Moving up into the Champions League of mould making

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GF Machining Solutions Mikron Agie Charmilles AG

Facilitating a significant increase in unmanned runtime

But the quality of the die-sinking EDM machines alone could not convince Lefo. As a solution provider, GF Machining Solutions offered the appropriate automation along with the pallet changer WPT 1+ by system 3R. This automation loads both the die-sinking EDM machines with electrodes. “This system facilitates a significant increase in the unmanned runtime, which is very important, particularly on weekends. We now achieve a kind of level of efficiency that we would not have dared to dream of earlier,“ adds Kieninger and immediately demonstrates on the machine how the robotic arm responds fully automatically to the withdrawal of an electrode. “Everything comes from a single source. We deliver not only the high-precision die-sinking EDM machines and wire-cut EDM machines, but also the automation, the software and the surveying technology. That is a distinguishing feature of GF Machining Solutions,“ explains Jud.

The managing director of Lefo agrees with him: “I am happy to confirm this fact. GF Machining Solutions covers everything and it is very nice to have a central and efficient contact person. Essentially, we still want a milling machine and a laser-texturising machine, then Lefo would dispose over the complete technology portfolio of GF Machining Solutions in terms of machinery.” Kieninger laughs: “One thing at a time. The latest investments were already a huge effort. My money’s growing healthily.”

Sure enough, since the acquisition by the MEKU group of companies in 2013, Lefo Formenbau has invested around €1.5m in remodelling the company – purchasing new machines, new windows and light sources on the ground floor, a new programming software, a server area and an ERP system for material management. This is a remarkable investment when considering the company’s annual turnover of around €5m.

Why were investments of this magnitude necessary in the first place? The company, founded in 1972 by Hugo Lehmann from Stockach, Germany, expanded continuously until the global player Mitsubishi took notice of the mould-making specialists and eventually bought it in 1992. The Japanese had been looking for a mould-maker for the then booming audio and video cassette business. With DVDs and MP3 players becoming more and more popular, the prospects for the medium-sized company took a turn for the worse by the end of nineties. Mitsubishi did not have a response to this disruptive innovative boost. The founder of the company resigned, and Lefo had to reinvent itself. The sale to the Roos & Kübler Group followed, where they remained until 2013. “At the time, Lefo was manufacturing high-quality tools and enjoyed a good reputation in the industry. However, it would have created an investment backlog. The production expenses were no longer in line with market conditions. And so, the new owners of Lefo decided to acquire new machinery,“ recalls Kieninger.

Lefo took great care when they chose the new machinery. Operations manager Markus Oexle, an employee of the company since 1982, developed an erosion-testing technique to ensure that the machines satisfied company requirements: “All EDM manufacturers obtained an identical steel workpiece from us, with identical electrodes and similar processing specifications. Then we checked the results with a self-programmed measuring program here on-site. The analysis made clear that there is no alternative to GF Machining Solutions.”

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