Precisely! (PDF 2,7 MB) - Makino Europe

Dettinger
Staying ahead of the competition
Mecanizados Ecribano
02/2010
PRECISELY
MAKINO Europe’s Customer Magazine
SMART SOLUTIONS
Innovations in
automation and
machining
Anti-cyclical machine investments
Special
Show Issue!
Long lasting partnership – Precisely.
www.makino.eu

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EDITORIAL
P. Anders Ingemarsson
President & CEO
MAKINO Europe
Publisher:
MAKINO Europe GmbH
Essener Bogen 5
D-22149 Hamburg
Director of publication (V.i.S.d.P.):
P. Anders Ingemarsson
Dear Reader,
As Europe slowly emerges from the worst recession since the 1930s,
the upswing is finally making itself felt in the continent’s metalworking
industries. The economies of China, India and other Asian countries, for
example, have been growing strongly this year, consequently boosting
the European exports.
During the recession, Makino devoted considerable resources to re -
search and development. As a result, we are now launching several new
technologies that will bring substantial benefits to our customers. The
ADVANTiGE machining technologies promise a fourfold increase in
productivity and twice the tool life when machining demanding mate rials,
for example titanium. Our vertical machining centres, PS and F, were
presented for the first time at a press conference last June. The PS Series
offers high material removal rates, great pitching accuracy and multi-hour
machining consistency at a high degree of flexibility and pro ductivity.
The F Series delivers precise shape accuracy and improved dynamic accuracy
in high-speed machining. Our Versatile Intelligent Production System
(VIP) as well as a new gantry loader solution offer innovative and
affordable automation. Find out more about these new technologies on
pages 4 –7 and 14 –16.
As business again begins to grow, it becomes all the more important
to explore the current best-in-class solutions to ensure that the rising
demand is matched by smart investments. Do not miss the opportunity
to visit us at one of the autumn fairs to study the new technologies in
action! Makino is exhibiting at MSV/IMT in Brno, AMB in Stuttgart and
BI-MU in Milan. You can be sure of a very warm welcome at our booth
and explore how Makino will support your upswing.
Yours sincerely,

3 WELCOME TO MAKINO: Exhibitions 2010
4 – 7 TOP STORY: Investing in the future with innovative technology
8 – 11 DETTINGER GMBH&CO. KG: Always one step ahead
12 – 13 MECANIZADOS ESCRIBANO, S.L.: Anti-cyclical investments
14 – 16 AUTOMATION: Smart solutions
17 MAKINO Europe News
CONTENTS
EVENTS
WELCOME TO MAKINO!
We warmly invite you to visit us at these exhibitions in 2010.
Dates Name Location
September 13 – 17 MSV/IMT Brno, Czech Republic
September 28 – October 2 AMB Stuttgart, Germany
October 5 – 9 BI-MU Milan, Italy
November 16 – 20 PRODEX Basel, Switzerland
PRECISELY 02/2010
For detailed information and online registration, please go to www.makino.eu. We are looking forward to your visit!
www.makino.eu
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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
INVESTING IN
THE FUTURE
WITH INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGY
New Makino machines and technologies
on show at autumn fairs
Economic crises have always given birth to innovations and this
past recession has been no exception. Despite the economic
downturn, Makino continued to devote significant resources to
research and development. The outcome: the launch this autumn
of several new machines featuring innovative technology and
delivering down-to-earth benefits. Makino believes that the time
is right for metalworking companies to invest again in innovative
technology – to stay competitive and be fully equipped to profit
from the upswing.
There is a great deal of pent-up demand
in the global economy – not just in the
fast-growing markets of Asia but also
in the recession-hit countries of Europe.
Investment decisions were put back
as the financial crisis developed into
an economic downturn, the like of which
had not seen since the 1930s. But the
world economy has bottomed out and
the World Bank expects 3.3 % growth
in 2010. China reported 11.1 % growth
in the first six months of the year and
the Chinese government reckons with
around 8 % growth for the year as a
whole. The Indian economy “slowed
down” to 6.8 % in 2009 but it is expected
to grow by 7.9 % in 2010. Even
Europe’s sluggish economies are moving
in the right direction again. Industrial
growth in the euro area was 9.6 %
in April and 9.4 % in May 2010 while in
Germany, Europe’s biggest economy,
exports rose by 28.8 % in May 2010 in
a year-on-year comparison – the highest
growth rate for ten years. The prospects
are brighter than at any time since
autumn 2008. But crucial questions still
remain. Are metalworking companies
equipped to exploit a future surge in
orders? Can they work cost-efficiently
in the leaner, post-recession climate?
