transfer - Bihler.de

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the bihler technology magazine | issue 2007
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Electrical and electronics industry: manufacturing concepts >6
Barry Littlewood: An Englishman >10
Siemens: A technological edge thanks to Bihler >12
Weidmüller: Well connected >16
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AN INTEGRAL PART OF BIHLER‘S
END-TO-END SOLUTIONS
Otto Bihler Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.KG Lechbrucker Str. 15
D-87642 Halblech | Tel. +49-8368/18-0 | Fax: +49-8368/18-105
[email protected] | www.bihler.de
The increasing number of product variants, high quality requirements, shorter runs as well as the need to cut raw materials consumption and work with new materials are challenges that confront the electronics industry on a daily basis.
To provide an effective solution to these demands, Bihler is
able to supply the market with production systems with integrated NC controlled process modules such as the MSE
multi-screw insertion unit. This patented process module offers impressive cycle times, extremely precise positioning, a
compact construction and great versatility of use. Top quality
for excellent results and outstanding productivity!
TRANSFER
Editorial/contents | 3
the bihler technology magazine | issue 2007
Plug sockets as an
example: The
electronics industry
has long been using
Bihler technology for
high-quality, economic
production.
4
6
news
Safety first
topic
5
B. Braun Melsungen manufactures its safety clips
for injection systems on Bihler’s RM 40 machines.
Dear readers,
Globalization continues to drive change in the structure
of industry. Global players are taking their production
operations to new markets and their suppliers are
following. The electrical and electronics industry, one of
the focal points of this edition of Bihler transfer, is
characteristic of this trend. As a technology supplier,
Bihler is adopting the same approach and offers
comprehensive services and support. Our key markets
continue to lie in countries where high employment
costs are an important argument in favor of
automation. Bihler‘s technology helps secure the future
of people and companies while also safeguarding local
jobs. To do this, we accompany our customers in every
phase – from the very start of product development.
After demonstrating our new products such as the
COMBITEC CC1, GRM 80P, RM 40K and the VC 1 controller
at the EUROBLECH trade fair, we were able to launch
these very successfully on the market. We are currently
preparing a new assembly concept based on servo
technology: The modular system makes it possible to
develop customized solutions and can be easily
extended to meet new requirements. This efficient
concept possesses the flexibility needed to cope with the
growing number of product variants.
To further increase the performance offered by our
products, we are enhancing our key technologies and are
reacting in a focused way to specific market demands.
For example, at the next “BihlerTEC”, we will be
presenting a machine for the production of electrical
sockets which is specifically designed to meet current
customer requirements: high productivity, short setup
times and standardized tools designed to optimize costs.
Mathias Bihler
6
topic
Technological partnership
brings enhanced innovation
6
The electrical and electronics industry also has to
improve the productivity of its manufacturing processes.
Bihler is a technology partner to global players.
10
profile
An Englishman in New Jersey
10
Barry Littlewood
from Bihler of America.
12
application
Lead factory supported
by technological advance
12
Siemens Automation and Drives: the Technical Center
in the Amberg manufacturing plant.
14
solution
A quantum leap in manufacturing
NORMA: Bihler is Supplier of the Year 2006.
15
technology
A new generation of controllers
VariControl VC1 for up to 48 NC axes.
16
15
application
Well connected
16
Weidmüller, Detmold.
18
in demand
The cost pressures persist
Professor Dieter Ameling, President of
the German Steel Federation.
19
18
service
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2007
4 | news
Safety first
Bihler’s expertise in the medical sector is
highlighted by the example of B. Braun
Melsungen AG which manufactures the Introcan
Safety injection system in Malaysia. Introcan
Safety – the name says it all: As soon as the needle
is withdrawn from the catheter, a self-activating
protective clip closes over the sharp tip. This
reduces the danger of becoming infected with HIV
or hepatitis C due to contact with a contaminated
needle. With Introcan Safety, B. Braun Melsungen
AG has achieved enormous market success and
the company now produces
millions of these protective clips
on Bihler RM 40 machines.
The company chose Bihler
because of its confidence in the
German manufacturer and its
international approach.
Productivity has increased
considerably compared to the
strip/wire forming machines used
in the past while machine
downtimes are greatly reduced
What is more, the tools can be
Manufactured on a Bihler RM 40 machine:
adapted to differing production
conditions which may occur, for example, due to
changes in material characteristics. One special
feature: The RM 40 punching and bending
machine operates in a clean room atmosphere and
must not leave any lubricant deposits on the clip
while simultaneously producing large volumes at
a very high level of precision.
B. Braun Melsungen AG is now using a number of
RM 40 punching/bending machines in Malaysia.
The retooling times when
switching between clip variants
are just 15 to 25 minutes. 
The protective clips used in the Introcan
Safety injection system reduce the danger
of infection with harmful diseases.
And the award goes to…
The high-tech precision saw manufactured by Stryker Instruments is the
winner of the Medical Design Excellence
Award 2007. As an expert technology
supplier, Bihler Weissenbach has made
its own contribution to this outstanding
achievement, the unique award for
developments in the field of medical
technology over the last ten years. The
Stryker Instruments precision saw will be
used in many clinics and offers
significant advantages in the field of
surgical treatment.
Bihler Weissenbach cooperated with the
customer in the development of a threemodule tool for the manufacture of the
top and bottom plates of the precision
saw. All that is needed in order to switch
between the manufacture of the two
parts is to change some of the dies in the
The prize-winning hightech precision saw: The
2007 Medical Design
Excellence Award is also a
tribute to Bihler
Weissenbach which
developed the tool
technology for the
precision instruments top
and bottom plates.
