Hydroforming in new dimensions Hydroforming in

1 | 2014
fluid
International news & information of the fischer group
Hydroforming in new dimensions
12,000-tonne-press opens up a wide range of possibilities
fischer Rohrtechnik:
Laser welding and cutting
in 3D
fischer group:
Constructive ideas for
higher productivity
fischer Mexicana:
Third hydroforming press
for Central America
News
Greeting
New chapter
Dear Business Partners,
Dear Colleagues,
Again and again we are treading new paths to
offer our customers new and better solutions. It
is not always clear when the time is right to focus
on innovative technologies. In hydroforming we
have accompanied the development of our subsidiary fischer Hydroforming and the experiences
of other group companies for decades. Now we
are opening a new chapter with the 12,000tonne-press.
For some time now we have been able to further
develop the hydroforming competence of the
Editorial
fischer group, in particular with thin-walled
components for exhaust tracts. Thus, the hydro­
forming segment within the fischer group has
grown steadily. In other segments of hydroforming this was not the case in the past.
Yours sincerely,
Now, however, we see the time is ripe to adapt
to larger components and to prepare for further
growth in hydroforming. It is another exciting
chapter in the corporate history of the fischer
group. Write history with us: with hydroforming
in new dimensions.
fischer China
An additional 4,000 m² for the growth market
New production and storage hall for the complete process chain
Hans Fischer
Founder and Chairman of the fischer group
In China we are making steady progress. Now
the next steps are planned, as fischer China
has successfully established itself in both
household appliances as well as in the automotive industry. Owing to specific customer orders, fischer China is building a new production
and storage hall with an area of about 4,000 m².
By the middle of 2014, this will provide space for
hydroforming presses and enough room for new
processing possibilities along the entire process
chain: from perfect longitudinally welded pipes
up to 80 mm diameter to bending, hydroforming,
annealing and coating through to rinsing, cutting
and final processing. “We also want to provide
our customers in China with all the possibilities
of world-class tube production and further processing, producing the same quality as in all the
other plants of the fischer group,” says a determined Wolfgang Szymanek, Managing Director
of fischer China. The manufacture of the new
products will begin in September 2014.
‹‹
A worldwide network
Title Theme
fischer group: 12,000-tonne-press – hydroforming in new dimensions ........... 4
Dear Business Partners,
Dear Colleagues,
Secure and expand core competencies, and
develop new abilities. This is how you could describe the current developments of the fischer
group. In tube manufacturing and further processing, the fischer group shows that the progress
continues even after more than 40 years. Thereby, increasingly complex assemblies are being
manufactured. We report in detail about the
new dimension of hydroforming in the fluid title
story. At the same time, we consequently transfer our know-how, which we have acquired over
decades, to our international subsidiaries.
The result is a veritable fischer competence network with worldwide distribution. This also
opens up ever new possibilities for you. Let us
talk about which of our competencies can provide you with even more benefits. We certainly
have plenty to offer you.
Yours sincerely,
Germany
fischer Rohrtechnik: 3D laser welding and cutting
expand the range of services .................................................................... 6
fischer Maschinentechnik – fischer Edelstahlrohre
Constructive ideas for higher productivity .............................................. 7
Eco Talk
fischer eco solutions: Fuel cell technology ............................................... 8
fischer eco solutions: ARU for the research vessel Sonne ......................... 8
fischer Canada: Long-term solar project .................................................. 9
Publisher: fischer group, Gewerbegebiet 7, 77855 Achern, Germany
Editor: Dr. Michael Kühner (responsible)
Hans-Peter Fischer
Managing Director of the fischer group
Contributors to this issue: Hans Fischer, Hans-Peter Fischer, Roland Fischer,
Dr. Stefan Geißler, Thomas Gaiser, Frank Schneider, Thomas M. Prell, Christian
Behrle, Daniel Hennig, Dr. Heinz Paar, Hans Wolfgang Szymanek, Erich
Kotzenmacher, Konrad Fallert, Jochen Baurmeister, Alex Huber, Burkhard
Schmidt, Thorsten Junge, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Engel, Jens Helmbrecht
Contact: Tel. +49 7841 6803-0, E-mail: [email protected]
International
fischer South Africa: MIS makes productivity visible ............................ 10
fischer Tubtech: Third Hydroforming press arrives ............................... 11
fischer Canada: International anniversary celebration .......................... 17
fischer Austria: Export prize 2013 for global tubes –
surpassing the standard ......................................................................... 17
Tech Talk
fischer Hydroforming: Inconel – a new material in hydroforming ........ 12
fischer Austria: Vacuum-insulated tubes ............................................... 13
Science: All about tube bending, part 3:
Feasibility assessment, determination of wall thickness ....................... 14
Team Talk
fischer group Achern: The big fischer family celebration 2013 .............. 16
fischer Austria: 4th fischer dragon boat race broke all records ............... 18
fischer Germany: 2013 Mountain bike tour ........................................... 19
fischer Austria: The Austrian Rescue Dog Brigade (ÖRHB)
guests in Griffen ..................................................................................... 19
fischer Germany: Federal Finance Minister Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble
in Achern ................................................................................................ 20
Design: Frank & Konsorten Werbeagentur, Lahr, Germany
Print: Straub Druck+Medien, Schramberg, Germany
fluid 1 | 2014 // 2
Photo credits: fischer group, Jörg Wilhelm, Niklas Thiemann, fotolia
fluid 1 | 2014 // 3
Titel Theme
Hydroforming in new dimensions
12,000-tonne-press opens up new possibilities
New possibilities
on the large press
But in the last few years, the overall market
has again generally developed quicker. Various
trends (see info box) speak for further expansion of hydroforming, even in the traditional
hydroforming segments of the fischer group.“In
the past, we were especially represented in the
segment of 6-cylinder motors and upwards. For
smaller engines the use of hydroforming was
hardly conceivable. That is different today,” explains Sales Manager Burkhard Schmidt. Meanwhile, there are also applications for hydroforming in 4-cylinder engines, which, in connection
with downsizing, characterizes an important
development for fischer Hydroforming.
