Alsto Präzisionsspannwerkzeuge from Burladingen in Baden-Württemberg produces clamping tools and tool holders for machines used in woodworking companies. The various tools are produced in several stages. First, the desired parts are pre-turned and milled from cylindrical steel blanks in the seven turning-milling centers. The aim is to complete as many operations as possible in a single clamping operation, as each new clamping operation means a loss of quality and quantity. "I want every part to be ready for the hardening shop in just two clamping operations," explains Managing Director Alexander Alber, who founded the company in 2006.

Industrial PCs from Noax are used for these tasks. They supply the necessary data and CAD drawings for programming the machines. The industrial PC displays the CAD drawings clearly so that the employees can recognize even the smallest details. After turning/milling, the parts are hardened. Alsto outsources this process to other companies. Carbon is introduced into the surface of the steel part by means of gas to a depth of around 1 mm. The parts are then sandblasted, coated with a dark protective layer and returned to Alsto, where they are highly polished by a special machine to halve the surface roughness. The lower the roughness depth, the better the part is protected against corrosion. After finishing, the center of gravity of the workpiece has changed and is corrected by balancing. In order to always deliver high-quality and consistent products, finishing takes place in a room with a constant temperature, which is separated by a climate barrier. In the final work step, laser marking is carried out. The tools and tool holders are then ready for dispatch.

The IPCs support the entrepreneur above all in the first work step, namely when machining the parts in the turning and milling centers. They display the design drawing in the form of 2D CAD data and specify the parameters with which the machines are programmed.

More performance thanks to production data acquisition

Noax industrial PCs provide the necessary data and CAD drawings for programming the machines.

© Noax Technologies

For Alber, innovation also means efficient processes. Modern production data acquisition (PDA) using industrial PCs is part of this for him. He has been able to increase the performance of his company by 20 % simply by recording production data using the IPCs.

The seven turning/milling centers in his production facility originally had no display option for CAD visualization or PDA. Alber was therefore looking for a solution to automate as many processes as possible. As the hardware was to be used in combination with his turn-mill centers, he focused primarily on robust, fully enclosed, industrial-grade computers that would also represent a secure investment in the long term.

His aim was to offer users the greatest possible ease of use so that they only needed a few simple steps to access the desired information. The industrial PCs had to be manufactured in Germany. Alexander Alber opted for the 19-inch version of the Compact series from Noax, as he wanted above all a large display with a clear presentation of the design drawings, which reproduces the DIN A4 PDF files in 1:1 format. The large touchscreen also has the advantage that it is particularly easy to operate thanks to its resistive analog touch type.

Information for all employees

In addition to an efficient PDA, he also wanted to make his knowledge available to the employees. "I have all the data for production in my head, but I want my business to keep running even when I'm not here," he explains.

Employees only have to press a button on the IPC or touch the touchscreen twice at most to call up the necessary information. "I want to make things as easy as possible for my employees so that they can concentrate fully on their actual tasks." Before Alexander Alber set up the industrial computers in his company, all the information for production was stored on loose sheets of paper next to the turn-mill centers. A major problem with this was that if a sheet tore or became dirty, it had to be reprinted - which slowed down operations. With the industrial PCs, all design data is available at all times - employees cannot misplace it and it does not become illegible due to oil, water or fingerprints like paper.

In addition to the PDF viewer for design data and a self-written program, Alsto has installed the software for production data acquisition on the IPCs. The PDC provides him with precise feedback on his company's productivity. "Before I set up the Noax IPCs here, I couldn't collect accurate data, so my employees or I had to write the information down by hand on pieces of paper, which meant we had to interrupt work processes time and time again. Where I couldn't get exact figures, I had to estimate."

Robustness is crucial

Alber appreciates the industrial PCs from Noax not only because of their numerous functions, but also because they are solidly constructed from the ground up. As they are used directly on the turn-mill centers, they are exposed to the vibrations of the machines. They are also exposed to flying steel chips, splash water and water vapor, which is often generated during the machining process in the turning/milling centers. The completely enclosed design of the industrial PCs prevents chips, water or the cooling lubricant from causing damage to the computer. "And I also really liked the fact that the selected IPCs don't have external fans," explains Mr. Alber, "because they break easily and then you can forget about the computer."

Author:
Michael Naumann is a freelance technical journalist from Munich.