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30 years of partnership: Schnebelt Präzision and ANCA forged a winning relationship through technology and trust

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Pat Boland, entrepreneur Rolf Schnebelt and Jan Langfelder, today responsible for the global Key Accounts at ANCA

Today's Schnebelt Präzision KG from Schutterwald near Offenburg was founded in 1985 as a regrinding company for circular saw blades. Only two years later, Rolf Schnebelt expanded the range to include machine tools, which he sold to manufacturing companies as a sales representative. The company's own machinery was upgraded in 1996 with the first state-of-the-art, computer-controlled grinding machine for precision tools. Pat Boland, co-founder of ANCA, inspected the newest ANCA machine FX5 at Schnebelt during a recent visit. Using the ANCA AR300 loader with collet changer, tools with various diameters are now produced and reground automatically and with high precision by Schnebelt.  
 
The companies of Rolf Schnebelt and Pat Boland share a very special history. Schnebelt Präzision KG entered the field of regrinding shank tools with ANCA in 1996, shortly after the ANCA branch was founded in Germany. But why did Rolf Schnebelt decide on an Australian machine back then, when they live in Baden-Württemberg, the centre of gravity of machine tool manufacturing? According to Rolf Schnebelt, the search for the right tool and cutter grinder to start the new business segment took some time. The performance of the commonly available machines was not convincing, the controls did not deliver satisfactory results, the transfer of the NC programmes to the machine sometimes took 30 seconds or more. Then they came across the ANCA machines, whose concept was not offered by any other competitor at the time. A powerful control system, user-friendly software and training by the local ANCA experts made the entry into 5-axis grinding possible. "We were particularly convinced by the machine's progressiveness, which showed in the speed of the control, the axis movements and the achievable surface quality," says Rolf Schnebelt.  

Pat Boland, ANCA founder, is impressed by the precision and range of tools manufactured at Schnebelt during his visit
 
Pat Boland explains the situation at the time: "We came from automation when we founded our company in 1974. Our goal has always been to enable leaps in development through the use of new software, control and automation concepts. Of course, then as now, our development work is fundamentally based on the requirements of our customers. But it is also our task to further develop grinding technology as a whole, as we have succeeded in doing, for example, with 3D simulation, the introduction of linear drives or laser measurement." 
 
Jan Langfelder, who founded the German ANCA branch in 1991, describes how the company managed to enter the market: "At the beginning of the nineties, our advanced technology was more something for larger companies that recognised the potential of our novel solutions and subjected our machines to the reality test. For us as ANCA, proving our machines’ capabilities was naturally an essential part of our strategy. To enter smaller companies we approached businesses that had an innovative spirit and then worked hard to demonstrate our technology capabilities and solicit trust. The foundation of ANCA Germany was a very important step here so that we could be close to our customer base and form strong relationships with them on the ground. After many meetings Schnebelt placed its trust in us and we installed the second machine here that we had ever sold to Germany. "
 
Rolf Schnebelt confirms: "I was able to inspect the first ANCA machine for a German customer at a trade fair, Nortec, in Hamburg. After a reference visit in Mannheim, we were convinced of the machine, but one of the decisive factors for the purchase and the successful start was the commitment and support of Mr. Langfelder. I still remember how we sat together for lunch at our home and finalised the purchase and how Mr Langfelder later also took over the set-up and training. By the way, even back then the installation space was a factor: we started tool grinding in our garage, where the small footprint of the ANCA would was a real advantage!"

Jörg Scheidecker, Head of Technology at Schnebelt Präzision KG, operating the RoboMate software on the new FX5 CNC 5-axis tool grinding machine
 
Schnebelt continued to develop its range of cutting tools in the following years, especially with a focus on customised special tools. Solid carbide tools for particularly demanding tasks were offered from 1996. The positive development was reflected in the growth, and in 2002 a new production and storage hall was built with a total area of 4000 square metres. In 2014, further technological progress was made with the introduction of the company's own coated end mills, which are used for high-performance cutting. Schnebelt relies exclusively on ANCA machines for the production and regrinding of rotary tools for customers throughout the region.
After the company's 35th anniversary last year, Doris and Rolf Schnebelt handed over their company to their son Pascal Schnebelt, who runs the business together with his wife Silke. Together with the 40-strong workforce and with a new brand image, Schnebelt Präzision KG is tackling ambitious goals. Above all, the areas of tool development, production and preparation are to be expanded through market development and new digital possibilities.