Automotive structural
components
Tubing components
in large format
Heat engineering components
for apparatus construction
Hydroforming is a procedure which has already been used for decades for the manufacture of complex shapes from metal. The
fischer group can look back on 40 years’
experience in this special processing technology, in particular, through the group
company fischer Hydroforming at Menden.
“We have developed more than 700 series components in hydroforming. Today, we have over
300 products in series production,” explains
Dr. Stefan Geißler, the Managing Director of
fischer Hydroforming. “And now we are laying
the foundation for hydroforming in dimensions that are new at fischer!” This means the
new 12,000-tonne-press. With a table size of
2.80 x 6.00 meters it opens up many possibilities for larger components or the simultaneous
multiple tool usage. The new large press has
been available since mid-December. During the
construction of the new press, the entire press
hall in Menden was also logistically optimized
both for efficient serial production and for the
transportation of larger components.
Hydroforming – a
forming process on
the rise
With the expansion of the hydroforming capacities, the fischer group is preparing for further
growth in that area. So far, our company has
specialized in medium-sized parts in the exhaust tract. “We were able to make full use of
our experience with particularly thin-walled
Sheet metal forming
More rational production
owing to multiple tool usage
also with tubes with greater
insert lengths and larger
diameters, e. g. in the
commercial vehicle sector
Strategic hydroforming orientation
in the fischer group
Of course, the large press sets the mark. Thus,
the fischer group can also provide all process
variants for larger components in series production. The hydroforming specialists can develop rapid product and process innovations in
all areas and put them into series production.
And the fischer group is not only doing this
in Germany but also, in the next step, with the
expansion at the site in Mexico (see page 11)
and with the new installation in Asia. At the
Chinese location a complete process chain is
being built: from tube production to bending,
hydro­forming, annealing and coating, through
to rinsing, cutting and final processing.
“We would like to be our customers’ first
point of contact in all standard processes
from tube production to forming, through
to complex assemblies. As an excellent and
high-quality technology, hydroforming is simply a must. That is why we use the technology,
the know-how and our decades of experience – worldwide, wherever required by our
customers,” says a confident and determined
Hans-Peter Fischer.
‹‹
Trends in the use of hydroforming
High demands concerning lightweight construction combined with high
strength properties in the structural area in the automotive industry
parts,” says Geißler concluding the development
to the present time. In the 80s and 90s of the last
century there was great enthusiasm regarding
the use of hydroforming technology, particularly in the structural and bodywork sectors.
On the other hand, the use of hydroforming in
exhaust tract applications has steadily further
developed. fischer Hydroforming was also duly
involved.
More stringent exhaust gas regulations for internal combustion
engines in automobiles, but also for commercial vehicles, marine
engines, stationary applications (heating technology, cogeneration
plants, stationary engines, etc.), or construction machinery
Optimized use of residual exhaust gas heat for greater
energy efficiency during combustion
Use of new materials with improved forming properties
Let us implement your
hydroforming ideas together!
Talk to us about your ideas.
We will put them into series production.
Your fischer Hydroforming contact partner :
Mr. Burkhard Schmidt
Tel. +49(0) 2373-166-289
Fax +49(0) 2373-166-380
[email protected]
and a high degree of strain hardening
Globalized component manufacture, especially
growth markets in the automotive sector
fluid 1 | 2014 // 4
fluid 1 | 2014 // 5
Germany
Germany
fischer Rohrtechnik
From a tube to a complex assembly
3D laser welding and cutting expand the range of services in further processing
Over the years, the further processing of
fischer tubes at fischer Rohrtechnik has
been continuously developed. Today, the
fischer group offers diverse possibilities
in axial and radial forming; from hydroforming through to complex assemblies.
The basis for this – besides the technological equipment – are especially the ongoing
further qualifications of employees and the
close cooperation with the development
departments of our customers.
Recently, it was a robot welding cell and a
laser cutting machine, which opened up new
dimensions in further processing at fischer
Rohrtechnik. Now, components up to 6 kg can be
automatically welded and spatial contours can
be cut in three dimensions. “That may be, for
example, parts from hydroforming, which are
fluid 1 | 2014 // 6
functionally enhanced here,” says Frank Schneider,
Production Manager at fischer Rohrtechnik, as
he explains the new opportunities.
processing, the economic production processes
can then be precisely defined and implemented
together.
Working with economical
efficiency at the location in
Germany
What can become of this collaboration
can be seen in the current example of an
exhaust system component for commercial
vehicles. And this is just one of the many
complex assemblies that are developed at
fischer Rohrtechnik.
This shows how serious the fischer group is
about continuously developing their range of
services. “We have shown time and again that
it is still possible to manufacture complex components in an economical way at
the location in Germany,” says a
convinced Process Manager Alex
Huber. However, as mentioned
earlier, it is not only the technology that makes this
​​ possible. Also,
the qualifications of the employees
and the close and trusting contact
with the customer are of particular importance. “The earlier we
are involved in the development,
the more efficient the solution will
be,” says Alex Huber summarizing
in simple terms. It is decisive that
the course is set correctly at the beginning by first openly discussing
all the technical possibilities and then working
together to find the best solution.