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2007
second
module. The
press tool operates in
combination with a Bihler
COMBITEC CC1 with a nominal
capacity of 60 t. Following
production on the CC1, the top and
bottom plates are cleaned before being
hardened. Stryker Ireland polishes the
surface while final assembly using laser
welding technology is performed in
Switzerland.
Medical Design Excellence Award 2007
for Stryker’s high-tech precision saw:
Bihler Weissenbach developed the tool
technology used to manufacture the
precision saw’s top and bottom plates. 
news | 5
Commitment
brings success
“Success is automatic,” is a Bihler motto:
However, when it comes to sport, success
has to be earned the hard way – and
that’s the way it is in the “HEAD” sports
center. This center, which focuses on
international training cooperation, has
Total commitment: Talented youngsters training at the HEAD center.
made some extraordinary achievements in the downhill skiing
sector in the Ostallgäu and Außerfern region. The ski slopes in what
is known as the “Vitale Land” provide some 25 German and Austrian
children and young people aged 11 to 16 with optimum training
opportunities and many successes have already been achieved. The
HEAD center is now a recognized part of the German Skiing
Association’s talent promotion strategy and forms an integral part
of its concept for the development of a new generation of skiers.
The team is primarily inspired by its trainers and support staff who
give the children and young people their enthusiasm for this
fascinating sport. They teach these young sportspeople values such
as team spirit, fairness, assertiveness and self-reliance which will
also be of use to them during their later working lives.
The HEAD center requires broad-based support and is therefore
delighted to be sponsored by Bihler. The company also sponsors the
Halblech ski club: this club boasts a wide range of members from
three different towns – Buching, Halblech and Trauchgau. Such
Rising energy prices and global climate change make
prestigious talents as Katja Seizinger, a product of the Halblech ski
the use of energy-saving light bulbs increasingly
club, testify to the organization’s outstanding work. 
important. Philips Lighting uses Bihler assembly
technology for the efficient production of its energyFrom left: Trainers
saving bulbs. The basic part consists simply of a glass
such as Dietmar
Köhlbichler, Peter
tube with connecting wires and a plastic component.
Eigler (HEAD center)
At the Bihler FMS 2500 assembly machine, the wires
and Heinrich
are aligned and cut to the right length before being
Etschmann (Halblech
ski club) inspire
bended and fixed with a plastic clip, while the glass
young people to
housing is attached to a cover. The FMS 2500 is used
practice downhill
to assemble Philips bulb variants with different tube
skiing.
lengths. 
Energy economy
– a modern imperative
Expanding markets
Bihler has been represented by a
separate agency in Spain since
October 2007. Mauricio Träger
Mendoza has many years’
experience of the punching/bending
sector and now sells Bihler products
and Minster presses in the Spanish
market. 
MAQUINARIA INDUSTRIAL
Fray Antonio de Cordoba, 55
Monasterio 47014 Valladolid SPAIN
Telephone/Fax: 0034-983 409 093
E-Mail: [email protected]
Bihler of China is a Bihler sales office
which was set up in January 2007.
Sales operations are the responsibility
of Binghai Kang who previously worked
for a Bihler trade partner in the
Chinese market from 1997 onwards. 
BIHLER OF CHINA
Xingcheng Industrial Zone
Hengli Town, Dongguan City, 523460
Guangdong Province, P.R. CHINA
Telephone: 0086-(0) 769-8371-3166
Mobile: 0086-138 292 292 97
E-Mail: [email protected]
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6 | topic
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topic | 7
Electrical and electronics industry
Technological partnership
brings enhanced innovation
Globalization coupled with more intense competition are forcing companies to
constantly re-examine their manufacturing processes in order to enhance their
productivity. The electrical and electronics industry is confronted with challenges
such as the demand for a greater range of products, higher quality and rocketing
materials costs. As a long-standing, expert technology partner to the electrical
industry, Bihler’s influence in the field of component design is becoming increasingly
important and helps ensure economic, high-quality production.
The electrical and electronics industry in Germany
employs more than 800,000 people and is one of
the fastest growing and highest revenue
generating sectors of the economy. As a flagship
industry, on the one hand, and a motor of
innovation, on the other, it is of crucial importance
for all German production.
Three quarters of companies in the metalworking
and electronics industries now offer more product
variants than in the past. This is the result of the
Fraunhofer Institute’s most recent survey
“Innovation in Production”. A quarter of the
surveyed firms even spoke of a sharp increase. As a
result, manufacturing systems will have to provide
better support for such product versatility. Further
trends: More than a quarter of the companies
questioned said that the requirements concerning
manufacturing precision had increased
significantly. A further 44 percent have noted that
requirements are at least a little higher. Almost 43
Electrical power creates light, motion and heat.
Clean energies such as solar technology are
becoming increasingly important in the light of
global warming.
Electronic components are another area in which
the number of variants is increasing, quality
requirements are becoming ever more exacting,
production runs are shorter and material
consumption has to be reduced. These challenges
to the manufacturing processes can be overcome
using Bihler technology.
Companies in the
electrical and
electronics industry also have to
improve the
productivity of
their manufacturing processes.
percent of all the companies that took part in the
Fraunhofer study are constantly called on to
process new materials, a requirement which
fundamentally changes their manufacturing
processes. Seven percent report a large rise in the
number of new materials processed.
A wider range of product variants
Leading manufacturers such as Siemens are
getting to grips with these production trends with
their own products and manufacturing processes.
According to Helmut Gierse, President of the
Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) Group in
Nürnberg: “Globally, our production systems are
subject to influences such as increasing standards
of living, growing quality requirements and more
individual consumer demands. We have to bring a
huge variety of high-quality product variants to
market in a very short time.” Increasing cost
pressures are motivating industrial companies to
boost productivity throughout the entire product
lifecycle. The costs and times though to market
launch will increasingly determine the success of
production strategies. As resources become
scarcer and costs increase worldwide, it will
become increasingly important for businesses to
produce more efficiently at every stage of the
value-added chain.
