraft
navigation lights. The booming global LED market is expected to reach $14.8
billion by 2015.
14 | FTC: literally the world’s
fastest tool changer
15 | Laser demonstrating
GF AgieCharmilles’ technology
leadership
Achieve more...
LED TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE WORLD
LEDs are not a new technology,
due to but the astounding growth
of the LED market — especially
in the wake of an economic
downturn — manufacturers and
users worldwide are siting up
and taking notice. Based on the
semiconductor diode, LEDs were
introduced 48 years ago as an
electrical component giving off
low-intensity red light. Today’s
LEDs are high-brightness
(HB) and available across the
visible, ultraviolet and infrared
wavelengths. In comparison to
incandescent lighting, LEDs are
smaller, consume less energy,
more rapidly switching, last
longer and are more reliable.
Driving the global demand for
LEDs are government initiatives
— in the wake of rising energy
costs and concern about global
warming — to encourage greener
lifestyles, including using more
efficient lighting. SEMI, the
global association serving the
microelectronic, display and
photovoltaic industries’ supply
chains, estimates that artificial
lighting consumes about 20
percent of the world’s electricity.
SEMI predicts that HB LEDs
will spur impressive economic
and environmental savings as
solid-state lighting replaces
conventional lighting.
“In the US, expenditures for
lighting may be reduced by $100
billion between now and 2020,”
SEMI reported in July. By the
year 2020, electricity used for
lighting may be cut by 50 percent,
sparing the atmosphere 246
million metric tons of greenhouse
gas emissions over the next two
decades.
TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCES TO
BRING DOWN PRICES
To date, LEDs have remained
expensive compared to
conventional lighting techniques,
but industry analysts like
Compound Semiconductor
look for that to change as rapid
technological advancements bring
down the number of chips per box
and the average selling price of
LEDs. Falling prices for LEDs and
their components are expected to
drive demand even higher.
SEMI’s Opto/LED Fab Watch
says collaborative efforts and
government-funded projects are
targeting vast improvements
in LED manufacturing costs
which, in turn, will bring down
the cost of high-volume LED
production. LEDs Magazine
reported this summer that solidstate lighting cost per lumen
should fall dramatically in the
next few years as semiconductor
equipment makers and their
suppliers aim for 30- to 35
percent improvements in basic
manufacturing cycle time, yield
and cost.
“The greater semiconductor
supply chain is starting to turn
serious attention to the particular
needs of the HB-LED market, as
almost $1 billion will be invested
in the building and equipment of
device-production facilities this
year,” the magazine said.
BIG PLAYERS
LEAD THE MARKET
The global demand for LEDs
is soaring, and production is
concentrated in Asia, where
Japan is the indisputably largest
producer with 50 percent
market share, according to
Research and Markets. Japanese
chemical engineering and
manufacturing giant Nichia
Corporation is the world’s No. 1
LED player. Other top players
2
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
are Cree Inc., based in the U.S.;
OSRAM Opto Semiconductors,
Germany; Japan’s Toyoda
Gosei, South Korea’s Samsung,
and Lumileds, part of Dutch
electronics corporation Philips.
Besides Japan, other top LEDmanufacturing countries are
mainland China, Taiwan, South
Korea, the US and Europe.
EDITORIAL
Compound Semiconductor reports
mobile phones as the leading
end-use market for LEDs, with
a more than 25 percent share of
value sales last year; in terms of
value sales, LCD TVs are expected
to record the fastest growth.
POWER TO CHANGE
THE WORLD
While residential and commercial
lighting and consumer electronics
constitute much of the demand
for LEDs, the technology can
also be found in aviation and
automotive lighting, traffic
signals, special lighting systems
for hospital operating rooms,
and vision systems for counting,
reading and inspection. LEDs can
increase plant photosynthesis,
and ultraviolet LEDs can be used
to cleanse water of viruses and
bacteria.
In addition to its environmental
impact, LED technology could
improve quality of life for the 1.6
billion people worldwide with
little or no access to electricity.
Hong-Kong-based Nokero
International LTD has introduced
a solar LED light bulb, about the
size of a standard incandescent
bulb, powered by four solar
panels that charge a replaceable
battery. It can be hung outside
during the day to charge and then
turned on at night, and its LEDs
are expected to last 50,000 to
100,000 hours according to CNET
Networks.
In ways both conventional and
unconventional, LED is changing
our world.
DEAR READERS,
As the machine tool industry
emerges from one of the most
challenging periods in its
history, GF AgieCharmilles is
proud have been a source of
strength to its customers as
we all navigated the economic
storm together. Moreover,
we are proud to stand with
our customers as that storm
begins to subside, light appears
over the horizon, and new
opportunities emerge.
In this edition of Results Today,
we bring you news of
GF AgieCharmilles innovations
and success-triggering
solutions across all of our
technologies and services,
profiles of successful
GF AgieCharmilles customers,
and expert insights about
industries whose successes
are linked to tool and mold
making and the manufacture of
precision and high-value parts.
At GF AgieCharmilles, developing
and selling EDM, Milling, Laser
and Automation solutions is only
part of what we do.
Our New Technologies and
Automation unit is constantly
on the lookout for opportunities
to drive our customers’
success by increasing their
competitive edge through
greater productivity, precision,
reliability and service.
Worldwide, our more than 2,000
employees — forward-thinking
Research and Development
experts, detail-oriented
production personnel, attentive
and knowledgeable application
and service engineers, and
solution-minded support staff
— are our customers’ partners
in the pursuit of success.
Together, we at
GF AgieCharmilles stand firm
in our brand promise to help
you achieve more.
Jean-Pierre Wilmes,
President GF AgieCharmilles
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
Market Region Americas | gf AgieCharmilles
3
CONTRASTS IN AMERICAS HIGHLIGHT
GROUP’S CUSTOMER FOCUS
The contrasts between the mature machine tool market
in North America and the booming, emerging market in
South America illustrate GF AgieCharmilles Market Region
Americas’ commitment to making its customers successful,
wherever they are in the world and whatever the evolution
stage of their businesses.
