2017 Editi on

GREATERPRECISIONProcesses, materials and sectors:Leipold expands its know-how

The Leipold Group Customer Magazine

From pure contractorto service providerLeipold is increasingly evolvinginto a strategic partner.

Page 6

Black Forest turnedparts taking off Leipold manufactures for aviati on industry thanks to new partnership.

Page 12

REPORTInterview:

5 yearsof components

Page 18

Dear Readers,

Times are becoming increasingly complex – not only on the political and economic landscape,

but also for us at Leipold. In recent years, we have undertaken major efforts to master our

structural change so as to achieve a future-proof business. We have invested in new machi-

nes and technologies. In doing so, we have encountered so many unexpected challenges and

had to break through much resistance. Nevertheless, we have now succeeded in expanding

our product portfolio to further levels. This is characterised by a much higher complexity in

turned parts, by using materials which are more difficult to machine, by a different handling

of products and, last but not least, by opening up new markets. This change has led to a 35%

increase in the value of our products over the last five years. For us, 2017 is to be placed un-

der the motto: “Increasing efficiency through automation and organisational measures”. Ad-

mittedly, this also sounds complex – and it really is. We will continue to automate processes

and optimise our structures, all with the aim of enabling our employees to drive forward the

transition to more complex products for you, our valued customers and partners. Against this

backdrop we have completely revised our ‘Leipold Report’. Using new imagery, we penetrate

into highly complex areas with greater visual depth. We will

give you a deeper insight into our work with in-depth articles.

We are pursuing the path to greater complexity in all areas.

Follow us as we go!

I hope that you enjoy reading this Leipold Report.

Yours,

Pascal Schiefer,

Chairman of the Board of the Leipold Group

REPORT 2017 REPORT 2017

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL

COMPANYLeipold in numbers 2016

From supplier todevelopment partner Expanding in the USA

The “best-cost” partnership

TURNED PARTSLeipold takes off

Precise and extremely resistant

COMPONENTSInterview: 5 yearsof component technology

New partners

HMI 2017 / 3D product video

SERVICEIn the eye of the camera

Leipold in the press

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IMPRINTPUBLISHER: Carl Leipold GmbH, Schiltacher Straße 5, D-77709 Wolfach. www.leipold.com CONTACT: Tel.: +49 (0) 7834 / 83 95 - 0, E-Mail: info@leipold.com PERSON RESPONSIBLE: Christiane Bachthaler, Assistant to the Board of Leipold Group DESIGN: Sputnik GmbH, Hafenweg 9, D-48155 Münster. www.sput-nik-agentur.de EDITING AND LAYOUT: Tobias Patzkowsky, Sputnik GmbH PHOTOS: Leipold Group: cover (lead), p. 2 (top and bottom), p. 4/5, p. 6, p. 8/9, p. 10/11 (parts), p. 16/17, p. 18/19 (lead), p. 20/21 (components), p. 22/23, p. 24/25, p. 26 – TRUMPF: cover (small, bottom left), p. 2 (top), p. 7 – GMT GmbH: p. 12/13 – Walter AG: p. 2 (centre), p. 14 – Fotolia: cover (small, bottom right) – Shiv Om Brass Industries: p. 10/11 (top photos) – Tobias Patzkowsky / Sputnik GmbH: p. 3, p. 18/19 (portraits), p. 20 (pictures in left column) PRINTING: Kehler Druck GmbH & Co. KG, Weststraße 26, D-77694 Kehl. www.kehler-druck.de

LEIPOLD / SHIV OM BRASS INDIAMore than merely procuring parts from the Far East: with its

partner Shiv Om Brass, Leipold is manufacturing articles from a

“best-cost” perspective.

PARTS MADE OF DUPLEX STAINLESS STEELThe difficult-to-machine material is becoming increasingly popu-

lar in automotive engineering. Leipold is using it for cost-effective

part production.

FULLY AUTOMATEDCAMERA INSPECTIONLeipold is launching an

attack on surface cracks

thanks to new testing

technology. The manu-

facturer is reducing to

a minimum the risk of

defective parts failing.

2

EDITORIAL

Around 1,000,000,000 HIGH PRECISION TURNED PARTS left

the Leipold Group’s four production plants last year. The company, with its

headquarters in Wolfach, primarily supplied the 5 SECTORS – Automotive,

Electrical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and

Building Services – from Wolfach, Dransfeld, Bünde and Windsor/Connecti-

cut (USA). MORE THAN 2,500 PRODUCTS make up Leipold‘s portfo-

lio. Today, the PROPORTION OF EXPORTS is 50%. At the same time,

the manufacturer deliberately relies on production in high-wage Germany, as

Pascal Schiefer emphasises. For many years now, the TRAINING RATE HAS BEEN BETWEEN 10% AND 12%. 4 out of 5 managers come from Lei-

pold‘s own ranks.

COMPANY

the first production run had to be made available quickly.

With the first drawings having already been drafted, the

company decided to err on the side of caution. Exper-

tise in turned parts was to be brought in from outside.

The choice of expert was obvious, as Leipold Group has

been producing nozzles for laser cutting machines since

2006. At the outset, TRUMPF submitted the drawings for

the components, while Leipold carried out the order. The

business relationship intensified, when the Wolfach-ba-

sed manufacturer of precision turned parts became the

first to implement a uniform packaging concept for all

TRUMPF nozzles in 2011. This resulted in a rise in the

amount of consultancy and development provided by Lei-

pold. A partnership grew out of the relationship.

“With the new nozzle technology we were aware that not

every manufacturer could meet our strict requirements.

