up gradeNewsletter for customers, employees and partners volume 16, issue no. 31, December 2013

MVO expands service portfolioMVO GmbH Metallverarbeitung Ostalb in

Schwäbisch Gmünd is entering into solid

forming with a LASCO screw press in

special design.

Know-how

News

In der Praxis

Pre-forming and forming with rolling machines (Part 2)LASCO develops innovative rolling methods

with high flexibility especially for small and

medium-sized batch quantities.

Successful cooperationLASCO designed and successfuly commis-

sioned a forging roll with dynamic roller

gap adjustment for the requirements of the

Dutch spring manufacturer VDL Weweler

recently.

Extrusion presses in demandUsers in Russia, China and India invest in

hydraulic extrusion presses type VPA in

response to their good order situation.

LASCO UMFORMTECHNIKWERKZEUGMASCHINENFABRIK

29 June – 4 July | BERLIN

Editorial

2

Trends + Markets

up grade LASCO 31/13

The probably most important “Christmas present” from the Euro-pean Central Bank to the economy is the reduction of the key interest rate to an all-time low of 0.25 %. Never before has credit-taking for investments been more favourable all over Europe; never before has it been less profitable to hold back money reserves.

We have to seize this opportunity pragmatically now – weighing the benefits and the risks commer-cially and factually. The national economies in Europe need growth to be able to gain control of their problems with national debts. This applies to Germany, too! To get business activities going, industry, trade, commerce and the service sector must be internationally competitive.

The key measure for improving one’s competitive position in indus-try is equipment investment. The costs of machines and lines – and thus the costs of their financing – are not the only decisive factors. LASCO in its role as technology supplier has always seen its core task in providing solutions which are both forward-looking and sustainably profitable for their cus-tomers with regard to amortization. This is especially attractive in times when investments hardly yield profit and investment loans are on an all-time low.

It is time to invest!

With warmest wishes for the Holiday Season and the New Year – may it bring along the way health, happiness and success to all our business partners, friends and staff at LASCO and their families.

YoursFriedrich Herdan

It is time to invest!

Friedrich HerdanPartner and Chairman of the Board Langenstein & Schemann GmbH

Germany is hosting the international forging industry

Announcement: 21st IFC in Berlin in summer 2014

The 21st International Forging Congress (IFC) taking place in Berlin

from 29 June to 4 July 2014 is highly anticipated by the forging in-

dustry. LASCO is supporting the presentation of top-class technical

papers as well as excursions as ambassador-sponsor.

Held every three years since 1953, this con-

ference of experts took place in the Federal

Republic of Germany last in 2002 – a total

of only four times in 60 years. The greater is

the pleasure that – after Cologne – Berlin will

now be able to host forming experts from all

over the world and show itself in a favourable

light. The renowned event will be organised

by the European association for the forging

industry EUROFORGE (Hagen). President

José Yugedo wrote in his invitation: „The IFC

brings together all key players of the interna-

tional forging world.” Moreover it provides the

ideal platform for understanding latest trends,

information on latest developments in forging

technology, benchmarking with competitors

and market leaders, discussions and network-

ing on an international level.

The six-day event will be focussing on the

presentation of technical papers, excursions

to best practice users at home and abroad

as well as company presentations. As one

of the leading technology suppliers to the

international forging industry LASCO is also

going to present advanced solutions and new

technical developments on its stand. LASCO’s

importance as initiator and innovator in this

line of industry not least becomes obvious

by the excursion programme of the IFC:

A large number of the companies inviting

for a visit to their presentation forums use

forming solutions and automation technol-

ogy from LASCO. These are e.g. the German

companies Daimler, Hammerwerk Fridingen,

Hirschvogel, Schmiedag, Schmiedetechnik

Plettenberg and Mahle as well as Alcorta

(Spain), Raymond Barré, Ateliers des Janves

and Forges de Courcelles (France), Wirsbo

(Sweden) and Parsan and Kanca (Turkey).

User industries, manufacturers of machinery

and equipment, science, politics and trade

associations make up the ambitious pro-

gramme contributing introductory speeches,

presentations and keynotes.