Throughout Market Region
Americas, which includes
Canada, the US, Mexico and Brazil,
GF AgieCharmilles has the experience, technologies, product portfolio and customer care expertise
to exceed customers’ expectations
and ensure their success.
EDM products and high-speed
and high-performance Milling
centers in both North and
South America are proof of
GF AgieCharmilles’ attentiveness
to customers’ needs. The debut
this fall of GF AgieCharmilles’
new laser ablation technology in
North America is further proof.
UNIQUELY POSITIONED
TO ENSURE SUCCESS
“Many American companies
manufacture outside the US,
but their design and R & D work
is still done in the US,” he said.
“Our entire product line offers
unique ways for our customers
to differentiate themselves from
their competition.”
“There are differences between
the needs of businesses in
emerging markets and those in
mature markets, and regardless
of the contrasts between the
markets in our region, we
understand our customers,
their challenges and their
manufacturing processes,” said
Glynn Fletcher, President of
GF AgieCharmilles Market Region
Americas. “We are uniquely
positioned to ensure the success
of every customer, regardless of
size, market characteristics or
market segment.”
VAST EXPERTISE
ACROSS MANY
MARKET SEGMENTS
Fletcher said the success of the
Group’s extraordinarily precise
“Our expertise in the
manufacture of high-value,
And that, he said, is what
GF AgieCharmilles is all
about: making its customers
more successful than their
competitors.
precision parts is especially
interesting to US customers
because they know our credibility
in mold and die making,
our mastery of EDM and our
command of high-speed and fiveaxis Milling,” said Fletcher.
“Our expertise is both broad and
deep, and applicable to growing
market segments like aeronautics
and aerospace, where our
customers include NASA, Pratt &
Whitney, and Boeing.”
The Group’s technologies are
also used to produce state-ofthe-art medical instruments
and implants, and contribute to
renewable power generation,
such as the production of energyefficient hydrogen fuel cells.
“GF AgieCharmilles takes
environmental sustainability
seriously. For example, we
have reduced the carbon
footprint of our EDM products
with the development of our
benchmark Econowatt and
Econotec technologies that
drastically reduce their energy
consumption,” Fletcher said.
« Our entire product line offers unique ways
for our customers to differentiate themselves
from their competition. »
Glynn Fletcher, President of GF AgieCharmilles Market Region Americas
A PARTNER UP
TO ALL CHALLENGES
GF AgieCharmilles US is shaping
the future of Market Region
Americas with pioneering spirit,
unconventional approaches, passionate people and creative energy.
“As a reliable partner, we committed to our customers not only
during a healthy economy,
but throughout crises and during
recovery,” said Fletcher. “We have
demonstrated and will continue
to demonstrate that we are up to
every challenge.”
americas | PENNCO TOOL & DIE
4
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
AT PENNCO TOOL & DIE,
IT’S ALL ABOUT EXCELLENCE
When Philip A. Passilla, better known as “Phil Sr.,” started Pennco Tool & Die, Inc., 30 years ago in
Meadville, Penn., US, the town of 14,000 was home to more than 150 machine shops within a 10-mile
radius. Known as the the Tool & Die Capital of the World, Meadville today has about 100 such businesses,
and Pennco is at the front of the pack, thanks in part to GF AgieCharmilles wire EDM technology.
Specializing in close tolerance
carbide and steel grinding, Pennco
started in 1980 as a two-man
operation in a highly competitive
tool and die market where skilled
labor is prized. Today, Pennco
employs 28 and is known as a
grind and wire shop capable of
producing some of the smallest
tooling on the market, said Philip
W. Passilla, known as “Phil, Jr.”,
son of the company’s founder.
“At one time, Meadville had more
tool and die shops per capita than
anywhere in the world.
My father grew up here, started
in the trade right out of high
school, and was a carbide grinder
in a local tool shop. In 1980, he
and a steel grinder from the
same shop started their own
business,” Phil Jr. said. “It was
a big risk, but they knew there
was a lot of potential for growth.
They could hire very skilled labor
locally with no need for training,
plus Meadville has a variety
of suppliers: plating, welding,
carbide manufacturers and steel
distributors are very near.
One of the best heat treaters
in the country is right down the
street from us.”
Over the years, Pennco plowed
full steam ahead to success,
always focusing on its core
competence: close tolerance
grinding for the die industry.
The company’s highly skilled tool
and die makers can machine
carbide and steel to a tolerance
of ± 0.00005 of an inch.
SECOND GENERATION
MOVES PENNCO
INTO THE FUTURE
In 1985, Phil Jr., having
completed one of the nation’s
leading, three-year vocational
tool and die courses, joined the
family business as a machine
operator and got to know the
business from the inside before
becoming vice president of
the company and eventually
president.
Pennco founder Philip A. Passilla (standing) and Pennco President Philip W. Passilla (seated)
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
americas | PENNCO TOOL & DIE
5
Pennco President Philip W. Passilla (left) and his father, Philip A. Passilla, who founded the company,
say GF AgieCharmilles wire EDM technology makes Pennco more competitive.
This carbide die insert, used in a high-speed stamping die for the
electronics industry, was cut on a GF AgieCharmilles wire EDM machine.
PENNCO TOOL & DIE, INC.
99 Mead Avenue
Machines from GF AgieCharmilles
Meadville, PA 16335, USA
– 1 Vertex 1F
Phone +1 814 336-5035
– 1 Progress
Fax +1 814 336-5036
– 1 Evolution
– 3 Agiecut 150 HSS
Contact
Philip W. Passilla, President
Tooling
pennco2@penncotool.com
2 System 3R pre-setting stations
Wire EDM Foreman Mark Findlay, who has been with Pennco for 10 years,
www.penncotool.com
sets up his next job on the Vertex 1F.
“My father taught me the trade
and how to run a business,”
Phil Jr. added.