Absolute professionals were required for this,”

The demands made on turned

parts are growing rapidly,

resulting in greater manufactu-

ring complexity. Even seemingly sca-

led-down parts, such as nozzles, are

no longer off-the-shelf products when used

in highly demanding areas like laser cutting sys-

tems. This was exactly what TRUMPF noticed during de-

velopment of their performance nozzles. The technolo-

gy group wanted to establish a new type of bypass-flow

nozzle technology. The cutting gas flows not only through

the bore hole, but also through the cavity between the

inner and outer parts of the nozzle. The idea behind this is

that the nozzle design should have a positive effect on the

melt. The aim was to heighten process stability in laser

cutting applications, while increasing cutting performan-

ce. TRUMPF has set high standards for the surface finish,

as well as production and assembly tolerances - a challen-

ge already present in the design phase, especially since

From supplier todevelopment partner

Production cooperation with TRUMPF

Pure contracting is a thing of the past. Today, the Leipold Group is no lon-ger merely a supplier, but a development partner for numerous customers.

The example of TRUMPF demonstrates how machine and plant manufacturers are benefiting from a high level of precision know-how involving increasingly complex parts.

REPORT 20176 7

COMPANY

REPORT 2017

emphasises Andre Schiller of TRUMPF‘s Central Purcha-

sing. Thanks to these positi ve experiences, the company

also entrusted us in Wolfach with this milestone in nozzle

technology. On the basis of the 3D CAD model, Leipold

assessed the nozzle drawings in respect of drilling geo-

metries, surface data and tolerance zones, in parti cular

against a backdrop of functi onality and cost specifi cati ons.

“Knowing in advance how the

nozzle will behave in the end

applicati on makes it possible

to recognise early on whether

tolerances are justi fi ed or not.

This aff ects the design and

manufacturability,” explains

Volker Harter, Sales Manager

at Leipold. The development

departments of both partners

discussed and agreed on possible tolerances. In so doing,

Leipold discovered that, when machining the specifi ed

raw material (copper), a special device was needed to

achieve the exact drilling positi on.

The company designed, manufactured and assembled this

onto the multi -spindle machine using its own device cons-

tructi on. While this process usually takes several months,

Leipold managed to fi nish in just three weeks. Despite de-

lays due to the necessary changes, Leipold met the strict

ti me constraints. Aft er the

contract was awarded in

late 2015, TRUMPF was

able to supply the fi rst

nozzles to trial customers

within one month. “In this

highly specialised

f i e l d ,

Leipold is able to precisely determine tolerances within

the design itself and to deliver quality thereaft er,” con-

fi rms Schiller. The quality of the edge cut remains the

same in numerous cutti ng applicati ons per component

and per day. Crucial to this is the nozzle, the compositi on

of which infl uences the fl ow velocity.

Leipold even carries out downstreamQA processes during in-house productionThanks to its in-house development work, Leipold has

also succeeded in pressing the outer and inner parts of

the nozzle together, so that separati on of the two is no

longer possible. The strict assembly tolerances provide

for a symmetrical gas outlet. TRUMPF uti lises the per-

formance nozzles, now produced in four diff erent sizes,

in its TruLaser series 3000 and 5000 fi ber for fusion cut-

ti ng in thin sheet metal. That technology group Leipold

does not see itself merely as a contractor, is refl ected in

the downstream producti on processes. Leipold supplies

TRUMPF with the nozzles ready for dispatch with batch

numbers and customer labels. TRUMPF also counts 100

percent on Leipold for quality control. The manufacturer

has specifi cally implemented a test unit for the nozzles

within the producti on process. By means of an automa-

ted camera inspecti on, the system separates

out nozzles which deviate from the

specifi ed tolerances.

Thanks to a high level of customer sati sfacti on, TRUMPF

is pursuing with the partnership: “Leipold‘s holisti c appro-

ach to parts producti on enables us to benefi t from a

well-balanced price-performance rati o. Together with

Leipold, we are conti nually opti mising processes in order

to achieve competi ti ve prices,” says Schiller. “Leipold is

providing us with an early functi onal validati on of parts

and is realising a producti on-ready design which not only

works in the laboratory, but above all in the industrial en-

vironment.”

All-in-all, Leipold is witnessing a general change in appro-

ach, as Pascal Schiefer, Chairman of the Board, observes:

“Suppliers are no longer seen as mere contractors. In or-

der to produce the best product in the interest of the end

customer, we have become more challenged than ever

before.” Another important factor is growing complexity

in turned parts. “With our know-how, we are able to ad-

vise on specifi c aspects of manufacturability, cost eff ecti -

veness and marketability,” says Schiefer. This has already

resulted in the soluti on no longer being a turned part, ac-

cording to Schiefer: “It is precisely such objecti vity that we

owe our customers.”

“Leipold gives us

early functional

validation of parts.”

Andre Schiller,

TRUMPF Central Purchasing

When TRUMPF outsourced packaging of the nozzles to Leipold, the part-

nership reached new heights.

COMPANY

From examining design drawings to the in-house work-shop: Leipold off ers a wide range of services beyond mere producti on.

Your contact person:Volker Harter, Carl Leipold GmbH

volker.harter@leipold.com

Expanding in the USA:commissioning imminent

Leipold Group’s expansion in the USA is making good progress.

In May, the manufacturer wants to commission the machines for

the enlarged producti on hall on the US site in Windsor, Connecti -

cut. Previously, Pascal Schiefer took delivery of the new premi-

ses. “In a short ti me, we are

taking a big step closer to our

goal of expanding our pro-

ducti on in the USA.” It was

only in late 2015 that Leipold

laid the foundati on stone.

