Kennametal Inc. completed the relocation of Kennametal Extrude Hone GmbH to its new location in Holzgünz, Germany, after a year of planning and construction. The new building combines several previously separate production and administrative sites in one new building, which is based on "green" design principles.
The inauguration and a Technology Days event took place May 6-8 and an employee family day was held May 10. During Technology Days, Guest speakers from industry and academia universities provided insights into market developments and new technologies while Kennametal experts answered questions on metal cutting and other topics.
The relocation merges two former locations of Kennametal Extrude Hone GmbH in nearby Erkheim and Babenhausen, Germany. Also, the former production unit of Kennametal Extrude Hone in Shannon, Ireland, has been transferred to the new location.
"The new site combines all functions of the previous locations, including state-of-the-art machine technology for the areas of AFM (abrasive flow machining), ECM (electro chemical machining), PECM (precise electrochemical machining) and TEM (thermal energy method—thermal deburring)," said Urs Hirsiger, managing director, Kennametal Extrude Hone Global, a subsidiary of Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, Pa. "The spatial arrangement of this newly built facility has been tailored to our own needs and enables an optimized process flow." Customers will benefit from shorter lead times, according to the company. The new site also houses the company's sales, finance and administration units.
Related Glossary Terms
- electrochemical machining ( ECM)
electrochemical machining ( ECM)
Operation in which electrical current flows between a workpiece and conductive tool through an electrolyte. Initiates a chemical reaction that dissolves metal from the workpiece at a controlled rate. Unlike with traditional cutting methods, workpiece hardness is not a factor, making ECM suitable for difficult-to-machine materials. Takes such forms as electrochemical grinding, electrochemical honing and electrochemical turning.
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