“In 1993 I bought my partner out
and made my son my partner,”
Phil Sr. said. “Phil Jr. then took
Pennco to the next level by adding
a wire EDM Department.”
Until just 12 years ago, Pennco
subcontracted out all of its wire
EDM work, but Phil Jr. saw the
potential of doing wire EDM
inhouse. It wasn’t long until
GF AgieCharmilles became an
integral part of Pennco’s operation.
“I looked at five different wire EDM
machine manufacturers, narrowed
the field down to two, and finally
chose GF AgieCharmilles because
we believed they were the best
machines for carbide,” Phil Jr.
explained. “We initially bought
two GF AgieCharmilles wire EDM
machines and thought we would
never need more than four, but
within four years, we had six, and
now we’re looking at a seventh.”
WIRE EDM MADE PENNCO
MORE COMPETITIVE
Phil Sr. says GF AgieCharmilles
wire-cutting EDM technology has
been an excellent investment.
“Getting the wire machines put
us in a different class. Our wire
EDM department took off very
quickly due to a combination of
buying the best equipment and
hiring a very good wire operator,”
he said.
A longtime partner to the
connector industry — producing
tooling for automotive
connectors, phones, securities
and electronics — Pennco’s move
into wire EDM has allowed the
company to make its mark in new
market segments.
“Our move into wire EDM has
allowed us to diversify and
pursue new market segments.
For example, we broke into
the aerospace industry doing
secondary operations — mainly
wire EDM — for aerospace,” Phil
Jr. said. “And we recently became
AS9100B compliant, meeting all
of the quality standards specific
to the aerospace industry.”
But don’t look for the Passillas
to become too secure in their
success. They know that the
competition, especially from
abroad, is always lurking.
“We combat offshore competition
by supplying quality tooling with a
quick turnaround and specializing
in the more difficult tooling that
Stamping produced from carbide punches ground by Pennco and inserts machined by the company’s wire EDM department.
« We initially bought two
GF AgieCharmilles wire EDM machines
and thought we would never need more
than four… now we’re looking
at a seventh. »
Philip W. Passilla, President, Pennco Tool & Die, Inc.
other shops cannot do or do not
want to do,” said Phil Jr. “Our
average delivery is about two
weeks from order, and for our
biggest customer, our average
delivery is 11 days.”
SUCCESS FACTOR:
FOCUS ON CORE
COMPETENCE
“We don’t stray much from our
core competences, and that is a
key to our success,” his father
explained. “We have customers
who design their tooling around
our capabilities.”
Just as Pennco’s owners value
skill, pursuit of excellent quality
and the relationship they have
with their employees — many of
whom have been with Pennco for
25 years — they also value their
supplier relationships.
“GF AgieCharmilles has put us in
contact with potential customers,
does test cuts at Pennco, and
even brings potential customers
here to see how we use their
wire EDM products,” Phil Jr. said.
“GF AgieCharmilles understands
our business.”
europe | KUMMER
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
6
TECHNOLOGY PROVEN
A MILLION TIMES
Die cutting is a process used for producing thousands or even millions of parts. Kummer GmbH +
Co.KG has mastered this technology. “From single part to complete assemblies” is an industry trend
in which the company sets new standards. One example of this is the die cutting technology which
Kummer has combined with injection molding to produce in-line progressive co-molding.
COMPETENCE IN METAL
AND PLASTIC
“Systematic precision” is the
motto of Kummer GmbH + Co. KG,
Ötisheim, a company that has been
active in the tooling, die cutting,
plastics and assembly technology
for 30 years. When asked about the
strength of the company,
Jens Hofmann, Managing Director,
answered: “We offer everything
under one roof, from design and
tool making up to the production
of parts — in metal as well as in
plastic. We are the only company to
offer progressive co-molding with
the advantages of lower costs and
high process reliability.”
Other advantages that single out
the company do, however, also
include “general” factors.
“We have no staff turnover and
have not had to let go any of our
120 employees,” said Wolfgang
Hofmann, Senior Partner and
Managing Director, looking back
at the economic crisis.
Design of an injection mold for progressive co-molding,
Injection molding tool for a sensor
also referred to as reel-to-reel production
For visitors, the most striking
features are the company’s
end products with gleaming
metal contact points protruding
from plastic components,
indicating their intended use as
electromechanical components.
The company’s products are
used by the automotive industry,
in electrical engineering, for
the production of white goods,
medical products and in the
aviation and aeronautics industry.
Kummer also often acts as
a development partner for
its customers, as the parts
manufacturer knows all the
requirements for a stable
production of metal and plastic
components. Know-how that is
already important at the design
stage. Experts refer to the
process in which the lead frame
is provided as a strip from a
reel, runs through the injection
molding machines and is rolled
up on a reel again, as “reelto-reel” process. Kummer has
further developed this method
to the progressive co-molding
process. This method utilizes the
closing movement and closing
force of the injection molding
machine for cutting and forming
the stamped strip in upstream
and downstream stamping tools.
Cutting tool — injection mold —
cutting tool form an in-line group
of tools inside a single machine.
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
europe | KUMMER
7
KUMMER
Contact
Clamping system
Jens Hofmann, Managing Director
System 3R
Thomas Härdt, Head of Development
and Design
Programming
info@kummer-gmbh.de
Mecadat’s Visi CAD/CAM
Kummer GmbH + Co. KG
GF AgieCharmilles machines
Measuring, testing
Enzberger Strasse 26
– 2 AC Challenge V3
–Mahr Multiscope
75443 Ötisheim
– 1 Challenge V3
– Werth Videocheck
Phone 07041 9580-0
– 2 Challenge 3
– Leak test
Fax 07041 9580-99
– 1 Evolution 2 including handling
– High-voltage test
– 1 Evolution 3
– EOL test
– 1 Zeiss Vista
– 1 Agietron Hyperspark
– 1 Agietron Exact
– 1 Agietron Impact
– 1 Mondo Star 20
– 1 Agiedrill
–MIKRON HSM 300 GraphiteMaster
Managing Director Jens Hofmann and the company’s latest investment in
www.kummer-gmbh.de
wire cutting (EDM wire eroding), a GF AgieCharmilles AC Challenge V3.