Energy-efficient solutions are in the focus of LASCO‘s presentations at the IFC. Photo: Deep-drawing press TZP 315 with state-of-the-art hydraulic servo direct drive.

3

News

up grade LASCO 31/13

LASCO developed RCW 630 So as main forming unitLASCO and the Dutch spring

manufacturer VDL Weweler have

cooperated in the development

of an RCW 630 So for optimiz-

ing the production of air suspen-

sions.

Since 2001 VDL Weweler has been part of the

VDL Groep whose company culture is char-

acterised by the principle „Strength through

cooperation”. The development of the RCW

630 So demanded the cooperation of the

machine manufacturer and the user to meet

the growing requirements of the market with

regard to repeatable quality of truck springs.

Reassured by first simulation results both

companies took the risk of venturing into new

territory with regard to processes and machine

technology.

The result is the forging roll RCW 630 So for

the near-net-shape and economical production

of springs. The new features of the LASCO

RCW 630 So are two synchronous hydraulic

cylinders for the highly dynamic changing of

the roller gap during the rolling process.

This allows a very flexible and variable rolling

of contours with simple standard tools.

The springs to be rolled are manipulated by

two industrial robots with special grippers.

The movements of the robots are synchronised

via the servo roller drives.

The new forging roll is operated in VDL Wewel-

er’s new plant in Apeldoorn (Ecofactory). The

Hydraulic extrusion presses for India, Russia and China

Optimum cycle timesIn the last few months LASCO

succeeded in obtaining orders

for three hydraulic extrusion

presses VPA 1250.

The line for the automotive supplier GNA in

India is currently being commissioned. The

forging line for OAO Serovski Mechanitscheski

Zavod, Russia, will be despatched before

the end of the year. The third press will be

shipped to China in the middle of 2014.

All three lines are automated. Die lubrication

devices and upstream pressure water installa-

tions complement the fully automatic forging

lines. Three stations in series allow deliber-

ate combination of the traditional extrusion

operations of backward and forward extrusion.

Optionally piercing of the slug can be carried

out in the third station.

Optimum cycle times and tool life of the

hydraulic presses are reached by means of the

powerful drives attaining pressing speeds of

up to 150 mm/s. The 1250 ton press for the

customer GNA Axles was the first of this type

to be equipped with the modern energy-saving

hydraulic LASCO servo direct drive.

GNA Axles is a leading manufacturer of drive

components, rear axle shafts, gear shafts,

axles and axle tubes. The company has two

production sites in India with a total of 2500

employees. Among its customers are OEMs

and suppliers to the automotive industry as

well as the agricultural machinery, aviation

and mechanical engineering industries.

OAO Serovski Mechanitscheski Zavod pro-

duces tools and equipment for oil production

and mining machinery as well as geological

exploration at its plant in Serov (Swerdlow

area). Electrical appliances and equipment

complement its product portfolio for custom-

ers in Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria and China.

Acceptance of the VPA 1250 for GNA: Ranbir Singh, GNA President and COO (second from left) with LASCO executives Gernot Losert, Friedrich Herdan, Lothar Bauersachs and Dr.-Ing. Stefan Erxleben.

official opening of the new production facility

took place on 29 November 2013.

In 1924 the company started as a wholesale

business in Apeldoorn dealing in replacement

parts for heavy vehicles. In 1948 the produc-

tion of mechanical springs was taken up. Later

VDL Weweler pioneered in introducing air

suspensions. VDL Weweler develops, produces

and sells modern suspension systems for

trailers, trucks and buses all by itself. Another

business sector is the development of axle

lifts, parabolic springs and special axles.

Trailing arm, produced by VDL Weweler.

Pre-forming and forming with rolling machines (Part 2)

With the forging and cross wedge rolls pre-

sented in the first part of our feature, initial

and also finished products can be manufac-

tured with high productivity.

Depending on the process and the size of the

roll, cycle times between 2.5 s and 15 s

can be reached. The lifetime of the tools,

which can be re-adjusted several times, is up

to 500,000 parts. This means that the tool

costs per part are low.

Common feature of the three rolling methods

described here is the product-independent

tool geometry created by the programme-

controlled, synchronized movement of the

machine axes.

