Customer Success StoryReli­able clamping in heat and dust

SCHUNK modules are installed at a number of produc­tion loca­tions at Neher. For the produc­tion of customized special tools for the auto­mo­tive industry, the company in Ostrach-Einhart uses various tool­holders, chuck jaws, lathe chucks and vises from SCHUNK.

As a top performer, Neher needs reli­able produc­tion compo­nents to meet the high customer require­ments for both tool clamping and work­piece clamping. “We need top quality in any case,” says Tobias Niess, Devel­oper at Neher. All the more so when it comes to partic­u­larly demanding parts produc­tion, such as the addi­tive manu­fac­turing of highly specific tools made of metal. This is where the VERO‑S NSE-HT mini 88–20 quick-change pallet system comes into focus. The clamping system for use in high-temper­a­ture appli­ca­tions remains unaf­fected by the finest dusts, abra­sive mate­rials and even contin­uous immer­sion baths.

There are chal­lenges beyond what clamping systems need to with­stand in everyday, conven­tional machining processes. “We can’t imagine our produc­tion processes without this quick-change pallet system,” says Tobias Niess. And he knows exactly what he’s talking about.

Quick-change pallet system as the basis for preci­sion

He and his team oversee 3D metal printing at the company. For this purpose, the company purchased the modern Lasertec 30 Dual SLM from DMG Mori for gener­a­tive manu­fac­turing by selec­tive laser melting (SLM). This “3D printer” can be used to gener­a­tively manu­fac­ture highly complex compo­nents with differ­en­ti­ated func­tional inte­gra­tion in a powder bed heated up to 200 degrees Celsius. This so-called hybrid printing process, melting work­pieces onto prefab­ri­cated compo­nents, is also achieved at Neher. In this process, geomet­ri­cally simple work­piece compo­nents are manu­fac­tured conven­tion­ally, and the complex geome­tries are then addi­tively “printed” onto the hybrid blank. For this purpose, the clamping pins of the quick-change pallet system are mounted directly on the hybrid blank.

This approach utilizes the advan­tages of both processes and signif­i­cantly reduces manu­fac­turing costs. The runtime of the 3D printer is short­ened, meaning it can move on to the next job faster.

A prereq­ui­site for the precise and effi­cient produc­tion of these kinds of work­pieces is the absolutely precise clamping of the substrate plate on which the product is addi­tively built in the machine room. This is where the VERO‑S NSE-HT mini 88–20, which SCHUNK designed and laid out specif­i­cally for appli­ca­tions in 3D metal printing, stands out.

Heat resis­tant and perfect for 3D metal printing

“This clamping module is special,” says Devel­oper Benjamin Hirz. “While conven­tional quick-change pallet systems can be used up to 60 degrees Celsius, this clamping system with­stands the high temper­a­tures of the steel powder melting process.” “Without the VERO‑S NSE-HT mini 88–20, we would not be able to imple­ment the ther­mally demanding manu­fac­turing process. It always reli­ably guar­an­tees us the fixed posi­tion on the machine table side,” explains Tobias Niess.

“We can't imagine our production processes without this quick-change pallet system!”

Tobias Niess,
Devel­oper at the Neher Group

At Neher, four VERO‑S NSE-HT mini 88–20 modules are used, as well as a VERO‑S NE-HT mini 36 quick-change pallet unit in the center. The quick-change pallet unit defines the thermal zero point for large substrate plates via a centric clamping pin. The clamping itself takes place simul­ta­ne­ously via the remaining four clamping pins. An inte­grated spring assembly secures the clamping perma­nently and is self-locking– air is only required for the opening process.

Sealing concept keeps out dust and abra­sive mate­rials

The second major chal­lenge for the clamping system is that it is perma­nently exposed to the highly abra­sive mate­rials. But the SCHUNK sealing concept makes it possible to resist the finest metal dusts that pene­trate even the tiniest crevices.

“Our sealing concept is so reli­able that the clamping system is even suit­able for immer­sion baths,” confirms Benjamin Hirz. “Under all of these envi­ron­mental condi­tions, a perma­nently high force is main­tained on the clamping slide, which ensures absolute process reli­a­bility. Even if fine metal powder gets into the cutting area, the clamping slides do not get blocked. The module clamps reli­ably.”

Long life span

One single VERO‑S NSE-HT mini 88–20 has been running on the 3D metal printer at Neher for three years. “Absolutely reli­able and trouble-free and one hundred percent precise,” Tobias Niess empha­sizes. Despite the long machining times of seven to ten hours in 3D metal produc­tion, SCHUNK states that the service life of a quick-change pallet system used in this way is approx­i­mately ten years.

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Special tools manu­fac­turer

Among other things, Neher manu­fac­tures stan­dard and special tools as well as compo­nents for a wide variety of appli­ca­tions, including power­train modules for the auto­mo­tive industry.

In addi­tion to modern CNC-controlled turning and milling machining centers, several 3D metal printers as well as corre­sponding measuring tech­nology have been in use for several years, which is why the company can produce a wide variety of customized compo­nents in light­weight struc­ture with func­tional inte­gra­tion.

The one-man oper­a­tion founded in Ostrach in 1990 as Neher Diamantwerkzeuge has devel­oped into a state-of-the-art company that currently has around one hundred employees. Since June 2021, Neher has expanded its busi­ness field to include fixture construc­tion, jig construc­tion and measure­ment tech­nology.