Lässer AG is the world market leader in the field of large embroidery machines. With over 70 years’ experience, the family-run company develops and produces its machines exclusively in Switzerland using state-of-the-art production facilities.
When you enter the company site in Diepoldsau, Switzerland, you immediately notice the spirit of innovation and enthusiasm for new technologies. The factory is equipped with the most modern CNC machines and production processes are optimised wherever possible. For some time now, the responsible managers have been relying on various solutions from HEULE Precision Tools for machining bores on both sides of the workpiece.
Another big plus point for Lässer AG, which no longer has a large warehouse: HEULE's headquarters is only 6 kilometres away and the tools used are available from stock.
Simple to use, impressive results
In the modern production hall, various HEULE tools are used for back bore machining. An example can even be found in the apprentices' workshop. As part of a project, they independently created a production concept for the manufacture of stitch plates for the embroidery machines. For night-time operation, automated production of the stitch plates is set up using robots. In the morning, the finished workpieces are unloaded, and the CNC machine is set up for single-part production. The main requirement for the individual process steps and tools: very high reliability.
After the first runs, the problem of burrs on the back of the bore appeared. These burrs had to be removed manually. By using two COFA deburring tools (C2 Ø2.8 and C6 Ø6.5) on the machine, the burrs can now be completely removed on both sides.
Pascal Etter, who oversaw the project with the apprentices, is impressed:
The approximately 300,000 bores per year are now deburred reliably and with consistent results. This means that the needles on the finished embroidery machine have no problems guiding the thread through the perfectly deburred bores.
Trouble-free back spotfacing
Right next to the apprentice workshop, other manufactured parts are ready for further processing. During the production of counterbores for screw heads (bore-Ø 15.0 mm, counterbore-Ø 30.0 mm) into a cast part, numerous problems have occurred in the past. The backspotfacer previously used had a very short service life and the results varied enormously.
The use of the BSF backspotfacer from HEULE has greatly increased process reliability and the results and tool life are impressive. The blade can be easily changed in a few simple steps and the drilling/counterboring ratio of 2.0 is no problem for the BSF; a ratio of up to 2.3x bore diameter is possible. The approximately 12,000 counterbores per year can now be completed not only efficiently, but also easily.
Automated deburring on both sides
Driver guides for embroidery machines is the third application we were able to see during our visit to the plant in Diepoldsau. Around 2,200 square tubes made of aluminium (EN AW-6082 (3.2315)) are produced every year. With 84 bores per part, this results in around 200,000 bores per year, all of which must be deburred. In the past, the front burr was removed with a countersink and the back burr with a ground piece of steel. As this process was very time-consuming, Pascal Etter looked for an alternative deburring solution.
He found the perfect solution with the SNAP chamfering tool from HEULE: The tube is deburred on both sides in a single operation - without changing tools and without turning the workpiece. The SNAP also impresses with a carbide blade that can be changed by hand in the machine. Lässer AG is impressed by the tool solutions and service from HEULE and further applications are already planned.