Do they have the technology to stay
competitive?

ADVANTiGE
ADVANTiGE
Breakthrough in machining
technology
Makino’s most recent breakthrough in
machining technology, ADVANTiGE,
delivers a fourfold increase in productivity
and doubles tool life in the highperformance
machining of aluminium,
titanium and special-purpose alloys,
e.g. for aerospace applications. Significant
technological advances have
brought significant advantages:
• Proactive vibration dampening
system:
Avoids the chatter and cutter damage
resulting from structural resonance
in real time, making deeper cuts possible,
increasing metal removal rates
and reducing tool wear.
150 kW and 1,500 Nm torque:
the Makino T2/T4 5-axis spindle head
• Autonomic Spindle Technology:
Measures the displacement caused
by excessive cutting forces and sends
this data back to the control software
where processing characteristics are
adapted to the current machining conditions,
increasing productivity and
tool life.
• Microsizer coolant system:
Greatly improves the cooling and
lubrication of the tool tip to prolong
tool life in combination with Makino’s
innovative through-spindle coolant
technology (200 l/min at 70 bar).
PRECISELY 02/2010
Significantly shorter
machining times for
Ti structural parts
• Patented thermal stability
technology:
Compensates for the inevitable geometric
errors and minimises thermal
de formation through sophisticated
solutions such as Thermal Guard,
Thermal Stabilizer and Thermal
Chamber.
• Productive navigation system:
Enhances transparency, improves ease
of operation and reduces machine
downtime.
Enhanced productivity and tool life in
machining titanium
www.makino.eu
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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Makino PS Series: ease of operation
and intuitive programming
PS Series
A step ahead
Makino’s new PS Series of vertical machining
centres has been developed in
response to the competitive challenges
facing precision metal-cutting industries
where highly flexible and productive
processes are now crucial. Targeted
at the high-mix, low-volume parts machining
sector, the PS Series offers high
material removal rates, high pitching
accuracy, multi-hour machining consistency,
structural rigidity, operational
reliability and a favourable total cost of
ownership.
Equipped with the standard 14,000 rpm
spindle, the Makino PS Series caters for
the majority of parts machining applications,
e.g. face milling, slotting, plunging,
circular interpolation and rigid tapping.
This high-power, high-torque spindle
combines with the rigid machine
structure to provide an outstanding machining
performance. A 20,000-rpm
spindle is also available for high-speed
milling applications. Both spindles are
equipped with spindle cooling technology
to ensure thermal stability.
The new Makino PS Series brings many outstanding benefits:
• Beneficial rigidity:
Stable cutting force transfer and machining
performance.
• Thermal stability:
Excellent dynamic accuracy; corecooling
technology for axis ball screws
and axis-bearing oil lubrication to
minimise machine motion vibration,
extend the life of support bearings
and ensure they are sufficiently cooled.
• Benchmark-setting metal removal:
800 cc/min on S53C through a combination
of a high-power, high-torque
spindle and a rigid machine structure
based, among other things, on 85 mm-
diameter spindle bearings.
• Advantageous chip management:
Wide machine casting opening to
ensure an easy chip flow into the patented
screw conveyor system with
in guideways located at the sides to
prevent clogging; 320-litre side coolant
tank system with filter meshes to
separate contamination from coolant.
• Easy automation:
Optional features such as auto work
measurement, laser measurement,
hydraulic fixture interface or rotary
table to facilitate or enhance costeffective
automation
• Easy programming:
The featured FANUC MANUAL GUIDE i
provides handy operation guidance
from programming through to machine
operation on a single screen. This ensures
easy intuitive programming in
front of the machine for operations
such as measuring, drilling, boring,
threading, pocketing and simple 2-D
profiles.