In its study “Structures and driving forces for
successful innovation in German engineering” of
May 2007, the Fraunhofer Institute concludes that
Helmut Gierse,
President of the
Siemens Automation
and Drives (A&D)
Group: “Increasing
cost pressures are
motivating industrial
companies to
boost productivity
throughout the entire
product lifecycle. “
– and this applies
to both Siemens’
customers and to the
company itself.
>
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8 | topic
the German engineering industry is in an
excellent competitive position. This is due, in
particular, to its ability to translate innovative
technologies into customer-specific solutions and
meet the demanding requirements concerning
quality, precision and the flexibility of production
equipment. These are demands which confront
Otto Bihler Maschinenfabrik every day. The
electrical and electronics industry has been an
important sector for Bihler ever since the early
1970s. Whether concentrating on the functionality
of the components, thermal requirements or
mechanical stress, whether dealing with
household equipment such as automatic circuit
breakers and plugs or electrical components for
industry – with its many decades of expertise
Equipment used in power
generation, distribution
etc.
Vehicle
construction
Medical, measuring,
control and regulation
technology, optics
Companies now tend to have to manufacture more product variants. (Source: Fraunhofer)
Number of variants:
increased
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stayed the same
fallen
behind it, Bihler is an established technology
partner for world-renowned companies. It is
innovative companies such as these that
challenge Bihler to develop high-performance
solutions which constantly push the boundaries
of what technology can do. Bihler contributes at
an early stage of product development with ideas
and concepts for subsequent manufacturing
processes which increasingly involve a greater
variety of products, smaller production runs,
increased quality requirements and reduced
material consumption.
Manufacturing concepts impact component
design
To succeed in the practical manufacture of
innovative products, it is necessary, like Bihler, to
master every detail of their functionality. During
an early phase of development, component
development is optimized as far as possible for
subsequent manufacture and is implemented by
means of innovative, qualitatively demanding
production solutions. Specific modifications are
made to metal or plastic parts in order to make
them easier to manufacture and thus improve the
economic efficiency of the entire production
process. Bihler’s technology has already had an
influence on parts employed by Siemens, for
example in its motor circuit-breakers, controllers
and electrical switches. And the most recent
generation of products is also subject to this
influence. Global players frequently manufacture
electrical components at different locations in
their target markets. This reduces the size of the
topic | 9
With its vast range
of example products,
Bihler has proven
itself to be an expert
technology partner
to the electrical and
electronic industry:
successful manufacturing concepts for
today’s technological challenges.
production runs and consequently demands
appropriately adapted manufacturing
technologies. Bihler is able to respond to the
growing range of product variants with intelligent
manufacturing technologies which combine
mechanical tool drives with servo technology. This
approach combines the advantages of mechanical
components, such as high availability and
component quality as well as reproducible results,
with the benefits of servo technology which
include the flexibility required for a wide product
range.
Quality guarantees jobs
Innovative, high-quality products offering a wide
range of functions guarantee jobs in high-wage
locations such as Germany. Here, quality is a
crucial factor which is influenced by such things
as product development, material selection and
manufacturing processes. Automated
manufacture makes it possible to reproduce large
component runs at a high level of precision. It is a
reliable process in which component quality is
verified and documented, a fact which is
particularly important for safety-related
components. For example, an intelligent Bihler
manufacturing concept for thermal circuit
breakers not only delivers higher throughputs and
consequently greater productivity, thus enhancing
the customer’s competitiveness. At the same time,
the high level of reproducibility ensures quality
and safety. In contrast, a defective thermal switch
can result in a fire, cause damage and cost lives.
Claims for compensation can then soon threaten
a company’s existence. By addressing the
construction design of components at an early
stage, it is also possible to counter the sharp rise
in the price of material and reduce the
material cross-section, for example.
The electrical and
electronics industry
which uses contact
elements made of
brass and copper, two
materials which have
risen particularly
sharply in price,
therefore offers
great potential for
such savings. For
example, Bihler
has implemented
a successful
manufacturing strategy for an
antenna connector. In the past, this part was
manufactured using a slow, cost-intensive cutting
process. Bihler’s much more economical solution
involves the shaping of a highly machined brass
strip. Whereas, in the past, a number of separate
lathes produced up to 60 parts per minute,
Bihler’s machine achieves up to 250. What is more,
the process saves material and ensures additional
value added by assembling the complete
component.
The examples of successfully implemented
manufacturing concepts which Bihler supplies to
the electrical and electronics industry as an expert
technology partner are as many and varied as the
technical challenges themselves. 
Intelligent manufacturing
technologies as a way of
coping with the growing
number of product
variants: Bihler combines
mechanical tool drives
with servo technology.
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10 | profile
Technology for the New World
An Englishman in New Jersey
Entrepreneurs with ideas can tell some impressive success stories
– like Barry Littlewood. The charismatic Englishman played a
key role in the development of Bihler of America (BoA). The BoA
Chairman, now aged 60, guided the company‘s successful growth
with great passion within a changing US market.
Barry Littlewood: An entrepreneur with
ideas. His second passion is fishing and
hunting.
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Barry Littlewood first met Otto Bihler in 1970
during a job interview at the Embassy Machine
Company (EMC) which performed all the service
operations for Bihler machines throughout the
entire United Kingdom. The young technician got
the job and soon found that there were very few
problems with the machines. Barry Littlewood
spent most of his time adapting tools and
developing ideas to help further
optimize the operation of Bihler
machines. When he suggested
to his English boss that the
company should set up its own
toolmaking shop, he met with
skepticism and little support.
That is why, in 1972, Barry
Littlewood 1972 founded his
own company – J.E.B.
