TCG UNITECH GmbH machines cast-aluminum housing parts for the electric powertrains of a German premium automotive manufacturer on SYNCROMILL C21 dual-spindle milling centers from FILL. The machines are integrated into complete machining lines likewise designed by Fill. The FILL CYBERNETICS digitalization solution provides an overview of their operating states and ensures the traceability of part machining. It also serves as an optimization navigator.
Not only trains, trams, and buses, but also passenger cars with electric propulsion can contribute to the development of a sustainable, environmentally friendly transport system based on renewable energies. Components made of die-cast aluminum for the highly integrated drive trains of a German premium automotive manufacturer are made by TCG UNITECH GmbH, which belongs to the Italian Gnutti Carlo Group, at four locations in Austria and with a joint venture in China. These facilities have a high level of vertical integration – from smelting to die casting through to assembly.
Interconnected milling systems
Mechanical machining of the castings takes place at Plant 4 in Rohr im Kremstal (Austria) on SYNCROMILL C21-63/600 dual-spindle milling machining centers, interlinked with portals and robots, from Austrian manufacturer FILL. Their highly dynamic dual-spindle unit with separate Z-axes carries out operations in the main X and Z feed directions, while the workpiece is moved in the Y direction.. The ingenious tool-change concept enables extremely efficient, space-saving, and economical production of complex workpieces with highest levels of precision. TCG UNITECH achieves tolerances of up to IT6 on these machines, using minimum quantity lubrication with oil/air.
Digitalization provides process reliability and transparency
With the CYBERNETICS applications from FILL, a production engineer in the office can keep an eye on the operating states of all FILL machines at all times. The applications of CYBERNETICS PRODUCE enable seamless recording and storage of relevant process parameters for efficient operation and reliable component traceability. Furthermore, without any additional sensors, the software records and analyzes all the relevant machine data and visualizes it on a web-based user interface. This increases the transparency of the entire production process and highlights bottlenecks and problems.
CYBERNETICS ANALYZE supplies evaluations of all subprocesses and media consumption, as well as an analysis of fault notifications with the option to comprehend alerts in easily understandable plain text. In addition, the application provides further evaluations that allow the efficiency of the machine to be continuously improved. For example, the G-code points out optimization where the machining cycles can be shortened by adjusting the feed rate.
With the NC file history, CYBERNETICS visualizes who made a change to an NC program and when, while highlighting the differences between the program versions in the visualization. Furthermore, CYBERNETICS offers solutions for evaluating the CO2 footprint of every part and process step – the footprint caused by the manufacturing process. CYBERNETICS addresses not only the machine status data and production data, but also the component data, thereby allowing users of FILL systems to further optimize their manufacturing.
Corporate data
Fill is a leading international machine engineering company based in Gurten, Upper Austria. With sophisticated high-tech systems and custom manufacturing solutions for metal, plastics and wood, Fill makes its customers the best in their fields. The automotive, aviation, sports, and building industries all benefit from Fill’s expertise. Since it was founded in 1966, the company has distinguished itself through enormous innovative strength, strong values and the best jobs. “If you are seeking the best solution, shape your future with Fill” is the guiding principle of the company’s more than 975 employees. “Wir sind 1! We are one!” is their vision and stands for togetherness not only with the team, but also with customers, suppliers and partners. The company is 100 percent family-owned and managed by Andreas Fill (CEO), Martin Reiter (CFO), Alois Wiesinger (CTO), and Günter Redhammer (COO). In 2022, Fill recorded sales of around 187 million euros.