F Series
Improved technologies
The Makino F Series of vertical machining
centres offers a convincing answer
to the die&mould industry’s need to
improve efficiency and competitiveness.
By delivering precise shape accuracy
at high-speed machining and improved
dynamic accuracy through greater stiffness
and thermal stability, the F Series
makes long operating hours, shorter
lead times and longer bearing and tool
life possible.
Designed for the medium to high-end
die&mould market, the new Makino
F Series features significant improvements
in the spindle technology, rigidity
and motion technology. These advances
bring particular benefits for the
precision plastic moulding, die casting
and forging die industries and improved
performance in applications such as
core and cavity machining, electrode
making and fine 3-D machining.
Innovative technologies featured in the
F Series bring distinctive advantages:
• Outstanding cooling:
Overheating in 12,000-rpm spindle
prevented by a spindle jacket cooling
system; 20,000- and 30,000-rpm spin-
dles additionally feature core-cooling
technology and under race lubrication,
a Makino invention that ensures
the spindle’s inner bearing rings are
directly lubricated during machining,
which results in a significantly longer
working life.
• Beneficial rigidity:
Wider column-to-bed contact area
ensures efficient cutting force transfer;
no overhang on X- and Y-axis
motion system support to ensure a
constant workload; symmetrical design
for increased thermal stability;
table mounted on Y-axis to further
enhance structural symmetry; benefits
of greater rigidity seen in improved
shape precision and dynamic accuracy
– ideal for high-precision die&
mould machining.
Precise shape and dynamic machining
accuracy thanks to the Makino F Series
• Intelligent technology:
High-speed NC data processing,
accurate profile control and reduced
machining time through Makino’s
innovative SGI.4 technology; other
benefits include high-quality surface
finish, good control of parting lines
and flashless moulds.
• Advantageous chip management:
Space-saving front coolant tank gives
Makino F3 a smaller footprint and
allows chip tray to be emptied during
machining.
Makino F Series:
Vertical machining centres especially suited
to the needs of the die&mould industry
PRECISELY 02/2010
More innovative technologies
on the way
In the field of precision metalworking
there are growing demands for submicron
surface finishes when machining
tungsten carbide, e.g. in applications
such as dies and moulds for lead frames,
IC parts, connector terminals and LED
leads, motor core dies and moulds, sintered
metal dies and the cutting edge
of PCD tools. The Makino UPV-3 and
UPV-5 have been developed to meet
this need.
Last but not least, two new additions
to the Makino EDAF family of sinker EDM
machines, the EDAF 2&3 EDAF3, will
meet the demand for continuous production
of multiple same-shape dies
and moulds for high-precision plastic
components in the electronics, food and
packaging, health and cosmetics industries.
These technological innovations are
proof that Makino is investing in the
future of metalworking – so that its customers
can stay competitive and equip
themselves for a more profitable future.
Further information:
precisely@makino.eu
www.makino.eu
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DETTINGER GMBH&CO. KG
ALWAYS
ONE STEP AHEAD
A competitive edge through proactive investments
How do you stay ahead of the competition? A family business in Swabia, Germany, knows the answer: be
first to invest in new technologies. In 2006 Dettinger bought a Makino V56 to stay ahead in hard milling.
In spring 2009 they added a Makino D500 “so we can do things others cannot”, as managing director
Thilo Dettinger says.

For many years Rainer Pohl, Makino,
has cultivated a close relationship with Thilo
Dettinger (left) and Theo Dettinger (right)
The story may sound clichéd but it’s
true. Dettinger started life in a garage,
as did so many firms in the 1970s. Back
then, founder Theo Dettinger, a master
toolmaker by trade and still co-managing
the company at 72, was production
manager of a local stamping parts’
manufacturer. In the late 1960s he visited
a number of manufacturing companies
on a trip to the USA and was
inspired by the new ideas he saw there.
Back home, he decided to set up his
own business to put them into practice.
40 years ago, Theo Dettinger was
already determined to be one step ahead.
His first employee was his own brother,
his first workshop the family garage.
On weekdays he worked for his old
employer, in the evenings and at weekends
all his energy and effort went into
his own firm. As the number of jobs
increased, neighbours complained to
the police about excessive noise in a
residential area. So Dettinger moved
from the family garage to a “real” workshop.
