KUKA case study \ Automotive suppliers \

SEMATEK GmbH

Surface processing with a

KR QUANTEC and KUKA.CNC

With KUKA.CNC software, SEMATEK GmbH

breaks new ground in surface processing.
Since 2007, SEMATEK GmbH, located in Seeg in the Allgu region, has been
developing innovative and complete engineering solutions for modern
manufacturing companies in need of manufacturing processes for new products
and wanting to optimize or continue developing existing processes. The company
has always stood for lowering costs and increasing production output.
Company/partner
SEMATEK GmbH
Application

Surface treatment
Product

KR QUANTEC
High payload (100240 kg)
Industry sector

Metal products, automotive

suppliers and others

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KUKA Roboter GmbH
Hery-Park 3000, 86368 Gersthofen, Germany, Phone: +49 821 4533-0, www.kuka-robotics.com

KUKA case study \ Automotive suppliers \

SEMATEK GmbH

Starting point / Task definition:

The smoothing or finishing of milled dies and molds such as deep drawing dies
for body components, inlay molds for components made of composite materials
or injection molds for plastic components is today still largely carried out by hand.
Even at other companies with high levels of automation in production, polishing
larger free-form surfaces can take up to 20 man-days. In the development of a new
technology for surface processing, the emphasis was placed on making the process
as flexible, precise, reliable and cost-effective as possible. The goal here was
to transform metallic surfaces into high-quality functional surfaces through automation. This is now possible through the Machine Hammer Peening application;
a hammering process in which the surface of the workpiece is smoothed out.
In order to automate the machining of complex workpiece surfaces with this
process, SEMATEK turns to a KUKA robot with KUKA.CNC software.

Implementation / Solution:
On the flange of the KR QUANTEC series KUKA robot there is a pneumatically
operated tool with a linearly oscillating hammer head (FORGEfix from
3S-engineering GmbH) for the machining of the surface. Once the robot has
measured the workpiece, the robot guides the hammer head over the surface
along the hammer peening path using KUKA.CNC software. In doing so,
the milling peaks are pressed down into the milling grooves. The sphere diameter,
feed rate, path distance, feed motion angle as well as pitch angle between the
hammer stroke and the surface must be selected and set to suit the process.
SEMATEK uses a 5D measurement system from LEONI GmbH to measure the
processing head. Besides measuring the Tool Center Point (TCP), this procedure
primarily ensures that the tool orientation is calibrated as precisely as possible.
The tool orientation is a particularly important factor for the processing of 5-axis
CNC programs so as to achieve the highest possible process accuracy.
Video: KUKA automation solution for SEMATEK GmbH

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KUKA Roboter GmbH
Hery-Park 3000, 86368 Gersthofen, Germany, Phone: +49 821 4533-0, www.kuka-robotics.com

Controllers
KR C4 (robot controller)
KUKA smartPAD

KUKA case study \ Automotive suppliers \

SEMATEK GmbH

System components:
The KUKA KR 240 R2900 stands out for its reach and flexibility. For components requiring a 5-axis machining strategy, the use
of the robot presents a clear cost advantage. To simplify setup and programming of the robot, KUKA has implemented a
complete CNC kernel on the controller and developed the KUKA.CNC software package. This software allows programming of
the robot motion to be carried out completely in G-code (DIN 66025). Programs can thus be created via the CAD/CAM process
chain and used on the controller without further conversion into a special robot program (compilation into the robot language).
This has the added advantage that CNC functions, such as tool radius correction and sister tools, can be used without difficulty.
SEMATEK supplements the process chain with a simulation module which also ensures that the overall system is accessible and
not at risk for a collision. In this manner, the robot can be used as a full-fledged CNC machine. It can also take advantage of
path performance which has been improved further and allows for uniform machining over the entire component.

Results / Benefits:
The hammer peening not only smooths the milled surface, but it also
strain-hardens it and optimizes the distribution of residual stress. The surface
becomes uniform and reproducible. The hammer peening process enables a
surface roughness of Ra smaller than 0.1 m that would not be possible through
milling alone. Thanks to strain-hardening, the surface hardness can be increased
by up to 30 percent depending on the material being machined. As a result,
additional surface finishing may be completely omitted in some cases.
But above all, the automated hammer peening process eliminates manual grinding and polishing activities. The time for the finishing and, thus, for the overall
manufacturing process is significantly shortened, above all due to the reduced
finish-machining requirements. Using the KUKA robot, even complex free-form
surfaces can be machined. It is often possible to machine the complete
component here thus eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming
reclamping. Thanks to extremely precise path planning, the robot can also move
at high velocities with minimal overlap. This ensures maximum results in a
minimum amount of time.

Find out more about pioneering robotics:

+ 49 821-4533-0, www.kuka-robotics.com
Here you can find your Sales contact:
www.kuka-robotics.com/en/sales/sales_regions
Find out more:
Further links
More about KUKA automation in the automotive supply industry
Download the High payloads product brochure

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KUKA Roboter GmbH
Hery-Park 3000, 86368 Gersthofen, Germany, Phone: +49 821 4533-0, www.kuka-robotics.com