Competitive with integrated system solutions

Production target: automatic manufacturing for at least 48 hours

This passion is paired with creativity in the production department, where increasingly modern manufacturing solutions have been used for many years – the majority of which are from DMG MORI. “We have seen all the milestones first hand, from the first CNC machines to 5-axis HSC machining and 6-sided turning and milling and we continue to rely on innovations,” says Thomas Kuhlmann. Automated production, for example, has become standard. “In this way, we want to manufacture for at least 48 hours unattended, for at least with little operator attendance, to give our specialists additional freedom to organize other work.” Teamwork is also encouraged: “In the past, everyone was responsible for their own machine, but now there are only a few people looking after a large number of machines, which requires a considerable amount of coordination.”

Experience from production influences every new investment – especially as LINK no longer focuses on purchasing a standard machine tool but on the process around manufacturing a component, as the latest acquisitions from DMG MORI show. “With our MobileLink we use additively manufactured acetabular cups,” explains Carsten Schöttler, production manager at LINK. The big challenge was the handling of the 3D-printed raw parts with their rough surfaces. “After all, we have to guarantee consistently high quality in an automated process.” DMG MORI reliably implemented this task with two production solutions, each consisting of an NTX 1000 and a Robo2Go. The ease of operation of the systems was also a decisive factor, as Carsten Schöttler adds: “No programming knowledge is required to teach the Robo2Go.” The software conveniently guides the operator through the process. A total of six NTX 1000s are responsible for processing the acetabular cups in all their variants at LINK. Each machine produces 6,000 parts per year. “It means that despite all the automation, we still have to remain flexible to be able to handle this mix of production,” says Carsten Schöttler.

NTX 1000: 6-sided turn & mill complete machining

NTX 1000

HIGHLIGHTS

• compactMASTER turning / milling spindle with 12,000 rpm (20,000 rpm optional) and 36-month warranty with unlimited number of operating hours as standard
• 5-axis simultaneous machining thanks to Direct Drive B-axis with 120° swivel range
• Four-axis machining thanks to lower turret as second tool carrier

Hip stem production with bar feeder and parts accumulator

An NTX 1000 produces 6,000 acetabular cups per annum.

DMG MORI has designed another NTX 1000 at LINK for the automated production of femoral stems. The complex workpieces are machined straight from the bar, while a removal unit places the finished stems onto an accumulator that holds up to 160 parts before they have to be removed. “Here, too,  e achieve autonomous production over many hours,” says a delighted Carsten Schöttler. In addition, the NTX 1000 uses oil rather than conventional coolants: “We only machine materials that are difficult to cut, such as titanium and cobalt-chrome. We can significantly extend tool life with oil – which is another important factor in automated production.”

In both cases, 6-sided turning and milling makes a major contribution to LINK's ability to ensure productive manufacture of the acetabular cups and femoral stems – not least thanks to the high manufacturing quality, as Carsten Schöttler explains: “The more precisely we turn and mill the demanding components, the less effort is required during finishing, which is often performed manually.”