The Mikron HSM 300 GraphiteMaster high-speed
machining center with milled graphite electrodes made
Agietron Hyperspark HS die sinking EDM machine
with peripheral equipment.
from SGL 8650.
A finished part for a transmission control is produced by overmolding various contact parts
(production sequence from top to bottom).
« Our aim is a stable-process
production, which we have
achieved in our company. »
Sensors are produced by progressive co-molding along a stamping strip,
Jens Hofmann, Managing Director,
Kummer GmbH + Co. KG
by separation and further processing in robotic cells. This includes,
for instance, the insertion of further components, overmolding and testing.
With every stroke, components
are processed at three points
within this tool group. In other
areas of production, individual
components are also handmade
or inserted in injection molds and
overmolded in complex robotic
cells. And these process steps
can also be combined.
GF AgieCharmilles wire-cutting
and die-sinking EDM machines
of GF AgieCharmilles play an
important role in the production of
cutting tools and injection molds.
CUTTING AND DIESINKING EDM: KEY TOOLMAKING TECHNOLOGIES
Eleven GF AgieCharmilles
EDM machines and one Milling
machine are used for erosive
cutting (wire-cutting), die-sinking
and Milling of the graphite
electrodes. “Our design ensures
a considerable amount of wire
cutting, as we equip our machines
to run unattended around the
clock,” Hofmann said, explaining
the functioning and reliability of
the machines. Carbide tool inserts
are processed in particular. This
is similar for EDM die-sinking.
Kummer mills the sinking
electrodes, 90 percent of which
are graphite, required for this
process, on a Mikron HSM 300
high-speed machining center
with integrated palette magazine.
Reliable cutting and cavity sinking
precision are vital prerequisites
for tool making.
CAD/CAM THE BASIS
FOR SUCCESSFUL
PRODUCTION
The process starts with a CAD
model, often developed together
with the client. Kummer
provides the know-how on die
cutting, surface technology and
overmolding of inserted parts.
“Our aim is a stable-process
production, which we have
achieved in our company,”
Hofmann explained. Designs are
produced in 3D using Mecadat’s
Visi CAD/CAM solutions. Visi was
created for the requirements
of tool and mold making and
NC production. The design
department also produces the
programs for wire cutting, die
sinking, and milling including
electrode machining.
medical | AO Foundation
8
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
IMPROVED
PATIENT CARE
AT HEART OF
AO INNOVATION
For 52 years, the AO Foundation — commonly known
as simply AO or, in German, Arbeitsgemeinschaft für
Osteosynthesefragen — has been a pioneer in the
improvement of care for patients with musculoskeletal
injuries. At the AO, headquartered in Davos, Switzerland,
there is only one VIP: the patient, whose care is at the
center of every innovation.
Alexandra Poulsson, a postdoctoral researcher specializing
in implant surfaces, is part of
an AO Research Institute (ARI)
team investigating cell, tissue
and bacterial interactions to
biomaterial surfaces. Poulsson,
an engineer with a background
in biomedical material science
including cartilage research
and orthopedics, said exciting
research is going on to create
degradable scaffolds for fracture
fixation, but metals, nondegradable polymers, ceramics
and composites, such as carbon
reinforced polymers or ceramicpolymer composites, are here to
stay for the foreseeable future.
“One of the big research areas
is finding alternatives to metal
and we’re seeing more polymers,
ceramics and composite
materials coming to the market,”
she said. “We know that
tissues interact differently with
different materials, and the
surfaces of implants play a very
important role in how cells and
tissues react.”
EXPLORING SURFACE,
TISSUE INTERACTIONS
One goal of the ARI
Musculoskeletal Regeneration
Program is to control implanttissue interactions through
implant surface modification.
In orthopedics how smooth or
rough an implant surface should
be depends on its application.
“For example, the tendons of the
hand need to move freely over a
hand implant, so this requires
a smooth implant surface to
prevent adhesion of the tendons.
During the healing process
tendons and ligaments are free
to glide over the smooth hand
implant so the full range of
motion is maintained,” Poulsson
explained. “The roughness of an
implant surface also impacts how
bone interacts with the implant.
One of the major findings of the
work of Professor Geoff Richards,
Director of ARI, showed that by
The AO Foundation’s reputation for collaboration and innovation brought
postdoctoral researcher Alexandra Poulsson to the ARI.
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
medical | AO Foundation
Improved patient care lies at the heart of every innovation arising from the
AO Foundation’s global network of surgeons and operating room personnel.
(Medizinische Hochschule Hannover photo)
The Matrix preformed orbital plate is part of a dedicated set of implants
9
because it is. ARI scientists are
determined to not only address
existing clinical issues, but be at
the forefront of developing the
treatments of the future.
and instruments specifically designed for orbital reconstruction.
“We know that the world’s
population is aging and, at the
same time, people have much
higher expectations of their aging
bodies. People in their seventies
expect to be able to climb
mountains as they did when they
were younger. In the past, aging
was seen as a natural process
with natural limitations,” she said.
“The quality of life expectations
of patients strongly influence our
areas of research.”
(AO Foundation photo)
Prof. Rainer Schmelzeisen, MD, DDS (right) explains to Dr. Marc Metzger
the concept behind an AO Foundation innovation. (AO Foundation photo)
reducing the surface roughness
of titanium implants (especially
for pediatric patients), these can
be more easily removed once the
bone has healed.”
