Working Group Fineblanking (AKF) sets roadmap for next year
Focus on the application of structure-borne sound in fine blanking in the coming research period
On September 3 and 4, 2019, 47 guests from the fine blanking industry met in Aachen for the annual meeting of the fine blanking industry working group (AKF), which was founded in 2016. The working group, consisting of 35 full members from Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada and Spain, forms together with the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University the first research community on the subject of fine blanking.
The two-day annual general meeting was opened with a tribute to Franz Jurt, Feintool AG, who was honored for his achievements in the fine blanking working group and in cooperation with the WZL. After an eventful year, the research results from the fine blanking with carbide project, the application of structure-borne noise for wear detection and the study of new innovative materials for fine blanking were presented and discussed. The first day was rounded off by guest lectures on current research highlights of the Cluster of Excellence "Internet of Production", data-based methods for increasing product and process quality and the Center "Fuel Cell Industrialization (FCI) - Enabling Hydrogen Economy".
With the newly developed tool for fine blanking with carbide and the results for structure-borne sound detection of punch wear, we have taken a big step forward in the roadmap for the fine blanking working group. In the coming research period, we will therefore intensify our activities in the application of structure-borne noise in fine cutting.
Dr.-Ing. Andreas Feuerhack, head of industrial research and fine blanking working group
In the following year, the topics "Fine blanking of innovative materials", "Fine blanking with carbide" and a study on "Sociopolitical developments and their impact on the fine blanking industry" will be developed jointly. The annual research program of the industrial working group is based on the various needs of the members.
A homogeneous composition of large companies and SMEs forms the cross-industry network. The merger of experts in the field of precision cutting technology and the expertise of companies from the fields of tool technology, lubricant technology, materials technology and plant engineering creates an excellent basis for demanding joint research. The aim of the industrial working group will be to generate a technological lead through the targeted processing of relevant research projects in order to provide members with a sustainable competitive advantage. The industrial working group is also an active knowledge hub for the lively exchange of experience between users, fine blanking producers, tool, material and lubricant manufacturers. By bringing together the various specialist expertise, the technologically complex interactions in fine blanking can be researched and discussed at the highest level. This enables well-founded scientific research under industrial conditions.