EMO 2023: Sharpening technologies for tool production 2023-07-20

The EMO trade fair will be taking place in Hanover, Germany, between 18th and 23rd September 2023. Biberach-based sharpening specialist VOLLMER will be showcasing its sharpening machines and services tailored to the requirements of the metalworking industry. In Hall 6 at stand F32, the machine manufacturer will be presenting automated grinding, eroding and laser machines for machining tools made of ultra-hard cutting materials, such as PCD, CBN and carbide. The machine builder will also provide information about its maintenance and training services, as well as its digital V@dison solutions. In addition, the subsidiaries Loroch and ultraTEC innovation will be exhibiting their products at the VOLLMER stand at EMO.

The EMO 2023 trade fair in Hanover is the meeting place for the metal industry. As the world's leading trade fair for international production technology, this year EMO has repositioned itself with an increased focus on interlinking products and services. This makes the trade fair the ideal place for sharpening specialist VOLLMER to showcase its machines, services and digital solutions. As a full-line supplier, VOLLMER covers all production technologies that can be used to machine rotary tools as well as circular and band saws – regardless of the cutting material used.

Producing tools with grinding, eroding or lasers

VOLLMER sharpening machines use the technological processes of grinding, eroding and lasering to machine tools. This year's product highlight at EMO will be the VHybrid 260 grinding and eroding machine, which can completely grind and erode tools. It uses multi-layer machining, which is made possible by two vertically configured spindles. In this setup, the lower spindle is designed for both grinding and eroding. Thanks to a new V@dison "booster" solution, the VHybrid 260 achieves a surface finish of 0.05 µm/Ra (micrometre/average roughness value) when eroding PCD tools. In future, the digital application will make it possible to integrate the erosion into the tool manufacture as a complete manufacturing process. In addition, the Vpulse EDM generator enables users to even produce the smallest microtools with diameters of 0.5 millimetres or less with the highest precision, performance and surface finish. High-precision machining is made possible by the integrated "Laser Check" measuring system, which achieves required tolerances of ± 2 µm during fully automatic closed-loop round machining.

Automations for all sharpening machines

The VGrind 360S tool-grinding machine also features the concept of multi-level machining. At EMO, VOLLMER will focus on the machining of CBN tools and how tool manufacturers can use the machine to individually configure and equip their production facilities – regardless of whether they manufacture special tools or high quantities of tools. In combination with the appropriate automation, such as the new HP 170 pallet magazine, the HPR 250 free-arm robot or the HC4 chain magazine, the VGrind 360S is suitable for unmanned, round-the-clock machining. The HP 170 also has optional integrated optical detection of the cooling channels. In addition, up to eight grinding wheel packages, including coolant supply, can be changed fully automatically.

The VLaser 370 laser machine from VOLLMER is testament to how tool manufacturers can machine ultra-hard materials directly at the pivot point thanks to patented kinematics. It can also produce tools effectively and with high precision because it has fewer equalising movements. In addition to its machines, VOLLMER will also be showcasing products and services from its subsidiaries Loroch and ultraTEC innovation. Loroch manufactures machines for sharpening circular saw blades. Meanwhile, ultraTEC innovation offers ultrasonic deburring systems that can be used to deburr components made of metal or plastic without contact and in a resource-saving manner.

Services and digital solutions from VOLLMER

At the EMO trade fair, VOLLMER will also exhibit its services for maintenance, servicing, training, financing and digitalisation. This will include the solutions presented by the V@dison digital initiative, such as the "Performance Pack for VHybrid 260" V@ boost solution.

"EMO's positioning as the world's leading trade fair for production technologies is in line with our corporate philosophy because we are the world's leading full-line supplier for sharpening technologies to manufacture tools with high precision andautomation," says Jürgen Hauger, CEO of the VOLLMER Group. "We offer more than just one very specific process, we provide exactly the process that customers need. In addition to our machine, we offer individual services and digital solutions to optimally support tool manufacturers and sharpening services in automated and cost-efficient production."