Spine cages — implants used
to fuse mobile segments of
the spine in the treatment
of degenerative diseases,
deformities and spinal trauma —
another example of the strides AO
researchers have made in recent
years is the surface treatment
of spine cages. Conventional
cages made of titanium lead to
limited visualization by X-ray
and CT, thereby preventing
visualization of how well the
tissues are integrating with
the spinal implant. There is
also a mismatch between the
mechanical properties of titanium
and bone which can lead to
additional problems. To address
these issues, AO researchers
recommended surface modified
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
as a material for interbody
fusion cages. PEEK spine cages
are distributed by one of the
foundation’s industrial partners,
Synthes. PEEK is a biocompatible
material with elasticity more
closely resembling bone and
more importantly, is radiolucent
which allows the integration of
the tissues to the spine cages
to be easily observed through
radiography. The surface
modification developed at the ARI
has been designed to improve
tissue integration to the cages
compared to conventional PEEK
spine cages.
AO INNOVATIONS
IN PATIENT CARE
Other ARI breakthroughs
in patient care include the
DensiProbeTM, a new diagnostic
tool to support intra-operative
assessment of bone quality
in osteoporotic patients, and
the development of a polymer
gel which — at 37° Celsius —
becomes a solid hydrogel.
“The DensiProbeTM is a very big
innovation because it allows
you to actually gauge bone
strength. When a surgeon has
that information, he or she can
then decide on the best fixation
strategy to meet the patient’s
needs such as the augmentation
required to reduce the risk of
implant cut out, where the implant
might cut through the weak bone,
and becoming a non-functional
implant,” Poulsson said.
“And the development of injectable
biodegradable materials is one of
our most exciting ARI successes in
recent years, further developments
of this technology include the
incorporation of compounds into
the thermo-responsive hydrogel
such as antibiotics, stimulus for
bone regeneration, growth factors
to stimulate vascularization,
which is very important for bone
healing, and factors to limit disc
degeneration in the spine.”
QUALITY OF LIFE
EXPECTATIONS
PLAY A ROLE
If it seems that research is
moving quickly at ARI, that’s
The AO’s more than
10,000-member clinician
network ensures a steady stream
of research topics, Poulsson said,
and the Foundation is structured
so that a wide range of expertise
— including education, clinical
investigation, development and
quality assurance in principles,
practice and results of fracture
treatment — is readily available
to ARI scientists. For example,
Poulsson and ARI colleagues
studying surface treatments
have only to call upon their
colleagues in ARI Biomedical
Services for expertise related to
biomechanical R & D and concept
development, conventional
and CNC manufacturing, highprecision prototyping including
five-axis milling, wire-cutting
EDM, 3D and CAD construction
and metal hardening.
“Sharing expertise, and having
a system in place to make that
possible, is an important part
of the success of ARI and all of
the AO,” she said. “It was AO’s
reputation for collaboration
and innovation that brought me
to ARI. Patients are the ultimate
beneficiaries of everything we do.”
For more information, visit:
www.aofoundation.org
europe | BRÜGGER
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
10
MILLING, EDM, AUTOMATION
A POWERFUL COMBINATION
At Rudolf Brügger SA, technical know-how has been a solid foundation throughout the firm’s 60-year
history. GF AgieCharmilles Milling, EDM and Automation solutions are a cornerstone for the company,
which focuses on building long-term partnerships with customers and embracing innovation in ways
that add value to those partnerships.
Nestled among rustling palmetto
trees on a quiet residential street
in Minusio — 85 kilometers
northwest of Milan and 133
kilometers southeast of Zurich
— Rudolf Brügger SA’s location
is as understated as its owner’s
demeanor. Scratch the surface
and you will find a wealth of
technical know-how, a rich
history spanning five generations
of customer-centered business
practices, and a circle of partners
and employees who interact as
trusted family and friends.
A TRADITION
OF EXCELLENCE
Rudolf Brügger SA has its roots
in Frutigen in the Swiss Bernese
Oberland, where company
president Rudolf Brügger’s greatgrandfather, named Jakob —
established a small machine shop
specializing in the production of
industrial stones, primarily for the
watch making industry. In 1949,
his father — also named Rudolf
— opened the Minusio facility
which employs 36 people. Today,
a fifth generation — Brügger’s
son, Michel — is involved in the
business with responsibility for its
subsidiary in Spiez.
Rudolf Brügger, a self-described
“technical guy,” attributes his
company’s success to its solid
know-how derived not just from
a long family tradition but also
his experience as a mechanical
engineer at GF AgieCharmilles
from 1978 to 1984 in Losone.
Not surprisingly, Michel Brügger
served his apprenticeship at the
Group’s Losone facility before
becoming a sales manager with
System 3R; today, Michel Brügger
splits his time between consulting
responsibilities with System 3R
and managing Spiez subsidiary of
the family business.
SHARED RESPECT
FOR KNOW-HOW
Rudolf Brügger SA’s two
specialty areas — industrial
stones and micromechanics
— touch on a wide range of
markets: watch making, medical
technology including orthopedics,
aeronautics and aerospace,
textiles, food processing,
chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
The industrial stones segment
produces hole-and-cap jewels,
ball bearings, vee jewels, and
counter and compass jewels,
some of which are measured in
microns. The micromechanics
side of the business uses a
wide range of technologies and
processes, including wire-cutting
EDM, die-sinking EDM, grinding,
A System 3R WorkMaster serving two MIKRON five-axis machining centers
drilling, CNC turning and milling
and lapping.
Helping enable the company’s
success is a wide range of
GF AgieCharmilles Milling,
EDM and Automation solutions.
“GF AgieCharmilles understands
our business and manufacturing
processes and has decades of
expertise in the core technologies
central to the quality we promise
to our customers,” Rudolf
Brügger explained.
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
europe | BRÜGGER
11
Brügger
GF AgieCharmilles machines
– 2 Mikron XSM 400U
with System 3R WorkMaster cell
– 1 Mikron HSM 400U
– 1 Mikron HSM 400U
with pallet changer
Rudolf Brügger SA
– 1 Mikron XSM 400
Via Decio Bacilieri 24
with linear pallet changer
6648 Minusio
– 1 Progress V2
Switzerland
– 1 Classic V2
Phone +41-(0)91-743 54 13
– 2 AC50
Fax +41-(0)91-743 54 60
– 1 DEM 315 with B axis
– Compact 1
Contact
– EMS 1.10
Eveline Pfister
– EMS 2.20
Director of Administration
pfister@rudolfbrugger.com
Turning, décolletage
2 Schaublin CNC 125
Measuring
– Wenzel 3D
Rudolf Brügger shows one of the workpieces
www.rudolfbrugger.com
perfected with GF AgieCharmilles technologies.
