EMO 2017: High-precision and cost-effective marking from Hommel+Keller

Photo by Hommel+Keller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH

To set themselves apart from the competition and highlight the premium nature of their product, few industries attach as much importance to packaging as the luxury food and drink industry. One manufacturer was looking for a cost-effective, high-precision solution for lettering a cork ring as a way of lending the bottle an attractive piece of detail that could prove decisive in a customer’s decision to buy the product. The manufacturer found the solution in the form of zeus marking tool 131 and a customized marking roll, ideally designed by Hommel+Keller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH for this application.

When it comes to food and drink, a full-bodied taste and attractive aroma are key purchasing criteria for customers. But the first impression shouldnt get undereistimated . Demanding consumers look at the whole picture, which includes the look and feel of the packaging. After all, a high-quality exterior is associated with a unique taste sensation. Even the tiniest of details can make that all-important difference. The quality of a cork ring – a simple device that stops the cork from slipping too far down into the bottle – is instantly enhanced through the addition of unique lettering. Transforming an ordinary metal band into an unmistakeable, distinguishing feature and “trademark”. High-quality workmanship, precise and clear lettering and a consistent typeface are prerequisites for this attractive effect. With its revolving marking technology, Hommel+Keller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH had the perfect solution.

“The task was to emboss lettering, completely uniform in appearance, onto the 22-mm-diameter metal ring. The focus was as much on consistently high quality and precision as on the economical and simple machining of these mass-produced parts. In combination with marking roll 40, zeus marking tool 131 is perfect for this task,” says Reinhold Dreher, application engineer at Hommel+Keller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH.

A marriage of precision and economy
The tool really shows off its strengths when lettering large and medium production volumes with identical text. The marking roll is rolled evenly over the part being produced, which makes sure a high process reliability, uniform lettering with a high degree of dimensional accuracy and 100% reproducibility. And what’s more, all different kinds of lettering types are possible.

The zeus tool performs its task not just cost-effectively, but also with precision. Carbide running pins enables high speeds and, in turn, short machining times. And unlike with, for example, needle embossing, the marking tools from Hommel+Keller Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH can be seamlessly integrated in the production process. The zeus marking tool 131 can be used on all standard machine types, in particular on short and universal turning lathes, turning/milling centres and multi-spindle turning machines. Reinhold Dreher: “This means an end to manual retooling on separate machines; the part can be marked in a complementary step of the machining process in one machine.”

In addition, the tool is extremely easy to handle: the marking roll can be exchanged in just a few quick and easy moves. That means that the tool can be used universally for different lettering tasks.

Customized marking roll
The marking roll containing the custom text must be precisely matched to the application, which means that it is specifically prepared. For the cork ring, the 17 characters – each with a height of 1.5 mm – had to be embossed with uniform spacing. To make it highly resistant to wear and thus suitable for the demands of high-volume production, the marking roll was made from cold-work steel and specially surface-hardened. As is normally the case in revolving marking procedures, the tool achieves the required embossing depth of 0.3 mm through multiple continuous rotations of the marking roll.

“Since the size of the marking roll depends on the diameter of the component and the marking roll is constantly engaged with the component during the entire embossing process, exact concentricity and minimal tolerances (+/- 0.025 mm) in the component diameter are essential for consistent high-precision machining and the clarity of the lettering,” says Reinhold Dreher.

For more information visit: www.zeus-tooling.de

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