Dual Metal Processing: Innovation in Manufacturing

Gleason relies on the Siemens CNC system SINUMERIK ONE for high-precision machine tools in gear manufacturing. The new gear machine 100HCD impresses not only with its speed and precision, but also with the integration of a new chamfering process.

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Precise as a Swiss clockwork

When watchmaker Karl Lüthy founded the machine factory Mikron in Biel in 1908, the company played a key role in the industrialization of the Swiss watch industry with its gear cutting machines and tools. Today, Gleason Switzerland AG belongs to the international Gleason Corporation and functions as a competence center for hobbing, power skiving, integrated chamfering and deburring processes, and the honing of high-precision gears. The headquarters in Studen near Bern is a state-of-the-art technology center for hobbing, power skiving, chamfering and gear honing machines. In addition, a variety of secondary machining and automation solutions are integrated.

Customers include companies from the automotive, robotics and aerospace industries, manufacturers of industrial gears as well as small and large contract manufacturers. "The assembly of the machines takes place in Studen," explains Dr.-Ing. Markus Krömer, Director of Technology and Software at Gleason: "We work with numerous local companies as well as other Gleason locations that manufacture individual components for us. This makes Gleason Switzerland extremely flexible in meeting customer requirements."

Hobbing Gleason SINUMERIK ONE. Hobbing requires the highest precision. Gleason Switzerland uses SINUMERIK ONE for all machine types.

Innovative combination

The machines from the Bernese Seeland are popular: In 2019, Gleason delivered the thousandth machine of the well-known P90 series. During the hobbing process, unwanted burrs are created by material displacement that must be removed. Through the process of cutting chamfering, these sharp burrs are completely removed. Dr. Krömer explains using the example of electric drives why this is important: "Modern drives are becoming increasingly quieter, individual disturbing frequencies stand out. To meet the requirements, special hard finishing processes are used that can be impaired by poorly chamfered components."

With "Radial Chamfering," Gleason integrates a universal, cutting chamfering process directly into the hobbing or power skiving machine. This industry novelty not only saves time and space, but also reduces the work effort and costs that arise from switching to other machines. This is interesting for manufacturers of gears of all kinds, explains Dr. Krömer: "The entire manufacturing process is accelerated and production efficiency is increased. Thanks to the affordable chamfering tools used in this process, the innovative method also makes sense for small series."

Advantages of digital transformation

"Especially in the automotive sector, requirements are constantly increasing," says Dr. Krömer: "With a typical gear, we now achieve a deviation of five to a maximum of ten micrometers on the tooth flanks – one-tenth of a human hair." Gleason relies on the latest generation of CNC control SINUMERIK ONE. "The control offers a coupling function for tool and workpiece. This so-called electronic gear is an important quality feature for us," emphasizes Krömer. In the new 100HCD hobbing and chamfering machine, a total of 18 axes must be controlled. This is done with Siemens Simotics servo motors. "To get the slightest deviations in speed or position under control, the process-defining rotary axes for tool and workpiece are equipped with direct drives. This avoids inaccuracies caused by belts or gears."

With SINUMERIK ONE, Siemens is driving the digital transformation of the machine tool industry. All development processes can be completely digitally mapped with the virtual twin "Create My Virtual Machine." This significantly reduces product development and market introduction times for new machines and brings flexibility: "The software for the 100H series was prepared by an employee in the home office – the digital twin made this possible," explains Dr. Krömer.

Years of trust as a foundation

In Studen, exclusively Siemens controls have been used for a long time, says Dr. Krömer. "Recently, we converted the CNC controls of all machines to SINUMERIK ONE. We have been working with Siemens for decades. Siemens controls offer everything we need and are available worldwide; that's important for us." Converting the controls alongside daily business was quite a challenge, says Krömer, who earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of Aachen. "Siemens supported us not only in the design of the drive and control components but also during the implementation phase with a customer service employee, which we greatly appreciated."

With the conversion of the control, the latest EU machinery regulation was also implemented. This not only ensures the protection of employees, but also firmly integrates OT security (Operational Technology) into the machine. Now every person needs a personal key with password to operate a machine. However, it's important that the machines can be operated simply and intuitively despite high security standards, emphasizes Dr. Krömer. After entering the workpiece data and machining parameters via the user interface GEMS "Gleason Engineering and Manufacturing System" developed by Gleason on the control panel, the CNC control generates the code for manufacturing from this information.

Measure, analyze, save

With machine tools, power consumption is increasingly coming into focus. Rolf Leutwyler, Product Manager and Technical Consultant at Siemens, says: "With our energy-saving function Ctrl-E, machine operators always have energy consumption and energy recovery through braking processes in view. This information forms the basis for energy-saving measures and thus also for a better CO2 balance in manufacturing."

However, Gleason's machines are economical anyway, Dr. Krömer puts into perspective: "In operation, the 100H consumes an average of 6,000 watts, the maximum load is 13,000 watts. That's not much for such a machine. Even when fast cycle times or strong torques are decisive for the application, it immediately switches to energy-saving operation when utilization is low." In addition to using efficient motors and/or power-saving LED lamps, Gleason places great importance on the correct dimensioning of components to avoid wasting resources unnecessarily. And the fact that Gleason Switzerland exclusively relies on Siemens for controls and drives also ensures lean spare parts warehouses. This means fewer components have to be flown express around the world – another plus for the climate.

Radial chamfering is a fast and cost-effective way to chamfer gears of all kinds.

Technology in brief

The Simatic PLC S7-1500 integrated in SINUMERIK ONE is optimally suited for automation thanks to its performance. The CNC control allows the control of up to 31 axes in 10 machining channels. An integral part of the CNC is a digital twin "Create My Virtual Machine." The SIMOTICS servo motors are compact and highly dynamic permanent magnet synchronous motors for broad use in industrial environments. They are characterized by high power density and overload capability.

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Gleason Switzerland AG

Gleason Switzerland AG was originally founded in 1900 as Mikron AG in Biel. As a subsidiary of Gleason Corporation headquartered in Rochester, NY, USA, it now functions as a competence center for gear manufacturing using hobbing, power skiving, chamfering, gear honing processes and integrates various automation options.