Contract manufacturing / single-part production
Tool Service manufactures single parts process-safely and without scrap with CHECKitB4
Tool Service uses ESPRIT and CHECKitB4 to program single parts parallel to main production time, verify them virtually and manufacture them automatically.
Tool Service GmbH
Task
High process reliability in automated single-part production and complete machining, without test pieces, scrap or long run-in times.
Solution
ESPRIT for CAM programming and CHECKitB4 as a digital twin for complete NC verification with real control logic.
Customer value
More machine running time, less scrap, shorter throughput times and a high level of confidence for machine operators and work preparation.
Technical context
„Automated, unmanned manufacturing of different single parts is the greatest challenge in contract manufacturing. CHECKitB4 from Pimpel gives us the necessary security.“
User report
Going to the limit
Tool Service manufactures single parts and small batches with high demands on delivery time, quality and process reliability. The contract manufacturer from Ried im Traunkreis uses ESPRIT and CHECKitB4 to program orders parallel to main production time, verify them virtually and then manufacture them process-safely on the machine.
From niche player to single-part manufacturer
The company was founded in 2004 by Wolfgang Weiß and Herbert Vogl. A small shop with a 3-axis milling machine, drilling machine and saw grew into a modern manufacturing service provider with 1,800 square meters of production area and around 30 employees working in two shifts.
Initial situation
Tool Service machines more than 20,000 different single parts every year. With this order structure, setup parts, scrap and long run-in times are economically critical. Modern 5-axis machining centers and automation increase performance, but require reliable NC programs.
One-off parts handled like series parts
Tool Service follows the principle of treating a single part like a series part. Different jobs are manufactured automatically via pallet systems. For this to work, CAM programming, simulation, tool data, machine environment and ERP data must interact cleanly.
Solution with ESPRIT and CHECKitB4
Tool Service has programmed with ESPRIT since 2010. CHECKitB4 has been used since 2015, among other things in connection with the automation of two Hermle C 40 and C 400 machines with pallet changing systems. After the CAM process, the NC code is checked with a real Siemens or Heidenhain kernel.
Digital twin of the machine
CHECKitB4 boots the control on the PC with machine-specific parameters, axis limits, special cycles and subprograms. The NC program is executed as on the real machine. Collisions, part geometry, motion behavior, syntax and program runtimes are checked before setup.
Everyday value
Errors are detected before the machine is set up. Production flow is not interrupted. Employees work with greater confidence because they know that the machining process runs and is largely optimized. This allows Tool Service to work with 100 percent feed rate and use machine running times more effectively.
ERP as the hub
An ERP system adapted to the company’s requirements provides the organizational foundation. Work plans, CAM operations and further data are stored, making quotations faster and post-calculation more precise.
Result
CHECKitB4 is a standard building block for Tool Service in automated single-part production. The company can prepare complex parts more safely, reduce throughput times, increase machine running times and avoid scrap.
