With a 92-year company history, Flottweg SE has developed from an engine manufacturer for motorcycles and aircraft engines to a specialist in decanter and separator technology. In 2022, the globally active company with over 1,100 employees achieved a turnover of around 282 million euros. Back in 2018, Flottweg made a clear commitment to its headquarters in Vilsbiburg and to quality “Made in Germany” and invested in the expansion of the site.
Around 55 million euros were invested in the construction of Plant 2 in Vilsbiburg, Bavaria. This expansion not only included new production halls, but also the reorganization and restructuring of the production and workflow processes. Machine tools also had to be procured that would be able to cope with future tasks and offer potential for further growth.
A competent team from Flottweg, consisting of experts from all the necessary specialist departments, met with various machine tool manufacturers for consultation in May 2022. The challenge was to find a mill-turn machining center that could machine complex rotationally symmetrical and cubic components made of high-strength materials such as Inconel, Hastelloy and various chrome-nickel steels with special tools.
The decision was made in favor of SHW Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH, which convincingly fulfilled the requirements. With travels of X 4,000 mm/Y 2,100 mm/Z 1,600 mm, the fully encapsulated PowerSpeed-Cube milling and turning center offers a large machining area and can be set up flush thanks to SHW’s own “TightBlock” system. This high-mass composite system ensures optimum damping and rigidity and compensates for height differences between the machine and the clamping surface. It also offers optimum chip management with two wide chip conveyors and a rack flushing system.
In order to enable stepless access for the operator, the “TightBlock” at Flottweg has been lowered by around 750 mm. The stability and low vibration of the machine, which is required for machining difficult-to-cut materials, is ensured by the use of the tried-and-tested PowerSpeed 4000 assemblies. SHW pays attention to the coordination of the components right from the design stage in order to achieve maximum power transmission with low vibration.
An important aspect for the choice of the SHW PowerSpeed was the sag compensation of the massive headstock, which is achieved by the double spindle drive. Two separately driven 80 mm ball screws with linear measuring systems ensure maximum power transmission and prevent the headstock from tilting. Another decisive criterion was the orthogonal milling head used, which achieves narrow and deep contour elements. With a stepless A-axis and a 1° Hirth-toothed C-axis, all angular positions can be controlled.
The geared spindle with HSK100 tool holder offers a torque of 1,204 Nm at 6,000 rpm and a maximum power of 75 kW, which enables the machining of high-strength and clamping materials. The turning option required by Flottweg is realized by a turning tool holder, which is attached to the spindle nose of the orthogonal milling head and transfers the cutting forces to the spindle housing.
The PowerSpeed-Cube clamping system enables the machining of cubic and rotationally symmetrical workpieces with large lengths and heights. The specialists at Flottweg opted for a flexible solution that allows set-up time-optimized work. Clamping plate segments with zero-point clamping systems are mounted on both sides of the machine, enabling fast and efficient preparation of the workpieces. The milling rotary table with a diameter of 2,000 mm and a maximum speed of 300 rpm contributes to the flexibility.
The tool magazine offers 150 storage locations for tools with a length of up to 700 mm and a diameter of up to 250 mm. An additional 10-position pick-up magazine is available for longer and larger tools. Two large chip conveyors and a rack flushing system ensure efficient chip management and a clean work area.
Two cameras enable secure observation of the work process. Orderly filing systems and paperless working ensure a well-organized and digitalized working environment in which employees feel comfortable.
Working with Flottweg on this demanding project was a pleasant challenge for SHW Werkzeugmaschinen. SHW is proud to have Flottweg as a customer and looks forward to a continued friendly and cooperative business relationship.
Pictures SHW WM.
