GF AgieCharmilles ITS

Guests from around the world gathered at GF AgieCharmilles’ main building in Losone, Switzerland, for the company’s International Technology Show, March 19-23, 2013. More than 700 users attended the event.

Losone is a suburb of Locarno, which is nestled on Lake Maggiore at the foot of the Alps. The area is a popular tourist destination because of its scenic beauty and mild Mediterranean climate.

GF AgieCharmilles’ historic legacy in EDM and advanced milling are represented by these models dating from the early 1950s and 60s. Machines are displayed on either side of the entrance to the main building in Losone.

The company’s latest entries in EDM (die-sinking, wire and hole-drilling), laser texturing and high speed/high efficiency milling were presented in the showroom/demo area. A number of technology partners also participated with displays of EDM tooling, workholding, programming software, inspection and financing.

The company calls the Form 2000 VHP “a milestone in very high precision die-sinking EDM.” It features a thermostabilization system that minimizes fluctuations in temperature to promote stability and precision. In assembly, the machine body is thermally isolated from the Z axis, which is cooled with dielectric fluid.

The Mikron HPM 450U is a five-axis solution for universal, automated production. In addition to the compact basic machine, this model offers two selectable high-performance milling spindles, a range of tool magazine sizes, as well as pallet changing capability. It is appropriate for simple drilling and milling to complex five-sided machining and five-axis simultaneous contouring.

Exhibits of EDM hole drilling technology included the Drill 20 (shown here) and the Drill 300B. Whereas the Drill 20 is designed for efficient hole making, the Drill 300B is designed to achieve the best results in terms of minimal heat affected layer and best hole integrity. Advanced electronics enable the finest pulse duration to be controlled to hundreds of nanoseconds. Electrode wear and the heat affected layer are reduced to a few micrometers while maintaining a reasonable machining speed.

The event included a tour of the company’s EDM machine manufacturing facility in the nearby town of Zandone. Except for the largest models, machines are assembled moving from station to station on special carriers riding on in-floor tracks. Kanban part delivery assures lean manufacturing efficiency.

The Zandone plant is primarily devoted to machine and control assembly. Machining operations performed there are largely restricted to finish grinding. Because finish grinding of ways and other precision components is critical, the company does it in-house to assure complete control over quality. Grinding equipment includes this large Favretto grinder.