The long-standing partner ANCA naturally plays a vital role in the process. A major advance in terms of productivity and concentration of the highly skilled staff on core tasks was achieved with the new ANCA FX5 with robot automation and collet change for automatic machining of tools with different diameters. Despite complex geometries and small batch sizes, the machine now runs for 5-6 hours at a time without any operator intervention.

Tool pallet with collets

According to Jörg Scheidecker, Schnebelt's long-time technical director. "Our product range is characterised by the fact that we produce high-performance tools efficiently and in top quality, even in small batch sizes, and that we offer our customers considerable advantages through our uncompromisingly quality-oriented resharpening offer. Complex geometries and even small diameters down to 2mm are no problem for us."

The design of the tools as well as the analysis of the geometries and the creation of the programmes for regrinding are factors that require expert contribution. These highly skilled people’s time is limited which makes automation key to increasing efficiency. This is why ANCA created an entry option for automated production that does not require major organisational changes or lengthy training phases.

With the AR300 loading robot, ANCA offers a proprietary entry-level solution that was designed to give users quick and easy access to the advantages of automated production. The cost-effective 3-axis robot with double gripper for fast loading and unloading of tools with diameters of 2-20 mm can be accommodated in the machines of the FX series without increasing their footprint. The control system also comes from ANCA, which ensures seamless integration and support. Particularly important for beginners: commissioning is straightforward with ANCA's RoboTeach package, programming and operation is carried out via ANCA RoboMate software directly on the user interface or with the handheld control unit. Users do not need any skills or knowledge in robot programming.

Measurement of the tool for runout compensation by means of a measuring probe
 
Another aspect of the AR300 solution used at Schnebelt is the possibility of machining different diameters. In addition to the flexibly applicable software, there is the possibility to change collets. Tools with different diameters are placed in the pallet in collets with identical diameters. A suitable standard gripper on the AR 300 loads the collets into the spindle equipped with a corresponding chuck. This way, the pallet can not only accommodate different batches with identical diameters, but the variance is extended to diameters of 2-18 mm.
 
"This solution significantly expands the use of the machine and our flexibility in production," says Pascal Schnebelt. Jörg Scheidecker adds: "At first, we had difficulties achieving the admittedly tight tolerances when machining small diameters, but we found a solution in exchange with ANCA." By replacing the original collets and chucks with GDS µGrind variants, the required tolerances were achieved. For new tools, ANCA's runout compensation is also used, which eliminates axial and radial runout via a software feature. For this purpose, the blank is measured at the top and bottom of the tool's outer diameter and the programme is adjusted via the digital model so that the deviation is compensated for during grinding. In this way, a tolerance within a few µm can be maintained even for the smallest tools.
 
A natural next step would be the introduction of the RFID technology application from ANCA. While at present the tool programmes are assigned to the respective pallet location, the RFID solution offers further flexibility through the use of chips in the respective tool holder and thus enables chaotic loading. "Our entry into automated production has been successful, there is certainly the possibility that we will expand on this" concludes Pascal Schnebelt. A visit to ANCA in Weinheim is scheduled within the next few weeks, where this application can be seen live on a corresponding demo machine.

In the meantime, Schnebelt Präzision has become the first German company to be among the finalists in the ANCA "Tool of the Year" competition. The prize has been awarded internationally for 5 years among precision tool manufacturers for the most complex, most efficient and most innovative product. The next award ceremony will take place at the EMO in Hanover, and the competition will start in May 2023.




Edmund Boland, Managing Director of ANCA Europe GmbH, Rolf Schnebelt, Pat Boland, Managing Director Pascal Schnebelt, Jan Langfelder and ANCA Europe Sales Manager Martin Winterstein




 

3 October 2022