Engineering – which
manufactured tools for Bihler
machines.
In 1976, impressed by the young
entrepreneur’s boundless
energy, Otto Bihler offered him
the chance to move to the United States. The plan:
together with the German Vulgens Schön, Barry
Littlewood was to have the task of setting up
Bihler of America (BoA). A separate Bihler branch
had become imperative in order to provide the
existing American customers with the best
possible service.
Barry Littlewood says of Otto Bihler: „He gave us
opportunities which no-one else would have given
us. Otto Bihler trusted two young men to conquer
the American market with Bihler technology. We
had the freedom to make our own decisions on
behalf of the company and adapt the machines in
response to market circumstances.”
The birth of Bihler of America
In August 1976, Barry Littlewood landed in
Newark, New Jersey, where the „Chicago Machine
Tool Show“ which was held the next month
represented his launch in the US market. This was
a difficult period during which the young BoA had
to fight to overcome the powerful market leader.
For Barry Littlewood, these difficulties represented
a special challenge. For him, it was clear that this
immense country with its vast potential offered
great opportunities for the development of Bihler
technology. Many young men from Germany and
the UK came to BoA and worked with their
American colleagues to build a strong company
which could develop its own solutions and offer
its customers a very high level of service However,
this was not the only way in which Bihler of
America was characterized by transatlantic
cooperation: All the tools were developed at BoA,
built by the English J.E.B. Engineering and then
tested in the USA.
The US market has also witnessed great changes
over the years. The American market adopted the
practice of outsourcing both earlier and more
intensively. Market partners who want to continue
manufacturing successfully on Bihler machines
have had to show their versatility in adapting to
these new market requirements. Bihler of America
assists its customers intensively throughout the
entire process chain and continues to support
them with intelligent automation solutions. The
decision to produce complete assemblies has
made processes in the company more economic
and has enabled it to combat the trend towards
relocation in Mexico and Asia: These are
experiences from which Bihler in Europe can now
also benefit.
Despite the difficulties that characterize the
market, Bihler of America has developed
impressively through four phases: The company
started by designing, constructing and developing
tools: Its services were later extended to cover
complete machine systems. Phase 3 saw the
company starting to produce its own complex,
complete assemblies on Bihler machines and
these have now been joined by patented products
which are developed in-house.
In 2006, Bihler of America transferred its
operations to Phillipsburg, which is also in the
profile | 11
An Englishman in the USA:
Barry Littlewood was one of
the pioneers who built Bihler of
America (BoA).
state of New Jersey, and is now excellently
positioned for the future. The company’s key asset
is its excellently trained workforce which includes
many young people who can count on the support
of a highly experienced earlier generation. Its
extensive investments also reinforce the outlook
for the future.
However, whether BoA in New Jersey or Bihler in
Halblech/Allgäu, strong, dedicated personalities
like Barry Littlewood and Otto Bihler have been
decisive factors in the success of both companies.
These men have used ideas as a driving force and
turned them into practical realities. “After visiting
Germany, I always left full of enthusiasm ignited
by the new tool and product ideas which emerge
in the company through an ongoing process,” says
Barry Littlewood whose professional life has taken
him from employee to become principal partner
in BoA.
Over the years, a close personal relationship was
to grow between Barry Littlewood and Otto Bihler
based on mutual trust and respect. “We gave up
having written contracts, verbal agreements were
enough,” recalls Barry Littlewood. “Now this
relationship between our families is being
continued by me, my daughter Maxine and
Mathias Bihler.”
The great outdoors
In summer 2007, Barry
Littlewood celebrated his
60th birthday. To mark
this occasion, he was
awarded the Otto Bihler
service medal by Mathias
Bihler in honor of his
long-standing, successful, partnership-based
cooperation. Barry
Littlewood is now
embarking on a new
stage of his life. Even if
the last 37 years of his life have given him
enormous pleasure, the next 20 should prove to
be a little more exciting for him. He wants to
spend as much time as possible enjoying his
outdoor hobbies: such as hunting. Or fishing –
a passion which he shared with Otto Bihler.
Whether salmon in Alaska or blue marlin in the
open seas – for Barry Littlewood and Otto Bihler,
the experience of freedom and the beauty of
nature was always the crucial thing.
As BoA’s Chairman, Barry Littlewood continues to
be associated with the company and is happy to
help whenever its management asks for his
advice. And he is happy to pass on his recipe for
success: “My advice to all young people is simple.
Find something that you like to do and you’ll be
successful.” 
The next generation of BoA (left to
right): Mike Nordmeyer, BoA pioneer
Vulgens Schön, Maxine Nordmeyer
and Alois Mair.
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12 | application
Siemens Automation and Drives, Amberg manufacturing plant
Lead factory supported
by technological advance
Siemens – this world-renowned company is a leader in many sectors
of technology. Thus the Siemens Control Components division, which
is part of the Automation and Drives Group, is setting the trend in
the field of low-voltage switching technology.
A total of 18 Bihler
machines are housed in
the Parts Technical Center
in the Amberg
manufacturing plant
which belongs to the
Control Components
division which is a part of
the Automation and
Drives Group.
Siemens Automation and Drives has been
manufacturing at the Amberg plant for more than
50 years and, with a payroll of more than 4,000
personnel, is the largest employer in this part of
central/southern Germany. Approximately 2,500
of these employees work in the field of lowvoltage switching technology which delivers hightech solutions designed to meet the highest
quality requirements. These include, for example,
the SIRIUS product line which is used to switch,
protect and start motors and equipment. The
Parts Technical Center at the Amberg
manufacturing plant makes a
crucial contribution to the
success of these solutions.