By 1979 his business had outgrown
this workshop as well and the
company moved into custom-built
premises in Mühlacker-Enzberg, where
it has stayed ever since.
Expanding into Austria
Ten years later, Dettinger took another
significant step into the neighbouring
country of Austria. Since skilled workers
were in short supply in West Germany,
Theo Dettinger decided to supply his
Austrian customers from a site in Austria
and opened a branch in Saalfelden
in 1990. Despite some initial setbacks,
the company’s courage to expand was
duly rewarded. Dettinger now employs
ten people in Austria and 30 at the original
Swabian site. In the meantime,
Theo’s son Thilo had trained as a toolmaker
and studied mechanical engineering
before joining his father in managing
the company. The two of them
still take the most important expansion
and investment decisions together – a
textbook example of a family business.
Makino D500,
the vertical machining centre
designed for high-precision
simultaneous 5-axis machining
PRECISELY 02/2010
Broad portfolio
For a mid-sized family business in this
industry Dettinger has an unusually
broad portfolio covering virtually every
field of metalworking. The production
programme includes precision tools,
stamping dies, follow-on tools, progression
tools for all possible industries,
tool equipment, special-purpose diecutting
systems and assemblies for
tools and specialist machines, testing
gauges, individual components, serial
parts and spare parts for tools. Dettinger
also works as a job shop in CNC
turning, CNC milling on machining centres,
simultaneous 5-axis machining,
jig boring, sinker and wire-cut EDM,
circular, flat and profile grinding, CNC
jig grinding and stamping. It goes without
saying that such an extensive portfolio
can only be successfully implemented
through state-of-the-art machines and
a highly skilled workforce.
www.makino.eu
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DETTINGER GMBH&CO. KG
5-axis indexing and simultaneous machining: a typical mould core made on a Makino D500
A typical aerospace component made through
5-axis simultaneous machining on a Makino D500
Unknown in the trade
Back in 1984 Makino was still unknown
in Swabia, the stronghold of Germany’s
metalworking industry. Despite that,
Theo Dettinger decided to invest in his
first Makino wire-cutting EDM machine.
“It was the first machine with automatic
wire threading that actually worked
with no problems”, Theo explains. “We
were the odd man out in this area because
nobody had heard of Makino.
But the quality of our wire-cut EDM
work convinced our customers.” The
daring decision to invest in Makino
brought long-term dividends.
Moving ahead with a V56
In 2005 Theo and Thilo Dettinger visited
a machine tools fair. “As loyal customers
we naturally visited the Makino booth,”
Thilo Dettinger recalls. “And we were
soon convinced that the Makino V56
was right for us since it could do jig
grinding, hard milling and milling.” The
decision to purchase the machine was
a spontaneous one, but the strategy
was entirely consistent: the Dettingers’
desire to stay one step ahead of the
competition. As Theo Dettinger points
out, “Every time I bought a machine, I
didn’t have any jobs to do on it. But
after I’d bought it, the business arrived.”
Dettinger uses the V56 vertical machining
centre to manufacture parts of such
impressive workmanship that one customer
was convinced the workpiece
had been fine-ground. It had of course
been hard-milled.
Investing early in new
technologies
“Our strength is that we can do things
others can’t”, says Thilo Dettinger.
“We’ve done well with the V56 and got
jobs we wouldn’t have had with other
machines. Anybody can make standard
parts. But that’s not our business.
After investing in the V56, a classic hardmilling
machine, the next logical step
for us was to move into 5-axis machining.
Here again it was important to invest
in good time in order to gain a lead
over our competitors.” The decision to
buy a Makino D500 was taken in autumn
2008. This simultaneous 5-axis vertical
machining centre was delivered in spring
2009 and has been deployed for a wide

Theo Dettinger founded the
family business in 1970
range of jobs ever since – as Dettinger’s
broad production portfolio demands.
Thilo Dettinger has been impressed by
its great accuracy, particularly in 5-axis
machining, and the time saved through
workpieces not having to be reworked.
