Last updated: 05/11/2016

Rising to the challenge
Weingärtner multi product machining Center mpmc for turbine shafts withtools from Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT
The task was demanding, the time-frame challenging: Weingärtner Maschinenbau, based in
Kirchham in Upper Austria, scaled up the concept of its mpmc 1200 machining centre for anAmerican power engineering group. The resulting mpmc 2000S is able to completely machine
work pieces weighing up to 60 tonnes. A decisive contribution to this success story was made by
the top-class brand Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT. The carbide experts from Reutte, Austria,
delivered the overall machining concept, including all the important tools. As well as achieving
maximum machining quality, the machining time for the giant turbine shaft – which is used in gas
or vapour turbine power plants – has been reduced by two thirds compared to the time previously
required for this process.
A flying start
When the first meeting with the American customer was arranged with Weingärtner at EMO in
September 2013, the company had already done two years of research to find a convincing
concept for complete machining of these turbine shafts featuring an innovative component
geometry. One of the big challenges was that the turning diameter of the component is up to twometres. "Until now, the work piece weight between chuck and tailstock was limited to a maximumof 30 tonnes. We had already thought about how we could scale up our mpmc 1200 machining
centre to accommodate larger turning diameters and heavier work pieces. In this respect we werea step ahead of our competitors," says Werner Pommer from the engineering and sales
department at Weingärtner Maschinenbau. This innovative approach paid off. Weingärtner
received the order to deliver the machine for processing the turbine shaft destined for use in agas turbine power plant. From the contract being awarded to the delivery of the machine,
Weingärtner had only 20 months time. The situation was made all the more challenging by thefact that there was only one high tensile steel blank worth 200,000 dollars available to make theprototype.

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ckFinding a strong partner
A decisive success factor for optimal utilisation of the machine's potential are the tools applied forthis purpose. Therefore, Weingärtner did not take the choice of its supplier lightly. First of all, six
potential suppliers were invited to carry out simple milling tests. The results were evaluated using
a matrix with the most important criteria for selection. In the second phase of the evaluation
process, two of the preselected suppliers produced special tools which were tested in-house on
the mpmc 1200, which has an identical machining concept. "Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT
convinced us in terms of productivity, process security and dimensional accuracy," says Pommer.
"For the milling tests we used the SILVERSTARTM from the new grade universe. We were very
confident that we would obtain outstanding results using grade CTPP235 for this material group,"
continues Peter Uttenthaler, sales area manager for North and South America from Cutting
Solutions by CERATIZIT.
By December 2014, Weingärtner had found its partner for developing and delivering the toolingconcept: Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT. The most important tools are

the high feed milling cutters with the new SILVERSTARTM CTPP235 grade as a cutting
material,

the extremely precise solid carbide profile milling cutters with multiple cutting edges forthe finish milling of the dovetail grooves,the MaxiDrill 900 insert drill for particularly deep holes with a diameter of up to 70 mm and

the HX parting and grooving system for large parting and grooving widths with maximum
stability.

Each of these tools contributes to the excellent economic efficiency of the overall process. Alfred
Hofegger, head of OEM services at the top-class brand Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT, whowas in charge as project leader and technical counsellor right from the start, points out that themilling concept ensures very high productivity and thus short machining times. Furthermore, thesolid carbide profile milling cutters convinced thanks to their excellent tool life and perfectdimensional accuracy. The HX parting and grooving system also features very good chip control
combined with relatively low cutting forces. "You can say that in this machining centre we apply
tools which satisfy maximum demands but altogether cost less than the tools used until now forsimilar tasks," says Pommer.