Bihler technology makes its
mark
The highly skilled technical
center which manufactures a
high proportion of the necessary
complex metal and plastic parts
together with the associated
assemblies long ago opted for
Bihler technology. Some 300
employees produce a mix of over
1,500 metal and 500 plastic
components and parts in a
production area of 14,000 sqm. This production
site can boast an extensive range of technologies
with a large punching shop housing 13 punching
machines, 32 injection molding machines, an inhouse toolmaking shop, an electroplating shop, a
tempering station, as well as the mold
construction facility and 18 Bihler machines. Paul
Mergel, the manager of the Technical Center,
comments: “You can find Bihler machines
everywhere here.” And Alfred Schnellinger, an
employee in the Center, continues: “Cooperation
with Bihler has greatly increased in recent years
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Using Bihler’s expertise for the manufacture of their electronic
components: (from right to left) Paul Mergel, Head of the
Technical Center, Alfred Schnellinger and Michael Fischer.
because here in the Technical Center we focus very
clearly on the manufacture of complex
assemblies.” The largest assembly currently
manufactured in the Center is the complete base
section of a circuit breaker which consists of 68
individual parts. Works manager Rudolf Gietl
makes the point clear: “We need pioneer
technologies if we are to stay ahead of our
competitors. The production of simple parts and
assemblies, in particular those with a high manual
input, is not viable in a high-wage country and we
have had to outsource these operations to
partners in low-cost countries.”
Increased productivity leads to success
From production planning, through production
itself and on to quality assurance – the Technical
Center at the Amberg Lead Factory develops
economic manufacturing solutions at a German
site which has to compete with non-German
alternatives and does so very successfully. As soon
as the product developer is mulling over the very
first idea, the Parts technical Center is on-hand
with advice: because the concept of simultaneous
application | 13
engineering means that new products can now be
optimized to such an extent that even complex,
high-quality metal and plastic parts can be
manufactured cost-effectively. Thanks to its
innovative concepts, the Center is constantly able
to achieve impressive productivity increases which
have given this manufacturer of parts and
assemblies a significant competitive advantage.
An important aspect of the approach is, for
example, to combine production steps and
minimize material use.
Even existing products are continuously being
optimized, while stroke frequencies and uptimes
are increased to boost productivity. Even now, new
projects are designed to ensure that subsequent
planned investment and automation will result in
future rationalizations. For example, whereas a
switching element can now be manufactured in
full at a single Bihler machine, it used to be
necessary to pass through a number of different
process steps: punching and bending of the part,
welding and tapping at a manual workstation,
finishing and cleaning before hand-over to
assembly.
Exceptional expertise
In its manufacturing concepts, the Center also
calls on Bihler’s corporate experience, as Michael
Fischer who is responsible for planning and
project development says: “We also make use of
Bihler’s expertise from other sectors such as the
automobile industry. We apply these solutions in
the manufacture of our electronic components
and further develop them to meet our needs.” The
Center considers its own exceptional expertise, for
example in the design field, toolmaking or
manufacturing, to be a crucial competitive
advantage. Although the company performs its
own in-house training, machine operators and
The Parts Technical Center at Siemens’
Amberg manufacturing plant makes
extensive use of Bihler technology.
Since the plant has focused strongly on
the manufacture of complex assemblies
in recent years, cooperation with Bihler
has become even more intensive.
toolmakers also receive intensive tuition from
Bihler. Paul Mergel summarizes, saying: “Our
own expertise and ongoing qualification work
are essential prerequisites for the successful
use of Bihler technology.” By now, the Center’s
employees have become experts in Bihler
technology and are able to contribute their
knowledge to Siemens’ product development
operations. With the further development of
Siemens products such as the SIRIUS range, the
technology and the parts are becoming
increasingly complex. To remain the Lead
Factory and continue producing parts in
Germany in the future, the Center needs
qualified employees who can make the best
possible use of the outstanding production
technology available to them. It is therefore
part of the Siemens corporate philosophy to
devote considerable resources to the further
training of its employees.
Another important reason underlying Siemens’
choice of Bihler technology is that in its key
technology fields such as welding and thread
tapping, Bihler has never been frightened to
investigate new avenues. As Mergel says: “We
have cooperated closely with Bihler, particularly
in the welding field. Bihler has very often turned
our ideas in this field into a practical reality,
thus enabling us to work together in continued
product development.” In this way, experience
and mutual trust have led to a history of
successful cooperation from which both
partners have gained long-term benefits. 
www.siemens.de
Contact
Andreas Strobl,
Sales Manager
Tel. +49 (0) 8368/18-130
[email protected]
transfer
2007
14 | solution
Supplier of the year 2006
A quantum leap
in manufacturing
NORMA CEO Werner Deggim
(right) hands the “Supplier of
the Year 2006” award to
Mathias Bihler.
The NORMA Group of companies uses Bihler technology and has
introduced an innovative manufacturing concept for its hose clamp
covers. The success of this cooperative operation makes it clear why
NORMA chose Bihler as its “Supplier of the Year 2006”.
A genuine TORRO is immediately
recognizable thanks to its asymmetrical
housing which NORMA manufactures
using Bihler technology.
The Norma Group
With its technically proven, customer-oriented
solutions, the NORMA Group of companies enjoys a
leading position in the global market for
connection technology. More than 600 million
NORMACLAMP hose clamps of 9 and 12 mm in
width are transported from the Maintal valley in
central Germany every year. The tensile strength,
high fracture torque and even tension force
distribution differentiate the NORMACLAMP
TORRO from competing products. This leap in
quality is particularly appreciated by vehicle
manufacturers as well as by large numbers of
industrial customers who value reliable assembly.