“If I hadn’t had the D500, I would normally
have worked those last few hundredths
on a job grinding machine. But
as it was, I milled the workpiece on the
D500 and the result was great!”
How to attract skilled labour
“Just because you’ve got a 5-axis machine
in your firm doesn’t automatically
mean you can machine 5-axis parts,”
Thilo Dettinger points out. The learning
phase in his company was all the more
challenging because of the wide variety
of jobs machined on the D500. To
ensure Dettinger’s strict quality and
precision standards were met, everything
had to be perfect. The switch from
V56 to 5-axis programming was a challenge
but the company mastered it with
able support from Makino. Two Dettinger
employees have been trained on
the machine to ensure it never needs
to be idle. Thilo Dettinger has had no
problems with motivation: “The simple
fact that we bought the V56 enabled
us to recruit one good man, and the
D500 is also an investment in skilled
workers who want to become expert
in this next-generation technology.”
Since Germany’s metalworking industry
is once again facing a shortage of skilled
labour, such an investment is an important
bonus in recruiting highly skilled
craftsmen.
An investment to spite
the recession
Between Dettinger’s decision to buy a
D500 and its delivery the financial crisis
struck. Although the company did not
have to lay off any workers, the recession
had a huge impact on the German
metalworking industry. Was the decision
to invest in the D500 wrong?
Thilo Dettinger: “We don’t really need
a D500 for tool-making but we’re not
a conventional tool-making company.
It’s because we manufacture a great
many parts that we need this machine.
We go into areas our competitors don’t.
Buying this machine at an unfavourable
time when not a lot was going on actually
had one advantage: our employees
had plenty of time to familiarise themselves
with 5-axis machining on a great
variety of different jobs.”
PRECISELY 02/2010
In-depth consultation: Rainer Pohl, Thilo and Theo Dettinger
The acquisition of the D500 is smoothing
the way to developing new markets,
e.g. in aeronautical engineering where
impellers are manufactured by simultaneous
5-axis machining. Thilo Dettinger
sees growth potential here and
knows that his family business has the
necessary expertise and can meet the
aerospace industry’s high quality and
precision standards. By investing in
next-generation technology early enough,
this family business is now well equipped
to exploit the upturn in the economy.
Further information:
www.dettinger-tad.de
precisely@makino.eu
www.makino.eu
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MECANIZADOS ESCRIBANO, S.L.
ANTI-CYCLICAL
INVESTMENTS
Leading aircraft components supplier
invests in Makino
Autumn 2008: the financial crisis hits Europe, triggering off the
deepest recession since the 1930s. Spain is particularly hard hit.
Yet one Spanish precision machining company has invested in no
less than six Makino machines since then – an anti-cyclical story
of unusual dimensions.
Electronic cooler for an
aircraft antenna
A collection of unspectacular buildings
on an industrial estate in Mejorada del
Campo, a small town 20 km east of
Madrid. The factory hardly catches the
eye, but what goes on inside is as exciting
as the premises are unassuming.
Mecanizados Escribano, a company
run by two brothers, Ángel and Javier
Escribano, began precision-machining
highly complex components for the
aeronautical and aerospace industry
in 1998. It now employs around 40 employees
who generated a turnover of
€ 5.8 million in 2009. This year, the figure
is likely to be significantly higher.
In June 2011 Mecanizados Escribano
will be moving to new, custom-built pre-
mises with almost three times as much
space (7,000 m 2 ) in Alcalá de Henares.
The company is investing € 5 million
in the new factory and has bought six
Makino machines in the past 20
months – despite the recession.
Recession-proof
As Production Director Javier Escribano
points out, Mecanizados Escribano
generates 60 – 70 % of its turnover from
exports of high-precision aerospace
parts to customers all over the world.
This broad spread has enabled the company
to survive the recession more or
less unscathed. Since the Spanish
aerospace industry mainly builds pro -
totypes and series production of aircraft
takes place elsewhere, the company
has a clear focus on exports to
customers in the UK, USA, Germany,
France, Italy, etc. Mecanizados Escribano
moved into the aerospace sector
a decade ago. Turning their back on
automotives proved a wise decision,
not least because the demands made
on manufacturers of high-precision aircraft
and satellite components tie in
well with the Escribano brothers’ production
philosophy.

