Plastics and composites processing

In an era dominated by jet planes, propeller aircraft seem somewhat nostalgic. Aerobatics, such as Martin Albrecht, member of the national aerobatics team, however, give impressive proof with their flights that there is certainly nothing nostalgic to their activities. The blades are milled from wooden blocks on our high-quality CNC-machines according to CAD/CAM specifications.

The major clients of Stengele Holz- und Kunststofftechnik GmbH, such as Hymer, Carthago, Dethleffs, Fendt and others, install its components in all vehicles. Their production sector uses most advanced technologies, such as the 5-axes CNC-machining centres from Reichenbacher, to ensure continuous top machining quality.

And when, as is the case here, a premium manufacturer from the German automotive sector prefers his components to be machined in a particular way, Faurecia will make an investment in a special-purpose machine to ensure the manufacture of superb interior parts. The Reichenbacher line at Faurecia has been in operation since the end of 2017 and has exclusively been producing high-gloss decorative parts for the dashboards at the driver and passenger side, as well as for the centre console, of the Audi Q8.

If entertainment electronics companies are to be supplied with glossy acrylic panels for high-end applications, the surfaces won’t tolerate even the slightest flaw. In order to remain competitive, the two directors had to ensure planning reliability for the entire work process. This absolutely necessitated the expansion of their machinery by an efficient 5-axes CNC-milling machine.

In Coburg the name says it all: ‘University of Applied Sciences’. Those responsible at the Institute for Prototypes and Model Technology (IPM) have internalised this philosophy. They combine theory and practice and see themselves as development service providers for industry and craft sectors.

In general, in the aircraft industry even the smallest deviation in the precision of component machining is unwanted. This demand is made on numerous components of military and civil aircraft and machining accuracy is the most important criterion for machine manufacturers.

The name Mecaplex comes up whenever it is about transparencies. Almost all gliders manufactured in Europe, but also business and military jets, are provided with their panes. The Swiss company is specialised in the three-dimensional forming of acrylic glass without optical distortion and their knowhow is met with world-wide appreciation.

Its outstanding degree of specialisation when dealing with different technologies for the processing of organic materials makes Gaugler & Lutz unique in the market. The business sector, where they have achieved an excellent reputation as a manufacturer of semi-finished products over more than three decades, is the predominant one at a share in the sales volume of up to 80 percent.

If it comes to being whisked off into a lively world full of fascinating discoveries, most probably Hüttinger will have been involved. In keeping with the motto: the visitors should enjoy the settings and have the possibility of making full use of the latest didactic developments to absorb the technical and scientific facts presented at various interactive stations.

Ikuform GmbH offers customised solutions for almost any field of modern plastics engineering. At first sight, they supply unspectacular parts, but without these parts an efficient production flow would often be impossible. For those in charge, technology is a key component of success.

The steadily growing demand from high-tech industries for complex, large- format components made of high-performance polymers shows no signs of abating. The production of these sophisticated components requires enormous specialist knowledge in order to meet the high standards of dimensional accuracy and surface quality.

They had the theoretical knowledge and a brilliant idea to boot: Five students from the School of Engineering and Design at the Technical University of Munich founded the TUfast e.V. association in 2002 to develop racing cars for Formula Student in practice. Reichenbacher supports this project with know-how and human capital.

Many impulses for new methods of application or materials have their origins in research laboratories. This also applies to the Laboratory for Digital Product Development and Manufacturing (LDPF) at Trier University of Applied Sciences, which is intensely concerned with questions of sustainability and mobility of the future. A CNC machining centre from our company is the core of the actual implementation in prototype and mould construction.

Increasing urbanisation everywhere around the globe asks for ever more efficient and low-emission systems in public transport and stationary industrial plants. Airex Composite Structures knew at an early stage that clever lightweight construction is a precondition for the efficient movement of weight, for effortless acceleration and for excellent mechanical performance.

When conventional clamping technology reaches its limits, solutions such as “clamping with ice” are needed. The advantages are obvious, because this fastening technology makes it possible to clamp even workpieces made of difficult materials or geometries. And it does so very flexibly and at a much lower cost than conventional techniques.