Thereby, the fischer specialists have a lot to
contribute: all forming processes, sawing, chipless cutting, hydroforming – and now also 3D
welding and cutting. On the basis of suitable
‹‹
fischer Maschinentechnik – fischer Edelstahlrohre
Constructive ideas for higher productivity
A new tube profiling system with a powerful multi-head saw
In the design and construction of tube profiling systems, fischer Edelstahlrohre has
always relied on the imaginative expertise
of its sister company fischer Maschinentechnik. The direct collaboration is one of
the strategic success factors of the fischer
group. Or, as the Production Manager of
fischer Edelstahlrohre, Thomas Gaiser, puts
it: “We rely on fischer Maschinentechnik
because they provide us with the best quality and maximum flexibility with respect
to subsequent customizations and service.
Through the close cooperation, even our
short-term desires can still be included in
the mechanical engineering.”
In any case, the demands on a modern machine concept for the production of high quality stainless steel tubes are remarkable. Through
the many years’ experience in tube welding, the
machine construction is constantly optimized.
After all, the machines must endure a great
deal in the many years of a three-shift operation. Only a rugged construction made entirely
from top quality components can withstand
this.
New tube profiling system
for tubes in 30 to 80 mm
diameter
The new machine is mainly used to increase the
tube welding capacity in the range of 30 - 80 mm
in diameter, because there is a growing demand
of “larger” diameters in the automotive sector.
The aim was at developing a system exclusively
for automotive parts, mainly components for
exhaust systems. Thereby, the cycle time per
part was also to be significantly reduced. The
clever idea for this: Through the direct integration of a multi-head saw, the finished product
is created “in line”, i. e. in time with the pipe
welding. In order to further reduce downtime,
the improvement of serviceability was also one
of the constructive objectives.
fischer-group-founders and Managing Director
of fischer Machinentechnik.“Not only do we develop the machines, we also ensure the correct
installation on site. And this is the case in all
fischer companies worldwide.”
The new tube profiling system is the most
recent example of this special success story.
Owing to the new constructive ideas, particularly with the integration of the multi-head saw,
fischer Edelstahlrohre is once again at the forefront of development.
‹‹
The timing for the new
tube profiling system
03 / 2013 – Start of project
Owing to decades of specialization and the
experienced assembly team of fischer Maschinentechnik, we were able to consider all the
wishes of the stainless steel tube producers.
“We have mastered each matter to the last detail. This results in the particularly high product quality with which the fischer tubes have
achieved a worldwide reputation,” says a convinced Roland Fischer, one of the sons of the
12 / 2013 – Completion at fischer
Maschinentechnik
12 / 2013 – Assembly and test at
fischer Edelstahlrohre
Achern
01 / 2014 – Start of production on
the new tube profiling
system
fluid 1 | 2014 // 7
Eco Talk
Eco Talk
fischer eco solutions
fischer Canada
Fuel cell technology
Long-term solar project
New commitment to renewable energies
Working together for more renewable energies
In addition to the successful implementation of projects in the areas of solar thermal desalination and absorption refrigeration units, fischer eco solutions has been
doing in depth development of systems
for the provision of electrical and thermal energy already for the last two years.
In 2011, the fischer group acquired the majority shares of the company SerEnergy A/S,
based in northern Denmark. The stated goal is
to maintain and develop the research and development of the so-called high-temperature
PEM fuel cells at this location.
Simply clean energy:
A fuel cell converts the chemical reaction energy from continually supplied fuel and
oxygen into electrical and thermal power. Methanol or natural gas is typically used
as a fuel, which is converted into hydrogen in a so-called reforming process. The
application areas for fuel cell technology are diverse but can be found particularly
wherever the power supply of autonomous electrical systems are concerned, such
as in vehicles or mobile phone base stations.
New contact person:
Dr. Jochen Baurmeister
Contact persons for the field of fuel cells
at fischer eco solutions are the Managing
Director Christian Behrle und Dr. Jochen
Baurmeister. After his studies, Baurmeister, born in 1964 in Kiel, started working in chemical engineering. He has led
several fuel cell projects since 1997. Dr.
Baurmeister­has been employed at SerEnergy A/S since the year 2011. There, he is
responsible for transferring the fuel cell
know-how to Achern and for the build-up
of production at fischer eco solutions. In
his function as a member of the Supervisory Board at SerEnergy he acts as a link
between the two companies in Germany
and Denmark­­.
‹‹
This business became possible through the
merger of local building owners. And there
is a joint investment in a large project rather
than organizing several small ones. Thus, the
technical equipment was unified, costs were
reduced and experience was shared.
fischer eco solutions
Waste heat cools the vessel “Sonne”
ARU for the new construction of the famous research vessel
Cooling with heat is the principle of absorption refrigeration units. This also works in
rough sea climate. Therefore, in the newly built
research vessel “Sonne” the waste heat from
the diesel engines will be used for cooling.
ment of the system itself are trimmed for offshore suitability. Thus, the proven fischer stainless steel tubes, with the necessary corrosion
resistance for seawater application, provide the
re-cooling.
fischer eco solutions is dedicated to the research and development of this cooling process
and has developed several of its own absorption
refrigeration units (ARUs). They cover a range
from 20 kilowatts to 1 megawatt of cooling
capacity.
The system was also tested through its paces
on a special pivot table. In this way, the fischer
absorption refrigeration units are tested under
realistic conditions. Rolling, pitching and listing on the high seas can all be overcome by the
absorption refrigeration units from fischer eco
solutions, without loss of cooling capacity.
After more than two years’ preparation,
fischer Canada has secured a 20-year
contract for the sale of solar energy to
the public grid at more than five times
the current electricity price. The contract
was concluded with Ontario Power Authority (OPA). It guarantees remuneration as part
of an intergovernmental agreement for the
promotion of renewable energy and for the
creation of jobs in the province. This is not
only a profitable business, but also documents fischer Canada’s commitment for the
lowest possible environmental pollution. At
the same time, the policy of retreating from
atom and coal power is supported in Ontario.
“An ideal win-win-win situation – for business, politics and the environment,” says
an enthusiastic fischer Canada Managing
Director, Tom Prell.
fischer Canada at McMurray Road:
The solar power plant will be installed here.