Secret of success
Ricardo del Villar, Makino’s representative
in Spain and Portugal, has known
the company for almost a decade.
“Mecanizados Escribano is still a family
business and they have always strived
to achieve optimum quality in production
and delivery.” Javier Escribano
confirms this by emphasising their ongoing
efforts to improve the quality of
production through even greater accuracy:
“That is the reason why we are
permanently updating the technology
we use.” The search for the best-possible
machines to make high-precision
machining possible led Javier Escribano
to Makino. Although the quality
and accuracy of Makino machines had
convinced him years before, it was not
until the beginning of 2009 that he
purchased his first Makino, an SP64
wire EDM machine – the first of six in
just 20 months.
Direct involvement
The timing for that first purchase was
no coincidence. In 2009 MAKINO Europe
had decided to become directly
involved in the Iberian market after years
of being represented by dealers. It was
a significant move. Ricardo del Villar
became the face of Makino in Spain
and Portugal, building up face-to-face
relationships between customers and
Makino, and providing direct support
in the pre- and post-sales process.
Ricardo del Villar: “When purchasing a
high-quality Makino machine, a customer
needs close contact to his Makino
man.” And that is where his presence
in the Iberian market has made a genuine
impact. And what’s more, the fact
that Mecanizados Escribano was able
to purchase the machines direct from
Makino made them more affordable.
Timely investments
The Makino SP64 is used to wire-cut
alloys for aviation workpieces. Satisfied
with the quality of the work, Mecanizados
Escribano ordered the first Makino
D500 in March 2009. Before this highprecision
5-axis vertical machining centre
was delivered in October last year,
two more Makino machines had already
been ordered: an a61 horizontal machining
centre and another D500. An a81M
5-axis arrived in May 2010 and a third
D500 has been ordered for delivery to
the new factory in June 2011. The D500s
are mainly employed for manufacturing
components for a wide range of
electronic devices for use in aircraft
and satellites. Thanks to the superb
accuracy of the 4th and 5th axis, the
D500s have allowed Mecanizados Escribano
to finish parts in fewer setups,
simplifying the manufacturing process
and shortening delivery times. The a61
is used for machining general parts.
The a81M, a large 5-axis horizontal machining
centre delivering over 1,000 Nm
of torque, was purchased because of
its outstanding qualities in machining
difficult-to-cut materials such as titanium.
It proved to be a timely invest -
ment. Not long after the machine arrived,
Ángel Escribano, the company’s
Sales Director, landed a sizeable contract
for machining titanium components.
Right now, a technician from
Makino Italy is training a Mecanizados
Escribano employee to operate the
a81M.
PRECISELY 02/2010
Operating the a81M:
Makino specialist (left) training
an Escribano employee
Full capacity
Machines are not the most pressing
problem at Mecanizados Escribano.
“Our difficulty is getting enough skilled
labour to operate them,” Javier Escribano
says. The company is working at
100 % capacity and the order books
are full for years ahead. In operational
terms, Javier Escribano has been entirely
happy with the Makino machines.
“The CNC programming has been good,
the machining is of high quality and the
machines are not difficult to use,” he
says. Their high-precision machining not
only satisfies the company’s stringent
standards (and those of its aerospace
customers), it also removes the need
for time-consuming finishing work, re -
leasing resources for the next job.
Javier Escribano believes the next two
years will be tough in the aerospace
industry as prices remain stable and
competition becomes keener. By investing
in a new factory and six Makino
machines the Escribano brothers have
demonstrated remarkable faith in their
future. Their performance during the
recession gives them every reason to
feel confident.
Further information:
www.mecaes.com
precisely@makino.eu
www.makino.eu
13

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AUTOMATION
SMART
SOLUTIONS
Makino innovations enhance flexibility and productivity
Innovative and affordable automation – even in high-mix, low-quantity parts production! That is what
Makino can now offer its European customers thanks to three new developments in this field: the Ver-
satile Intelligent Production (VIP) system based on the Work Holding Pallet (WHP); the Makino Advanced
System A5 (MAS-A5) system control software that uniquely combines machine control with manage-
ment of system resources; and the top loader specially developed for the Makino Slim3 vertical machining
centre featured in our September 2009 issue.