The company is doubling its

producti on area. Up to now,

it has manufactured over an

area of 1,500 square metres.

The backdrop to this producti on expansion is a positi ve busi-

ness development on the US

market. Industrial and electri-

cal engineering are currently

among the main drivers of

growth for Leipold Inc. With

the producti on expansion, the

company plans to broaden its

base. In parti cular, Leipold has

its sights set on the automoti ve sector, the traditi onal private car

supply market and the aviati on sector, in which other companies

of the Leipold Group have already been performing successfully

in other regions.

Since 1999, Leipold has been

manufacturing on American

soil. Against this backdrop,

Schiefer also sees no restric-

ti ons to business as a result of

Donald Trump’s electi on as US

President: “The US market has

always demanded not only merchandise from Germany, but an

on-site locati on.” Leipold Group is investi ng 3.5 million US dollars

solely in building extensions.

REPORT 2017 9

10 11

Leipold enables its customers to purchase parts from

a single source for those articles which it is no longer

economically viable to manufacture in Germany. “With

the decision to manufacture in India, we are taking a stan-

ce on the pressing issue of global material procurement,”

explains Dirk Niestrat, Head of Electrical Engineering, re-

garding this strategically important step for Leipold. “To

complement our German production, our customers

receive a best-cost variant.”

The manufacturer is currently offering this procurement

option in the field of turned parts for electrical enginee-

ring. In the case of very material-intensive articles with

minimal added value, we use alternative production

outside Germany. Companies that carry out a

certain percentage of their buying abroad,

can now obtain from Leipold articles from

a single source.

The manufacturer is now in a position

to offer brass articles for the electrical en-

gineering field, even in small quantities. These

small quantities are not economically viable to manu-

facture in Germany, either because of machine concepts

in Europe or due to minimum order quantities impo-

sed by European raw material suppliers.

Thanks to being able to produce smaller

batch sizes, Leipold can more flexibly re-

spond to customer requests. With Shiv

Om Brass Industries, the company has a

reliable partner in machining technology

in India. The 200-strong company, with its

headquarters in Jamnagar in the Indian State of Gujarat,

manufactures in-house. After the project launch, with

production of neutral and protective conductor rails, Shiv

Om Brass is today producing further articles for Leipold.

A partner with technical know-howand rapid reaction timesLeipold‘s Indian partner has 48 production machines, en-

abling a variety of machining options for different product

applications. The company is TÜV certified ISO 9001. Ra-

pid reaction times characterise Shiv Om Brass - as does its

European approach. To ensure proven quality, Leipold is

transferring its know-how to India. The two companies

regularly exchange information about detailed commer-

cial and technical issues. Leipold’s quality assurance re-

gularly checks the processes on-site. In return, Shiv Om

Brass manufactures Europe-wide exclusively for Leipold.

More than mere spare parts procurement in the Far East: Leipold Group not only purchases in India for its European customers, but also has an established partner, Shiv Om Brass, which manufactures quality according to the Leipold standard. The focus is on the “best-cost” concept.

Leipold / Shiv Om Brass India

Your contact person:Dirk Niestrat, HORA-Werk GmbH

dirk.niestrat@hora-werk.com

Shiv Om Brass Industries

Founded: 1992

Registered Office: Jamnagar, India

Production: 15,000 m²

Employees: 200

Certification:TÜV ISO 9001:2008

As a result, the German company ensures exclusivity for

its customers.

Social standardson a European levelEuropean social standards are important for both sides:

the company has recently set up a new canteen for em-

ployees, together with its Indian partner. Occupational

safety is also on a European level. Regular health checks

and safety training form part of everyday

working practice. Thanks to these

standards and the existing

machining technology, Shiv

Om Brass sets itself apart

from other Asian sup-

pliers.

The partnership is alrea-

dy paying off on both sides: “The concept has been very

well-received by our customers,” says Niestrat. Thanks to

the cooperation, Shiv Om Brass has recently expanded.

In 2016, the manufacturer expanded its production area

by approximately 2,000 square metres and simultaneous-

The “best-cost” partnership ly supplemented its production capacities with additio-

nal CNC machines. “We have already benefited from the

partnership with Leipold,” says Snehal M. Gohel, Mana-

ging Partner of Shiv Om Brass. “Leipold is offering us the

best sales and distribution network for electrical enginee-

ring parts in Europe.”

After the initial contact in 2011, the companies started

their first projects in 2013.

“Today the partnership is

established,” says Pascal

Schiefer, Chairman of the

Board.

“Through our close integra-

tion with Shiv Om Brass, our customers

receive our proven quality as a best-cost solution made

in India.”

7 Reasons for purchasing via Leipold

1. Best-cost solution for parts that it is not economically viable to manufacture in Europe2. Cost-optimised article variants from Indian production using Leipold know-how3. Material procurement from a single source4. Monitoring of Indian production processes by Leipold’s QA team5. Production reliability through Leipold manufacturing facilities and reserve stocks6. Reduced lead times thanks to optimised warehouse logistics at Leipold7. On-the-spot delivery possible for urgent needs

COMPANY

REPORT 2017 REPORT 2017

Although Leipold is a newcomer to this highly speci-fic market, the manufacturer‘s size means that it can

offer flexible production structures in series production, along with high levels of process reliability. The parts sup-plied are currently being used in various models, for in-stance the Airbus A350.

„With our expertise in machining technology, based on decades of experience, extremely highly trained staff, sta-te-of-the-art machinery and sophisticated custom tools, we believe that we are up to the challenges of this mar-ket“, stresses Pascal Schiefer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Leipold Group.