Maurizio Bizzini, responsible
for technical production and
programming, programs
production of a workpiece.
The final result of the earlier
3D programming and produced
by GF AgieCharmilles’ five-axis
The company’s micromechanics division relies on GF AgieCharmilles’ fast
Milling.
and precise Milling, EDM and Automation solutions.
“We share with GF AgieCharmilles
a real respect for technical
expertise and quality. In fact,
part of our partnership has
involved us producing parts for
GF AgieCharmilles products.”
AUTOMATION WORTH
THE INVESTMENT
Brügger was one of the
first in his field to invest in
GF AgieCharmilles Automation
and five-axis machining,
a risk that has paid off over
the long term.
“I was interested in becoming
established in micromechanics,
but because we didn’t have any
micromechanics customers
to begin with, some people
questioned my decision to invest
in machines for jobs we did not
yet have. But I saw the benefits.
You can’t look for work if you don’t
have the machines to do the job,”
he said. “For me, automation is
not about replacing people. It is
about letting our people go home
at the end of their work day;
automation simply allows our
machines to continue working a
few more hours.”
The future of company looks
bright, and Brügger looks forward
to it.
explore interesting market
segments where our expertise
can play a role.”
“We don’t aspire to grow a lot in
terms of number of employees,”
he said, “but we do want to
That expertise — encompassing
technical know-how, innovation,
and remarkable closeness
« GF AgieCharmilles …has decades
of expertise in the core technologies
central to the quality we promise to our
customers. » Rudolf Brügger, President, Rudolf Brügger SA
The second segment of Rudolf Brügger SA’s competence is the production — using traditional methods — of industrial
stones for the watch making, medical technology, food packaging and textile industries. The company produces
millions of industrial stones each year for the global market.
to customers, partners and
suppliers — has enabled
the success of the company,
its customers and partners
throughout its history. Times
change, Brügger said, but that
winning formula is a keeper.
asia | asahi
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
12
« This is something Asahi has in
common with GF AgieCharmilles:
technology leadership and a real
focus on making our customers
successful. ».
Peter Wan, Vice President, Asahi (HK) Ltd.
TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN
AND CUSTOMER CENTRIC
In an expansive, modern facility so meticulously ordered that it resembles a cleanroom operation,
the 700 employees of Asahi (HK) Ltd. — located in ChangAn, Guangdong, China — create display phones
for the world’s top mobile phone producers. Behind the company’s success are an entrepreneurial spirit
and a market agility that keep Asahi (HK) Ltd. ahead of the competition.
Established in 1980 as an
injection and molding enterprise,
Asahi (HK) Ltd. quickly made
its mark with a battery pack
processing line, and today is
a leading original equipment
manufacturer specializing in
the manufacture of precision
plastic components, with design,
engineering, mold-making,
injection molding, finishing and
assembly all under one roof.
The company’s core business is
the production of “display” phones
used as mobile phone companies’
marketing tools to showcase their
products. In Japan, an especially
competitive dummy phone market
with very high quality demands,
Asahi (HK) Ltd. is among the
top dummy phone producers
with significant market share.
Standing behind the success
of Asahi (HK) Ltd. is not only a
fleet of GF AgieCharmilles high-
speed and high-performance
Milling centers, die-sinking and
wire-cutting EDM machines,
and Automation solutions, but
the Group’s peerless application
support.
“Our success is a combination
of unrelenting effort to stay well
ahead of competitors and a
constant quest for new business
opportunities,” said Asahi (HK)
Ltd. Director of Production Peter
Wan. “We actively look for ways to
gain competitive advantage over
our competitors, and our core
business is tied to the equipment
and expertise provided by
GF AgieCharmilles.”
Most importantly, Asahi has been
exploring a whole new paradigm
of mold making. Every mold
(or duplicate mold) is unique in
structure and demands custom
manufacturing. If this one-of-
a-kind manufacturing process
can be transformed into mass
production mode, like parts
manufacturing, the distinct
benefits of economies of scale
and full automation will ensue.
Asahi’s partner of choice in the
realization of this not-so-distant
vision is GF AgieCharmilles.
Wan said GF AgieCharmilles’
equipment makes it possible for
Asahi (HK) Ltd. to produce dummy
phones that are 100 percent
identical in look and feel to the
manufacturers’ original products.
“Because these dummy phones
are marketing tools, cost is a big
consideration. The challenge is to
build display phones that look and
feel identical to the originals at a
small fraction of the cost of the
originals,” Wan explained. “There
is something new every day in this
market; for example, the avant
garde coatings and the nontraditional textures for mobile
phone casing. GF AgieCharmilles
is part of our team in our daily
operations as we bring added
value to our customers.”
SUPERIOR RESULTS,
SUPERIOR SUPPORT
Five years ago, Asahi began
acquiring GF AgieCharmilles
machines and due to the results
they produced — along with the
application support that goes
hand-in-hand with them — Wan
has not a single regret.
“In the beginning, since keeping
costs competitive is so important
to what we do, we struggled
with whether we should invest in
GF AgieCharmilles equipment,”
he said. “Today, we know we
made the right decision.
Our GF AgieCharmilles machines
do what we need for them to do,
and they have been adaptable to
new and higher demands.”
PARTNERSHIP
BREEDS SUCCESS
And that relationship
GF AgieCharmilles goes even
deeper. Wan calls it a partnership.
“Because of GF AgieCharmilles,
automation is an important part
of our operation. Automation
virtually eliminates errors
and allows us to allocate
manpower to processes that
really must be done by a
person, ” Wan said. “Our first
experience with automation
was with GF AgieCharmilles.
