Making the impossible possible

When German manufacturer, Carbon-Werke required a solution for producing workpieces with large cut-outs, smooth surfaces and many small drill holes, it turned to Biesse and its Primus waterjet cutting system.

Carbon-Werke says it is renowned for its high-quality carbon fibre products for a wide range of industries. Some customer requests seem simple but are difficult to realise, like producing workpieces with a large cut-out, smooth surfaces and many small drill holes. Biesse helped develop a fast and effective solution for this exacting challenge. Carbon-Werke now operates three Biesse Primus waterjet cutting machines.

Founded in the early 1980s, Carbon-Werke Weissgerber now has more than 20 employees. Over the course of more than four decades, the company has grown from a supplier into a highly specialised high-tech manufacturer of carbon fibre products. The company offers carbon panel and tube production, as well as solutions and manufacturing technology for various industries including mechanical engineering, aerospace, automotive and medical. Carbon-Werke also fosters close relations with colleges, universities and research institutions to ensure know-how transfer to future generations and to stay on top of the latest scientific advances.

The company’s head of development, Franz Weissgerber has a wealth of experience in the production of carbon fibre components and their applications. His belief is to try to make the impossible possible for his company's customers.

“In addition to our standard products, we manufacture parts for high-precision systems that require higher accuracy and low thermal expansion,” he explains. “Therefore, we rely on optimal equipment for our production.”

Biesse’s Primus waterjet cutting machine was a great asset when a customer presented the carbon fibre specialists with a specific request: to manufacture a high-quality component with a curved surface and some additional features. This sounds deceptively simple, but required a very fast and effective production process. Weissgerber contacted Biesse and together they solved the task in a short time to the satisfaction of all involved. That was 13 years ago. Since then, an intensive collaboration has developed.

“Biesse has a high level of expertise in modern materials and much experience in the processing of a wide range of materials,” states Weissgerber. “The required production steps were mapped with one of their 5-axis Primus waterjet cutting machines, and ever since then, we have been in close contact. That both partners appreciate the cooperation is confirmed by Andreas Lohse, director technology applications and product manager for the wood, stone, glass and advanced materials divisions at Biesse. He has been working with Carbon-Werke from the very first enquiry.

“The most valuable part of this intensive partnership is that both parties grow with it,” he explains. “We have enhanced our machines based on feedback from Carbon-Werke. Our joint experience has directly influenced the design and revision of the following Primus generations.”

Future-proof technology

All Biesse customers benefit from the experience gained: Primus, with its waterjet system, has been specially designed to meet the needs of companies that require versatility in the processing of plastics, composites, non-metallic alloys, titanium, aluminium and other metals and is ideal for cutting various shapes, no matter how complex – precisely and with high-quality, clean edges.

The Primus range cutting system can be configured with maximum flexibility thanks to the fully interpolating 5-axis cutting head employing the patented Biesse system with an endless rotating C axis.

Carbon-Werke is successful – so successful that the production and the shopfloor will have to be expanded. At the heart of the planned extension is a new, 12m-long waterjet cutting machine. Of course, it will be a Primus from Biesse.

“The series’ noted advantages, such as light weight and high rigidity have been even further enhanced in the new generation,” concludes Weissgerber, looking forward to future tasks. “Along with the three Primus models that have been reliably serving us for years, we will have higher capacities – and we will be able to create far more complex objects.”

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