900 panels for 237 kW
fluid 1 | 2014 // 8
As of 2014 one of the systems from fischer
eco solutions will also travel on board the new
‹‹
Optimally oriented: This is how fischer Canada harvests solar energy.
90
75
The latest specialties are the absorption refrigeration units (ARUs) on the high seas. Both
the choice of materials as well as the develop-
After a careful selection, fischer Canada chose the building at 620 McMurray
Road, to be equipped with about 900 solar
panels. Currently, planners and craftsmen
are being selected who can take the lead
during the installation of the solar plant. The
assembly is due to begin in spring 2014.
And everyone is curious as to when the
first current will flow.
fischer Canada’s solar plant is designed for up
to 237 kW DC and is equipped with the latest
technology. A large part of the planning was
used for comparing various plant concepts, in
particular, different inverter technologies. In
the end, decentralized string inverters were
most convincing.
Shading loss:
Shading loss:
Shading loss:
Shading loss:
Shading loss:
Sun height [°]
60
The research vessel "Sonne"
12h
13h
11h
14h
9h
45
22 June
22 May - 23 July
20 Apr - 23 Sep
20 Mar - 23 Sep
21 Feb - 23 Oct
19 Jan - 22 Nov
22 December
15h
16h
8h
15
17h
7h
East
South
Attenuation for diffuse: 0.023
and albedo: 0.847
10h
30
German research vessel “Sonne”, which is currently being built at the Meyer Werft at Papenburg. “It’s a special honor to be involved in such
a challenging project,” says a very pleased company founder Hans Fischer­­.
1%
5%
10 %
20 %
40 %
18h
6h
19h
0
-120
-90
Behind the Plane
-60
-30
0
Azimuth [°]
30
60
90
120
Behind the Plane
‹‹
fluid 1 | 2014 // 9
International
fischer South Africa
fischer Tubtech
MIS makes productivity visible
Third hydroforming press arrives
In a new process organization era since January 2013
Modernized 1,500 ton machine will be transferred to Central America shortly
Everything at a glance with the new
management information system
In mid-2012 fischer South Africa tackled
the introduction of a new management information system (MIS) from the South
African Shopware company. The visual management system simplifies processes by helping
employees record and visualize their current
job performance at their workplace. At the same
time it facilitates reporting by making critical
points visible and displaying current as well as
past machine performance.
The System uses an Overall Equipment
Effectiveness (OEE) approach to make visible
obstables relating to downtimes, speed, and
quality. The information is collected in real time
and is available company-wide.
Costly collection and analysis of information has been
dispensed with almost completely since current data is
available in real time. Thus,
incidents that require fast
interventions can be rectified
immediately. Recurring problems are solved and the way
is paved for a team-oriented
workplace.
fischer South Africa has
the Shopware system at the
most important bottlenecks
– those places where all subsequent processes are dependent on the results of these machines. A great deal of effort went into taking
into account and integrating everything that
was necessary.
In use since January
After an extensive test phase, the Shopware
system has been in productive use since January. It has proved to be very fruitful both in
morning production meetings and for internal competition among machine operators.
Downtimes have been significantly reduced
and the continuous monitoring has led to
eliminating basic mistakes and increasing
total productivity.
The goals of MIS at fischer South Africa:
Visualizing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in real time.
A company-wide culture of finding solutions and making
continuous improvements.
Automatic importing of orders of the current inventory management
into the MIS display in the machine operator’s Person Machine Interface
(PMI); order selection, implementation, and completion.
Idenifying, eliminating, or minimizing production breakdowns and downtimes.
Monitoring of speed, utilized as opposed to available
productivity time, and quality on every machine.
Providing a system that enables managers to respond to all issues.
fluid 1 | 2014 // 10
“Today everyone can see within two minutes on the LCD monitors on the production
floor just how his or her machine is running
– and has been running for the past seven
days,” Erich Kotzenmacher, Managing Director of fischer South Africa is happy to say. “We
have made a great leap forward with the MIS in
meeting LEAN production requirements and
opening up competitive advantages.”
‹‹
These Shopware
modules are in use at
fischer South Africa
The Person Machine Interface
(PMI) controls the functioning
of every machine and is
the heart of the system.
The management information
system (MIS) provides
detailed reporting in graphic
form and enables fast
intervention when necesary.
Customer satisfaction is not just a word at
the fischer group. The current relocation
of a hydroforming press from Menden to
Mexico is evidence of it – and in record time!
A customer decided in July 2013 to relocate a
project to Mexico from its location in Germany.
The associated hydroforming components that
among others had until then been produced in
Germany were therefore to be manufactured in
Mexico as well.
Immediately, fischer Hydroforming, fischer
Rohrtechnik and the colleagues from fischer
Mexicana committed themselves to this assignment and were able to present a customeroriented solution as quickly as possible. With
success! The fischer group was awarded the contract. “We are underscoring with this our claim
to be a very flexible, global solutions partner for
our customers,” Hans-Peter Fischer, Managing
Director of the fischer group, is happy to say.
There is a total of 8 high-end components
that add up to a total number of 1.6 million
parts per year. In order to guarantee the customer this number of parts and to be prepared
for future growth in the hydroforming area in
North America, the fischer group decided to
Challenging timing
Beginning of July 2013 .............. Project decision from customer
July 19, 2013 .............................. Oral commissioning of the retrofit with Maschinenbauer Dunkes
Until mid-December 2013 ........ Overhaul of the press
Starting December 2013 ........... Interim production of the components at fischer Rohrtechnik
End of December 2013 .............. Testing of the press with tools
Until end of April 2014 .............. Shipment, customs clearance, conveyance, installation, startup
Subsequently ............................ Beginning of mass production in Mexico
install a third hydroforming press in Mexico.