This worm drive hose clamp can be found in
practically every car that is built in Europe. It is
frequently used in safety-critical areas such as the
fuel, oil and air circuits as well as in coolant water
connections. The individual applications can be
tested in the Group’s own laboratory which has
been accredited by leading automobile
manufacturers. A genuine TORRO is immediately
recognizable thanks to its asymmetrical housing
which NORMA manufactures using Bihler
technology. NORMA’s CEO Werner Deggim is clearly
very satisfied: “Bihler technology has always
contributed to our success.
We hope that Bihler will
always be at our side –
wherever we are in the world.”
Six NORMA product groups with more than 25,000
variants: lines and piping for almost every medium
together with the associated fastenings.
More than 2,300 employees worldwide.
Subsidiaries in Great Britain, France, Poland, Sweden,
Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Spain, USA,
Australia and China; distribution via a total of more
than 40 national representatives worldwide.
transfer
2007
A leader in hose clamp
technology
To ensure its continued
growth, this global player
continuously reviews its
manufacturing processes.
These processes are optimized
through investments in new
technology. The specific requirements included
increasing the stroke rate to 250 per minute for
the 9 mm version of the Torro, assuring tool
changes in less than four minutes and
guaranteeing high uptimes and precision. A
unique technological solution enabled NORMA
and Bihler to achieve their ambitious, shared aims.
A completely new manufacturing concept made
this quantum leap possible: Using a pool of Bihler
machines, the company can now produce up to
two million TORRO 9 mm housings every day. The
service life of the tool dies has been increased
from approximately 500,000 parts to a current
value of eleven million parts per die.
The NORMA Group of companies rewarded Bihler
for this achievement by naming it as “Supplier of
the Year 2006” in its new special solutions catalog.
The company has been distinguishing its top
suppliers with this award for the last two years:
the criteria include product quality, process
stability, project management, cooperation and
service.
A recipe for success
The implementation of the new manufacturing
technology also indicates NORMA’s commitment
to Germany as a production location. CEO Werner
Deggim explains the Group’s orientation:
“Supplying customers in the future with a
technical solution which is even better adapted to
their specific applications and which offers
enhanced value-added – that’s what successful
companies do. We believe that this end-to-end
solution will ensure our success.” To make sure
that the company is ready, it intends to optimize
more of its manufacturing plant in the near
future. 
www.norma.de
technology | 15
Va r i C o n t r o l VC 1
New generation of
controllers for NC machines
VariControl VC1 is the new Bihler controller for the simple management of NC
movements on up to 48 axes. The man-machine interface (MMI) which runs under
Windows XP and .NET permits the easy adaptation of the user guidance system to the
required Bihler machine. This results in intuitive handling.
VariControl VC1 is widely used throughout the
Bihler machine range and ensures the simple
handling of NC axes which are controlled by
means of electronic disk cams which are angularly
aligned with the machine or are procedurally
controlled. The basic version of the VC1 is designed
for the control of 24 NC axes and can be extended
to handle 48 axes. The new multi-axis controller
makes it possible to configure all axis movements,
polling operations and pneumatic or hydraulic
actuators without any programming by the
operator. This makes it a fast and simple solution.
The movements are defined using the axis
controller and cam editor which permits up to 64
positions per profile. The controller is also flexible
enough to permit the automatic switching of
various NC axis movements which are
defined in the software at the end of a
cycle. It is also possible to define the
expected mechanical load
separately for individual sections
and consequently limit the axis
force. The operator is informed
at all times of the axis values
and actual positions, while
freely programmable counters
can be used to track item
counts, error rates or
operating hours. In handwheel or jog mode, it is
possible to select and
manually displace
individual axes, grouped
axes or multi-axis
modules. It is possible to
read load values, for
example, for each
individual axis. These
“snapshots” simplify set-
up operations. In this way, processes are optimized
and plant production times improved.
MMI with Windows XP and .NET
With its new user interface which is
based on Microsoft’s .NET platform,
Bihler is pursuing its aim of further
simplifying programming, operation
and debugging. The machine is
operated via a configurable,
extensible foil console, a 15-inch color
TFT touch display and a
multifunction keyboard. An intuitive
operator guidance concept simplifies
input and helps prevent errors, for
example by using colors to indicate
the elements to be controlled. The basic software
makes it possible to adapt the user interface to
the selected Bihler machine. The interface
language can be changed during operation. NonLatin character sets can also be integrated, thus
making the machine control system suitable for
worldwide use.
The controller not only simplifies operation, it also
makes programming easier: for example with new
function modules for laser labeling and cutting.
The integrated documentation facility, which
permits an unlimited archiving period supports
the handling and logging of messages and
malfunctions. Filter functions ensure enhanced
clarity of use. The extended functions include the
addition of the appropriate texts, images and
videos to any malfunctions that may occur.
Thanks to its intuitive operation, the VariControl
VC1 multi-axis controller represents a revolution in
the handling of NC axes which makes complex
manufacturing tasks faster and easier to
complete. 
The relevant control elements are
indicated in color: for intuitive
operation and the prevention of
incorrect input.
Contact
Norbert
Muche, Head of
Technology
Tel. +49 (0) 8368/18-310
[email protected]
transfer
2007
16 | application
Weidmüller, Detmold
Well connected
Weidmüller has an excellent reputation in the field of electrical
connectivity technology. The company has long been using Bihler
technology to produce its metal components. For small runs,
Weidmüller uses the BIMERIC punching-bending-assembly system
coupled with the latest control technology.
After originally specializing in zip fasteners and
press studs, from 1948 onwards Weidmüller has
turned its attention to a different type of
connection technology. The company now
develops, produces and markets products in the
fields of electrical connection, functional
electronics and communications electronics. The
company name with its striking orange lettering
is synonymous worldwide with
competence, reliability and
Weidmüller
quality. Alongside its own
Weidmüller is one of the leading providers of
products, Weidmüller also
solutions for the transmission and conditioning of
supplies customer-specific OEM
power, signals and data in industrial environments.
solutions.
