Laboratory Machining and Machine Tools (LZW)

Machining technology

  • Analysis and optimisation of the following methods:
    - Turning
    - Milling and HSC milling
    - Drilling, lubricated hole drilling
    - Honing
  • Measurement and interpretation of cutting forces during plain turning, drilling and milling
  • Machine measurement and vibration analysis
  • Carrying out roundness measurements
  • Dry machining
  • Hard turning and milling
  • Implementing CAM solutions for HSC milling (3, 4 and 5-axis)
  • Testing and assessment of new tools and clamping devices
  • Method development

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Walter
Hochschule Esslingen
Fakultät Maschinen und Systeme
Labor für Zerspanungstechnik und Werkzeugmaschinen
Kanalstraße 33
73728 Esslingen am Neckar

Telefon: +49 (0)711-397-3282
Telefax: +49 (0)711-397-48 3282
 

weitere Ansprechpartner

Laboringenieur:  Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Frank Hafner

Machines

  • Index V160 CNC vertical milling machine for workpieces up to D=200 mm with automatic loading and discharging for turning, milling, drilling and thread cutting. Possibility to install additional tools (milling, grinding, honing spindle)
  • Digma HSC 300 HSC milling machine with 3 axes, speeds up to 40,000 rpm, with CAD-CAM coupling
  • Production CNC honing machine from Gehring for long-stroke honing, path and force controlled
  • Several CNC milling machines, one 3-axis production milling machine, one 4-axis machining centre with 80 tools, one fast 3-axis machining centre
  • One stable CNC plain lathe for workpieces with Dmax=400 mm and 1 m in length
  • Grob G350 – 5-axis machining centre with pallet changer

Metrology and test equipment

  • Kistler force measurement platform (3-axis) to measure forces and moments during milling, drilling, tapping, honing etc.
  • Kistler force measurement platform (3-axis) to measure forces and moments during turning
  • Various path, vibration, acceleration and temperature sensors to measure machine, tool, vibration and temperature characteristics
  • Mahr roundness measurement device with a measuring resolution of 0.1 µm
  • Tool calibration on modern tool calibration and setting device
  • HBM measurement amplifier
  • Temperature measurement equipment
  • Piezo acceleration measurement equipment for vibration measurement
  • Laser interferometry
  • Olympus measuring microscope

Laboratory exercises in machining

  • Analysis and optimisation of the following methods:
    • Turning
    • Milling and HSC milling
    • Drilling, lubricated drilling
    • Honing
  • Measurement and interpretation of cutting forces during plain turning, drilling and milling
  • Machine measurement and vibration analysis
  • Roundness and cylindricity measurements
  • Surface and profile measurements
  • Dry machining
  • Hard turning and milling
  • Implementing CAM solutions for HSC milling (3, 4 and 5-axis)
  • Testing and assessment of new tools and clamping devices
  • Method development


Vibrations of machine tools

  • Analysis and stability
  • Measurement of dynamic stiffness
  • Externally induced and self-induced vibrations
  • Use of auxiliary tuned mass damper
  • Use and understanding of metrology


Production and measurement of workpieces

  • Self-contained production of a workpiece on various machine tools (conventional lathe, CNC lathe, CNC 5-axis machining centre)
  • Measurement of the workpieces produced with different production measuring machines (roundness, surface measurement machines, manual measurement equipment)
  • Analysis of results, also static investigations, and interpretation


Acceptance tests for machine tools

  • Measurement of contouring errors with cross-grid encoders
  • Calibration of NC axes with a laser interferometer
  • Assessment of positional uncertainty


Clamping systems

  • Use of clamping cylinders, clamping devices and zero-point clamping systems
  • Shaft clamping technology
  • Measurement of the positional uncertainty of a zero-point clamping system

Research activities

The Machining an Machine Tools Laboratory headed by Prof. Dr. Walter collaborates closely with industrial companies in Baden-Württemberg. Medium-sized and small companies are often looking for support with process engineering issues. They in particular require simple and low-cost solutions.

Machining and Machine Tools Laboratory

Projects which were carried out in the Machining and Machine Tools Laboratory are listed below by way of example:

Research activities and projects

  • Development of energy- and resource-efficient machine tools
  • Cutting force measurements during turning, milling, drilling
  • Investigations of the processes during hard turning and milling
  • Development of a tool pressing-off fixture for milling machines
  • Development of a lathe conversion kit for milling machines
  • Temperature measurements in drilling experiments
  • Industry 4.0 – CAD-CAM production
  • Cutting data analyses for trochoidal milling
  • Comparative analyses of different milling strategies
  • Vibration analyses with machine tools
  • Resonant frequency determination on machine tools
  • Investigations of hones
  • Cutting value determinations for honing

 

Industrial partners for the machining technology:

  1. Index, Esslingen
  2. Grob, Mindelheim
  3. EMAG, Salach
  4. Diato/Gehring, Ostfildern
  5. Lang Spanntechnik, Holzmaden
  6. Mahr Messtechnik, Esslingen
  7. Kistler Messtechnik, Sindelfingen
  8. Forkardt Spanntechnik, Reutlingen
  9. Schunk Spanntechnik, Lauffen am Neckar
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