With this milestone, the position of the Central
American location has once again been considerably strengthened.
Hydroforming parts have been manufactured since 2003 at fischer Mexicana. That was
already a significant milesone: Mexico was the
first hydroforming location for the fischer group
outside Germany.
Fast move with strategic
significance
In order to keep to the tight scheduling, an
existing 1,500 ton press from fischer Hydro­
forming Menden underwent a radical retrofit,
at the end of which the hydrofitting machine
will be universally deployable with the most
up-to-date technology and an increased builtin height for all tools in Mexico. This will
raise the operational readiness and flexibility
for hydro­
forming production for the North
American­market as a whole.
“The relocation of the press is both very
important for the current project and a strategic decision,” explains Horst Wiesenberger,
Managing­Director of fischer Mexicana. “Everything is pointing to an increase in demand for
more complex forming parts. With the third hydroforming press, we will be optimally prepared
for further growth in this area.“
‹‹
The Yield/Quality module
enables customer-specific
quality standards to be taken
into account in production.
The Asset Care module lists
all of fischer South Africa’s
machines and forms the basis for a
maintenance management system
that organizes everything – from
changing a light bulb to complete
machine breakdown.
The PDCA (Plan Do Check
Act) module provides a work
environment for continual
process optimization.
fluid 1 | 2014 // 11
Tech Talk
Tech Talk
fischer Hydroforming
fischer Austria
A new material in hydroforming
Vacuum-insulated pipes
How an automobile high performance manifold
made out of Inconel came into being
Project VIP should drastically reduce energy costs
As part of its development of an automobile high performance manifold, one of the
world’s leading manufacturers of exhaust
systems approached fischer Hydroforming
about producing manifold components
from a nickel-based alloy using the hydroforming process. The material guarantees
mechanical stability and corrosion resistance even at the highest temperatures.
fischer Hydroforming was happy to accept
this assignment and to bring it to mass production readiness. The high grade material
can thus be used for the first time in the production of demanding exhaust system components for high-end automobiles.
The integration of a new material into the
production environment is a special challenge.
“You have to plan precisely and work very carefully to get in the end a practical solution that is
economical at the same time,” is how Dr. Stefan
Geißler, Managing Director of fischer Hydroforming, describes the ambitious task.
The development team from Menden could
fall back on years of practical experience in
aerospace. That was already a good foundation.
Yet further basic studies were made. Together
with the University of Siegen, the material data
were explored and forming limit diagrams were
created as the basis for the hydroforming simulation. This was followed by practical testing
and comparison with theory using test tools.
When that was successful, it became a matter
of implementing the ambitious process engineering. An important milestone was the strain
hardening of the material during the forming
to meet the shaping requirements. New as well
were the experiences with the stability and wear
on the tools.
fluid 1 | 2014 // 12
Step by step – from idea to mass production
Feasibility study
ZSB/Assembly production
FEM simulation
Mass production
Hydroforming component
development/design
Prototypes/
pre-production runs
Process development
Tool construction
Fresh challenges
“When we were all very happy to have brought
the Incontel parts into the desired shape, a
special challenge awaited us,” remembers
Thorsten Junge, the Development Manager.
What he meant was the separation technology: how can the high strength material be
processed economically? In the end there
were different technologies
that,
depending on
Tool design
the component, made it to the top: both sawing as well as laser and power cutting are used
in mass production.
After all the practical hurdles were cleared,
the new material and associated process could
be integrated into quotes and projections. The
customer’s first series projects could begin!
“That was a nice challenge for us, for which
we are very grateful to our customer. We are
also a little proud of the great collaboration
of different specialists with the materials researchers at the University of Siegen. That
simply shows you what the company culture
is made of,” Dr. Stefan Geißler is pleased to
say about the joint success.
‹‹
The efficient handling of energy resources­
is becoming an increasingly critical success factor in industrialized countries.
fischer Edelstahlrohre Austria is working
on a solution for minimizing heat losses
for superheated steampipes or cryogenic
applications. In addition to saving energy,
the vacuum-insulated pipe systems can be
built and cleaned more simply.
The VIP (Vacuum-Insulated Pipe) project
began in 2011 and is now entering the pilot
phase after completing the scoping phase. The
goal of this development stage is the technical
measurement of the savings potentials and
their economic assessment.
In principle, it is a matter of producing a
double-walled stainless steel pipe with vacuum insulation. Besides developing and maintaining a stable high vacuum, the big challenges are mechanical stresses, for example during
pressure changes. The first trials under laboratory conditions with the development partner
alvatec were promising and confirmed
the high-vacuum-suitable quality
of the tube processing at
fischer Austria.
Successful university
cooperation
The first prototypes along with the measurement setup were chiefly developed and constructed by the project coordinator of fischer
Edelstahlrohre Austria, Adnan Vedinlic, in collaboration with the University of Mittweida. In
the pilot plant that has now been built, insulation models are being tested and compared
with regard to their heat transmittance. It is
expected that the VIP model will save enough
energy primarily at high and very low media
temperatures to amortize significantly the
higher investement costs.
planned is a trial installation at an Austrian
brewery and at a local food processor. A first
industrial application is expected in 2014.
“Everything has worked wonderfully up to
now. I’m very optimistic that the idea will also
prove its worth in practice,” project director
Adnan Vedinlic is convinced.
‹‹
A wide range of
applications
The application areas would be wide-ranging – from power plant engineering to the food and
paper industries.
Cur rently
3D illustration of the pilot plant for
measuring pipe insulation.