Anyone can buy a robot, but
GF AgieCharmilles worked with
us to integrate automation into
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
asia | asahi
13
The management team at Asahi (HK) Ltd. includes (from left) Peter Wan, Director of Production;
Clara Chan, Director of Marketing; and Gordon Chan, President.
ASAHI
Contact
– 1 FO 350 Sµ + QCRi tool changer
Peter Wan, Director of Production
– 1 FO 350 SP
peterwan@asahicn.com
– 1 FO 350 MS
– 1 FO 550 g
GF AgieCharmilles machines
– 1 FI 240 SL
– 2 Mikron HSM 600
– 2 FI 240 SLC
Asahi (HK) Ltd.
– 1 Mikron VCP 600
– 1 FI 240 CC
Room A, 16/F,
– 1 Mikron HSM 800
– 3 FI 240 SLPC
Legend Tower, 7,
– 1 Mikron HSM 500
– 1 FI 390
Sheng Yip St.,
– 4 Mikron HPM 600 HD
– 2 FW1
Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
– 1 Mikron XSM 400U
– 1 SE1
Phone: (+852) 2763 5071
– 1 Mikron HSM 300
– 2 DRILL 11
Fax: (+852) 2797 8104
– 4 FO 35P
– 1 FO 350 + C-axis +
rotary tool changer
Automation
2 System 3R WorkMaster
www.asahihk.com
GF AgieCharmilles’ LASER 1000 5Ax (right) is part of Asahi’s integrated
manufacturing system.
our operation, truly walking
us through how we could use
automation as a tool to improve
quality and productivity. Because
of this positive experience, we
are now applying automation in
other departments like coating
and painting.”
Willingness to not only embrace, but
master, new technology is central to
that partnership, Wan said.
“We are always on the lookout
for new technologies that can
offer us a competitive advantage
and a better result for our
customers. A good example
is the new GF AgieCharmilles
LASER 1000 5Ax laser ablation
machine. Our competitors do not
have this technology, so we are
blazing a new trail and are on the
leading edge of technology in our
market,” Wan said.
“This is something Asahi has in
common with GF AgieCharmilles:
technology leadership and a real
focus on making our customers
successful.”
Asahi’s modern, 100,000-square meter ChangAn site includes 60,000 square
With support from GF AgieCharmilles, Asahi has developed an integrated manufacturing system including EDM,
meters of production space.
Milling and Laser technologies.
NEWS | GF AgieCharmilles
The CUT 2000/3000 accommodates an optional
third-generation automatic wire changer.
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
14
The new FORM 200 offers greater flexibility and autonomy, thanks to
its latest generation IPG generator and zero-wear IQ technology.
SPEED AND VERSATILITY
CHARACTERIZE
NEW EDM PRODUCTS
GF AgieCharmilles’ new EDM products push the limits
of machine performance and offer genuine machining
breakthroughs. All of the new products are engineered
to boost customers’ success, offer greater autonomy,
productivity, energy savings and flexibility.
NEW DIMENSIONS
IN DIE-SINKING EDM
Change electrodes
between sparks with
The new Fast Tool Changer
(FTC) for the Group’s FO 350
die-sinking EDM machines is
literally the world’s fastest tool
changer, making it possible to
change tools between sparks.
In real time, that’s less than 15
seconds to complete the change.
The FTC’s fast and fluid motion
GF AgieCharmilles’
revolutionary new Fast
Tool Changer, literally
the fastest tool changer
in the world.
The FORM 400’s generously sized and easily accessible work
tank is especially suited to machining of large molds and parts.
is optimal for the machining
of small cavities for mobile
and smart phones, tooling for
connectors and lead frames
for LED production, and other
applications with small parts
dedicated to complex mechanics.
The FTC also offers distinct
advantages in mold manufacturing
processes where many electrodes
— often with spark erosion
times varying from one cavity to
another — are required and rapid
electrode changing means more
running time.
The new FORM 200/400
machines, featuring the Group’s
most advanced generator with IQ
(Innovation + Quality) zero-wear
technology. The FORM 400 was
designed to suit the production of
large molds and parts, as in the
power generation, aerospace and
automotive industries. The FORM
200 boasts GF AgieCharmilles’
Vision 5 intuitive control system
for a fluid man-machine
interface and flexible data input,
and can be automated with the
Fast Tool Changer.
GREATER CONTROL,
VERSATILITY
IN WIRE EDM
Versatility is the key word when it
comes to GF AgieCharmilles’ new
CUT 200/300/400 wire-cutting
EDM machines which boasts
significant improvements in
accuracy and cutting speed on
parts of varying thicknesses –
applications like the production
of molds for plastic injection,
manufacturing aluminum
extrusion dies, and part
production for the aerospace and
medical industries.
The high-end CUT 2000/3000
range features an optional
third-generation automatic
wire changer, a key to greater
versatility and process control
because it allows the use of
wires of different diameters and
materials. Thin wire can be used
to cut thicker parts, and wires
can be automatically changed
between main and trim cuts to
reduce running costs.
ANOTHER MILESTONE
IN HIGH-SPEED MILLING
GF AgieCharmilles continues to set the standards in
Swiss machine building with its MIKRON HSM 400, 400U
and 500 LP high-speed, linear performance machine
range. GF AgieCharmilles is the only European machine
manufacturer offering a solution for process-reliable tool
measurement on the machine tool.
The MIKRON HSM LP (linear
performance) Precision range
breaks new bround with its
Intelligent Tool Measurement
(ITM) technology, affording
optical tool measurement at full
spindle speed.
The new range features Opticool,
a cooling unit for each linear axis
as well as the rotation/tilt unit,
preventing heat flow from the
drive motors to the machine bed.
The result: geometric stability
ensuring extremely repeatable
accuracy in management of the
axial movement.
