The KERN Evo machining centre is equipped with a 500 to 50,000 rpm vector controlled spindle with HSK25 tooling, a 95 tool magazine and Blum tool laser measuring system, all working within a working envelope of 300 mm by 280 mm by 250 mm.

Historically known as a manufacturer of ultra precision machine tools for small batch and prototyping sectors, KERN has established a production group to accommodate customers' specific demands for automatic machining of high precision parts, in large volumes.

Represented in the UK by Rainford Precision Machines, the Bavarian machining centre manufacturer initially developed the specialist business group after a project to produce time piece/watch base plates.

The process involves a magazine of parts that are presented to a loading area, where each part is individually picked up by a 6-axis robot. The robot then displays the component to a camera for component recognition and orientation. A total of six components are placed on the fixture before being transferred into a KERN EVO high precision machining centre. The position of the parts is reconfirmed by a touch probe before machining begins. The components are then machined using 25 different tools, with accuracies up to 2 microns.

After machining, the fixture is removed from the machine and placed in a de-burring and washing station, before being transferred to a component unload position. At this point, the 6-axis robot unloads each component from the magazine and places it on a measuring fixture. This fixture is transferred onto a Zeiss Dura Max CMM for a full measurement check that results in a statistical report print-out, for each part. The component is finally placed in an individual component transfer container for shipping to the assembly area.