A wider product rangeThe new portfolio includes connecting elements – in par-ticular, fork joints, rings and bushings made from a range of different metals such as high-alloy steels, titanium and other special alloys. These depend on exactly which part of the aircraft they will be used in.

The precision parts are installed in what are known as tie-rods. These are used as connecting elements at inter-faces: for instance, at the mountings of water tanks and luggage racks, in lift struts, but also in highly critical areas such as the flap openings for the landing gear mechanism or on interior elements that are also connected to the aircraft skin (chassis).

Leipold produces these articles, many of which feature extremely challenging geometric shapes, on machines including the high-performance Sprint 50 double-spindle turning centre by DMG Mori. For the individual machining stages, the company uses custom tools and custom ma-chine elements, which are designed and produced in its own tool-making department.

Narrow tolerances inthe micrometer rangeIn this process, Leipold has taken responsibility not only for production, which it assures due to its excellent process capability, but also for quality assurance. In a downstream production stage, the manufacturer uses a 3D-coordinate measuring machine to ensure that the extremely exacting precision requirements for these aviation parts have been met. The tolerances for boring diameters, roundness and coaxiality are in the micrometer range.

Leipold is listed as a link in the supply chain for the well-known aircraft manufacturers Airbus, Boeing and Bom-bardier. Initially, the series production parts were used in the Airbus A380, whereas today, most of the turned parts are fitted in the A350. Several hundred Leipold parts are used in every single aircraft.

The background to the portfolio expansion is a new part-nership with GMT GmbH. Because machining is not

one of the core competencies of the aviation supplier, headquartered in the town of Bühl,

in Baden, it has outsourced ma-

chining production to exter-nal suppliers ever since it set up the business division. Previously, GMT tended to award contracts to smal-ler turning shops with less capacity. Now, however, its constant growth in the avi-ation segment has forced it to rethink. Seeking a reliable partner for the production of critical turned parts in high volumes, GMT turned to Leipold.

„Although Leipold is a complete newcomer to the sector, the decision in favour of this partnership turned out to be extremely far-sighted“, says Siegfried Oser, Head of Purchasing in the field of aviation for GMT. „The funda-mental technological skills are in place and the organisati-onal structures we observed are also far superior to those of our existing suppliers“. Leipold stands for high process reliability and production flexibility in small and large se-ries production runs, he went on to explain.

Right from the development stage of new components, Leipold advises on feasibility, economic efficiency and possible savings potential. The production technology also won GMT over. Leipold manufactures the parts com-pletely in a single working step. „As a result of the part-nership, we are already far more cost-efficient than pre-viously“, says Siegfried Oser. All indications are that this will be a long-term partnership. Both companies can see

a great deal of potential in it: „We both have the same philosophy. The aviation segment is already a growth

area for us, just as it is for GMT“, says Pascal Schie-fer. „Together, we hope to continue expanding

our range of innovative, reliable and precise so-lutions for aviation.“

Leipold takes off

Turned Parts for the aviation industry

Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier: The Leipold Group is producing turned parts for the aviation industry. This has allowed the ma-nufacturer, which has its headquarters in Wolfach, in the Black Forest, to expand its portfolio into a new sector. Behind this de-cision lies a new partnership with the avia-tion industry supplier GMT.

„As a result of the

partnership, we are

already far more

cost-efficient than

previously.“

Siegfried Oser,

Head of Purchasing

for aerospace at GMT

In the Tie-Rods of GMT into a new industry: Next to rings (right side) and fork joints (left side) Leipold has de-veloped a wide product range for the aviation industry in short time.

12 13

TURNED PARTS

REPORT 2017 REPORT 2017

Your contact person:Markus Henninger, Carl Leipold GmbH

markus.henninger@leipold.com

The art of duplex stainless steel processing lies in the precision work. While duplex stainless steels have

so far been used in bulk for large items, the material is increasingly being manipulated in very sophisticated pro-cess chains. The focus is more and more on machining processes. Discovered in the 1930’s, duplex stainless steel has evolved since the 1970’s becoming the material par excellence in the chemical and petrochemical industry, in seawater desalination plants and in offshore technology, thanks to its extremely resistant properties. Up to now, the steel has been used for connecting pipes and for tank construction. Processing methods, such as separating, rolling, bending or joining, have become the order of the day. Yet above all, the material has been presenting in-creasing challenges in high precision machining processes for those manipulating it.

Behind the trend towards the use of duplex stainless steel, the goal of carmakers in particular is to continuous-ly increase efficiency, both in economic and design terms. Designers in the automotive industry increasingly appre-ciate the virtues of the material, against a backdrop of in-creased demands being made upon precision parts and stricter safety regulations. Such precision parts, which are mainly used for fuel supply, are now being subjected more than ever to extreme conditions. Firstly, safe pipe-lines are essential for fuels in the highly sensitive systems.

Secondly, pressures within the parts are today as high as 200 bar. Carmakers want to reduce wear and tear from the outset. The properties of the materials are therefore fundamental. By using such special materials, carmakers also want to rule out liability risks. While conventional ni-ckel-chromium steels have been in widespread use up to now, designers are increasingly focusing on duplex stain-less steels – not only because of their special properties. Better purchasing conditions and the smaller amount of material used promise increases in efficiency.

The properties of stainless chromium steelsand high-strength structural steels all in oneDuplex stainless steels combine the positive characteri-stics of conventional stainless chromium steels with those of high-strength structural steels: They stand out due to both their high tenacity under mechanical stress and very good resistance to corrosion in extreme environments. A further advantage of the duplex stainless steel lies in its weldability using all the common methods. Its composi-tion is crucial for its particular properties. The two-phase structure consists of equal parts of ferrite and austenite – with high chromium and low nickel content. This con-figuration does, however, make machining very difficult. In contrast to pure austenitic steels, duplex stainless steel also contains almost no sulphur, a necessary element for chip breaking that also facilitates processing.

