Product category:
Manufacturing dealerships, agencies and acquisitions
News Release from: Emag UK
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 03 August 2005
Following SW acquisition, EMAG adds on
Koepfer
The gear hobbing specialist Koepfer has become part of the EMAG Group, an acquisition which adds to the Group's aim of supplying complete process systems for manufacturing.
With the acquisition, in 2004, of SW Schwaebische Werkzeugmaschinen, the successful German manufacturer of horizontal and vertical machining centers in Schramberg-Waldmoessingen, EMAG took an important step closer to its ultimate aim: "EMAG supplies the most efficient manufacturing systems for the complete-machining of precision metal components." Another major step in this direction is the integration of Koepfer, Furtwangen, Germany, a highly successful gear hobbing specialist, which has been achieved by taking a controlling interest in Jos Koepfer and Soehne
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 Nov 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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EMAG has literally turned machining on its head.
The pick-up-principle simplifies automatic loading and unloading of workpieces at almost no extra cost.
With the addition of yet another machining discipline to its product range for the machining of round and cubic workpieces, this allows the EMAG Group to offer the complete process stream for gear manufacturing.
As a gear hobbing specialist within the EMAG Group, Koepfer will become the Group's 'Centre of Excellence' for the machining of gears.
The existing business lines of the Koepfer Group will be retained and upgraded.
Further reading
EMAG UK - a company profile
Since its foundation in 1984, EMAG UK has established a strong position in the UK automotive market supplying CNC multi-functional production centres.
Turrets feed vertical shaft turning centre
Following on from its earlier horizontal shaft turning machine, Emag has developed a vertical shaft turning machine using two turrets to exchange workpieces as well as perform machining.
Grinding and automation expertise extended
With the integration of Ingersoll Naxos crankshaft grinding machine company into the Emag Group, systems can be developed in conjunction with Karstens, Reinecker, Kopp and Heilig Automation.
Both Koepfer's and EMAG's existing and prospective customers worldwide will benefit from the combined technological know-how of the heretofore independently acting specialists, as EMAG - manufacturer of high-performance production equipment - is responsible for the complete process stream and provides overlapping turnkey solutions, combined with customer-orientated advice and service - from a single source.
* The Koepfer Group - with extensive know-how of the gear hobbing technology - Jos Koepfer and Soehne, Furtwangen, was founded in 1867.
Today the Koepfer Group, consisting of three companies, has a total workforce of approx.
450 and a EUR 60 million turnover in 2004.
Koepfer Verzahnungsmaschinen, Schwenningen, develops and builds hobbing machines for the generation of high-precision gear profiles.
The worldwide clientele for this product line is to be found, in particular, among the manufacturers of electrical hand tools and geared motors, as well as among the job shops for the automotive industry.
IMS-Koepfer Cutting Tools, in which Jos.
Koepfer and Soehne has a major stake, develops and manufactures tools for the machining of all the different profiles that can be generated using the gear hobbing process.
The Group also has a well-developed service sector.
The third company is responsible for the development of special tools and manufacturing technologies, as well as for the production of high-precision gears and transmission components.
With its many years of know-how in all manufacturing processes from raw material to ready-to-install component, Koepfer is - like the EMAG Group in the areas of turning, drilling, milling, grinding, laser-machining and all associated technologies - not only a supplier of production tools for high quality gears, but also a competent partner in all the technically demanding areas associated with gear manufacture.
* The EMAG Group - a partner for small and large manufacturing enterprises - having sold over 5,000 vertical pick-up machines for chucked components and shaft-type workpieces, EMAG is the market leader in this new generation of highly productive turning and multi-functional/multi-tasking Production Centers, with which the Group remains trendsetter and partner to the manufacturing industry in the realisation of modern production solutions that aim at process stream consolidation through the application of combined process technologies, i e, the integration of a number of different technologies in a single machine.
This leads to a reduction in component manufacturing costs and throughput times and, simultaneously, to an increase in component quality and the integrity of the process capability.