For a product change it is mostly sufficient

to call up the corresponding CNC programme.

No further change-over procedures are re-

quired. This allows high flexibility with regard

per roller. The diameter of the roller bodies is

630 mm, the max. rolling force is 2000 kN.

The tasks of the manipulator are fulfilled by a

specially adapted and programmed industrial

robot.

To guarantee the required repeatability of the

roller gap of ± 0.1 mm at a rolling speed of

500 mm/s and a roller gap adjusting speed

of 100 mm/s it was necessary to design the

hydraulic system as special servo-hydraulics

with accumulator.

Two standard tools are arranged on the roller

bodies next to each other, i.e. one contour-

less flat tool and one tool with a groove-

shaped contour. During the rolling cycle the

roller gap adjustment is carried out synchro-

nously with the rotation of the rollers.

The programme-controlled rolling out of the

contour stored in the control from the rectan-

gular profile without changing the width of the

profile significantly was a special challenge.

Spreading, which cannot be avoided during

flat rolling in a profileless tool, is compen-

sated by a precedent or subsequent edge

rolling process. Depending on the required

tolerances, flat and edge rolling is repeated

several times.

to modified part geometries, also in case of

small numbers of pieces and batch sizes. Tool

costs are rather of minor importance.

Longitudinal roll RCW630So with dynamic roller gap adjustment

A roll of this type (picture 1) delivered by

LASCO some months ago (cf. article p. 3)

is used for rolling rectangular steel billets at

both ends in a particular contour.

The basic construction of this special longi-

tudinal roll largely corresponds to traditional

forging rolls. The dynamic roller gap adjust-

ment, however, is effected by means of two

hydraulic cylinders, each of which is coupled

with one of the two roller bearings of the up-

Know-how

4 up grade LASCO 31/13

Innovative, flexible rolling methods in practiceWith the forging and cross wedge rolls presented in the first part of our feature, initial and also finished products can be manufactured with high productivity.

Picture 1: RCW 630 So with dynamic roller gap adjustment

Pre-forming and forming with rolling machines (Part 2)

Skew rollsThe production of seamless tubes is carried

out by skew rolls. On principle this happens

in three steps:

• Punching

• Elongation (stretching)

• Reducing (finish-rolling).

The LASCO skew roll was recently supplied

to a manufacturer of seamless tubes. Picture

2 is a 3D view of the compact roll frame with

Axial feed cross rolls

Within the scope of a joint research project

coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute in

Chemnitz, LASCO developed and built the

prototype of an axial feed cross roll suitable

for industrial purposes. The testing of this

prototype at the Fraunhofer Institute has been

largely completed so that we can already

report on the results.

Picture 3 shows the schematic structure of

the axial feed cross roll. The two roller tools

are driven via frequency controlled motors.

Radial and axial feed of the work-piece are

effected via hydraulic cylinders. The machine

is controlled by a PLC with integrated CNC

control.

Billets in a diameter range between 30

mm and 60 mm and lengths of up to 600

mm can be rolled. The tests are aimed at

exploring the limits of this rolling method. In

addition, particular attention is paid to the

suitability of this method for high-tempera-

ture materials like titanium and nickel-based

alloys.

First trials with a titanium material (TiAl6V4)

resulted in a diameter reduction of 42 %

in two passes (cycles). A max. reduction of

33 % was achieved with nickel-based alloys

(NIMONIC 80 A).

More substantial diameter reductions may be

achieved by additional passes. The surface

of the work-piece can be improved by lower

radial feed and lower advance during the last

pass.

Trials with steel materials offer similar pos-

sibilities of diameter reduction as they are

known from cross wedge rolling. In these

trials the known process window of reduc-

tion (16 % ≤ εd ≤ 58 %) could be extended

downwards. Even with a diameter reduction of

2.5 % no surface defects occurred.

working rollers and adjustment drives (red).

The two roller axes are skewed against each

other by a 7° angle – the right axis literally

towards the top, the left one towards the

bottom. This angle of inclination causes the

axial feed.

