With the use of high-precision ibex tools, the valve specialist from Speyer achieves reliable and cost-efficient edge processing in single-part production.
Precision, process reliability, and quality are not optional for safety-critical industrial valves – they are mandatory. VETEC Ventiltechnik GmbH in Speyer, a subsidiary of SAMSON AG, has been developing and manufacturing high-quality rotary plug valves and special fittings for industrial applications for decades. As a supplier of high-end components for critical sectors such as petrochemicals, food processing, and power plant technology, every production step must meet the highest standards – including deburring. In one particular case, a seemingly insignificant burr jeopardized the entire finish of a component. The solution: the ibex deburring system from KEMPF.
VETEC Ventiltechnik GmbH stands for “Engineering Excellence” in mechanical and plant engineering. The company, with around 115 employees, is part of the SAMSON Group and is renowned worldwide for its custom-made rotary plug valves, pneumatic actuators, and special fittings. Instead of series production, VETEC consistently focuses on tailor-made one-off solutions precisely adapted to customer requirements – often made from difficult-to-machine materials such as cobalt-based alloys, titanium, or zirconium.
The various components are manufactured on a modern NC machine fleet with machining centers from Heller, DMG, Index, and others. Thanks to a consistently digitized shop floor – including COSCOM integration and info terminals – processes run efficiently and transparently.
Nevertheless, one issue repeatedly caused delays: deburring through-holes in stainless steel housings used as flanges.
Burr formation on stainless steel flange components
The core of the problem was flanges made from sand casting, where undefined exit edges of flange holes, caused by the casting process, led to clearly visible burrs. The result: significant manual rework, either by hand or with rigidly clamped chamfer cutters. This produced irregular, uneven chamfers and edges on undefined raw surfaces. Process times also varied, and repeatability could not be guaranteed. “The burr was small, but it disrupted the entire process,” explained a production manager. Particularly critical: for safety-relevant components, a defined edge profile is often essential – manual rework not only causes time loss but also introduces uncertainty in quality inspection.
Unmachined and thus undefined rear side of the flange. The pronounced crown burr formed at the bore exit edge is clearly visible. The location and topography of the surface cannot be precisely defined, and this deviation from the theoretical position leads to an uneven chamfer when using a rigidly clamped deburring tool. The ibex compensates for these dimensional variations and produces consistent chamfers or contours.
The contour does not have to be undefined – the ibex deburring system can also be used on defined edges. Here, a flange made of stainless steel.
Solution: The ibex tool from KEMPF
The breakthrough in solving the burr problem came with the use of the ibex deburring system from deburring specialist KEMPF in Reichenbach an der Fils. Developed for automated contour processing of undefined components on CNC machining centers, the deburring system – consisting of a floating holder and special cross-cut cutters – combines the advantages of defined deburring with maximum process reliability, even for complex component geometries.
Clamped sand-cast (steel) flange component for a rotary plug valve with the ibex deburring system in use, consisting of the “Medium” ibex floating holder and the ibex forward and backward milling cutter with a diameter of 16 mm. After deburring the machined and thus defined front side of the bore, the cutter passes through and processes the unmachined and therefore undefined rear side of the flange bore.
The ibex floating holder, available in three predefined stiffness levels (Soft, Medium, and Hard), provides up to 10 mm of compression and tension compensation for both front-side and rear-side bore processing. As soon as the cutter meets the workpiece edge, the linearly mounted floating mechanism of the ibex holder allows axial movement both forward and backward. In combination with the preloaded conical ibex deburring cutters, this setup compensates for radial dimensional deviations in the component. As a result, even with significant contour variations, the deburring cutter always maintains a consistent cutting depth on the workpiece, producing a uniform chamfer – without manual operator intervention.
Furthermore, the ibex deburring system integrates perfectly into single-part production – as at VETEC – where geometries change regularly. Instead of time-consuming manual adjustments, the contour is deburred directly in the machine – precisely, consistently, and reliably. Since the ibex deburring system is directly integrated into the NC program, the deburring process becomes a fixed part of machining: inline, automated, and independent of the operator.
Reproducible quality instead of rework
The defined rear side of the stainless steel flange before and after deburring with the ibex deburring system
By using the ibex tool from KEMPF, SAMSON VETEC not only optimized the machining process for specific components but also improved quality standards and visual appearance – a significant advancement in the highly specialized world of single-part production.
Since then, the entire machining process, including deburring, has been carried out directly on the machine (“From spindle to box!”) – even with varying component geometries, as frequently occurs at VETEC due to the high level of customization. Manual rework has been completely eliminated.
The tool has since become a standard element in several machining processes and is planned to be introduced for additional components in the future. This way, VETEC remains true to its own claim: valve technology at the highest level – down to the last detail.
KEMPF Technical Sales Representative Marcus Schneider, CNC machine operator Fritjof Grimpe, CNC machine operator Konstantin Klaus, and machine setter Mario Lieger in front of the massive CNC machining center where the heavy flange components are processed.