Using the Wire EDM technology and Fikus CAM
Schuchard & Pollmeier GmbH manufactures high precision metal parts
As a high-performance and reliable partner in the field of wire EDM, grinding and water cutting, Schuchard&Pollmeier offers the services you need for your products.
The company Schuchard & Pollmeier GbR was founded in 1985 by the toolmakers Karl-Heinz Schuchard and Ferdinand Pollmeier in Germany. The first headquarters was on the Holter road in Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock, Germany, where after two years, the premises were fully utilized. So, the move of the company at the Lüchtenstraße was in 1987.
Facilities
Reliable partner in metal processing
Three years later Schuchard & Pollmeier GmbH was founded from the previous company. Now, the course for the future was made and the first employees were hired. In the other years, the premises were extended three times and the number of employees increased to eight. In August 2001 it was the first ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of an own operations building which was completed in the summer of 2002. The number of employees continued to increase to 10.
Schuchard & Pollmeier GmbH is a specialist in the Wire EDM technology serving other companies that need a high-performance and reliable partner. It is not therefore a surprise that the company chose and has been using Fikus Visualcam since 2004.
In order to meet the ever-increasing quality requirements, a quality management system based on the DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 was introduced in 2004 and successfully certified in early 2005 by TÜV-Nord.
The company is now known beyond the borders of eastern Westphaliaas a reliable partner in metal processing and serves satisfied customers at home and abroad The core business comprises EDM since the foundation and since 1998 surface grinding as well. The typical parts being produced are those for Tool Making (molds, dies and extrusion parts) for the Plastic, Automobile and Aircraft industries.
Karl-Heinz Schuchard and Ferdinand Pollmeier
Complete set of machines
Schuchard & Pollmeier owns and uses a complete set of machines following the philosophy "for every job, the right machine":
- Charmilles Robofil 440cc (30° konik bei 400 mm Höhe, Wasserbad)
- Charmilles Robofil 330F (30° konik bei 400 mm Höhe, Wasserbad)
- Charmilles Robofil 6020 SI (U/V = ±50 mm, Wasserbad)
- Charmilles Robofil 6020 (U/V = ±50 mm, Wasserbad)
- Charmilles Robofil 4000 (U/V = ±50 mm, Wasserbad)
- Fanuc TapeCut W4 (Verfahrweg X 600 / Y 1000 mm, koaxial gespühlt)
- Fanuc TapeCut Mate (koaxial gespühlt)
- Fanuc TapeCut M (koaxial gespühlt)
- Heun/Abacus Startlochbohrmaschine APos 600 CNC
To program the machines, Schuchard & Pollmeier uses three licenses of Fikus Visualcam for Wire EDM with dedicated postprocessors for every machine. The first license was purchased in 2004 and the last one in 2010. Fikus Visualcam for Wire EDM produces 2- to 4-axis toolpaths quickly and accurately for all types and ages of Wire EDM machines, what is very useful for Schuchard & Pollmeier, having to deal with different brands and models of Wire EDM machines.
Partial view of the shop floor
Machine working
Taking advantage from Fikus Visualcam
Sometimes, the part geometry needs to be modified "in the middle" of the process. This can be done easily within the Fikus Visualcam environment. The Fikus Visualcam CAD module enables users to create and modify geometry efficiently for the machine by using segments and arcs.
According to Dirk Schuchard, Managing Director of the company, "the usability and functionality are fully developed, making the programming of complex jobs an easy and quick task". And adds, "The synchronization of the two contours (XY/UV) in extrusion parts is also very easy with Fikus."
Fikus Visualcam is able to read geometric data from other CAD/CAM systems in native format or standard interchange formats. Schuchard & Pollmeier also uses ME10 for CAD 2D and Cimatron E for CAD 3D. Fikus Visualcam allows the interchange of data with these softwares through DXF, IGES, DWG, STEP, PARASOLID and, particularly with Cimatron, through a special interchange format "Cimatron to Fikus".
Some parts produced
Fikus improves the machining capabilities
Being a specialist in Wire EDM and used to optimize the machine programming, Herr Schuchard tells about the Fikus postprocessors: "The postprocessors are powerful and have been customized to our wishes."
Finally, Dirk Schuchard speaks about the service offered: "A quick and competent support is available for problems or questions."
Fikus Visualcam has been supplied by Cimatron GmbH, a Cimatron Ltd.subsidiary in Germany. Cimatron is a leading provider of integrated, CAD/CAM solutions for mold, tool and die makers as well as manufacturers of discrete parts.
Overall, Fikus Visualcam reduces Schuchard & Pollmeier programming time and finally improves the machining capabilities of the Wire EDM machines.
Schuchard & Pollmeier office
