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Z|magazine 01.2015
Aerospace technology
22335 Hamburg
The Hamburg facility employs some 8,000
staff for the maintenance, repairs and interior
furnishing of aircraft.
Everyone knows Lufthansa. But only few
know that some 8,000 employees work
at Lufthansa Technik in the Hamburg
facility for servicing, maintenance, over-
haul and furnishing of the aircraft. Over
1000 employees look after VIP, business
and government aircraft.
This has over 50 years of tradition
at Lufthansa Technik. The business
segment „VIP & Executive Jet Solutions“
embraces the sections maintenance,
design and production. As complete
provider of technical inspection, cabin
design, conversion, maintenance,
overhaul and paintwork, it is possible to
offer VIP customers unique solutions for
their aircraft.
Successful cooperation: Frank Pieterwas and Jan
Horn from Lufthansa Technik with Julian Lüdecke
from ZOLLER and Ulrich Rienks from Camtech (from
left to right).
Safe for the future – cooperation allows fast
responses to market changes.
CNC-controlled tool presetting and measuring
machine ZOLLER »venturion 450«.
Author:
Dr. Karin Steinmetzer
Further information:
www.zoller.infoformed. These can then be assembled on the
machine in the same way as they were si-
mulated. Particularly in the case of complex
processing methods, it is important to have
the true tool data available for programming
to avoid crashes – and it saves enormously
on time.
Error rate has dropped significantly
Already six months after introduction, the
error rate has dropped significantly and the
employees are supported as best possible
when searching for possible tools to satisfy
individual customer specifications. Howe-
ver, the savings cannot be calculated as in
serial production. „What is significant, is the
time saved in searching for tools“, confirms
Jan Horn and adds, „a main advantage is, of
course, also the flexibility of the employees
when alternating on the NC machines. Ever-
yone simply downloads his NC program onto
the machine, the tools are included and have
standardized descriptions. Everyone can find
their way around, and it is only occasionally
that a tool needs to be retrofitted.“ He further
expands: „I use one data set, and this applies
to all machines. Once I have written a pro-
gram in Edgecam, then this also applies to all
machines – I only need to change the
post-processor, send the NC program,
and the procedure is completed. A ma-
jor advantage of Edgecam is the simple
subsequent changing of already pro-
grammed parts to other machines.“
High process safety with maximum
flexibility
Lufthansa Technik often needs to res-
pond very quickly to market changes.
Repairs are often not predictable, the
same as some special customer needs.
A high level of flexibility is required,
in particular to realize the high ratio of
up to 70% outsourced manufacturing.
„With the introduction of these sys-
tems we have created a perspective for
the future“ is howMr Pieterwas sums up
the benefits of the investments. „This
also allows us to actively approach the
external market. We are independent
of our own assembly components.
Because we operate systems like
those of CAMTECH and ZOLLER, we can
respond in a flexible manner.“ – and
customers can also take off safely in
the future.
FROM PRACT I CE