High-precision micro-tools are the centerpiece of modern micro-machining and significantly influence the quality, productivity, and cost-effectiveness of the manufacturing process in key industries. Their
design, material selection, and manufacturing methods are crucial for achieving optimal results when machining workpieces in the micrometer range. A company that achieves great things on a small scale is ZECHA Hartmetall-Werkzeugfabrikation GmbH from Königsbach-Stein in Baden-Württemberg – one of the currently most innovative problem solvers worldwide in precision tools for micro-machining as well as in stamping and forming technology. This year, the pioneers and trendsetters for micro-precision tools celebrate their 60th anniversary and look positively and optimally into the future of the company with grounded and forward-looking ideas and projects as one of the TOP 100 awarded medium-sized companies in Germany (2023).
To put it bluntly: Without the help of the mother-in-law of company founder Erwin Zecha, there would probably be no incredible ZECHA milling cutters with a cutting diameter of 10 µm with two clearly defined cutting edges today. The bank refused to finance Erwin Zecha's first lathe for 4000 D-Mark because he had no collateral to show as a refugee. Elvira Zecha's mother spoke with an old school friend at the savings bank and guaranteed for her son-in-law. With the lathe, Erwin Zecha initially produced part-time for two years at home before founding the company ZECHA in April 1964.
In fact, the young entrepreneur, who initially worked in the Pforzheim watch industry, could rely on the female intuition by his side: His son Stefan Zecha, the current managing director, who joined the company in 1984 at the age of 19, recalls with a smile: “My mother, Elvira Zecha, not only allowed this first lathe to be set up in the old children's room at first, but quickly realized that the space of the production shed built later next to the house was no longer sufficient. At her initiative, the site was then expanded to 1,600 m2 in the newly established industrial area. As you can see, my parents did everything right – although, in hindsight, it could have been even bigger.”
The ZECHA success story gains momentum
Erwin Zecha quickly earned a reputation as one of the few specialists in the region capable of grinding special tools made of carbide with high precision. From the very beginning, all employees were focused on the highest precision and quality. No wonder, as the company emerged from the close environment of the burgeoning Pforzheim watch and stamping industry and has developed into an important manufacturer of the required micro-precision tools, not least due to the quality demands of these industries.
In 1995, Stefan Zecha took over the management of the company. In 1996, Reiner Kirschner, an experienced expert in stamping tool technology, joined and continuously expanded this business area. On January 1, 2000, he was appointed as the managing partner of ZECHA.
Stefan Zecha: “The ongoing miniaturization – for example, of electronic items and their components – increased the demand from mold makers for high-precision small tools with ever smaller diameters. In principle, it is true that the geometries of larger tools cannot simply be downscaled into the micro range. When using milling cutters with a few tenths of a millimeter in diameter, completely different machining conditions prevail compared to conventional dimensions. Completely different competencies must be developed, which are far from the standard. All of this confirmed our early specialization in this market segment. ZECHA has thus carved out a niche not only in solid carbide tools for the stamping, forming, and machining industries but also, for example, in medical technology, orthopedics (implants), and dental technology, where we have opened up new market segments
and developed suitable tool solutions for machining titanium, stainless steel, and special materials.”
Today, ZECHA offers a comprehensive portfolio of milling and drilling tools from stock and supplies users within the shortest time with a variety of high-end production tools. Minimal tolerances in roundness accuracy of 3 µm as well as in shape accuracy and diameter of 5 µm each are delivered in series. The smallest milling project was a tool with a diameter of 0.01 mm and 2 spiralized cutting edges. In addition, ZECHA maintains an extensive stock program of punch dies according to DIN 9861 and ISO 8020, precursors for cutting bushes, guide bushes, and semi-finished products. Reiner Kirschner: “It goes without saying that not every customer requirement can be met with a catalog tool. The products of our customers are usually too specialized for that. We meet this with special solutions that are reproducible at any time, even after years, precisely tailored to the application – and which secure the decisive advantage in performance, quality, and service life for the user. I am particularly looking forward to AMB 2024 in Stuttgart, where we will present our latest innovations at our new, large anniversary trade fair stand.”
