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L'officina Franke con i centri lavoro di DMG MORI.
L'officina Franke con i centri lavoro di DMG MORI.
Mechanics 

Mill-turn Technology for CT Scanners Bearing Components

Giada Bianchessi 1104 Views

Franke meets the challenge of the soaring demand for system components for medical equipment, such as CT scanners, during the spread of the COVID-19 virus with the aid of DMG MORI machining centers. In the spring of 2020 two more DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK machines were delivered in
record time.

High-end special bearings with integrated drives for CT scanners, bearings for ceiling lights in intensive care units and special bearings for medical centrifuges and laboratory equipment are just a few examples of the components Franke produces for renowned manufacturers from the medical technology industry. During the pandemic the company faced the great challenge of ensuring an uninterrupted supply chain while at the same time diligently implementing the protective measures in its own plant. Franke has been helped enormously in this change in the way of working due to its long-standing philosophy of investing automation and digitization. Currently eight digitization projects are under way.

Sascha Eberhard, Managing Director of Franke GmbH (right) and Oliver Schröder, head of purchasing and material management.
Sascha Eberhard, Managing Director of Franke GmbH (right) and Oliver Schröder, head of purchasing and material management.

Perfectly aligned equipment for batch sizes between 1 and 1,000 pieces

Franke has ensured flexibility in production since 2008 with machining centers from DMG MORI. These versatile machine tools coupled with Franke perfectly aligned equipment provide the leeway required in production planning to produce the so urgently needed components for the medical industry. Depending on the type of product, batch sizes are between 1 and 1,000 pieces per project. The spectrum of workpiece materials ranges from diverse types of wire to aluminum, brass, cast steel and on to include plastic and carbon.
The demands on production in the high-end segment are enormous, and Franke special bearings are complex system components with sophisticated housing designs, seals and integrated direct drives. Machining includes extremely high-level mill, turn and drilling technology.

Franke special bearings are highly complex system components with sophisticated housing designs, seals and integrated direct drives.
Franke special bearings are highly complex system components with sophisticated housing designs, seals and integrated direct drives.

Accuracy in the µ-range for the production of bearing components

Machines on Franke’s shopfloor include a DMU 210 FD plus DMC 80 FD duoBLOCK, DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK and DMC 160 FD duoBLOCK machines equipped with pallet changers. All machines are equipped with an accuracy pack. The duoBLOCK models in particular play a decisive role.
Milling and turning in a single setup combined with the automatic pallet changer offer the ideal package for machining highly complex housing parts for special bearings with ø 300 to 2,000 mm. Accuracy is in the µ-range.
One of the two recently ordered DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK machines is also equipped with the DMG MORI technology cycle gearSKIVING, to enable in-house production of straight and helical external and internal spur gears with conical skiving tools. This brings a reduction in both costs and throughput times.

Mill-turn technology, pallet changer and accuracy pack make the DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK the ideal package for Franke in the machining of highly complex housing parts for large bearings in the high-end sector.
Mill-turn technology, pallet changer and accuracy pack make the DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK the ideal package for Franke in the machining of highly complex housing parts for large bearings in the high-end sector.

Accelerated delivery thanks to a task force

When the order for the two DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK machines was placed nobody could foresee just how important the investment would turn out to be.
The fast spread of the COVID-19 virus has led to a massive worldwide increase in the demand for medical equipment, making the two new machining centers an elementary part of Franke production capacities.
In view of the great urgency a dedicated task force was set-up at DMG MORI; as a result the two new duoBLOCK machines were delivered even earlier than planned.

Mill-turn technology, pallet changer and accuracy pack make the DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK the ideal package for Franke in the machining of highly complex housing parts for large bearings in the high-end sector.
Mill-turn technology, pallet changer and accuracy pack make the DMC 125 FD duoBLOCK the ideal package for Franke in the machining of highly complex housing parts for large bearings in the high-end sector.

Consistently looking ahead; investing in the future

Franke has managed to win new customers in the medical technical industry in recent years, especially in the field of computer tomography, and is able to satisfy the high demand in this sector; this has greatly contributed to the positive business development of the company.
This development has gone hand-in-hand with an increase in the workforce.
As as supplier of components to sustainable industrial sectors such health, mobility and energy, Franke feels optimistic about its path of healthy growth
The share in sales of medical technology has risen in 2020 from 35 percent to over 40 percent.