HG Grimme SysTech delivers machine for milling carbon fiber

This milling machine from HG Grimme SysTech which mills side section components from CFRP in an eco-friendly and flexible way is now operating at the BMW Group plant in Landshut, Germany. Photo Credit: HS Grimme SysTech

After a year of intense development work, machine manufacturer HG Grimme SysTech (Wiedergeltingen, Germany) has successfully produced and begun the operation of a G-DT-F(33-18)SB-2Z-type machine for milling carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) frame components —specifically, entire side sections — for BMW vehicles at the automotive company’s plant in Landshut, Germany. The delivery was according to a tender previously won by HG Grimme. 

The machine boasts short production cycles, guaranteed by two machining heads which can work simultaneously on one component. A changer for 26 tools for each axis group, an additional quadruple angular head magazine with customer-specific tool management and multiple spare tools are also used, preventing unnecessary downtime and increasing flexibility. 

However, while milling quality and short production cycles were high requirements, HG Grimme’s solution also heavily reflects its focus on the extraction of CFRP dust. “When we were developing the machine, we were constantly thinking about the fine dust that is produced during the milling process,” explains Bernd Settele, project manager at HG Grimme SysTech. “The objective was to guarantee very clean milling of CFRP.”

This is ensured by the machine’s capability for extracting the fine dust from several sides, including fifteen slide valves that concentrate on the immediate area surrounding the milling process for extraction. An additional medium-pressure machine also filters the suspended particulate matter in the machine room. After the milling process, the operator’s insertion area is also scrubbed and exhausted again, reliably filtering the dust out of the air before an employee comes into contact with the component.

Further, special attention was paid to providing an extensive link to the BMW Group’s IT system and access to typical Industry 4.0 applications. “Our solution enables complete traceability and precise evaluation of data by providing accurate information including wear, the general condition of the tools and the machine for breakage control and a preview of upcoming maintenance,” Settele says. “When we were designing the BMW-specific HMI interface, we were also particularly keen to make it very user-friendly.”

Ergonomics was also a key focus in the machine room. It is not only almost dust-free, but soundproof as well. A vertical rotary table enables shuttle machining and therefore very efficient feeding of the machine, which reduces the amount of time spent being unproductive. The rotary table can even be swiveled in the space of three seconds for jigs weighing more than a ton. Vacuum clamping technology and additional clamps that move automatically ensure that components are fixed securely during the milling process.

“In supplying a milling system to the BMW Group, we have not only set high benchmarks for the performance and quality of the machine, but we have also managed to drastically reduce the impact on the surrounding environment from suspended particulate matter, for example,” concludes Wolfgang Grimme, managing director at HG Grimme SysTech.