Precise and extremelyR E S I S T A N THitherto used in highly corrosive areas, such as the petrochemical or offshore industry, duplex stainless steel is increasingly being used in the automotive sector. However, par-ticularly in the production of precision parts, the material presents the machining tech-nology with challenges. But using duplex is worthwhile, not only because of its material properties, but also in economic terms.

Turned parts made of difficult-to-machine duplex stainless steel

1514

TURNED PARTS

REPORT 2017 REPORT 2017

Before the duplex stainless steel production at Leipold in Wolfach went into series production, the company first tested the feasibility of the machining at Walter AG. Today, Leipold is able to manufacture special turned parts made from difficult-to-machine material.

Aft er several enquiries about part manufacturing using duplex stainless steel, the Leipold Group added a feasi-bility test for machining duplex onto the agenda. To date, the industry has been rather cauti ous as regards manufac-

turing based on du-plex stainless steel. While producti on of simpler items had already been pro-ven, Leipold wanted to master high-pre-cision work steps using the material.The manufacturer initi ated a trial pro-ject aimed at achie-ving competi ti ve ad-vantage in the face of low-cost produc-ti on in India, within

a highly competi ti ve market worldwide for precision parts.

For the trial, a connecti on piece was used that came from an actual customer enquiry from an automoti ve supplier. Previously, Leipold would have made it from 1.4301 stain-less steel. Notwithstanding this, the connecti on piece was to be manufactured on the basis of 1.4462 duplex stain-

less steel. Leipold ran the process at the Walter AG tech-nology centre in Tübingen. Aft er only two months, the company manufactured a fi rst sample on the CNC sing-le-spindle machine. Subsequently, Leipold began produc-ti on of several samples with batch sizes of less than 1,000 items. In so doing, the company was striving to achieve technical producti on readiness on the CNC single-spindle machine. Aft er about a year of testi ng, Leipold switched over completely to the CNC multi -spindle. Aft er producing the fi rst batch sizes of less than 1,000 items, the manufac-turer increased the batch sizes to 50,000 items. Leipold is now able to produce the connecti on piece in an annual quanti ty of 500,000. In order to do so, a CNC multi -spindle machine would be working at full capacity for one year.

During the project phase, the greatest challenges were form milling and thread rolling. Leipold opti mised the enti re machining process in line with the requirements of the duplex stainless steel. In many cases, the compa-ny also reduced cutti ng parameters in order to prevent the tools from wearing out too quickly. Due to the large amounts of heat generated, Leipold is currently working with an additi onal high-pressure cooling system, to keep the formati on and extracti on of chippings under control.Solely to produce the connecti on pieces, Leipold per-forms 18 work steps within the machining process. On the CNC multi -spindle MS 40, it was possible to perform

all the producti on processes in series on the duplex stain-less steel, from drilling via form milling to contour turning and cutti ng off . While on the single spindle, the processing ti me per item was sti ll around 120 seconds, in series pro-ducti on 28 seconds. In additi on to the comparati vely high personnel numbers required to monitor the processes, Leipold has to accept one drawback of duplex stainless steel machining: despite the process adjustment, the raw material takes the tools to the edge of their resilience. The high chromium content – while nickel-chromium steels usually contain 18 to 19 percent chromium, duplex stain-less steels have up to 27 percent chromium – is extremely wearing on the hard coati ng. Compared to conventi onal materials, this leads to high wear and tear on the tools and therefore also to longer machine stoppages. Compa-red with conventi onal steels, the service life of the tools in duplex stainless steel producti on at Leipold has decreased by an average of around 40 percent.

Cost-effective machining processesdespite high abrasionDespite the high material wear and personnel costs, du-plex stainless steel producti on does pay off . Firstly, ma-terial procurement is cheaper due to the low proporti on of molybdenum and low nickel content; nickel is per se the cost driver in steels, with its price varying greatly in line with fl uctuati ng demand on the world markets. Se-

a highly competi ti ve market worldwide for precision parts.

For the trial, a connecti on piece was used that came from an actual customer enquiry from an automoti ve supplier. Previously, Leipold would have made it from 1.4301 stain-less steel. Notwithstanding this, the connecti on piece was to be manufactured on the basis of 1.4462 duplex stain-

the tools from wearing out too quickly. Due to the large amounts of heat generated, Leipold is currently working with an additi onal high-pressure cooling system, to keep the formati on and extracti on of chippings under control.Solely to produce the connecti on pieces, Leipold per-forms 18 work steps within the machining process. On the CNC multi -spindle MS 40, it was possible to perform

despite high abrasionDespite the high material wear and personnel costs, du-plex stainless steel producti on does pay off . Firstly, ma-terial procurement is cheaper due to the low proporti on of molybdenum and low nickel content; nickel is per se the cost driver in steels, with its price varying greatly in line with fl uctuati ng demand on the world markets. Se-

condly, precision parts made of duplex stainless steel can also have smaller dimensions. Due to its properti es, parts require less mass in order to withstand stresses, when compared to conventi onal materials under the same con-diti ons. This has an overall eff ect on the purchase volume and in the end on the price. “Material savings of up to 25 percent solely by using duplex stainless steel are not uncommon,” emphasises Pascal Schiefer, Chairman of the Board of Leipold Group. Moreover, the good weldability of the components carries with it design benefi ts. For ex-ample, holes for screw fastenings can be dispensed with.

