"The highest precision is the fundamental requirement for our work" – this high standard is articulated by Jörg Osterkamp, managing director of Bott Werkzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH. The company from Wolfegg in Upper Swabia optimizes its manufacturing processes using the measurement and automation software FormControl X from Blum-Novotest.
Alois Bott founded Bott GmbH in 1987. From the beginning, he and his employees applied their skills and expertise in various fields: special machines are built for companies in the area, and a self-developed angular milling head is used by customers for milling window profiles.
In 2009, Bott took over the toolmaking of a nearby company with machines and employees, further expanding its range of services. Today, this toolmaking, which produces cutting, stamping, and forming tools for the automotive industry, as well as the increasingly expanded contract manufacturing, forms the core of the company. In addition, angular milling heads are still produced, and screw dosing machines with container scales are delivered to customers who want to mix very precise formulations.
The number of employees has increased to 45, and the company remains family-owned.
On a HERMLE C42 MT turning-milling center, there is strong evidence that Bott delivers the highest precision: Hermle itself has a central component of its machines manufactured here. Other parts produced on this machine are so-called combination flanges in various sizes, which are machined for a nearby company. These highly complex turning-milling parts were one reason why Bott's manufacturing specialists quickly agreed with BLUM to participate as beta testers in the development of the measurement and automation software FormControl X.
Norbert Leins, CAD/CAM programmer and work planner, explains the reasons for the introduction of the software: "On the one hand, the machine equipped with a pallet changer should run as automated as possible around the clock, and on the other hand, measurements during and after the machining process need to be controlled, which are not easily measured by hand. And last but not least, form and position tolerances should be measured, which is not possible with standard measurement cycles."
The raw parts manufactured on the turning-milling center from difficult-to-machine stainless steel are mounted on a pallet at the external setup location, which the changer has positioned at the setup location. When changing the pallet, the operator specifies the corresponding NC program for the blank. This fills the pallet storage, and processing can begin. First, the measuring probe captures the zero point of the pallet, and then the machine starts executing the NC program. For the mentioned combination flange, the processing takes over 20 hours.
Therefore, it is particularly important to detect errors early on the machine. For example, before the final finishing process, the relevant measurements are taken with the measuring probe, and the tool is corrected accordingly with FormControl X.
During this highly complex machining process, important measurements are repeatedly checked at Bott. The measuring probe is exchanged like a tool, and the measurement points are traversed. "We had long lacked a way to check the form and position tolerances," recalls Norbert Leins. "When BLUM approached us to see if we wanted to participate in the beta test for FormControl X, we immediately agreed – because FormControl X can measure exactly these features.
The software is very easy to use, and you can quickly create the first measurement programs with a mouse click." Leins defines the measurement points in the FormControl X Config Client on the previously imported 3D model. The integrated context assistant automatically recognizes geometric areas and suggests typical measurement points and standard tolerances.
The measurement job is then transferred to the server and retrieved by the machine for processing the measurement points. Leins particularly liked that he can enhance the 3D models created in SolidWorks in the CAM system SolidCAM with the geometries of the clamping devices and then pass this overall geometry to FormControl X. This way, the clamping situation is completely represented in FormControl X, and a collision of the measuring probe can be prevented already when creating the measurement programs.
"The coordinate systems are also taken from the CAM program," adds Leins. In FormControl X, the user defines the points and measurement values to be measured, which at Bott include diameters and groove widths, as well as the flatness of machined surfaces. "And we have to stay within five micrometers," adds Florian Bott, team leader of the milling department.
"This accuracy of position is important for the subsequent process in which the workpieces are ground. On the one hand, we have to leave some allowance for grinding, and on the other hand, the faster it goes, the less allowance needs to be removed. Thus, precise machining on the turning-milling center saves a lot of time." Directly near the machine, there is a computer where the machine operator can view the statistics of all measurement points and respond immediately to deviations.
In the BLUM software, the travel paths between the measurement points are calculated automatically. The operator can define whether the software is allowed to perform intelligent measurement path optimization to keep the measurement time as short as possible or whether the predefined program should simply be traversed. Then, during programming, the simulation of the measurement program follows, along with a collision check – as described, based on the entire clamping situation.
One of the most important features of FormControl X is Statistical Process Control (SPC). This function allows tracking the development of measurement values over time and automating the machining process based on predefined warning and intervention limits. Each measurement is stored in the software's server database and displayed in the web interface when needed. For example, tool wear can be monitored or other inaccuracies identified that are generated by the machine or the process. "If desired, FormControl X corrects the feed values to compensate for tool wear," explains Leins. "In the SPC representation, you can see exactly how the tool wears over time and take appropriate measures in a timely manner. The assignment of measurement results to the current component is done using a unique ID."
Alternatively, FormControl X offers the possibility of automatically exchanging a tool for a sister tool when wear exceeds the predefined warning limit. This enables compliance with tolerances even in unmanned operation. For tool measurement and monitoring, the LC52-DIGILOG laser measurement system from BLUM is installed in the machine, which measures both milling and turning tools. This ensures that the machining processes run reliably through both tool and workpiece measurement.
"FormControl X really rounds off unmanned operation," says Leins. "If something goes wrong during this time, we would often only notice it after subsequent parts were produced incorrectly. With the BLUM software, the system reacts flexibly. If further processing is no longer possible after a tool break, the affected pallet is locked, a new pallet is loaded, and a sister tool is exchanged. This way, the time is utilized effectively." And thanks to wear compensation, the measurement values remain within the desired accuracy.
"Nevertheless, we check the unmanned produced parts randomly on the measuring machine the next morning," Leins continues. "On the one hand, this is partially required by customers for the delivery protocol. Additionally, only the measuring room is temperature-stabilized. But with the measurements possible with FormControl X in the machine, we can be sure that we measure only good parts on the measuring machine." During the beta phase, the Bott specialists verified the FormControl X measurement with an additional measurement on the measuring machine, but it quickly became clear that the results matched. "This gave us confidence in the software and the measurement in the machine," emphasizes Leins.
Jörg Osterkamp draws a conclusion: "FormControl X has met our expectations, we were able to save 30 percent time in production and establish a stable unmanned process. Especially in today's skilled labor shortage, this is very important. That the precision of the machining is right is a prerequisite for us, and FormControl X fulfills that. In addition, the software provided us with increased spindle times and, above all, statistical process control, which gives us the transparency and trust in the process that we need.
FormControl X is currently being adapted by BLUM for older controls, after which we will deploy the software on additional machines."
Norbert Leins is also very satisfied: "The savings in the process are one thing. For me, it is even more important that the process runs optimally. A person can forget to check a measurement, but the machine cannot. And the fact that BLUM also trusts our manufacturing processes is evident in that we occasionally manufacture components for the BLUM probes."
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