The design allows for many different technologies for complete machining - and, in particular, hard finish-machining processes - to be applied on a single machine that can be used as a stand-alone or as part of a manufacturing system.
The EMAG Group supplies manufacturing systems for the machining of round, 'non-round' and cubic workpieces, using a number of different technologies: Turning in combination with drilling and milling as complete machining of chucked components and shaft-type workpieces); internal precision grinding (know-how Reinecker); cylindrical production grinding (know-how Karstens); cam and camshaft grinding (know-how Kopp); grinding, end face machining and oil hole drilling of crankshafts (know-how EMAG + Naxos-Union); mating + laser welding (EMAG LaserTec), as well as the machining of cubic components, such as gearbox casings (Fig.
9008) on machining centers (SW technology).
Heilig is the EMAG Group specialist for automation equipment.
The main fields of application for these machines and manufacturing systems are components for the major assemblies in car and truck production: * Gearwheels, gear shafts, drive shafts, brake discs.
* Cam- and crank-shafts, pistons, CV joints, differential housings.
* Steering components and components for fuel injection systems.
* Gearbox casings, steering knuckles, calipers and many more.
The EMAG Group has already supplied a great number of manufacturing systems for the soft- and hard-machining of gears, but until recently mainly for turning and grinding of bores, end faces and synchronising cones - only rarely for the machining of the gearing section.
* EMAG and Koepfer - ideal partners for the manufacturing industry - EMAG has recently started to supply another variant of its multi-functional Production Centers: its first gear hobbing center, the VSC 250DUO WF, on which gears are, for the first time, soft-machined complete, employing turning, gear hobbing and deburring operations for the gearing section.
The automation equipment is a product of the EMAG Group supplied by the automation specialist Heilig.
The new combined turning and gear hobbing center replaces four machines previously required to cover the conventional production sequence.
This results in significant savings on investment costs and an approx.
40% percent reduction in footprint and offers permanent savings on resetting and maintenance costs for the subsequent production run.
This gear hobbing center will be shown for the first time on the Koepfer stand at EMO 2005 in Hanover.
The know-how of both partners will be fully utilised in aid of further development of the process stream 'Gear manufacture'.
With the acquisition of Koepfer the EMAG Group closes a gap in the previously offered technology range and broadens its competence in gear manufacture.
It also enables EMAG to further consolidate its position as the industry's partner in the demanding batch production of transmission components.
* Many advantages for the user - existing and future customers of both companies will profit greatly from the incorporation of Koepfer into the EMAG Group.
EMAG and Koepfer already supply custom-made manufacturing solutions.
The existing product range of both companies will continue to be serviced and developed.
The amalgamation and the combination of resources will allow for the existing EMAG and Koepfer product ranges, which include the VSC 250DUO WF Gear Hobbing Center, to be complemented by new, jointly developed products for the manufacture of gears.
Customers can now obtain the complete process stream for the manufacture of gears or transmission components from a single source.
It means the application of detailed know-how from first to last operation, resulting in the optimal solution for every customer requirement - whether it is done on EMAG or Koepfer stand-alone machines, on multi-functional/multi-tasking Production Centers or within the framework of a manufacturing system.
* The EMAG Group - an efficient partner with a future - the EMAG Group now employs 2,200 staff in its worldwide service to the customer.
This figure does not include 190 trainees at EMAG's German locations.
In 2004, the Group achieved a consolidated turnover of EUR 350 million.
This represents an eight-fold increase when compared to the EUR 45 million turnover in 1994.
The planned turnover figure for 2005 amounts to EUR 450 million.
The last 10 years have witnessed the worldwide delivery to many branches of the industry of over 5,000 EMAG pick-up turning machines, turning centers and multi-functional/multi-tasking Production Centers, 1,500 grinding machines from Reinecker, Karstens, Kopp and Naxos-Union and almost 1,000 SW machining centers (since 1995).
These figures do not include another 800 machines from Koepfer, which are primarily used in gear production. Request free introductory details about products from Emag UK ...
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