The company now develops, produces and markets
To find economic solutions to its
products in the fields of electrical connectivity
customers’ connection
as well as functional and communications
problems, the Operating
electronics. For OEM suppliers, the company
Material Construction / New
sets international standards in the engineering,
Product Manufacture division
procurement, production and distribution of
develops appropriate
customized solutions. The Weidmüller Group of
manufacturing concepts. One
companies has a strong international focus with
special characteristic is
its own production sites, sales companies and
indicated by the division’s name:
agencies in more than 70 countries. In fiscal year
Operating Material
2006, Weidmüller achieved sales of 443 million
Construction. Tooling is
euros and currently employs some 3,000 personnel
responsible for any new product
worldwide.
until preproduction has been
completed and the machine
leaves Operating Material
Construction for Manufacturing. Lothar Pöhlker,
Head of Tooling: “Incorporating preproduction in
the Operating Material Construction department
accelerates our processes. This helps us pursue
our aim of realizing versatile tooling and manufacturing concepts at very short notice so that
we can bring our products to market more
quickly while also ensuring unproblematic
manufacture.”
transfer
2007
To manufacture its connection products,
Weidmüller has been relying on Bihler technology
for more than 30 years. The employees working in
Weidmüller’s Operating Material Construction
division, which manufactures punched/bended
parts, are perfectly familiar with Bihler’s
technology because they have all worked at
Bihler’s Halblech site – including the Head of
Metal Technology, Berthold Bujnowski. “To make
full use of all the technological possibilities
available, we must make sure we understand
every aspect of it. There are a lot of products
which are simply predestined to be manufactured
on Bihler machines because of the material and
operations involved.”
For small batch sizes
Precisely because of its preproduction concept, the
Weidmüller Operating Materials Construction
division was very interested in manufacturing
small runs using Bihler’s punching and bending
technology. The extremely versatile BIMERIC
makes Bihler technology an efficient solution even
for small batch sizes and component variants.
According to Bujnowski: “Small runs demand low
tool investment levels if the product is to be
economically viable for the customer. Short lead
times through to the first produced part, a
rapid optimization phase thanks to
direct intervention in the program
and short retooling times to cope
with a wide range of variants were
further arguments in favor of using
the BIMERIC.”
In the BIMERIC punching-bendingassembly system, electronic cams
move the various units and full power
application | 17
Small picture: Weidmüller uses the
BIMERIC punching, bending and
assembly system for the production of
small runs.
Large picture: Weidmüller toolmaker
Arnd Leisner appreciates the intuitive
operation and the greatly enhanced
range of control possibilities.
is available for the required
displacements at all times.
NC tools with flexible,
independent work cycles and
the servo-controlled feed mean
that the BIMERIC can be used for
a wide variety of operations. The
challenge facing Weidmüller’s
design and operating materials
construction employees was to use
the new technology to perform the
desired machining operations while
achieving low tooling levels.
Special customer requirements are leading to an
ever-increasing range of variants, as Weidmüller
has observed in its OEM business. The BIMERIC
makes it easy to perform the adaptations required
for a new variant quickly and efficiently. For
example, the company manufactures eight
different variants of a bus bar for a connection
system. It is simply necessary to adapt the
program for the various product versions which
are located at different places.
The BIMERIC equipped with
a new controller
Lothar Pöhlker has this to say about
the most recent development: “When we
invested in a BIMERIC in the summer of 2004, one
thing was clear. As soon as the machine became
available with a new programming, operating
and display interface, we wanted it. Since
early 2007, we have been using the
BIMERIC with the new VC 1
controller. The extremely modern
MMI (man-machine interface)
simplifies operation.”
Someone who is very well aware
of this is toolmaker Arnd Leisner
who spends a lot of time working
at the new BIMERIC. “Bihler has
structured the controller for intuitive operation
and has incorporated a powerful display
capability. This makes the system transparent and
self-explanatory.” – and all this is available within
a familiar Windows environment. And he
continues: “There are fewer operating steps and
this makes input both faster and more reliable.”
Furthermore, Arnd Leisner is very enthusiastic
about the “enormous increase in the number of
control possibilities compared to mechanical
cams.” With the numerical controller, it is possible
to control the movements of the units individually
and readjust these to further optimize production
quality.
With the Bihler BIMERIC, Weidmüller has opted for
a state-of-the-art end-to-end solution. For the
company, this Bihler machine is the right answer
to the challenges posed by small batch sizes and
large numbers of variants. 
www.weidmueller.de
The concept of performing
preproduction in the
Operating Material
Construction division
accelerates Weidmüller’s
processes: (from left to right)
Head of Operating Material
Construction Lothar Pöhlker
and Head of Metal Technology
Berthold Bujnowski.
Contact
Burkhard Schauf,
Representative
for the NorthWest region
Tel. +49 (0) 2351/997550
[email protected]
transfer
2007
18 | in demand
Steel raw material costs
The cost pressures persist
Interview with Professor
Dieter Ameling,
President of the German
Steel Federation and
Chairman of the Steel
Institute VDEh.
transfer
2007
Bihler transfer: How have steel raw material prices
moved in recent years?
Professor Dieter Ameling: The raw material prices
associated with steel manufacture have risen
sharply in recent years. This has resulted in
considerable cost pressures. Since 1999, the
proportion of the costs of a German steel mill
accounted for by metal raw materials, reducing
agents and power has risen from just about 70 to
approximately 80 percent.
Bihler transfer: What are the reasons for this?
