The modern headquarters of the Neher Group is located in the Sigmaringen district, surrounded by greenery and framed by the romantic, babbling river Ostrach. The Swabian high-tech company is considered a successful newcomer. Founded in 1999, the company has grown rapidly since then and now has almost 100 employees. The company owes its rise to low-wear, customized PCD, CBN and CVD tools in particular. Thanks to their high hardness, the efficient diamond tools are particularly suitable for machining lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium alloys as well as for machining composite materials. However, instead of getting bogged down as a tool manufacturer in the area of tension between clamping devices and machines, Neher has bundled more and more expertise under its roof: This includes its own laser and additive manufacturing as well as system expertise for clamping devices, leak testing systems and automation solutions.

One efficient example is a modular leak testing system for housing components that combines all functions in a compact space, from component testing to bushing assembly, leak and flow testing and marking with a data matrix code. Not least the combination of compact installation space and high functional integration meant that a whole series of users became aware of the variable, semi-standardized concept within a very short time.

Gökhan Sonuç, Managing Director at Neher

In the system, Neher combines a fixed indexing rotary table for transporting the workpiece carrier pallets with Schunk Vero-S zero-point clamping modules for precise clamping. The system can be loaded either manually or by robot. All requirements for subsequent full automation have already been taken into account. The carrier pallets are placed on two zero-point clamping modules at a total of five stations and precisely clamped using a Vero-S type A clamping pin (for fixing) and a VeroS type B clamping pin (for positioning). Radially arranged clamping slides pull in the clamping pins and lock them in a self-locking and positive-locking manner via a spring assembly. A short taper is used for fixing and positioning. This guarantees a change repetition accuracy of <0.005 millimetres. The position of the clamping slides is queried via a dynamic pressure sensor and reported to the system control. Thanks to the patented rapid and clamping stroke, the modules have a pull-in force of 7,500 newtons. With the turbo function activated, the proven pull-in force is 25,000 newtons. To increase service life and process reliability, all functional parts are made of hardened stainless steel and are therefore absolutely corrosion-resistant. The modules are also completely sealed.

All torques are absorbed

While the carrier pallet is stably clamped in the Schunk Vero-S modules, the component can be individually positioned using the rotary table driven by a servo motor.

At the individual stations, some of the housing components are subjected to considerable torques. For example, radial press-fitting of the bushings generates forces of up to 25,000 newtons. "Such dimensions cannot be absorbed by the rotary table alone," emphasizes Managing Director Gökhan Sonuç, which is why the decision was made to use Schunk zero-point clamping technology. "With Vero-S, we can absorb all the torques that arise during the individual process steps." The rotary table itself is used to transport the parts and to cycle at 72 degrees, while the modules are used to securely fix the carrier pallets at the individual stations. The cycle time is in the region of around 110 seconds.