Producing fuel cell stacks the smart way with the DMG process chain.

‘Complex geometries are typical of end plates in order that we achieve an absolutely consistent level of compression across the entire surface’, says Frank Häußler, Assistant Manager of the Fuel Cell Stacks department. The NC programs are generated using the powerful Siemens NX 3D CAD / CAM systems of the DMG process chain. The feasibility and collision-free status of these programs are then tested by researchers at the ZSW in a 1 : 1 simulation in DMG Virtual Machine.

The DMG process chain has already won over the workshop supervisor Georg Zettisch: ‘Especially in terms of process reliability we have gained enormous ground as there is practically no more flying blind on the machine.’ In the computer simulation, potential collisions can be identified immediately and corrected in the program. He is also able to check the fundamental feasibility of a cycle in advance, such as when a workpiece protrudes slightly over the edge of the table: ‘On the machine I had estimated that the working area was large enough. However, the virtual machine showed me that the cover of the tool change system would hit the part.’ Here, the machinespecific PLC of the control system integrated into DMG Virtual Machine prevented a serious collision. Georg Zettisch is now an advocate of the DMG process chain: ‘In the same way that we generate highly accurate results by simulating our fuel cells in advance, the virtual machine on the PC shows us whether or not the machining process will lead to the desired result. Additionally, thanks to the powerful CAD / CAM system we are able to design and produce geometries that used to be unthinkable.’