Work Holding Pallet: a key feature
of the VIP System, allowing varied pallet
sizes to be used in one cell
A production cell featuring a
pallet stocker, a self-propelled transfer
robot and four machining centres
VIP System
Ideal for high-mix, low-volume
parts’ production
The key benefits the VIP System offers
are flexibility, versatility and lower costs.
It can load both horizontal and vertical
machining centres of differing sizes for
greater flexibility in parts’ production.
Its transfer weight range (140 – 300 kg)
and horizontal loading capability mean
more versatility. And it reduces tooling
costs because users can manufacture
the work holding pallets (WHPs) themselves.
Designed for Makino 3-, 4- and
5-axis machining centres, VIP solves
the problems of managing many different
kinds of parts on various machine
types. Based on the WHP philosophy,
which allows varied pallet sizes to be
used in the same production cell, VIP
can handle different-shaped parts and
different pallets simultaneously and feed
different kinds of machines in the same
cell. The non-linear movement of the
WHP increases the position reach and
facilitates adaptation to any required
configuration. VIP is ideal for high-mix,
low-volume parts’ production, replacing
manual handling with time-saving
automation, and makes continuous unmanned
operations at night and weekends
possible.
MAS-A5
Uniquely controls machine
and pallet handling
The MAS-A5 system control software
handles all the control functions required
to manage an automated flexible manufacturing
system such as VIP. It dynamically
schedules part machining and
pallet handling, maximises spindle
utilisation, correlates production order,
part, process, tool, fixture and pallet
data, connects the system with the
shop network, and manages system
resources in and out of the production
cell. Besides enhancing process efficiency,
MAS-A5 can also help to increase
productivity.
Full IT integration with Makino software
tools makes the production process
more transparent and controllable:
MAS-A5 for job management, FF/CAM
for CNC programming, CC+ for transport
management and PRO 5+ for machine
control. This one-stop shop and
full-service supply package is unique
to Makino.

TOP Loader
Top loader:
Helping to make automated mass parts’
production on the Makino Slim3 possible
Minimises transportation times
Automation makes sense in the series production of parts where simple operations
are repeated thousands of times with little variety of parts and short machining
times. The Makino Slim3 vertical machining centre was designed for such
operations. Makino’s top loader is a simple solution designed to minimise the
time needed to transfer workpieces of up to 20 kg to the Makino Slim3 and thus
increase spindle utilisation. The top loader with a workpiece magazine featuring
either a conveyor, basket, pallet or drawer storage system moves fast and picks
up parts directly with no intermediate elements. The gantry axis strokes are
500 x 2,000 x 2,500 (X,Y,Z) and C-axis rotation either 0° or 90°. In combination with
the Makino Slim3 the top loader creates a simple but effective automation solution.
Further information:
precisely@makino.eu
PRECISELY 02/2010
Long lasting partnership – Precisely.
Makino GmbH
Essener Bogen 5
22419 Hamburg, Germany
Tel.: +49 (40) 29809 0
Fax: +49 (40) 29809 400
www.makino.de
Makino GmbH
Kruichling 18
73230 Kirchheim/Teck, Germany
Tel.: +49 (7021) 503 0
Fax: +49 (7021) 503 400
www.makino.de
Makino France S.A.S.
ZA Les Bordes
21, rue Gustave Madiot
91070 Bondoufle, France
Tel.: +33 (1) 691163 90
Fax: +33 (1) 691163 99
www.makino.fr
Makino Italia S.r.l.
Via Codognino 40
26854 Cornegliano Laudense, Italy
Tel.: +39 (0371) 697 211
Fax: +39 (0371) 697 219
www.makino.it
Makino s.r.o.