Complex connections and secondary form
elements can also be implemented with Inconel.
fluid 1 | 2014 // 13
Tech Talk
The bending task is given as the bending factor B:
as “true” elongations and are abbreviated with the symbol ϕ and from and
the technical elongation ε they can be derived as follows:
Science
For all bends which have the same bending factor, the stresses of the
semi-finished product are the same. This means, for example, that halving
the bending radius R and the external diameter of the tube results in identical conditions. This can be clearly seen through the elongation, which
can be calculated as follows:
All about tube bending
Part 3: Feasibility assessment,
determination of wall thickness
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Engel
Chair for Forming Technology
at the University of Siegen
A practice-oriented view by
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Engel
Therefore, it only depends on the bending ratio.
Born in 1962
High school graduation at
Winfriedschule, Fulda
Study of Mechanical Engineering at
the Technical University of Darmstadt
“All about tube bending” in four parts
Doctorate in Hydroforming at University
of Darmstadt
The aim of the series is at providing the reader with guidelines for laying out a
bending process. In addition to the necessary calculations of the bending forces, in subsequent chapters information is given on the use of the individual axis
on the bending machine for the optimization of the bending process. Thereby, a
feasibility study can also be carried out for untypical materials. In the last part,
guidance is given on performance and design of tool elements (wiper die, mandrel, counter holder and clamping tools).
If you apply the bending task to rotary draw bending, then this strain
distribution can be calculated as a function of the bending radius and a
variable y (Figure 1).
Chairman of TIME GmbH
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nl
typ
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an
d
Bending factor B [-]
3.50
Risk of cracking
Thereby, the relation is to the neutral line (∙R). At the distance y (positive
to the outside) the corresponding elongation or compression is derived
from geometry.
Bending diagram
4.00
3.00
Main elongation ϕ1
Chairman of VDI
Technical Committee
“bending technology”
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andrel, s
Ball-type m
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.00
The largest or smallest elongation is therefore the following:
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
y
rc
Figure 1: Idealized bending arc during a rotary draw bending
Limit of the constriction
σ
σ
0.2
σ
1
2
σ
σ
σ
2
1
0.0
-0.4
1
2
σ
Sliding counterholder
2
σ
Rotating counterholder
1
σ
"Breaking" counterholder
σ
1
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
Main elongation ϕ2
Risk of creasing
In the picture are two bends with similar bending factor and very different wall thickness factors. Basically, the bending task is more
​​
difficult
in the bottom right. This empirical graph only gives a recommendation for
choosing the type of mandrel. In principle, a wiper die is recommended if
a mandrel is required. The chart does not consider cracking or changes in
wall thickness.
R Inne
ra
Elongation at break
0.3
1
Figure 2: Bending diagram with a recommendation for which mandrel to use
Outer arc
0.4
0.1
0.50
Wall thickness factor W [-]
In order to compare bending tasks, dimensionless parameters are
introduced­in rotary draw bending.
fluid 1 | 2014 // 14
With these two factors the bending task can be depicted in the bending
diagram. The bending diagram describes the bending task by showing the
bending factor and the wall thickness factor (see Figure 2).
Via the estimated elongation during tube bending, as it has been derived
in this part, a statement can now be made on the longitudinal elongation.
The traverse elongation is not taken into account. In the same manner, when
estimating the elongation there are no differences via the arc length. Actually, the elongation progression is also measured via the length. Thereby, the
elongation increases over the bending angle and reaches a maximum value at
approximately half the angle before it decreases again towards the end of the
arc. The estimation provides the maximum value in longitudinal direction.
In the diagram, the expected elongation of the bending task (B=1) is
marked on the yellow path. When actually measured, the longitudinal and
lateral elongations are on the red path. It can be seen that the estimation
predicts slightly higher values.
A curve can be defined for each material depicting when the material
will fail, as in Figure 3.
Founder and spokesperson for
“expert workshop bending”
)
For rough calculations, it is sufficient to calculate with the symmetric
stress pattern.
Chair for forming technology
ε(y
Bending elongation, bending factor, wall thickness factor
Bending stresses lead to a typical strain distribution over the cross section
of the tube. It is known that a near linear distribution of max strains on
the outer arc leads to compressions of the inner arc.
Appointed professor at the University
of Siegen
y
The first part explained how the required bending moment can be determined for a bending task. On this basis, the size (starting torque) of the
required bending machine can be calculated. In addition to the geometrical conditions, the torque requirement must be adjusted according to the
range of the machine. Factors influencing the bending moment are material type, diameter, bending ratio and wall thickness.
The second part aimed at the geometrical representation of bending
components. The calculation formulas were shown, with which a calculation of the bending isometry and the conversion to machine data is carried out.
Another dimensionless parameter describes the thickness of the walls,
represented by the wall thickness factor:
Thus, the elongations that were measured on all grid points can be
depicted in a deformation diagram as longitudinal elongation (ϕ1) and
as lateral elongation (ϕ2) (Figure 3).
Grid analysis, transverse strain, strain path
The so-called strain analysis has proven useful for the description and
direct measurement of strain during forming. Hereby, a grid is electrolytically applied to the semi-finished product. The spacing of the grid points
are defined and are changed after forming according to the elongation that
has taken place. After forming, the grid points can be read with a camera
system and by putting them into relation with the starting grid, the elongation can be determined. For each grid, there are two main elongations
on the surface of the tube. Therefore, the longitudinal and lateral elongation can be determined from one point. These elongations are described
Figure 3: Illustration of the forming limit diagram
Using this curve, and the knowledge of transverse elongation, now an
estimation can be made whether a bend without cracking is possible or
not. The lateral elongation is essentially influenced by the counterholder
or, to a much higher degree, by the boost.
If you take a look at the forming limit curves, then the minimum
possible elongation at ϕ2=0 which is exactly the logarithmic uniform
elongation from the tensile test.