An additional offset of the axes perpendicu-

larly to the skew level allows the adjustment

of the entry angle independently of the

contour of the working roller. In the roller gap

the billet is held in position by an upper and

a lower supporting roller. The upper support-

ing roller is adjustable in height.

Skew and offset of the roller axes require

relatively long shafts between the actual roll

and the drives.

The punch drive with the punch bearing is

located between the two shafts. For loading

purposes the punch is retracted. The pre-

punched billet is fed to the punch with its

opening. Then the punch pushes it between

the two rollers as it advances.

Know-how

up grade LASCO 31/13 5

Innovative, flexible rolling methods in practice

Picture 2: Roll frame of an STW 2500

Picture 4: Axial feed cross roll AVQ

Picture 3: Schematic view of the AVQ

Internal

up grade LASCO 31/136

10 years with LASCOBenedikt Büchner 01.09.2013Georg Pfeuffer 01.09.2013Daniel Resch 01.09.2013Stefan Trier 01.09.2013

25 years with LASCOErika Bansemir 01.09.2013Renate Malsch 01.09.2013Michael Paulus 01.09.2013

40 years with LASCOReiner Puff 01.09.2013Lothar Schubert 01.09.2013

Spotlights

LASCO continued to increase efforts in

its vocational training that are already

above avarage: With the new ap-

prentices who started their vocational

training in September their overall

number has increased by 10% to

55. On 1 September 2013 18 young

people started their apprenticeship at

LASCO in eight qualified jobs. Most

popular are the technical jobs of

industrial mechanics, cutting machine

operators, mechatronic and electron-

ics technicians. In addition there are

three commercial trainees as well as

two trainees as IT clerks. Furthermore

another training contract for an inte-

grated degree programme in business

administration (Bachelor of Arts &

industrial clerk) was concluded.

Cause for joy was Chris-

tian Staude’s examination

performance who finished

his vocational training as

mechatronic technician at

LASCO in summer with

grade 1.3 as best gradu-

ate of the trainee programme in the

district of the Chamber of Commerce

in Coburg. He won special recognition

from the District Government of Upper

Franconia. Anton Staudigl, head of

the vocational School in Coburg, his

deputy Rolf Sander and form teacher

Roland Dier presented a certificate

and a cash prize. LASCO, where

Staude did his apprenticeship, hon-

oured this outstanding final exam with

an additional bonus of 1,000 EUR.

LASCO thanks staff members for performance and loyalty

From left: Gernot Losert (Managing Director), Michael Paulus, Erika Bansemir, Lothar Schubert, Renate Malsch, Thomas Koppitz (Works Council Chairman), Reiner Puff and Lothar Bauersachs (Managing Director).

LASCO appreciates performance and loyalty of five members of staff who have been working for the company for many years.

In an official ceremony the managing directors

Gernot Losert and Lothar Bauersachs ap-

preciated the job anniversaries of Reiner Puff

and Lothar Schubert (both 40 years) as well

as those of Erika Bansemir, Renate Malsch

and Michael Paulus (25 years). As recogni-

tion for their commitment they were awarded

anniversary certificates, loyalty bonuses and

decorations of the Board of Trustees of Bavar-

ian Employers as well as honorary certificates

of the Chamber of Commerce.

Reiner Puff passed his apprenticeship as

machine fitter at LASCO and has then been

working at high capacity boring mills for

cutting. In 1977 he qualified as foreman in

metalworking. He broadened his knowledge

by a basic course in probability calculation

methods (REFA) for work studies and ad-

ditional further education at the Chamber of

Commerce in Coburg. His commitment and

expert knowledge contributes to the excellent

reputation of LASCO.

Lothar Schubert also passed his apprentice-

ship as machine fitter at LASCO and then

worked as a cutting mechanic in the company

– initially at the first CNC-controlled mill-

ing machine from 1986 among others. After

comprehensive further education in the field

of quality management he has been work-

ing as quality control inspector and shared

the responsibility for the dispatch of LASCO

machines in flawless condition. The technical

acceptance of large-volume welding construc-

tions and castings at suppliers’ premises

complements his responsible tasks.