Tuhovská 31
83106 Bratislava, Slovakia
Tel.: +421 (2) 496121 00
Fax: +421 (2) 496124 00
www.makino.sk
Headquarters Europe
MAKINO Europe GmbH
Essener Bogen 5
22419 Hamburg, Germany
Tel.: +49 (40) 29809 0
Fax: +49 (40) 29809 400
www.makino.eu
Headquarters
Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
3-19 Nakane 2-chome, Meguro-ku
Tokyo 152- 8578, Japan
Tel.: +81 (337) 1711 51
Fax: +81 (337) 2521 05
www.makino.co.jp
www.makino.eu
16

MAKINO EUROPE NEWS
Poggipolini, San Lazzaro de Savena, Italy
Poggipolini is a well-known manufacturer of mechanical components
in titanium, alloys, aluminium, super-alloys, special
steels and stainless steels for the automotive, aerospace
and nautical industries. Since 1975 Poggipolini has specialised
in the production of components made of titanium and other
special alloys. Thanks to its extensive experience and expertise
in working such materials, Poggipolini supplies specially
made racing components for Formula 1 and motorcycle
racing teams. The company already had a Makino V56
vertical machining centre (VMC) and was very satisfied with
the spindle quality and machining accuracy. Now Poggopolini
was looking for a production machine for complete oneclamping
jobs that offered high accuracy and fast machining.
That was why they chose a Makino D500 5-axis VMC with
an automatic pallet changer and a 14,000-rpm spindle.
www.poggipolini.it
Micro Balle ApS, Fårevejle,
Denmark
Founded in 1996 by Tonny Balle,
Micro Balle specialises in manufacturing
precision components
for medical and surgical appa -
ratus and equipment, e.g. as a
sub-supplier for the Danish hearing
aid industry. One reason why
Micro Balle recently invested in a
Makino EDAC1, an ultra-high accu
racy sinker EDM machine with
a small travel range, is that hearing
aids are becoming smaller and smaller. Whereas an accuracy
of ±5 µm used to be sufficient, the viscosity of the
new materials (glass-reinforced plastics) now used in hearing
aids means that an accuracy of ± 2.5 µm is required for
flashless injection moulding. The EDAC1 with a Z-Axis Stabiliser
can achieve such accuracies and also meets the
demand for surface finishes of extremely high quality, even
on complex parts. Micro Balle sees the EDAC1 as the ideal
solution for manufacturing ultra-high accuracy injection
moulds for plastic components. www.microballe.dk
PRECISELY 02/2010
Bitzer, Schkeuditz, Germany
Bitzer ranks among the leading manufacturers of refrigerant
compressors – a true global player with over 2,500 employees
in more than 90 countries. Since 1934, Bitzer has been
renowned for utmost reliability and product quality in piston,
screw and scroll compressors, pressure vessels, documentation
and software. For 15 years Bitzer has been working
with Makino machines and already has numerous Makino
machines in operation at various sites. Recently Bitzer
invested in two more a81 horizontal machining centres for
the company’s operations in Schkeuditz. www.bitzer.de
DM Poland, Turek
Established more than 20 years ago, DM Poland has a broad
manufacturing portfolio that includes turbines and fans for
the power industry, noise insulation, dust removal and
de-sulphurisation equipment, gears for hydraulic pumps,
other machine tool parts and, last but not least, cast-iron
components for the off-highway vehicle (OHV) industry and
agricultural machinery. The recent purchase of a Makino
a81M horizontal machining centre has enabled DM Poland
to produce these components in just half or even a third of
the time they previously needed. DM Poland chose the
Makino a81M ahead of two competitors’ machines because
of the machine’s convincing performance and Makino’s
most extensive experience and application support. The
acquisition of the a81M has extended DM Poland’s manufacturing
capacity to such an extent that the company is
now in a position to take on additional orders from Poland
and abroad. www.dmpoland.com
www.makino.eu
17

Makino
PS Series Vertical Machining Centres
A quality level you cannot afford to miss. Utmost thermal stability and accuracy – must conditions when working
in non-continuous operation. Plus a high-performance spindle and superb machine rigidity to achieve un matched removal
rates. That’s a great deal of hard-milling performance in a machine any shop can afford. Get more familiar with all the
features at www.makino.eu/PS-Series.
Visit www.makino.eu to find your local Makino partner.
MAKINO Europe GmbH
Essener Bogen 5 · 22419 Hamburg, Germany
Tel.: + 49 (40) 298 09 0 · Fax: + 49 (40) 298 09 400
Long lasting partnership – Precisely.
www.makino.eu