Efficient turning & milling of technical plastics
AMENT plastics GmbH from Wernberg- Köblitz has been producing complex precision components from technical plastics since 2005 – mostly individual parts and small series.
Long-standing customers from the automotive, medical and aerospace industries rely on the know-how of the 25-strong team. Its expertise includes in particular the sophisticated machining of thermoset plastics. This accounts for a good 70 percent of day-to-day business. AMENT plastics purchased a CLX 450 TC from DMG MORI in 2022 as part of its capacity expansion and process optimization. Thanks to 6-sided complete machining, the company was able to drastically reduce throughput times, achieve higher quality and increase flexibility.
Compared to thermoplastics, which AMENT plastics also uses, thermosets place significantly higher demands on machining. “While the first produces normal chips, thermosetting plastics produce dust that must either be extracted or flushed away, which in turn leads to an aggressive sludge,” says company founder and CEO Klaus Ament, explaining the difference between the two plastics. However, depending on the application – for example in electrical engineering – wet processing is not possible because the material then absorbs too much moisture. Thermosets are laminates made from synthetic resins. The layers consist of hard paper, cotton fabric or – since the middle of the 20th century – epoxy glass fiber. The latter in particular is considered to be very abrasive, which means that harder tools are required. “So every plastic has its own parameters, which experienced specialists have to bear in mind during production,” says Klaus Ament, pointing out the importance of good personnel.
Future-proof production with complete machining
AMENT plastics relies on modern CNC technologies to machine the often complex geometries. 5-axis simultaneous milling and 6-sided turning & milling are now standard. Erik Fleischmann, production manager, believes that complete machining on turn-mill centers is the right way forward:
“The original production process involved at least two machines and repeated reclamping. This takes much longer, ties up machine capacity and the accuracy is more variable.” The investment in a CLX 450 TC was therefore a major milestone. Together with a colleague, Erik Fleischmann was responsible for the acquisition of the turn-mill center. Good experience with older turn-mill machines from GILDEMEISTER led him to DMG MORI. The choice was between the CTX beta 800 TC and the CLX 450 TC. “As space is limited, we opted for the smaller model,” he recalls. “Integrating several machining processes into one work area is a good way to expand capacity.”
Automated production with bar loader and parts removal
With travels of 750 × 200 × 1,100 mm, the CLX 450 TC covers a wide range of components. The counter spindle and the compactMASTER turn-mill spindle make it a versatile machining center for one-hit production. If required, Erik Fleischmann can also integrate in-process measurement: “Occasionally, the machine produces a series of parts. In such cases, continuous quality control in the work area saves time.” A bar loader and a container for finished parts have also been installed so that these series can be produced during unmanned night shifts.
“Single-part production and our large material warehouse allow us to fulfil even urgent orders on time,” says Erik Fleischmann. “The turn-mill center is an additional benefit in this respect.” The company has learned from this for future investments. Another factor that speaks in favor of a high degree of process integration is the shortage of skilled workers. Despite the attractive work with technical plastics, it is a major challenge to find trainees, says Klaus Ament: “Complete machining will remain an important criterion when further machines are replaced – perhaps involving a larger CTX beta TC.”
AMENT plastics GmbH
Nürnberger Straße 139
92533 Wernberg-Köblitz
www.ament-plastics.de
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