Erika Bansemir joined LASCO 25 years ago as

a payroll clerk. As early as 1996 she was ap-

pointed group manager for personnel matters

of the industrial employees. From the begin-

ning Ms Bansemir was in charge of payroll

accounting and all administrative tasks in this

field. In addition she is responsible for the

travel department and always provides helpful

assistance to all LASCO employees who are

away on business.

Renate Malsch has been in charge of the

company canteen for 25 years and has found

her calling in this task. She perfectly caters

for staff and business partners alike. Before

joining LASCO Ms Malsch was already working

at LASCO for an external catering company.

When LASCO decided to have a canteen of its

own, she switched companies and started to

manage it.

Michael Paulus joined LASCO as an appren-

tice 25 years ago and passed his exam as

industrial clerk „with special credit” given

by the government of Upper Franconia. Until

2010 he worked in the shipping department

and had to make sure that machines and lines

reached their destinations world-wide on time

and in impeccable condition. Since then he

has been caring for the trouble-free access to

material and machine components in ware-

house logistics.

Christian Staude

7

Internal

up grade LASCO 31/13

IMTEXBangalore, India23.01. – 28.01.2014

Hannover MesseHanover, Germany07.04. – 11.04.2014

MetalloobrabotkaMoscow, Russia16.06. – 20.06.2014

IFC (Int. Forging Congress)Berlin, Germany29.06. – 04.07.2014

Fairs + Dates

up grade Volume 16, issue no. 31 – December 2013 Herausgeber: LASCO Umformtechnik GmbH Hahnweg 139 - 96450 Coburg Chefredaktion: Dr.-Ing. Stefan Erxleben Fotos: LASCO Umformtechnik, MVO GmbH Metallverarbeitung Ostalb, IHK zu Coburg, Georg Weber.

Junior engineer pass 2.0

This project is a cooperation of leading indus-

trial enterprises in the area with the grammar

school Ernestinum, the University of Applied

Sciences and the Chamber of Commerce in

Coburg. The pilot project provided eleven

technically-minded school students of the

ninth form the opportunity to gain practi-

cal technical experience where know-how

flows into products in demand world-wide.

The companies Brose Fahrzeugteile, LASCO

Umformtechnik, Waldrich Coburg and Kaeser

LASCO promotes projects in Coburg

From theory into practiceGrammar school students get intensive knowledge of mathematics and physics. Often, however, do they realise only late what concrete problems they can solve with such knowledge. New projects in Coburg, in which LASCO is playing a leading role, are aiming at en-couraging the early application of theoretical knowledge in practice.

Kompressoren give access to their vocational

training centres and their apprentices pass on

practical knowledge to the school students.

The Institute for Sensor and Actuator Tech-

nologies at the University of Applied Sciences

is also involved.

The aim of the project is to enable young

people to produce a work-piece themselves.

In this case it was a desk clock with tempera-

ture display and mobile holder that required

technical knowledge and craftsmanship such

as designing, cutting and soldering. At the

Chamber of Commerce the school students

learnt about costing of the work-piece as well

as marketing possibilities. According to Vice

President Prof. Dr. Krahl from the University

of Applied Sciences this project also offers the

opportunity to get more familiar with the tasks

of a graduate engineer.

Physics taught differently: school students from the grammar school Albertinum in Coburg watching the effect of energy at a LASCO screw press. In the picture (back row from left): Siegmar Schnabel, General Executive Manager, and Rainer Kissing, Head of Vocational Training, from the Chamber of Commerce Coburg, Gernot Losert, Managing Director LASCO, Friedrich Herdan, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Board Langenstein & Schemann, Jochen Günnel, Deputy Sales Manager as well as Mathias Taubmann, graduate physicist (front) (both LASCO).

Physics taught at school

meets mechanical engineering

14 school students from the grammar school

Albertinum in Coburg recently got first-hand

insight in production processes of a modern

mechanical engineering company. Within the

scope of their school subject physics they

organized a workshop at LASCO, in which

they calculated the potential and kinetic

energy taking the example of a screw press

with direct drive. The effects of the calculated

forming energy could then be seen during the

flattening of copper with a screw press.