Building competence and high-tech in production
Due to the focus on microtechnology, investments in high-tech production technologies have been a constant necessity and thus form the basis for important milestones of the company. Stefan Zecha adds: “In the founding days and early years, tools were still manufactured individually by hand on mechanical grinding machines. Even then, this was done with extremely high precision. With the introduction of CNC grinding technology from Rollomatic in 1991, we took production to another quality level. Since then, the use of advanced Swiss high-end production technology has guaranteed the fulfillment of our highest quality standards.”
- In 2004, ZECHA introduced the latest measurement technology, which allows small tools to be fully automatically, contactlessly, and µ-accurately measured in 3D mode – a technological leap in the production of micro-tools.
- In 2006, ZECHA established 100 percent final inspection and labeling of all tools with a life number for precise reproducibility. The labeling now takes place not on the tool shank but on the end face to avoid even the slightest impairment of roundness.
- In 2008, ZECHA invested in the latest nano-grinding technology and in a REM measuring device for comprehensive tool analysis.
- In 2015, the launch of the LaserSmart 500 laser processing center for machining ultra-hard materials such as CBN, PCD, CVD, MD, and natural diamond in the finest structures took place.
Partners inspire innovations
It shows: ZECHA is at home in the niche and still maintains a broad perspective. Many investments flow into new technologies and developments. This enables medium-sized companies to keep pace in many industries and to open up new business fields. For this, ZECHA also relies on the expertise, technology transfer, and innovative strength of high-quality technology suppliers from areas such as grinding technology, carbide, and coating. Strategic partnerships, special projects, and research collaborations round off the 'view beyond the horizon'. This consistently creates synergies that lead to new and revolutionary ZECHA products.
and technologies for various industries. Examples include multi-edged PKD tools for machining technical ceramics or the ZECHA IGUANA series of diamond-coated micro-precision end mills. For this, ZECHA received the Innovation Award Baden-Württemberg 2021. Compared to the tools of competitors, ZECHA's IGUANA tools offer a 400 times higher tool life in copper, a 15 times higher tool life in fiber-reinforced PEEK, and a 10 times higher tool life in lead-free brass. With these values, ZECHA's IGUANA tools set new standards worldwide in the field of precision tools.
ZECHA Group internationally positioned and successful on-site
ZECHA has also positioned itself broadly as a group and on an international level, for example with ZECHA Precision Tools Ltd. in India with 140 employees. Through a tightly-knit distribution network in the D-A-CH region and Europe, ZECHA offers users optimal supply with high-quality tool solutions. Additionally, further companies have been integrated into the ZECHA Group, including MPK Special Tools GmbH (Schwäbisch-Gmünd), which focuses on stamping technology, and AlienTools GmbH (Berlin), which specializes in the online distribution of tools for dental laboratories and dentists as well as for mold and tool making worldwide. Through the Austrian company CIMTRODE GmbH, ZECHA gains direct access to advanced measurement technology.
The preliminary highlight of the company's history is the awarding of the TOP 100 Award 2023 for outstanding innovation management. With this, ZECHA belongs to the most innovative and successful medium-sized companies in Germany.
Despite the necessary globalization of business interests and activities, the ZECHA team, consisting of 130 employees under Reiner Kirschner and Stefan Zecha as chairman of the Precision Tools Association in the VDMA (German Engineering Federation), has remained grounded and connected to the location. With pioneering investments and engagement in organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Crafts Chamber, as well as in many local projects, they emphasize their connection and responsibility to the region and to the location of Germany. Both agree: 'We are proud to lead such a great team. Each individual lives our company philosophy, and the average age of 41 years reflects a healthy mix of 'tradition and modernity'. For trainees and skilled workers, we are always a very good address.'
60 years of ZECHA – from the children's room to an established trendsetter in the field of micro-machining, stamping, and forming tools, which has shaped the industry for decades, brought it forward, and will continue to revolutionize it. Only manufacturers like Erwin Zecha with pioneering spirit have made the production and widespread availability of micro-tools possible. Stefan Zecha and Reiner Kirschner: 'Our company anniversary is not only a look back at the past but also a glimpse into the future, where we will not lose sight of the maxim under which Erwin Zecha founded the company in 1964: 'Start small, grow steadily, and never lose sight of the horizon.'
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