Objetivo
European SMEs, which produce high precision parts (i.e. bearing-, hydraulic components) are facing a steady loss of competitiveness in their growing markets, since existing manufacturing technologies do not fulfil increasing demands on part quality and variety. At the same time the competition has worsen due to up- coming low wages countries outside Europe and an increasing cost pressure.
As a result, a new technology must be provided to sustainable ensure the competitiveness and survival of the SMEs. Therefore, the main objective of the project is to develop a combined process of high-precision hard turning and super finishing in an integrated machining centre to permit a flexible production of high precision parts made of hardened steel. The combined hard turning and super finishing process (TAF) will substitute the current process chain of grinding and super finishing, leading to a drastic reduction of non-productive times and thus to a significant increase of the productivity of the end users of the technology.
The achievement of the objectives will require the development of an innovative technology, which will encompass the following:
- Development and integration of a compact super finishing device into a high-precision lathe;
- combination of the kinematics of a high-precision lathe equipped high-frequency direct motordrives with the kinematics of the compact super finishing device;
- machining technology development and optimisation;
- optimisation of super finishing tools;
- lifetime tests on real parts.
Besides contributing to an improvement of the bonds between Member States and Candidate Countries and to an considerable increase the competitiveness of the participating SMEs the project will encompass scientific, technical and societal objectives, which can be summarised as follows:
- A better scientific and technical knowledge of super finishing.
- An expansion of the use of super finishing to other engineering applications and, consequently, enhancement of the life time and reliability of components, machines and other mechanical systems.
- A significant reduction of the use of emulsions in the machining process by using only one machine instead of many.
- The risk of inhaling hazardous oil mist produced in grinding operations increases if the worker spends long time trying to align the parts after re-clamping.
By producing parts by means of turning and super finishing on only one machine, this risk will be considerably reduced and thus there will be an improvement of the health condition of European workers.
Ámbito científico
Convocatoria de propuestas
FP6-2002-SME-1
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoria
Régimen de financiación
COOPERATIVE -Coordinador
HAARLEM
Países Bajos