For the Leipold Group, research into machining duplex steel is already paying off . The manufacturer now pro-duces three further parts – two outer parts and a pipe connector – made from the metal. They can also be pro-duced in annual batch sizes of half a million items. In Schiefer’s view, demand will conti nue to grow: “Not only in the automoti ve industry, but also in industries such as aviati on, where a high resistance of precision parts is es-senti al, duplex stainless steel will conti nue to gain in rele-vance with respect to precision parts.”

TURNED PARTS

Your contact person:Marco Wild, Carl Leipold GmbH

marco.wild@leipold.com

“Material savings of up

to 25 percent solely by

using duplex stainless

steel are not uncom-

mon.”

Pascal Schiefer,

Chairman of the Board

of the Leipold Group

COMPONENTS

19REPORT 201718 REPORT 2017

“The product area is ev olving very well”Five years of component manufacturing

About five years ago, Leipold presented the first electrical component developed in-house. Dirk Niestrat and Ewald Voss explain why opting for the product area is paying off and where the com-pany wants to take it next.

Actually, Leipold is a novice on the market as regards com-

ponent technology. How has the development gone so far?

Dirk Niestrat: Very dynamically. The product area is de-

veloping very well. The components have already esta-

blished themselves with our customers in such a short

time. We are currently further expanding our

growth. Today, in the light of our original de-

cision, we are no longer wondering whether

or not to target this new market.

What do you mean by that?

Niestrat: Admittedly, the first two years were

difficult. We didn’t know at the outset if our

strategy to launch into a market from scratch

would succeed. Today, some five years later,

during which we actively worked on the mar-

ket, our significant efforts are paying off.

Ewald Voss: The perception of our (still) young product

portfolio is right. In the beginning, we were just a turned

parts manufacturer. Hardly anyone associated us with

components. Now it all seems quite different: five years

later, major players are already part of our customer base.

The feedback from our customers is positive. We don’t

need to establish a portfolio of important clients first, as

we are already engaged in regularly exchanges with them.

How did the decision for the new product area come about

at the time?

Niestrat: Before we started to manufacture components

completely, two-thirds of the value-added chain was al-

ready in our hands. We tested the market and identified

the potential for expanding the electrical engineering sec-

tor. We then concentrated on the range of 50 to 300 squa-

re millimetres in diameter – a niche that had not been

filled until now.

What was required to achieve this standing?

Voss: Staying power, definitely. In the beginning, we were

experts in the production of the brass cores, but we had

no experience in plastic injection moulding. We had to

build up this know-how. We had to learn about a mar-

ket quasi from scratch. In addition, we talked to poten-

tial customers about their needs. At the same time, we

devised a whole new sales strategy. We initially put a lot

of energy into the development, then expanded our port-

folio.

Niestrat: At the same time, we have invested

our efforts in certifications that document our

quality. For both copper and aluminium, we

are IEC-verified and therefore CE-compliant.

In the US and Canada, we already have UL

and CSA certifications. Assessments have re-

sulted in a positive outcome for 90 percent of

our total portfolio.

Voss: In-house, we have also adapted proces-

ses - going as far as to open a second plant at

the component location in Bünde.

Niestrat: 2017 is now becoming our imple-

mentation phase on the market. Now we have set up our

distribution network. Internationally and in Germany we

have a distribution network which brings the products to

the relevant market. We have very high hopes for this.

Where are you today with regard to the portfolio?

Niestrat: With our main line branch terminals, which

Dirk Niestrat, Head of the Electrical Engineering

Division

Ewald Voss, Product Manager of electrical components

COMPONENTS

20 REPORT 2017 21REPORT 2017

Your contact person:Ewald Voss, HORA-Werk GmbH

ewald.voss@hora-werk.com

we first launched onto the market, we have the most

comprehensive portfolio in Europe. With the power dis-

tribution blocks, we are on a par with the competition

as regards connection configuration. We have chosen to

focus on new features during development. Our added

value consists of the modular construction, the connec-

tivity with copper and aluminium, as well as the design.

Voss: At the same time, we are forging ahead with our

new RKA series: a completely new family of aluminium

terminal blocks. We were first to introduce a core of pure

aluminium into a component suitable for both alumini-

um and copper conductors. Last summer, we launched it

onto the market. We have received consistently positive

feedback! So, we are developing new and varied fields of

application.

About aluminium: In the electrical components, is it the

hot topic at Leipold?

Niestrat: Not exactly. Aluminium came onto our agenda

during the opening-up of new markets.

Could you briefly outline this development?

Niestrat: In the beginning, we had mainly set our sights

on Germany and Southern Europe, regions with a strong

affinity for copper wiring. It is here that our experience

in machining brass has been paying off. As we achieved

initial success, we have considered how to further expand

in this area.

Voss: For example, to the USA, Eastern Europe or Scandi-

navia: these countries tend to have aluminium wiring. We

have developed components that are suitable for practi-

cally all markets – the brass cores with a special coating

and the cores of the RKA series. By the way, we are also

manufacturing these from aluminium within the context

of making things lighter. This subject is more the result of

a commercial idea. Aluminium wiring is also growing in

Germany; we’re delighted about it, but we are well-posi-

tioned in both fields.

In 2019, Leipold is celebrating its 100th anniversary at the

headquarters in Wolfach and in Bünde at its subsidiary,

HORA-Werk GmbH, which is responsible for the compo-

nents. Where would you like to be by then?

Niestrat: We want to continue to grow. The components

already account for seven percent of sales in the electrical

engineering sector. In two years, the revenue share should

grow to 10 percent. The stage is set. And this much we can

divulge: shortly we will be launching a new product group

onto the market.

