Founded in 2005 by Markus Schenk, MS Feinmechanik GmbH, based in the Bavarian town of Unterammergau, is a medium-sized high-tech company that prides itself on its high precision, flawless quality, flexibility and forward-looking character. It employs 8 skilled professionals. "Thanks to our modern, highly automated machinery, we are able to meet all our customers' requirements quickly and efficiently. We are committed to exceptional quality and meeting tight delivery deadlines. Many would say that this should be standard, but we all know that's not the case!", explains Markus Schenk, Founder and Managing Director of MS Feinmechanik.

The company focuses its core technological expertise in machine milling operations. "It goes without saying that CNC 5-axis milling is center stage and forms our core competency, but this is also supplemented by 3-axis and 4-axis capability. We precision mill all machinable materials such as high-temperature steel, brass, aluminum or plastic, and we also have an in-house CAD/CAM department. Our customers come mainly from the mechanical engineering, toolmaking and plant engineering sectors, medical technology and the aviation industry," Schenk defines his business segment.

Constantly growing technical demands

Recent years have seen not only a dramatic increase in the volume of machined parts but also increasingly stricter requirements placed on precision and final product quality. Particularly in the area of 5-axis milling of machine and tool components, the company faces constant pressure to make modifications and changes leading towards higher production quality and accuracy. To keep on top of these growing requirements, MS Feinmechanik has taken the strategy of continuous investment into industry-leading machinery, tools, measuring equipment, etc. "As a contract manufacturer in the area of machining, we are required to produce quickly and economically at all times. For me, meticulous attention to detail and quality always takes priority. In order to manufacture high-precision components, the entire system must function flawlessly, with no weak spots. In other words, the machine, the clamping system, the spindle, the tool holder, and the tool itself - all have to merge into a perfectly tuned holistic system that outputs the finest high-precision components possible," Schenk delves deeper.

In order to achieve this exceptional level of component quality, MS Feinmechanik has implemented 5-axis Matsuura machining centers utilizing BIG-PLUS spindles. "I was simply not satisfied with the industry standard machinery used for high-precision machining, so I went with the Japanese machine manufacturer Matsuura from the very beginning. Not only do these machines meet the highest quality standards and provide outstanding milling characteristics, but they already come with the BIG-PLUS spindle as standard, which, in my opinion, is a key prerequisite for machining high-precision components in today's highly competitive business landscape," Schenk remarks.

BIG-PLUS - the quintessential double contact spindle system

The BIG-PLUS spindle system is a defining invention of Big DAISHOWA SEIKI Ltd. This spindle system is characterized by its extremely stable contact interface between the machine spindle and the tool holder. This extreme coupling strength is achieved through an ingenious simultaneous taper and face contact of the tool holder when inside the machine spindle. Conversely, on a conventional steep taper coupling interface, the taper base forms the strongest possible connection point. Whilst in contrast, the BIG-PLUS tool holder provides additional support and rests against the flange itself, which substantially increases the rigidity and stability of the connection.

"BIG-PLUS is, in my view, far superior to the other spindle designs available on the market today because it is the only one that offers simultaneous taper and flange contact between the machine spindle and toolholder. This rock-solid double-contact connection between the machine and the tool makes it particularly robust, reliable, and its proven vibration damping and rigidity noticeably improve machining accuracy and production repeatability. It thus facilitates heavy machining and high-speed machining while also increasing tool life," says Alexander Hartl, application engineer at BIG DAISHOWA and the first point of contact at MS Feinmechanik for expert advice on tool holders and machining tools. "We use BIG-PLUS for high-performance machining and finish machining applications, where accuracy is the primary requirement. Simply put, with the our BIG-PLUS spindle, we are vastly more accurate and eliminate undesirable length fluctuations," notes Markus Schenk, and

Alexander Hartl adds, "When a standard industrial spindle is placed under a prolonged load, it tends to expand and the taper is drawn into the spindle. We once carried out just such a test at a customer's site, where the spindle ran continuously for six hours and ended up with a change in Z of 0.02mm. That simply does not happen with a BIG-PLUS spindle; not to mention its higher concentricity, superior rigidity and vibration damping characteristics."

Convincing concentricity and quality

Speaking of concentricity. Depending on the BIG-PLUS holder application area, MS Feinmechanik utilizes a wide variety of clamping technologies, such as various collet systems, power chucks, as well as hydraulic expansion chucks from BIG DAISHOWA. "Choosing the right tool holder has a deciding impact on the final lifetime of the tool and, of course, on the quality of the final product. For example, the hydraulic expansion chuck from BIG DAISHOWA is used for a finishing cutter with dimensions: 16 mm diameter and 80 mm cutting edge length. We mill stainless steel parts with this chuck and you can see a visible difference both in terms of smooth operation and surface quality," says Schenk.

In general, to remain at the forefront of technology, MS Feinmechanik is very fond of trial and error, and tinkering techniques that it applies to squeeze every last drop of potential performance out of its tools and machinery. "Mr. Schenk always keeps an open mind with regard to new tools, tool holders and advanced technologies. We both have application engineering backgrounds and exchange ideas freely in an attempt to always identify the optimal solution for the respective application," says Hartl, and Schenk notes, "Currently, we're using two spindle tools from BIG KAISER. Mr. Hartl suggested both of them to me and gave them to me for testing. To be honest, I was a little skeptical at first, but after the test run I have to say that we actually achieved over double the tool life with a tight fit in stainless steel, a superior surface quality, and also much faster operation."

Torque Fit - work has never been easier!

"When I initially stressed the fact that you can only achieve optimal precision with a complete, finely-tuned production package, then another product from BIG DAISHOWA also comes to mind: the Torque Fit. This is a tool that facilitates the precise tightening of various collet holders and greatly simplifies our work," remarks Schenk. The Torque Fit is a tool assembly station for collet holders with a built-in torque measuring device. To further enhance its ease of use, all torque values for BIG DAISHOWA's wide variety of collet holders are preset and an LED indicator on the Torque Fit warns of over-tightening. "The Torque Fit makes a relatively modest but significant contribution to ensuring that the highest precision is achieved quickly, easily, and consistently, under real-world working conditions. The machine operator places the tool into the Torque Fit and immediately sees on the display the force with which he must tighten the clamping nut. This prevents errors and damage to the collet caused by overtightening, and the operator needs only a single device instead of several torque wrenches for the complete range of tool holders," says Hartl.

Conclusion

"We are, or rather, we represent only a small part of the entire production chain. But when I walk through the production hall and see our BIG-PLUS system in action or see an application engineer adjusting a BIG KAISER tool, I am of course very pleased," says Alexander Hartl with a smile, and Markus Schenk concludes, "Our cooperation with BIG DAISHOWA is exactly what any entrepreneur could wish for. Their contact person is on top of his game, his advice is spot on and the quality of the tool systems is second to none. As they say in Bavaria: "If it fits, it fits".