Precision mechanics and complete CNC machining of parts and assemblies up to 5 tonnes
Knoepfel AG
Walzenhausen (Gaismoos), SwitzerlandNew on Amplifa
About Knoepfel AG
Knoepfel AG is a Swiss supplier of precision mechanical parts and assemblies headquartered in the Gaismoos district of Walzenhausen in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. The company performs complete cubic and rotary CNC machining with 3- to 5-axis simultaneous technology, including turning and grinding options, on partially unstaffed automated machining centres with pallet storage systems. Its service portfolio covers engineering, blank part production, precision mechanical manufacturing, heat and surface treatment, laser engraving, assembly of complete units, and consulting. Parts up to 2.5 t are completely machined in an integrated manufacturing cell with a Fastems pallet storage system (40 machine pallets); on a travel-column machine, parts up to 5 t and 3000 mm in length are possible. In its own climate-controlled measuring and inspection centre, unstaffed 3D coordinate measurement is performed in a cleanroom with an accuracy of less than 0.001 mm. The components find buyers in mechanical engineering, industry, mobility, transport, automotive, rail vehicles, shipping, as well as aerospace and the defence sector. The entire company is certified to ISO 9001 and EN 9100.
- Site
- Walzenhausen AR
- Processes
- Complete CNC machining (cubic, 5-axis milling), Complete CNC machining (4-axis milling), Complete CNC machining incl. turning and grinding function, Complete CNC machining incl. turning on rotary table (travel column, 5-axis simultaneous), CNC turn-mill centre (rotary machining), CNC lathe, Laser engraving, 3D coordinate measurement (unstaffed, accuracy < 0.001 mm)
- Materials
- Metallic materials
- Certificates
- ISO 9002:1994 (quality management, entire company), ISO 9001 (QM system, according to machine list), EN 9100 (Aerospace, entire company), ISO 9001, EN 9100 (Aerospace), ISO 9002:1994 (historical, 1994)
- Founded
- 1962
- Industries
- Mechanical engineering, Industry, Mobility, Transport, Automotive, Rail vehicles
- 01
Engineering/Design
- 02
Blank part production
- 03
Complete CNC machining (milling/turning/grinding)
- 04
Heat treatment
- 05
Surface treatment/coating
- 06
Laser engraving
- 07
Assembly of complete units
- 08
3D coordinate measurement
Materials and Processes
Metallic materials
According to company information, machining of various materials is the core of production; specific material lists are not published.
Locations
Walzenhausen (Gaismoos)
CHHeadquarters, production, measuring and inspection centre, storage hall
- Part weight / size
- up to 2.5 t (manufacturing cell) or 5 t (travel-column
- Lot size
- No information
- Materials
- Metallic materials (machining)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete CNC machining (cubic, 5-axis milling)Machining | – | 1800 mm × 1250 mm | 2500 kg | – | – |
| Complete CNC machining (4-axis milling)Machining | – | 1400 mm × 1000 mm | 2500 kg | – | – |
| Complete CNC machining incl. turning and grinding functionMachining | – | 1000 mm × 1000 mm | 1600 kg | – | – |
| Complete CNC machining incl. turning on rotary table (travel column, 5-axis simultaneous)Machining | – | 3000 mm × 1100 mm × 1050 mm | 5000 kg | – | – |
| CNC turn-mill centre (rotary machining)Machining | – | 1200 mm × DM 500 | – | – | – |
| CNC latheMachining | – | 2000 mm × DM 640 | – | – | – |
| CNC latheMachining | – | 1400 mm × DM 300 | – | – | – |
| Laser engravingSurface | – | 450 mm × 250 mm × 200 mm | – | – | – |
| 3D coordinate measurement (unstaffed, accuracy < 0.001 mm)Inspection | < 0.001 mm | 2400 mm × 1600 mm × 1000 mm | – | – | – |
| Heat treatmentHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Surface treatment / coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| EngineeringEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Blank part productionEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly of complete unitsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
25 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-axis machining centre (HSK-A 100, Siemens 840D, FASTEMS pallet system) | Hüller Hille nbh 290R-8 | 1 | 1800 × 1200 × 1250 mm, 2500 kg, swing diameter 1700 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| 4-axis machining centre (ISO 50, high-precision package) | Hüller Hille nbh 260 R-5 | 2 | 1400 × 1100 × 1000 mm, 2500 kg, swing diameter 1600 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| 5-axis machining centre (HSK-A 100, high-precision package, 7 pallets) | Hüller Hille nbh 170-4 Speed | 2 | 1000 × 800 × 800 mm, 800 kg, swing diameter 900 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| 4-axis machining centre (ISO 40, 8 pallets) | Hüller Hille nbh 90R-4 | 1 | 630 × 500 × 580 mm, 400 kg, swing diameter 600 