Smart machining,
superb results
Capable of performing the finest
axial movements of 100 nanome-
ters (1/10,000 mm), the MIKRON
HSM LP range also offers extraordinarily precise detection of
the tool geometry via ITM, which
records the whole tool tip up to
12 mm in diameters on modern
image sensors to provide tool
measurement with an absolute
Z-reference in the micrometer
range. This breakthrough paves
the way to new and more efficient
operating strategies.
An example application:
a reflective mirror insert machined on
a MIKRON HSM 400U LP Precision.
The basic machine: MIKRON
HSM LP Precision with ITM tool
measurement.
The MIKRON HSM LP Precision
series takes performance to the
limit, thanks to OSS (Operator
Support System) Precision with
an intuitive user guide. The
operator maintains autonomy
over decisions influencing
parts costs of the work pieces
produced and — whatever the
task — the operator’s objectives
can be reached more quickly
and reliably.
The MIKRON HSM LP Precision
series, with unmatched axial
dynamics, represents a leap in
productivity that is sure to make
GF AgieCharmilles customers
more successful than their
competitors.
GF AgieCharmilles | Results Today | 05
NEWS | GF AgieCharmilles
15
MAKE YOUR MARK
WITH OUR LASER TECHNOLOGY
As the world’s leading provider of Milling, wire-cutting and
die-sinking EDM, and Automation, it should come as no
surprise that GF AgieCharmilles — with its new LASER
products — is again demonstrating its technology leadership.
GF AgieCharmilles is the only machine tool company in the
world offering a fully digital manufacturing process.
Beginning with Milling, wirecutting and die-sinking EDM
and finishing with Laser
technology, GF AgieCharmilles
is enabling its customer to make
their mark as never before,
bringing the machining process
fully circle with a completely
digital process. The results
of GF AgieCharmilles’ digital
ablation products are clear:
detailed and nuanced textures
and microstructures, engraving,
marking and labeling of
machined parts and electrodes.
CLEAN, FLEXIBLE
ABLATION PROCESS
Like all GF AgieCharmilles
products, the LASER product
line offers speed, repeatability
and flexibility, but with its
Laser technology, the Group
brings something more to the
table: a process that is more
environmentally friendly than
standard manual and chemical
etching processes.
The LASER machines offer
solutions ranging from the threeaxis entry-level LASER 500 up
to the high-end LASER 1200 for
five-axis machining with a travel
path of 1200 x 900 x 1200 mm
(x, y, z) and a maximum part
weight of 1700 kg.
The maximum volume size of the
part is 700 x 700 x 700 mm.
A high-quality digital image of
the texture to be ablated provides
the baseline and, because
that image remains on file for
easy accessibility and future
use, customers can infinitely
reproduce that texture with
confidence in its integrity over
future iterations.
GF AgieCharmilles Laser
technology offers unlimited
opportunities for customers to
make their own distinctive mark
with a wide array of materials
including graphite, aluminum,
copper, steel, carbide, brass and
some ceramic.
The LASER products’ texturing
process uses a pulsed Laser
to economically render the
desired texture in 2D or 3D
with, amazingly, 30 to 50 layers
of gray nuance, though up to
256 layers are possible.
By comparison, chemical etching
yields only three to five layers.
PREVENTIVE SERVICES:
MORE PRODUCTIVITY,
MORE SUCCESS
GF AgieCharmilles preventive services — a facet of the
Group’s world-renowned Customer Services unit — can help
customers avoid 70 percent of the leading causes of machine
down time. And less down time means more productivity
and more success.
Preventive services
include an inspection of your
GF AgieCharmilles machines
by one of the Group’s 500
highly-trained service engineers.
Located close to customers and
linked to GF AgieCharmilles’
sales companies worldwide,
our service engineers know both
the Group’s technologies and
how customers apply them in
their production processes.
These experts perform onsite analysis of customers’
GF AgieCharmilles equipment
and provide detailed recommendations for corrective action.
Seventy percent of machine down time
only with regular inspections,
but also by following the detailed
recommendations provided by
your GF AgieCharmilles service
engineer, and exchanging wear
parts as needed. Additional
preventive services include
machine calibration, geometrical
measurements and certification
support.
can be avoided with preventive services
consumables and original
wear parts, helps customers
achieve top performance and
precision in daily operations.
Machine support, to help you
operate keep equipment in
perfect order and condition,
maximizes productive machine
time with original spare parts,
technical support and preventive
services. Business support —
a key to operational excellence
— includes business solutions
tailored to customers’ needs.
For more information
about GF AgieCharmilles
Customer Services, visit
www.gfac.com/gfac/
customer-services.html
from GF AgieCharmilles.
SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE PREVENTS
DOWN TIME
increasingly popular investment
because it’s less costly in the long
run than unplanned down time.
GF AgieCharmilles generally
recommends preventive services
every 2,000 hours for its Milling,
EDM and Laser products,
depending on how intensively a
machine is used.
Scheduled down time for
inspection as part of your
workshop’s overall machine
maintenance plan is an
GF AgieCharmilles customers
can minimize their maintenance
costs and optimize machine
functionality and precision not
MODULAR
APPROACHENABLES
SUCCESS
Preventive services are a crucial
aspect of GF AgieCharmilles’
complete Customer Services
portfolio that includes three
levels of customer support so
that customers can select the
services which best fit their
specific needs.
Operations support, offering
a wide array of certified
Imprint
Publisher
Agie Charmilles
Management SA, Geneva,
Switzerland
Editor in chief
Rolph Lucassen
Managing editor
Melody M. Corrieri
Editorial board
Rolph Lucassen, Elke P.
Magnin, Melody M. Corrieri
Reporter
Klaus Malle
Lay-out
David Hirsbrunner
Photography
Marinus van Breugel,
Klaus Malle, AO Foundation,
Denver Post, Ben Cares,
Medizinische Hochschule
Hannover, Davide Bolgé
Translations
Atlantis AG,
Karsten U. Timmer
Print
Tipografia Poncioni SA
Circulation: 55 000 copies
© Agie Charmilles Management SA, 2010
The technical data and illustrations are not binding.
They are not warranted characteristics and are subject to change.
259.805.062
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