Oerlikon Balzers supports to refine Kauth's production process

Although threaded plates are often invisible, they have an important role to play in vehicles. Forming specialist Kauth has used its in-depth expertise to perfect the production process: It combines clever techniques, including presses at up to 2,500 tons of pressure, punching and deep-drawing, with its unique tube technology – and Balinit Formera. This CrAlN-based coating from Oerlikon Balzers has transformed the service life of Kauth’s forming tools from a few hundred to over 60,000 manufactured parts.

A tube is an extruded hole manufactured by gradual deep-drawing combined with punching a steel sheet using progressive dies. Unlike nuts welded onto sheet metal, the part is produced in one piece, with no weak points or associated risks of breakage or corrosion.

Designed to withstand 9 tons
The company uses this technology to manufacture threaded plates, hinge systems, axle mountings, seats, engines, transmission systems and tank and exhaust system mountings that are used in vehicles around the world. Threaded plates can be welded onto various chassis components in order to fix other components and parts in place and to increase safety in areas subject to high forces. “For example, when installed in the rear wheel axle suspension, our parts can each withstand a load of more than 9 tons,” says Johannes Kauth, part of the management team at the family-owned company.

The high stability is achieved by strain hardening the drawn metal during the forming process. The steel strip material is first drawn in width, then in height, and then upset again to form the tube. For the threaded plates, this happens in a 1,000-ton press using a tool made of powder metallurgical high-speed steel (HSS) manufactured by Kauth.

Lubricating oil is useless
When a tool is subjected to such high forces, even extensive use of lubricating oil won’t protect it from damage. “After a few hundred strokes the wear becomes too extreme, so we only work with coated tools,” explains Tobias Wenzel, Head of Tool Maintenance. To this end, Kauth has worked alongside its coating partner Oerlikon Balzers for more than ten years.

In the production of threaded plates, one CrAlN-based coating clearly stood out in various tests: Balinit Formera. This special PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating scores highly thanks to its virtually unrivaled wear behavior, a coating thickness of around 10 μm, and a special surface finish that reduces friction.

Johannes Kauth, COO Kauth Group (left), and Robert Karle from Oerlikon Balzers (right).

The transfer punch of the modular tool is coated with Balinit Formera to increase its service life to more than 60,000 manufactured parts. “We can quickly replace these wear parts, and the longevity of the coated tool ensures low machine downtime. That pays off,” explains Wenzel, and not just because around 7 million pieces a year are produced solely for this threaded plate project: Coatings mean higher process reliability across the entire business, of which the in-house toolmaking division is a crucial part.

“Coatings are the only way for us to increase tool service life to 60,000 manufactured parts. That pays off.” (Johannes Kauth, COO Kauth Group)

“Our threaded plates and tube technology have become indispensable in German automotive construction,” says Kauth. The company is a technology leader in this industry, capable of manufacturing ultra-solid tubes, thickening material at critical points, and drawing sheet steel up to 80 millimeters. Very few companies can boast this expertise, which is also needed for electromobility: Battery technology tends to make vehicles heavier, which means that structural parts require increased stability and strength. And in this respect Kauth is leading the way with its future-proof solutions.

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