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| 5-axis simultaneous machining centre (HSK-A 63, Cellro automation) | GFMS Mill P800U S | 1 | 800 × 800 × 550 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| 5-axis simultaneous duoBlock machining centre with turning and grinding option, PH Cell 2000 | DMG Mori DMU 100 FDS duoBlock | 1 | 1000 × 1250 × 1000 mm, 1600 kg, swing diameter 1000 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| Travel-column milling machine 5-axis simultaneous with turning function and Hofmann NC rotary | DMG Mori DMF 300/11 | 1 | 3000 × 1100 × 1050 mm, 5000 kg, rotary table Ø 1050 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| Vertical machining centre (SK-40) | DMG Mori CMX 800 V | 1 | 800 × 560 × 510 mm, 800 kg | – | Walzenhausen |
| CNC turn-mill centre with steady rest up to DM 320 | Index G 420 | 1 | DM 500 × 1200 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| CNC lathe | Index GU 2000 | 2 | DM 640 × 2000 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| CNC lathe | Index GU 1400 | 2 | DM 300 × 1400 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| CNC lathe | Index GU 600 L | 1 | DM 200 × 1000 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| CNC lathe | DMG NEF 400 | 1 | DM 200 × 800 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| Laser engraving machine | Foba M 1000 | 1 | 450 × 250 × 200 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| 3D coordinate measuring machine (VAST, rotary table) | Zeiss Prismo | 1 | 2400 × 1600 × 1000 mm, clearance circle up to 1600 | – | Walzenhausen |
| 3D coordinate measuring machine (VAST, accuracy < 1 µm) | Zeiss Prismo | 1 | 1800 × 1200 × 1000 mm, clearance circle up to 1200 | – | Walzenhausen |
| 3D coordinate measuring machine (VAST-S-ACC, rotary table) | Zeiss Prismo | 1 | 1200 × 900 × 700 mm, clearance circle up to 900 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Measuring arm (mobile, CNC 3D measurement) | Faro | 1 | 1200 mm | – | Walzenhausen |
| Tool presetting device | Zoller Venturion DM 720/600 | 1 | HSK 100 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Tool presetting device incl. shrink-fitting | Zoller Redomat | 1 | HSK-A 100 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Tool presetting device | Zoller Bravo2 | 1 | HSK-A 100 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Tool presetting device (rotary table DM 745, thermal clamping method) | Zoller H4000 | 1 | HSK 100/HSK 63, SK40/SK50, VDI30/VDI40 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Tool shrink-fitting machine | Economic Plus | 1 | HSK 100 / HSK 63 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Tool balancing machine | MPM 3.BMT 220 VFG.S100 | 1 | HSK-A 100, DM 600, length 500 | – | Walzenhausen |
| Integrated manufacturing cell for complete cubic CNC machining of large parts up to 2.5 t with | Fastems | 1 | – | – | Walzenhausen |
Additional services
Quality and Certification
In the climate-controlled measuring and inspection centre (cleanroom with laminar air inflow, 20 ±0.5 °C), unstaffed CNC 3D measurements are performed on three Zeiss Prismo coordinate measuring machines with an accuracy of less than 0.001 mm, complemented by a mobile Faro measuring arm. Quality assurance is supported by the Babtec Q-software; the entire company is certified to ISO 9001 and EN 9100.
| Evidence | Walzenhausen |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| EN 9100 (Aerospace) | |
| ISO 9002:1994 (historical, 1994) |
Company History
- 1962
Founded as a sole proprietorship by Hugo Knoepfel (a 23-year-old machine fitter) in the former mechanical workshop of his great-grandfather in Walzenhausen.
Brother Urs Knoepfel joins the company; the brothers run the business together.
Move to an existing factory property in the village of Walzenhausen.
Conversion of the sole proprietorship into a corporation.
Expansion of the factory.
Occupancy of the new building in the Gaismoos district with climate-controlled production halls, heat recovery and a self-developed coolant emulsion treatment system.
- 1994
Certification of the entire company to ISO 9002:1994.
Start of unstaffed production on machining centres with a circular storage pallet system.
Commissioning of an integrated manufacturing cell for complete cubic CNC machining of large parts up to 2.5 t with a Fastems pallet storage system (40 machine pallets).
Commissioning of the new measuring and inspection centre with a Zeiss Prismo Navigator for unstaffed measurement in a cleanroom at 20 ±0.5 °C.
Expansion of production capacity with additional CNC machining centres for cubic and rotary machining.
Certification of the entire company to EN 9100 (Aerospace).
Hugo Knoepfel is appointed Honorary President.
Completion of the new storage hall with approx. 600 pallet spaces.
Procurement and commissioning of the Index turn-mill centre G420.