Cape Town-headquartered WD Hearn Machine Tools have announced that they have been appointed the agents for Mahr, a worldwide operating, medium-sized family-run business whose name is traditionally connected with the terms dimensional metrology, quality and innovation.
Based in Göttingen, Germany, Mahr was founded in 1861 in Esslingen, Germany, by Carl Mahr, who developed the first length measuring technology. Even today, the family business is still owner-managed.
“With 1 700 employees, the Mahr Group is one of the world’s leading companies in dimensional metrology, high-precision ball bearings, high-precision gear metering pumps and mixing and dosing technology,” explained Graeme Cooper, Sales Director of WD Hearn Machine Tools.
“As an application specialist in the field of production metrology, Mahr solves the metrological tasks of its customers and is the contact partner for all questions related to quality,” continued Cooper.
“In addition to high-quality measuring units to test workpiece geometry customers are able to operate a wide variety of products from the Mahr portfolio, including surface, contour, form, precision length, length systems and precision gauge products.”
“Today’s production managers require greater flexibility for small batch size production and tight tolerances. On many production lines, the use of measurement technology for quality assurance is still realised off-line. Inspection equipment is often located at the end of a production chain and the quality of a component is only determined when it has already been manufactured. In the worst case, the component fails to meet the specified tolerances, making it necessary to move through all phases of the production cycle again. As a consequence, measurement technology is often perceived as an expensive, time consuming exercise with no added value.”
“Today smart manufacturing technology moves quality assurance out from this unloved shadow behind the scenes into a new role – centre stage. As an integral part of the production chain, it actively engages in manufacturing operations and corrects production steps when a single component does not meet the correct tolerances. As a result, faulty components are no longer produced; First parts are good parts.”
“WD Hearn is one of the largest CNC machine tool suppliers in South Africa including providing highly experienced technical support and service. We have carefully chosen hi-tech suppliers from Europe, America, Taiwan and Japan to cover virtually all machine shop and production requirements. We are continually evolving our product line to match the lightning fast evolution of technology in today’s competitive world.”
“In recent years we have evolved to offer our clients a turnkey solution. We specialise in the sale of precision metal cutting machines. Our vast range of machine tools covers virtually all toolroom, job shop, production and general engineering requirements, whether it is basic conventional milling and turning, to complex five-sided multi axis CNC operations. Our product range of machines covers machining centers, lathes (vertical and horizontal), boring mills, bridge type, EDM and WEDM, lasers, gear hobbing, grinding, waterjet and many other special purpose machines.”
“Over the years we have built extensive product knowledge within the W.D. Hearn group in application, service and repair. But we realised that our clients also wanted more than just a CNC machine. They want a turnkey solution provider. Hence, our endeavour in the last few years has been to source quality suppliers in the fields of metrology, measurement and accessories associated with machining, that could satisfy our client’s needs.”
“First we were appointed the Renishaw agents in South Africa. Renishaw offer precision measurement and process control products for a wide range of applications and industries. More recently Renishaw have increased their exposure in AM and this allows us to keep up with the developments in this area.”
“This was followed by the LK Metrology CMM range of machines, which complement the Renishaw range as well as the other agencies such as Starret, Nikon and InspecVision. Together these suppliers allowed us to offer virtually any solution for measurement and quality inspection.”
“But we were still short of products such as height gauges, calipers, digital indicators, surface measuring instruments, video measuring, test indicators, micrometers and dial comparators. Mahr manufactures products for system metrology applications such as these including surfaces, forms, shafts, gears, customer-specific solutions, calibration measuring machines and hand-held metrology.”
“Their products are used in applications for the automotive and automotive supplies industry, precision mechanics, electronics, medical technology, air and space industry. Their main manufacturing locations are in Germany but they also have them in the USA, China, France and the Czech Republic.”
“As an application specialist in the field of production metrology, Mahr solves the metrological tasks of its customers and is the contact partner for all questions related to quality. They are a perfect fit for our business.”
For further details contact WD Hearn Machine Tools on TEL: 021 5345351 or visit www.wdhearn.co.za