You can therefore assume that upon undercutting this limit the bend
is in any case possible. The basic feasibility can be assessed with the
condition:
fluid 1 | 2014 // 15
Team Talk
International
fischer Canada
International anniversary celebration
With more than 380 guests from around the world
Hans Fischer with both of his
sons and their families, and the
subsidiary Managing Directors
of the fischer group companies
from Germany, South Africa,
China, Austria, and the USA.
fischer group Achern
Look what your parents are making
The big fischer family celebration of 2013
Following 2002 and 2005, the fischer group’s
third family celebration took place on July
6, 2013 in Achern-Fautenbach. Under brilliant sunshine, a total of 1,500 employees and
their families accepted the invitation. In extensive guided tours, everyone could discover
what mom and dad are making at the fischer
group. Two hours went by quickly if you wanted
tion received as a gift specially designed fischer
T-shirts with the slogan “You are our future.”­
“This is only a small indication to remember
how important it is to show children our indispensable appreciation of them,” said Hans
Fischer.
The catering by the Seebach ski club and
music association was hearty. Full use was
made of the wide range of offerings – especially
for the children. And company founder Hans
Fischer had a special surprise in store
for the youngest generation. The
new genera-
The family day provided all kinds of fun
and happy faces. One could hardly better sum
up the fischer group’s familial and human
character.
‹‹
Hans Fischer sends a signal
with the red fischer T-shirts:
“You are our future.”
We would also like to take this opportunity to
congratulate the team from fischer Canada
for their great work!
‹‹
fischer Austria
Outstanding
Performance
from Austria
Export prize 2013 for
worldwide tubes that
surpass the standards
to see everything that fischer Edelstahlrohre, fischer Rohrtechnik,
fischer­Maschinentechnik and
fischer eco solutions have to
offer.
fluid 1 | 2014 // 16
On September 12th, fischer Canada celebrated its 25th company anniversary at its
plant in Waterloo, Ontario. Invited in equal
numbers were local dignitaries, suppliers,
customers, and employees. More than 380
guests from around the world accepted the
invitation. On hand were company founder
Guests were greeted with a glass
of champagne around 3 pm. This
was followed by a guided tour of
the company, hors d’oeuvres, and
a social get-together. Beginning at
7 pm, there were several speeches by the mayor
of Waterloo and the vice-mayor of Kitchener,
among others. Hans-Peter Fischer congratulated the Canadian team on its 25-year history
of success and presented Uta Prell, Tom Prell
as well as Kim Lizun certificates for 25 years of
service.
In perfect weather, the subsequent celebration lasted well into the night – accompanied
by the Robin Reid Music Quartet and hypnotist
Dr. Mike Mandel.
The
Carinthia
Chamber of Commerce again this year awarded its coveted
trophy for outstanding export performance
as part of its export gala. fischer Edelstahlrohre Austria could prevail this time in the
category of mid-sized businesses after succeeding in reaching the finals of the best
three companies in 2012.
The winners of the 2013 Carinthia Export Prize.
Assessed were both the percentage of exports,
which amounts to over 96% at fischer Austria, as
well as the distribution of markets within and outside of Europe. Markets in Asia and North America could be opened up through customer-oriented
adaptation of product parameters, combined with
intelligent logistical planning. Premium quality
that has been made visible in processability, longer
service life or other customer benefits is not only
in demand in Europe. Tubes from fischer Austria
thus cool high-performance electronics in China
and facilitate oil production from oil sands in Canada. Annealed drinking water tubes in the USA
come from Austria just like tubes for grappling
with natural gas liquification in India.
Common to all these applications are that
they place demands on the tubes that go far
beyond the usual tube standards.
‹‹
fluid 1 | 2014 // 17
Team Talk
Team Talk
fischer Germany
2013 Mountain bike tour
Summertime mountain biking with a private stopover
This year the fischer mountain bike weekend
took to the trails during splendid weather
with international participation. 4 women
and 44 men tackled the total of around 3,700
meters elevation difference (ME) – among
them, five employees from fischer Austria, including the Austrian Managing Director, Heinz
Paar. They covered an additional round trip of
around 1,600 km aside from the tours
on bike.
fischer Austria
Stroke for stroke
4th fischer dragon boat race breaks all records
The hard-stroking competition in the long
boats took place on September 6, 2013 – an
event by now for around 500 active participants and 2,000 spectators and guests. What
most people don’t know is that it’s not just for
fun but for location marketing as well. Due
to high out-migration trends, the ‘Battle for
Contractors and suppliers representatives
form an honor guard.
Talents’ is raging in Carinthia. But where others attract young workers with advertisements
and flyers, fischer Austria wanted to go another route.Thus originated the first dragon boat
race for employees. “We wanted to present ourselves primarily as a regionally committed and
attractive employer,” stresses fischer Austria
Managing Director, Dr. Heinz Paar. “Then
it went stroke for stroke.” Today the fischer
dragon boat race sends a socially committed
signal to the region and provides fischer­Aus­
tria with national attention through resonance
in the media – also for interested new talents.
2013 – Premiere on
Lake Pirkdorf
16 teams from the fischer group and affiliated
companies competed last year and brought the
waters of Lake Pirkdorf to a boil. In brilliant
sunshine, the amusement park, Segway course,
and other attractions could be used at no cost.
Those up for it took the slow train on the grounds
or visited the team camp, which was more than
200 meters long with 25 tents. For the first time
as a guest this year was the owner of the fischer
group, Hans Fischer with his wife Brunhilde.
Their attendance motivated the fischer teams
in particular: “Black Forest Marie” from fischer Germany in Achern, the 2012 title defender,
the team “Formers 007 – License for Forming”
from fischer Hydro­forming in Chemnitz as newcomers, and the host team, “Ylvi and the Strong
Men” from fischer­Austria. However, the “SOBs,” a
joint team of the Kruschitz Recycling and Goyer
Hans and Brunhilde Fischer (middle of the picture)
display their enthusiasm.
Abfall­entsorgung companies, were a few strokes
faster and secured the 2013 challenge cup.
