Feintool - Glossary

Industry and company terms and abbreviations, from A to Z

made simple and understandable

A

Assembly automation

Automated manufacturing systems used in mass production; those made by Feintool appear on the market under the IMA brand

Automation

In our context, this refers to systems and components used to automate industrial assembly processes

B

BRIC states

Abbreviation for the new growth markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China

D

Dual-clutch transmissions

Automatic gearbox that uses two clutches to enable fully automatic gear changing without interrupting the flow of power

E

EuroBLECH

The most important specialist trade fair worldwide for all products and services related to sheet metal, held in Hanover, Germany

F

Fineblanking

A manufacturing process involving chipless separation and, as an option, simultaneous forming of metal

Fineblanking oil

Liquid with special lubricating and cooling properties that has a positive influence on the part and the active elements of the tool during the blanking/forming process

Forming

Umbrella term for the manufacturing process in which metals – as well as thermoplastics such as PTFE – are made into specific different shapes

Fraunhofer Institute

The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology and Automation in Stuttgart is a renowned research institute, and one of only a small number of facilities in Europe with a class 1 cleanroom (in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14644-1), which is used for carrying out measurements to establish the cleanroom classification of IMA Automation facilities.

H

HFAspeed

Hydraulic fineblanking press with greatly increased press stroke rate

Handling module

Handling equipment, sometimes termed a handling system; device used in automation and drive technology to manage the flow of material from or to a working point.

HPP-25

Advanced process controller with touchscreen for improved control of riveting processes using BalTec riveting machines

Stroke rate

The number of strokes completed by a fineblanking press in one minute

I

IMA

Industrie Maschinenbau Amberg (now IMA Automation) – brand name of the Automation Systems business unit, which manufactures assembly automation systems; main site in Amberg, Germany, with branch locations in Berlin, Germany and Aarberg, Switzerland

M

meditec

Automation facility produced by IMA Automation for manufacturing medical technology products; certified to Fraunhofer Class 6 cleanroom standards

MFA

Mechanical fineblanking press – press in which the cutting force is produced mechanically

modu stringer

Automated assembly system produced by IMA Automation for fabricating solar cells; it utilizes thin solder ribbon to interconnect solar cells to form solar modules configured in rows

Assembly automation

Automated manufacturing systems used in mass production; those made by Feintool appear on the market under the IMA brand

P

Promera Jena/Ettlingen

Production locations based in Jena and Ettlingen, Germany, for fineblanked parts; organizationally attached to the Feintool System Parts segment

S

Schmid

Heinrich Schmid Maschinen- und Werkzeugbau AG in Jona, Switzerland – producers of fineblanking and orbital presses, and part of the Feintool Group since 1999

Schuler/SMG

Leading systems supplier to the forming technology industry; builds hydraulic fineblanking presses for Feintool

Simulation

Experimental analysis of fineblanking processes and automation technologies using complex software

SWISSTEC

Name given to the joint market presence of several Swiss companies in China

T

Technology Centre

Feintool facility at which the entire fineblanking process takes place, from research & development and engineering to tool production, testing and approval

U

Forming

Umbrella term for the manufacturing process in which metals – as well as thermoplastics such as PTFE – are made into specific different shapes