Professor Dieter Ameling: The main reason is
China’s massive consumption of raw materials,
given that China is by far the world’s largest steel
producer. Price increases have affected iron ore
worst of all. Three large suppliers dominate world
trade in this commodity. Capacity increases in the
mining of iron ore have not been sufficient to
cover the growing demand. In the case of steel
scrap, the second most important material
consumed by the steelmaking industry after ore,
price increases have amounted to 220 percent
over the last five years. Scrap is becoming
increasingly rare worldwide because the high
level of steel production in China is primarily
being used for long-term investments and in
particular for infrastructure projects. Transport
costs have also increased considerably since
October 2005. Bottlenecks have also been caused
by port capacities which have not been extended
in line with the increased trade volumes. Only
the coking coal price agreements for 2007 have
helped relax the situation slightly but in no way
compensate for the price increases that have
affected the other raw materials.
Bihler transfer:What are the prospects for the
future?
Professor Dieter Ameling: The cost pressures due
to the raw materials will persist. It will take a few
more years before the raw material transport
capacities have been extended sufficiently to
ensure a balance between supply and demand.
While the increased raw material prices affect all
steel mills worldwide in much the same way, the
higher energy costs, in particular in Germany, are a
source of great concern. The role of “climate
protection champion” that Germany has chosen to
adopt will make energy even more expensive in
the coming years. This jeopardizes not only the
competitiveness of the steel industry but also that
of other energy-intensive sectors. We are also
concerned by the growing protectionism
concerning raw materials in the international
markets. In view of the strong surge in its domestic
requirements, China has long been pursuing a
broad-based strategy to secure the supply of its
raw materials. The cancellation of export
incentives and the introduction of higher export
duties have resulted in a sustained reduction in
exports of raw materials. In the case of some
strategically important metals, the Chinese
government has even imposed an export ban.
European consumers are almost certain to feel the
effects of this expected dramatic reduction in
supplies from such an important source. 
www.stahl-online.de
service | 19
Technology partnership
Studying innovative technologies
Cooperation in action: Kempten Technical College’s
machine tools laboratory has received the latest RM 40K
punching/bending machine from Bihler free of charge.
The Kempten Technical College offers practical, interdisciplinary
training combined with an international , forward-looking
philosophy. Professor Christian Donhauser from the engineering
faculty stresses one of the college’s focal points: “As the technical
college for the Allgäu, we at Kempten want to partner regional
small and medium-sized business and are committed to enhanced
knowledge and technology transfer.” As a result, the Kempten
Technical College insists on exacting standards in terms of theory
and applied research and development. One clear illustration of this
is the organization of a teaching event focusing on punching and
bending technology which is intended to provide
participants with information about the most forwardlooking production processes.
One important point is that the students in the
laboratories must be able to learn at state-of-the-art
technological systems. Bihler has therefore made its
most recent RM 40K punching/bending machine
available to Kempten Technical College free of charge.
This manufacturing solution includes the B 5000
resistance welding system, the D1 welding head and the
complete tool set required to manufacture a contact
bridge. The RM 40K embodies the innovative
developments that characterize modern Bihler
technology such as the new user-friendly VariControl
VC1-E controller with its 15” touch screen, rapid tool
changing system and integrated noise protection and
personal safety mechanisms.
This intensive, long-term, trust-based partnership
between the Technical College and industry contributes
to the high-quality training of the students and, most
importantly of all, is precisely tailored to meet today’s requirements
– because, more than ever, Bihler knows the importance of finding
highly qualified employees. In this way, Bihler is supporting pupils
and students who have decided to train as technicians or engineers
by offering internships and commissioning dissertations. 
www.fh-kempten.de
Trade fairs 2007/2008
INTEC
Coimbatore, India
01. – 06.02.2008
Techni-Show
Utrecht, Netherlands
11. – 15.03.2008
WIRE
Düsseldorf, Germany
31.03. – 04.04.2008
SIMTOS
Seoul, Korea
08. – 13.04.2008
Mach-Tool
Poznan, Poland
09. – 12.06.2008
MSV
Brno, Czech Republic
15.–19.09.2008
MOTEK
Stuttgart, Germany
22. – 25.09.2008
MICRONORA
Besancon, France
23.–26.09.2008
BI-MU
Milan, Italy
03. – 07.10.2008
EuroBLECH
Hanover, Germany
21.–25.10.2008
Mathias Bihler (center) hands over the RM
40K punching/bending machine to Professor
Christian Donhauser (left) and workshop
supervisor Josef Driendl of the Kempten
Technical College.
Imprint
Bihler transfer – the Otto Bihler Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG magazine for customers, prospective customers and employees.
Responsible: Pedro Gató Lopez, Otto Bihler Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Lechbrucker Strasse 15, D-87642 Halblech,
Tel. +49(0)8368/18-0, Fax -105, www.bihler.de, [email protected]
Editorial and printing services: mk Fachverlag für Kundenmagazine GmbH, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-86156 Augsburg,
Tel. +49(0)821/34457-0, Fax -19, [email protected]
Photo credits: Bihler, Bidunion/Martina Hedtmann, B. Braun, Dietmar Köhlbichler, panthermedia.net, Siemens, Stahl-Zentrum,
ThyssenKrupp Steel AG, privately
MEET YOUR CHALLENGES WITH BIHLER
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Don‘t take any chances. When you are confronted with
new challenges, Bihler is the expert partner you can rely
on. Working together, we will find the best solution for your
precise needs. Bihler technology will make your ambitions
a reality. That is what the new GRM 80P punching/bending
machine can do. This powerful, high-performance unit offers overwhelming advantages: top Bihler quality and immense productivity for a huge range of applications - from
the most delicate of components through to complex assemblies.
Challenge us by relying on „Made by Bihler“ technology.
Because your economic success is our ambition.
Otto Bihler Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.KG Lechbrucker Str. 15
D-87642 Halblech | Tel. +49-8368/18-0 | Fax: +49-8368/18-105
[email protected] | www.bihler.de