„This project perfectly complements other

measures for choosing a career”, said

Friedrich Herdan, Chairman of the Board

Langenstein & Schemann and President of

the Chamber of Commerce. He emphasized

the importance of such projects for school

students with regard to the sustainable

development of skilled labour for the region.

He continued that the integrated degree

programme with the opportunity to study

mechanical engineering afterwards should be

promoted more intensively.

Schools, university and industry in Coburg are jointly introducing school students to practice. LASCO is one of the founder members of the initiative at the company headquarters in Coburg.

In practice

up grade: Dr. Vieweg, what are the

advantages the new LASCO screw press SPR

1250 So offers to MVO?

Dr.-Ing. Niels Vieweg: Due to our high-

precision forging process with tolerances in

the range of one thousandth we need a press

with high repeatability. The LASCO screw

press SPR 1250 So fulfils these requirements,

as this press type has shown a tolerance of

less than one percent in all speeds.

up grade: The term „So” in the type

designation stands for „special design”. How

important was it for you to be able to order

special features?

Vieweg: Very positive effects resulted from

the fact that LASCO is able to offer – and

also realise – complete solutions which range

from automation solutions to the tailor-made

engineering of machines. Without wanting

to reveal details relevant for competition we

can say that a so-called „wide body” press

was realised in close constructive cooperation

between LASCO and MVO which led to the

optimisation of the forging process.

up grade: With this unit MVO took up

hot solid forming. Were there many initial

difficulties in practice?

Vieweg: With the acquisition of the Australian

company Bishop, the market leader in

developing the warm forging of steering

racks for the automotive industry, we could

draw on almost 20 years’ experience with

LASCO screw presses. Of course, there were

certain initial difficulties – as with any other

project of that scale. These were, however,

countered at once and highly efficiently.

Cooperation has developed so well that MVO

is having large-scale tools of up to 12 tons

manufactured by LASCO meanwhile.

Promising

up grade LASCO 30/13

MVO GmbH Metallverarbeitung Ostalb in Schwäbisch Gmünd is one

of the world’s leading manufacturers of components for automobile

steering systems. Now warm solid forming has also been taken up in

production with a LASCO screw press SPR 1250 So. The enterprise

will not be on unknown territory, however.

LASCO SPR 1250 So – since April 2012 successful in continuous

operation at MVO GmbH

Interview

Dr.-Ing. Niels ViewegManaging DirectorMVO GmbH Metallverarbeitung Ostalb,Schwäbisch Gmünd (Germany)

In 2011 MVO GmbH was merged with

Bishop Steering Technology GmbH (Cologne/

Germany) within the Georgsmarienhütte

(GMH) group after the GMH holding had

taken over the Australian Bishop group. Thus

MVO is now profiting from Bishop’s know-how

particularly in forging. Bishop has been using

specially optimised LASCO screw presses

for its patented hot forging process for the

production of steering racks.

MVO produces high-quality components for

the steering and undercarriage sectors. The

MVO portfolio includes semi-finished steering

racks, pre-finished racks as well as gear

shafts and common-rail components.

Thus forging complements MVO’s procedural

expertise now, which helps MVO to expand

its vertical range of manufacture and to

consolidate its competitive position. The

1250 ton screw press from LASCO is used for

the production of steering racks and designed

for continuous operation in 3 shifts of 8 hours

each on 300 days a year.

With the „Bishop method” peeled and

washed round material is partially heated

up to approx. 780°C in an induction heating

system. An industrial robot takes over the

billet at the transfer point of the heating

system and deposits it into the patented

forging die. The complete toothing of the

y-shaped steering rack is manufactured in one

stroke by the closing of several die parts.

The forming process is the key operation

in production, as the tooth profile is not

machined anymore.

LASCO precision screw presses are driven by

special reversible motors which are directly

connected to the flywheel. The use of a

frequency converter not only provides highest

energy efficiency (energy recovery), but also

allows stepless high-precision control of the

forming energy between 1% and 100% of the

nominal capacity. The SPR 1250 So specially

optimised for the process requirements

of MVO is equipped with handling and die

lubrication robots as well as tool changing

systems.

Additional know-howNew start in solid forming at MVO