For the 19th time, the biennial AMB trade show (International Exhibition for Metalworking) will bring together metal-cutting experts in Stuttgart, Germany. The importance of this forum is continuously growing within the industry, and the AMB will therefore be significantly larger this year. Between September 18 and 22, 1,500 exhibitors will present their goods and services over a total floor space of 120,000 square meters and, for the first time ever, the mechanical engineering company Klingelnberg will be one of them. The solutions provider will be presenting its innovative Closed Loop concept for cylindrical gears and therefore a pioneering Industry 4.0 solution on booth 5C80 in hall 5.
With the opening of the new Paul Horn Hall (hall 10), the gross exhibition space available at AMB has increased to 120,000 m2. Together with AMB’s special Digital Way show and the associated conference, the trade show is a unique platform of innovation for metalworking, demonstrating what can currently be achieved in terms of digitalization in production. It’s an ideal forum for Klingelnberg to present its latest innovations. Not only do these innovations reflect state-of-the-art developments, but taken together they are a prime example of production in the Industry 4.0 age.
Höfler cylindrical gear generating grinding machine Speed Viper 180 – with Closed Loop Technology
The Höfler Speed Viper 180 cylindrical gear generating grinding machine is among this year’s highlights in the field of cylindrical gear technology. With its Speed Viper platform, Klingelnberg is presenting itself as a pioneer with regard to Industry 4.0 – and it will be demonstrating the cost savings and efficiency gains that are possible as soon as the potential of digitally-supported processes is fully exploited. The new Speed Viper generation is designed for high productivity and robustness of the grinding process and therefore fulfills all of the requirements that are needed in modern large-scale production: short set-up times, minimum cycle times, innovative software solutions, and digital process and quality control in a Closed Loop system.
Depending on the model, Speed Viper is designed for maximum workpiece diameters of 80, 180, and 300 mm. These match the standard component sizes of the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors and their suppliers, for whom the Speed Viper is mainly intended. They also perfectly meet the stringent productivity requirements of this industry. However, the series is also ideal for cylindrical gears in industrial transmissions and for robotic applications.
Gear Operator, a newly developed operating software program, focuses on a simple, innovative operating philosophy. This software, which guides staff step by step through the machine functions via a modern touch screen display, sees Klingelnberg setting a new standard with regard to machine operation and process stability.
What’s more, in March 2018, Klingelnberg received the iF Design Award for its innovative machine design. This award is presented once a year by the iF International Forum Design in Hannover, Germany.
Precision measuring center P 26 in new design
At the AMB, Klingelnberg will also be presenting one of the measuring machines it has designed for future-proofed quality management of gearing as part of Industry 4.0 processes. The fully automatic CNC-controlled P 26 precision measuring center is designed as a compact unit for the workpiece diameter range up to 260 mm. The machine and software concept is optimized for the measurement of complex drive components using a technology that replaces up to six conventional measuring methods: gear measurement, general coordinate measurement, form and position measurement, roughness measurement, contour measurement, and optical measurement. Maximum measuring and reproduction accuracies are guaranteed – the P series represents a widely used standard in the industry. The P 26 already features the new, ergonomically optimized Klingelnberg design.
Closed Loop for cylindrical gears, in line with Industry 4.0
In broadening the Closed Loop concept already established at Klingelnberg for bevel gears to include the world of cylindrical gears, the mechanical engineering company is linking machine tools to the measuring machine in this sector too. The Closed Loop for cylindrical gears is based on an open interface and automates machine corrections, and therefore sees the solutions provider take the next logical step towards digitalization in gear production. Thanks to a number of associated applications and software, Klingelnberg’s system enables central production control, resulting in a standardization of the machining results obtained on various machines and even in various plants.
In order to demonstrate how Klingelnberg’s digitalized solution concepts enable the Speed Viper and P 26 precision measuring center to be used in real-life production in line with Industry 4.0 manufacturing, both machines will be networked directly at AMB. Visitors to Klingelnberg’s booth 5C80 in hall 5 will be able to see the Closed Loop concept for cylindrical gears for themselves.
In June 2018, Klingelnberg received the Best of Industry Award in the “Industry 4.0” category, presented by the trade journal MM Maschinenmarkt, for the cyber-physical production system in which every step of the value chain is described by a digital twin.
The show booth will also feature a digital identification system with SmartTooling
With SmartTooling, Klingelnberg is introducing a digital identification system for tools and fixtures and is consistently incorporating the bevel gear cutting machine further into the subject area of Industry 4.0. It aims to make processes that are still carried out manually more efficient with the aid of appropriate software – this forms the basis for traceability, a 360 degree view of the production equipment. The additional data which is now available then provides the basis for creating new process optimization potential. The goal is to proactively support customers in reducing costs and increasing the quality of production.