In addition to the race, the costume awards
have developed into a special highlight. The
costumes this year could hardly be surpassed
for their inventiveness. A fantastic atmosphere
prevailed to the evening awards ceremony
and the closing fireworks and made the 2013
dragon boat race a top-class event.
Following tradition, on Saturday evening
there was a barbecue at the Kappler ski lodge.
The Fischer family also attended, thereby
supporting the tour not only financially.
„On behalf of the active bikers, I would like
to sincerely thank the Fischers,” co-organizer
Frank Schneider happily declared
about the gregariousness of the
entrepreneurial family. “That
simply goes to show how
much of a family it still
is at fischer.”
‹‹
‹‹
fischer Austria
Rescue dogs on the crane
The Austrian Rescue Dog Brigade (ÖRHB) guests in Griffen
EVA GmbH – a reliable partner
of the event over the years.
Thank you for your hard-stroking support
We thank all the teams for their participation, the sponsors for their support, visitors
for contributing to the festive mood, guests of our customers, and the couple Hans und
Brunhilde Fischer for their congenial attendance.
Special thanks go to the many helpers and the maintenance team – Markus Köstinger,
Markus Vallant, Benedikt Zwitkovitz, Manfred Lesiak, Bruno Fischer, Bernhard Brand
and Angelika Scharf, who supported this event outside of work to an outstanding extent
and were a major part of its success .
Further information at: www.fischer-drachenboot.at
fluid 1 | 2014 // 18
A choice of three tours of
between 40 and 85 km
plus 100 and 1,900 ME
was available on
Saturday. So there
was something
for every biker.
The “challenging
recuperation” over
30 km and 700 ME followed on Sunday. In addition to the sporting aspect, conviviality was
again a top priority. fischer colleague Kosmas
Wunsch got especially involved. He organized
a stopover at his house and invited the fischer
bikers for drinks and pretzels.
‹‹
The Austrian Rescue Dog Brigade (ÖRHB) has
to be available around the clock all year to res­
cue people in case of emergency. Regular training under challenging conditions is necessary
so that everything works at the crucial time.
The rescue brigade found these conditions also
at fischer Edelstahlrohre Austria. The rescuers
could carry out a demanding ground exercise
on the premises and in the warehouse area of
the production floor. Important assignments
were able to be practiced realistically and improved with the unique opportunities of a flight
simulation. After a theoretical section on techniques for roping up, rescue practice was performed in the fit-corner (fischer information &
training center) on the 7 ton double overhead
crane of the finished product warehouse.
Flying like in a helicopter
Since flying in a helicopter – both in the cockpit
as well as outside hanging on the cable winch
– is part of the training, the dedicated dog
handlers/dog teams became familiar with this
discipline by means of flight simulation on the
indoor crane. Beginners and experienced teams
were at this realistic training, during which the
buckling up and strapping in of handlers and
dogs could calmly be practiced – a unique and
unforgettable scenario that provided precious
memories.
‹‹
“The ÖRHB sincerely thanks the team of
fischer Edelstahlrohre Austria GmbH for its
exemplary hospitality, which substantially
contributed to making volunteer work possible in difficult times.”
fluid 1 | 2014 // 19
Team Talk
fischer Germany
Federal Finance Minister in Achern
50th anniversary of the CDU Economic Council
with Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble
Training and
advanced vocational
qualifications 2013
fischer Maschinentechnik
Florian Lorenz, Technician, May 2013
Bastian Huber, Industrial Master
Craftsman in Metal, June 2013
Bernd Waltersbacher, Industrial
Mechanic­, June 2013
fischer Edelstahlrohre
Dirk Klüter, Industrial Mechanic,
March 2013
Thomas Waltersbacher, Industrial
Master Craftsman in Metal, June 2013
Corinna Kern, Industrial Clerk, July 2013
Daniel Wonsik, International Welding
Specialist, July 2013
From left to right: Konrad Walter, Section Spokesman Baden-Baden/Rastatt; Markus Arendt, Section Spokesman Ortenau;
Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble, German Finance Minister, Hans-Peter Fischer, Managing Director of the fischer group
On June 28, 2013, the fischer group welcomed a prominent visitor. At the invitation
of the sections Ortenau, Baden-Baden/Ra­
statt and Karlsruhe/Bruchsal in the national
association of the CDU Economic Council,
the German Finance Minister travelled to
Achern. In front of 100 invited guests and
many interested employees of the fischer
group, he gave a speech for the “Financial
and Fiscal Policy Expert Discussion North
Baden” in the modern ambiance of the new
multifunctional fischer-canteen.
Thereby, and in the subsequent discussion,
the participants were able to learn at first-hand
which financial and fiscal policy challenges
await the medium-sized enterprises in Germany.
The broad range of topics covered debates
about public finances, possible tax increases,
the design of the European fiscal policy and
rules of the international financial markets.
“We are very pleased that Dr. Wolfgang
Schäuble and the Economic Council of the
CDU were our guests,” said fischer’s Managing
Director, Hans-Peter Fischer. “We were able to
show that we are not only good hosts and able
to give our fellow entrepreneurs a few insights
into our company. But it was also an expression
of our economic policy commitment in favor
fischer Rohrtechnik
Thomas Doll, Industrial Master
Craftsman in Metal, July 2013
Georg Frank, Industrial Master
Craftsman in Metal, July 2013
Daniel Huber, Industrial Master
Craftsman in Metal, November 2013
F.E.R. fischer Edelstahlrohre
Irene Sester, Certified Human Resources
Specialist, January 2013
We would like to congratulate
the graduates!
of the small and medium-sized enterprises in
general­.”
Dr. Schäuble was impressed by the constructive speeches and the all-round successful
event.
‹‹
Stay informed under:
www.fischer-group.com