PartnersElectrical terminals for AmericaElectrical terminals with ILSCO-Label: With the US-family-

owned eneterprise Leipold has launched a partnership to

sell the Leipold range of power distribution blocks. ILSCO

wants to embrace the trend for finger-proof electrical cable

connections using Lei-

pold products. “Leipold

distributor blocks extend

our product offering with

an innovative compact

design with high-qua-

lity construction,“ says

ILSCO-President Andrew B. Quinn. “We look forward to an

on-going productive partnership.“ ILSCO has a strong and ex-

tensive distribution network which will be used to penetrate

the US, Canadian and Mexico as well as the South American

markets.

ILSCO – 4730 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227 – sales@

ilsco.com, www.ilsco.com

Prepared for the switch to aluminiumLeipold Group and Bals Elektrotechnik AG from Switzerland

are joining forces. The new partner holds the exclusive dis-

tribution rights in its home market for the portfolio of elec-

trical components. Bals intends to break into the sectors of

house connection tech-

nology, electricity plants

and connection points.

Against the backdrop of

the hitherto strong affinity

for copper in Switzerland,

Bals’ Managing Director,

Michael Vetterli, sees potential: “With Leipold’s compo-

nents, we are preparing for the possible switch to the lighter

and cheaper aluminium conductor.”

Bals Elektrotechnik (Schweiz) AG – Aspstraße 6, 8154 Ober-

glatt – team@bals.ch, www.bals.ch

In the ‘Partners’ section, the Leipold Report features selected

distribution partners in the field of electrical components.

Leipold renews HMI conceptThe Leipold Group is reworking its concept for the Hannover Messe Industrie trade fair. After moving to the electri-

cal engineering halls a few years ago, the company is now focusing exclusively on electrical components. The Black

Forest look with the corresponding catering is maintained, yet the stand will be more open in future. Integrated

pillars used until now have been replaced by a generous hanging structure high above visitors‘ heads. Individual

themed islands focus on the different electrical component product families and their fields of application. After

being launched onto the market last year, the emphasis in 2017 is one more time on the RKA series, with new appli-

cations, certifications and further developments. The Leipold Group will be exhibiting at the HMI from 24-28 April

in hall 12 on stand C39.

New video: the RKA series in 3DIn a new 3D product video, the Leipold Group highlights the benefits of the new RKA series.

The video is available on our YouTube Channel and on www.leipold.com. It shows the indivi-

dual components of the terminal block family, as well as unique selling points and possible

applications.

“In two years the revenue share is to rise to ten

percent. The stage is set.”

Dirk Niestrat,

Head of Electrical Engineering

in the Leipold Group

Fully automated parts inspection

Cracks in the surface reduce the quality of precision parts and lead to material failure under extreme operating conditions. In order to prevent such marginal, but serious variations, the Leipold Group has expanded its quality assurance. Using an optical inspection method, the manu-facturer can go beyond the usual geometrical testing of parts. Camera technology also checks their surfaces.

In the eye of the camera

For a long ti me, cracks in the surface of precision parts

were regarded as an inevitable evil. The damage was

considered a blemish rather than as a real defect. Howe-

ver, in the course of growing demands made on the parts

in end uses, the marginal variati ons have developed into

a larger problem, as it were, for parts manufacturers and

their customers, with cracks even leading to complete

material failure when used in extreme conditi ons. Howe-

ver, it has been impossible in practi ce for manufacturers

to guarantee the perfect quality of parts. Inspecti ng with

the human eye could guarantee neither accuracy conside-

ring the barely detectable cracks, nor effi ciency in econo-

mic terms, especially with batches containing more than

one million parts. Testi ng procedures for quality assuran-

ce were quasi non-existent in the marketplace.

The Leipold Group too was faced with this problem: in

recent company history, the manufacturer of precision

parts has been increasingly forging ahead in highly spe-

cialised areas - with ever greater demands being made on

the parts. Increased quality assurance was necessary both

in the producti on of linear bushings at the Dransfeld

23

SERVICE

REPORT 2017 REPORT 2017

site in Southern Lower Saxony and in the production of

union nuts at the headquarters in Wolfach. Both types

are used on basic fuel supply interfaces in the automotive

industry in high pressure environments of up to 200 bar.

Surface cracks can allow fuel to escape or even break the

part completely due to the heavy stresses. In order to im-

plement its quality promise as regards zero-error deliver-

ies, the company sought a quality assurance technology.

Leipold first tested two different systems under laboratory

conditions: on the one hand, inspecting using eddy cur-

rents, on the other, optical fault detection using camera

technology. To evaluate both methods, the manufacturer

View through the camera lens: the inspection system continuously assesses the parts’ surfaces. Article with cracks - indicated in the pictures by the black line – are automatically rejected as required – at the mere suspicion of a defect. 20,000 parts pass through the mechanism in a work shift.

produced several fault patterns. As part of

this, it deliberately generated cracks 60 μm

wide and of varying lengths by eroding the

component in different places. The focus

was mainly on the highly critical location

directly on the edge of a hexagonal profi-

le of the union nuts. During the test, the

eddy current inspection (in which, when

electrically charging the component, de-

fective areas exhibit different conductivity

from the component itself) did not recognise

these critical areas reliably. “Only the camera

inspection technology provides technical proof

of the feasibility of reliably uncovering faults on

the surface of our parts,” says Pascal Schiefer, Chair-

man of the Board of the Leipold Group.