Wibo – Kreative Impulse

page 2 of 6ckAvailable at any timeThanks to its individual logistics concept, the top-class brand Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT
ensures 100 % availability of all tools at any time. This was part of the project and an importantcriterion for the customer with regard to the choice of the tool supplier. A rolling forecast
guarantees that the customer's tool requirements can be calculated in advance. CERATIZIT
benefits from the fact that the company has its own logistics centre in Kempten, Germany, andalso a U.S. subsidiary, both important elements in the logistics concept developed. "It was also
considered a positive fact that we were able to organise the regrinding of the tools through ouraffiliate Promax Tools, a Californian manufacturer of solid carbide tools, directly in the U.S.,"
explains Peter Uttenthaler. According to Weingärtner another advantage and evidence of theextreme commitment of everybody involved was that the American CERATIZIT employee
responsible for the project spent two weeks in Kirchham in order to become acquainted with thecomponent, the tools which are used and the machining parameters.
A strong team
"What we have achieved here is the result of a great team performance," says Uttenthaler. Heunderlines that both parties could always rely on each other in every single phase of thisdemanding project. Werner Pommer: "The task was extremely demanding considering the tighttime-frame we had been given. We broke it down into individual work packages and planned andworked through each one step by step. Creativity backed up by engineering was vital." In hisopinion, Alfred Hofegger was one of the key players in this project thanks to his excellent
technical advice throughout the project. Both sides are proud of the fact that the result ultimately
has even exceeded the expectations. The overall machining time including tool changes is onlyaround 130 hours. Originally the goal was to reduce the machining costs by half. In fact, they
were reduced by two thirds. Dominik Weingärtner, vice-president of the family-owned company,
is also delighted that Weingärtner and CERATIZIT, both of them Austrian companies with anextremely high share of exports, were able to demonstrate that together they are strong partners
for demanding customers all around the world. He can well imagine taking on further projects withthe partners from Reutte, Austria and admits: "Culturally speaking it makes things easier when
two Austrians communicate with each other. We can really be proud of the technology from ourregion." It seems very likely that we will be hearing more from the team Weingärtner and Cutting
Solutions by CERATIZIT.

Technical data

Wibo – Kreative Impulse

page 3 of 6ckmpmc 2000S – 7000 (Weingärtner Maschinenbau)
Swing diameter over bed and carriage:
2mMax. turning length (incl. 1 m front machining)
7m
Max. work piece weight:
60 t
Main spindle:
72 kW / holding torque moment B-axis clamping 20,000 Nm
Turn-milling head:
72 kW / 3,000 min-1 / 1,950 Nm
High speed milling head:
25 kW / 6,000 min-1 / 200 Nm

Tooling concept and cutting materials from Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT
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
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Highly productive high feed milling cutters with SILVERSTARTM CTPP235
Finish milling with BLACKSTARTM CTCP230
Finish milling with solid carbide profile milling cutters with SCPP240 (submicron carbidewith a PVD coating and special surface treatment)
Drilling with MaxiDrill 900, provided with SILVERSTARTM CTPP430
Turning and grooving with COLORSTARTM CTCP125

Selection of images and text under pictures:mpmc 2000S, the giant among the Weingärtner machining centres, is suitable for work pieces
with a diameter of up to two metres and a weight of up to 60 tonnes.

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Klaus Geissler, sales manager for machine tools at Weingärtner Maschinenbau, and Peter
Uttenthaler, sales area manager for North and South America at the top-class brand Cutting
Solutions by CERATIZIT, together with Werner Pommer from the engineering and sales
department at Weingärtner Maschinenbau and Dominik Weingärtner, vice-president of
Weingärtner Maschinenbau are proud of a great team performance.

In every turbine shaft the dovetail grooves ensure precise positioning of the guide blades. Themilling cutters are a joint development of Weingärtner Maschinenbau and the top-class brandCutting Solutions by CERATIZIT.

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For parting and grooving operations the HX system with its cartridge construction and vibrationdamped deep grooving blade from Cutting Solutions by CERATIZIT is applied. The specificsystem comes from heavy machining and is characterised by extremely good chip control andsmall cutting forces.

Pictures: CERATIZIT

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