Who has never dreamed of finding the perfect solution for replacing cam-type machines? Regularly, machine manufacturers release turning machines that more or less meet this aspiration. We met up with the Swiss bar-turning company Laubscher in Täuffelen. Manfred Laubscher, the technical director, has found the machine that is destined to replace whole collections of cam-type machines. The project was only slowed by the global credit crisis.
Founded in 1846, Laubscher Précision SA is a business that specializes in the production of bar-turned parts in diameters from 0.3 mm to 60 mm. 230 workers work within the business on the nearly 500 production machines. Every year, the company uses over 1000 tons of material. With such a production rate, nothing is left to chance. Mr Laubscher told us: "As opposed to a small business that only has a few means of production at its disposal, we are in a position to really select machines that are perfectly adapted to specific types of parts. In this way we have different ranges of machines dedicated to certain types of part".
Cam-type machines in flawless condition The cam-type machine shops are impressive, a hall with over 100 R10, R16 and RR20 machines in perfect condition awaiting their visitor. These turning machines benefit from a permanent updating programme carried out by internal specialists. In this way, these production tools are still "as new" even after 40 years. But if such a collection is at your disposal, why would you want to replace these machines? Mr Laubscher told us: "We still train bar turners on cam-type machines, but it’s true to say that this speciality is dying out, there are very few young people interested in learning this and replacements parts will not be available forever".
An extensive and detailed analysis To be able to replace the cam-type machines there is no secret, all that is needed is to find a machine that is able to produce parts at least just as quickly and to at least the same level of quality. All of this for a price that is also similar. To meet this challenge, Mr Laubscher and his team pitted several turning machines from different manufacturers against each other to fabricate "classic" parts made at Laubscher on the cam-type machines. The cost of the machine could not be much more than a full overhaul of a cam-type machine, so certain types of "complete" machines were eliminated from the beginning.
The company has now started to work with its first "replacement machine", a Tornos Delta 20/4.
Laubscher Präzision AG Hauptstrasse 101 Postfach 180 CH 2575 Täuffelen Phone 1 41 32 396 07 07 Fax +41 32 396 07 77
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