Algorithms forindividual testabilityFor the new, fully-automated camera inspection, the Lei-

pold Group opted for the technology provided by VESTER

Elektronik GmbH from Straubenhardt in Swabia. In a de-

velopment cooperation, the two companies agreed upon

the VideoCheck VVC 811 E system as meeting the indivi-

dual needs of the parts manufacturer. This is a rotary disc

test machine for 100 percent check of series parts. The

integrated software that evaluates geometry and surface

was developed by VESTER in consultation with Leipold.

Using defined criteria, the project partners adapted the

system to the special forms of the union nuts. The part-

ners developed fixed algorithms that represent the form

and texture of the surfaces in their optimal state.

Parts are continuously fed into the system via an auto-

matic feeder. On a rotating glass plate, they pass through

five test stations, in which they are photographed from all

angles by the integrated cameras in a 360-degree check.

Thanks to the algorithms, the system automatically de-

tects which parts are defective and which are not. If the

system recognises a part to be defective, it passes it th-

rough the optical inspection once again to be certain. In

the event of a new error message, it is automatically re-

jected. Also, the so-called false rejects are separated out.

24

SERVICE

REPORT 2017

“Thanks to this unique technology,

we are reducing the risk of failure of

faulty parts to a minimum.”

Pascal Schiefer,

Chairman of the Board of Leipold Group

“Just the parts which could only be faulty are automatical-

ly recognised by the system and automatically rejected,”

explains Schiefer.

At the heart of the system are CCD matrix cameras and

their lenses. Each test station is assigned a special inspec-

tion. At test station 1, two telecentric measuring lenses

measure the total length of the precision parts and check

the outer hexagon, the diameter of the bore and whether

the parts are chip-free. Test station 2, equipped with a

hole inspection lens, checks that the internal threads are

free of defects. While the first two stations consider geo-

metry and form, the subsequent three stations are those

that make all the difference when compared to the stan-

dard parts inspection.

Each equipped with a catadioptric lens, both stations 3

and 4 inspect the lateral surface for cracks and surface

defects, first in the upper, then in the lower, focal range.

Finally, test station 5 uses a telecentric measuring lens to

check the starts of the threads for damage. Each part takes

about five to six seconds to pass from entry to exit. Within

a work shift, more than 20,000 parts undergo the camera

inspection. So as to achieve a comparable surface quali-

ty, Leipold placed upstream of the fully automatic camera

test an optimised surface finish using corundum blasting.

A fixed quantity of parts rotating in a drum is permanently

impacted by blasting material from a pressure nozzle. In

this way, the surfaces are cleaned of deposits and light

oxidation residues from the whole manufacturing process

through mechanical removal and the edges are deburred.

Thanks to these uniform surfaces, Leipold can guarantee

that fault-free parts are not classified as defective during

the subsequent camera inspection by the fixed algorith-

ms, whereas the faulty parts are sure to be rejected.

“With the fully automatic camera inspection specially for

surfaces, we are breaking new ground in the field of quali-

ty assurance,” emphasises Pascal Schiefer. “Thanks to this

unique automation, we are reducing the risk of failure of

faulty parts to a minimum.” And even at our own

REPORT 2017

Aft er the trial phase, Leipold initi ally subjected the union nuts (top) and two types of linear bushing (middle and bott om) to the camera test. Aft er the system proved its worth in series producti on, the company conti nues to expand camera-based quality assurance.

26

SERVICE

REPORT 2017 REPORT 2017

Leipold in the press

27

expense: each part that has been rejected and not deli-

vered means fi nancial loss for the Leipold Group. With the

introducti on of camera technology, the proporti on of ma-

nufactured goods rejected per batch has increased. “By

substanti ally reducing the risk of the component failing

during installati on or while being used in a vehicle, the

increased rejecti on makes economic sense compared to

potenti al downti me or recall costs in the event of failure

in the fi eld.”

Recycling rejected items for the purposeof sustainable raw material managementLeipold has the faulty parts recycled and feeds them back

into the market as a raw material for the purpose of sus-

tainable raw material management. In additi on, the com-

pany avoids latent legal uncertainty. Knowing who is liable

in case of material failure – manufacturers like Leipold or

the users themselves – is oft en a matt er for negoti ati on.

Although the cracks do not occur during the machining

process – they have already arisen during producti on of

the raw material – it is possible that manufacturers such

as Leipold carry the costs. However, the raw material sup-

pliers are allowed tolerances in the quality of their mate-

rials.

This camera-based quality inspecti on has proven to be

so successful recently that Leipold is gradually expanding

it. Aft er the introducti on of the inspecti on technology in

Wolfach, the company has set up a further inspecti on fa-

cility for mass-producti on parts at the Dransfeld site. It

is converti ng a further one for series operati on there. In

the meanti me, the existi ng inspecti on system in Wolfach

has been adapted for further parts ranges beyond union

nuts and linear bushings. These two parts are each pro-

duced in quanti ti es of up to eight million per year. Even

inspecti ng medium-size batches is economically viable. In

the medium term, it is planned to extend the inspecti on

technology.

Your contact person:Karl-Heinz Donadt, Carl Leipold GmbH

karl-heinz.donadt@leipold.com

Carl Leipold GmbHWerk WolfachSchiltacher Straße 5D-77709 Wolfach+49 (0) 78 34 / 83 95-0info@leipold.com

Carl Leipold GmbHWerk DransfeldIn der Dehne 14D-37127 Dransfeld+49 (0) 55 02 / 3 01-0info@leipold.com

HORA-Werk GmbHLange Straße 65D-32257 Bünde+49 (0) 52 23 / 49 80-0info@hora-werk.com

Leipold Inc. (USA)545 Marshall Phelps RoadWindsor, CT 06095+1 860 298 97 91sales@leipold-inc.com

Sites

leipold.com