General overhaul Professional retrofit of lid machines

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When high-quality lid milling/drilling machines are getting on in years, a general overhaul must be carried out. This means preserving and reconditioning the entire casting base body. All other mechanics, electronics and control technology must be replaced with modern technology.

Milling/drilling machines from Deckel's FP series have been around for over 100 years. Especially those that were last built from the 1960s to the 2010s have the right basis to still play in the premier league in terms of quality today thanks to their extremely stable cast construction. In many cases, a professional retrofit makes sense. With older models in particular, however, it is important to ensure that the machines are not just "spruced up", but actually refurbished and technically modernized.

All parts of the heavy cast iron base body - such as the stand, base and guides - must be retained. Everything else will be completely renewed.

Robert Schmid, Managing Director of FPS Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH

For almost 30 years, his company has been retreading all FP series from Deckel and various DMG milling machines. However, FPS also develops and builds its own manual and CNC-controlled milling machines. Schmid and his employees therefore know exactly what is important in a general overhaul and when and why a retrofit is preferable to a new purchase.

Save money and protect the environment

At the top of the list is the proven quality of the Deckel machines. It is often only after 50 or even 60 years of use that they show any significant loss of accuracy or have to contend with other mechanical problems. There is no need to ask about the ROI (return on investment) here. If the owner of such an FP1, FP2, FP3 or FP4 opts for a general overhaul, he can expect at least the same longevity after the retrofit - with better operability, more safety and state-of-the-art technology. 
In terms of costs, around 20 percent can also be saved compared to new, comparable milling machines, as the valuable cast basic body remains in place in all its functions. This fact alone is not only easy on the wallet, but also on the environment. After all, the heavy cast parts account for a good 80 percent of the machine's total weight.

Deckel has built its machines in an enormous variety of models that can no longer be reproduced today. So if - for whatever reason - you want exactly the same design, size and/or performance, you can hardly avoid a retrofit. If it is done correctly, there is really nothing to be said against it.

Robert Schmid, Managing Director of FPS Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH

When asked whether he is not reducing his own new machine business with so much praise for the retrofit, the Managing Director smiles and replies: "On the one hand, we want to advise our customers honestly and satisfy them. Secondly, not every customer has an old lid in the workshop. So there is still potential for our new machines."

Dismantle, analyze and completely rebuild

FPS always takes a similar approach to retrofitting. First of all, the machine is completely dismantled and then analyzed to determine what work needs to be done on the basic casting body. The focus here is primarily on the guides. These are all ground and scraped by hand. A process that requires a lot of skill, experience and time. It is important to know which areas need to be scraped and how, and to do this precisely. According to Schmid, this is a task that only very few skilled workers have mastered. Employee Hans Kredmeier is a true master of the trade. Anyone who experiences the passion with which Kredmeier explains what he pays attention to in his work and how much time he invests is happy to believe this. It usually takes several days to bring the guides of just one machine up to the highest level. Finally, the completely rescraped basic machine is fitted with new, coated cover and wedge strips so that it is prepared for a long machine life.

All other mechanical elements such as gears, gear wheels, bevel gears, milling head wheels, transport spindles, handwheels, scales, clamping levers, etc. are completely replaced with high-quality new parts.

It is no use just replacing individual parts that are obviously worn. Then the whole system will not harmonize properly.

Robert Schmid, Managing Director of FPS Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH

Most of the new parts are manufactured in the company's own production plants in Warngau and Holzkirchen, where assembly also takes place. The remaining mechanical parts come from selected suppliers in Germany.

Mechanics and electronics are completely renewed

The same applies to the electronics, electrical, drive and control technology. Here too, the Warngau-based company only uses new machine technology. For example, the DC drives previously used in manual milling machines are being replaced by digital drive technology. In addition, the entire control cabinet electronics will be renewed and the old digital displays will be replaced by modern control panels developed and manufactured by FPS itself or supplied by Heidenhain. For the general overhaul of CNC machines that Deckel/DMG has produced since 1980, the retrofit specialists replace the previous control system with the latest Siemens or Heidenhain CNC - including work step programming, helpful cycles, etc. 
Robert Schmid also attaches great importance to mechanical and electronic safety technology. In other words, after the general overhaul, the "old" Deckel/DMG milling machines comply with all the regulations of the EU Industrial Safety Regulation and are 100% compliant with the CE directives (see box). They are also given a new year of manufacture - that of the retrofit completion - and FPS Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH becomes the manufacturer of the machine. In the end, the customer receives a machine that is in no way inferior to a new one and will continue to perform reliably for decades, including warranty and detailed documentation.