The penetrating and loud whistling when drilling steel beams could even be heard outside the hall and was detrimental to the health of the employees. With ISCAR's SUMOCHAM interchangeable head drill and the IHP-BD drill head specifically developed for processing steel beams, Stahlbau Wegscheid significantly reduced the noise during this process.
Founded in 1973 as Stahlbau Alfred Müller, Stahlbau Wegscheid has steadily grown since 1997 and now generates around 40 million euros with 140 employees on a production area of 18,000 square meters. In the six halls, the company processes about 8,000 to 10,000 tons of steel annually, mainly S 235 and S 355, but also high-strength steel grades up to S 960.
In two-shift operation, constructions for building, bridge, machine, roof, and facade construction for construction companies, industrial enterprises, and public authorities from Germany and Austria are created. 'In addition to production, we also take on the design and assembly of the components and support our customers already in the planning phase,' says Managing Director Franz Josef Gottinger. 'They rely on our expertise for their projects and trust our adherence to deadlines and flexibility.'
As part of these projects, Stahlbau Wegscheid has to make many drill holes in steel beams almost daily. This is done on an automated saw-drilling system with three tool magazines that set the drill holes from both sides and from above. The team led by Production Manager Reinhard Kübelböck had previously used drills from an ISCAR market competitor. The drilling quality and tool life were acceptable, but the steel processing specialists suffered from the noise peaks that occurred during drilling.
Especially with low material thicknesses of around eight millimeters, vibrations caused annoying noise.
'The whistling at up to 92 decibels was not only audible in the production hall. We had to do something about it,' he recounts. 'Our goal was to further reduce the noise exposure of the employees, as too much noise can be harmful, even with hearing protection.' Therefore, the production manager became alert when Hubert Fischer, consulting and sales, application technician Armin Zillner, and Patrick Muller, Product Manager Drilling, introduced the IHP-BD drill heads and bodies specifically designed for processing steel beams during one of their regular visits.
Optimized Geometry
'We designed the tools specifically for economical and process-safe drilling of steel beams,' says Hubert Fischer. 'The drill heads and the reinforced drill bodies significantly reduce noise during the process.' This is made possible by the geometry with its combination of two point angles and special edge preparation. It allows for noise-, vibration-, and burr-free drilling. 'The sharp cutting edges minimize burr formation, and the highly wear-resistant carbide substrate with the heat-resistant PVD coating extends the tool life of the self-centering drill heads,' explains Armin Zillner.
'The tool holder also makes an important contribution. It is only spiralized in the front area; the rest remains solid,' adds Patrick Muller. 'This increases stability and prevents vibrations.'
The new IHP-BD drills offer the user high tool life, efficient cooling directly at the cutting zone, and vibration- and noise-reduced processing. ISCAR offers the interchangeable head drills in diameters from 13.5 to 39.7 millimeters and in lengths of 5xD and 8xD. They can be used with both cooling lubricant (KSS) and minimum quantity lubrication (MMS). A special advantage of the system: it practically reduces setup times to zero.
When changing the cutting tool, the operator only replaces the drill head, while the drill body remains in the machine. This is very simple, quick, and eliminates the need for subsequent re-measuring.
From Airplane to Lawn Mower
The proposal sounded interesting, so the Wegscheid team agreed to on-site tests. These showed immediate results: with the SUMOCHAM, the whistling was gone, and instead of reaching 92 decibels, the sound level meter only peaked at 80 decibels. 'We turned a starting jet fighter into a lawn mower,' says Reinhard Kübelböck happily. As a side effect, his team can now operate at higher cutting speeds – from 70 to 75 meters per minute.
The volume of material removed also increases: from 63 to 67.5 cubic centimeters per minute. 'The old tool might have lasted a few more drillings, but when we weigh costs and benefits, the new one fits us better,' says the production manager.
Stahlbau Wegscheid uses the SUMOCHAM drills in standard sizes of 14, 18, and 22 millimeters, covering almost all application cases. 'The solution has fully met our expectations,' says Reinhard Kübelböck, counting on: 'The most important thing is – we relieve our employees in the hall. Additionally, we work more productively.'
Contact:
