How Spreyer reached 35% higher output with ANCA Grinding

35 % Higher Output and Zero Scrap: How Spreyer Werkzeugtechnik Improved Flexibility and Quality with ANCA’s Automated Grinding Solutions

A Family Company Built on Precision

Spreyer Werkzeugtechnik GmbH, based in Limburg an der Lahn, Germany, is a family-owned manufacturer of precision and special cutting tools. For over 50 years, the company has served demanding industries such as automotive, mould-and-die, and woodworking. Its portfolio includes new-tool manufacture, tool regrinding, and comprehensive tool management services.

“Our customers expect the highest precision and short lead times,” says Florian Baldus, Managing Director of Spreyer Werkzeugtechnik. “To achieve this, we combine craftsmanship with automation and invest continuously in the latest technology.”

Over the past three years, Spreyer has worked with ANCA, one of the world’s leading suppliers of CNC tool grinding solutions. The partnership resulted in a comprehensive setup built around ANCA’s FX7 Linear, CPX Linear, and MX7 Linear machines, supported by LaserULTRA, iView, RFID tool identification, and scripting automation. The goal: to raise precision, throughput, and flexibility — and to document measurable gains in process efficiency.

Reliable Automation from Setup to Production

The collaboration began with ANCA’s FX7 Linear, chosen for its high-precision linear drives and versatility. By integrating iView and LaserULTRA, Spreyer automated what had been a time-consuming manual process.

“With iView and LaserULTRA, tool geometry is measured directly in the machine,” explains Dimitri Stepanow, Sales Engineer at ANCA Europe. “This eliminates external gauging and allows automatic compensation of deviations at the micrometer level.”

The results speak for themselves: set-up times reduced by more than 20 %, virtually no scrap, and consistent tolerances even in multi-shift unattended operation. “Verification now happens automatically,” says Baldus. “We can manufacture complex tools through the night and over weekends with confidence in quality.”

Higher Throughput and Surface Quality with the CPX Linear

To strengthen its in-house process chain, Spreyer added the CPX Linear blank-preparation grinder. Using ANCA’s proven pinch-peel grinding method, the CPX grinds the blank between roughing and finishing wheels, which engage simultaneously on opposite sides of the workpiece. This configuration provides exceptional rigidity, minimal vibration, and superior material-removal efficiency.

“The CPX Linear allows us to produce carbide blanks ourselves — quickly, accurately, and with an excellent surface finish,” notes Baldus. “We can handle both small and large batches without depending on suppliers, which gives us genuine independence and faster delivery.”

Driven by a 43 kW spindle, the CPX achieves very high material-removal rates while maintaining surface finishes better than 0.2 Ra and runout below 2 µm. Its BlankX software enables fast and error-free programming with geometry-based workflows, 2D simulation, and automatic wheel-wear compensation.

“BlankX makes setup intuitive,” says Stepanow. “Operators can create, verify and simulate blank geometries in minutes, reducing cycle time and rework.”

MX7 with RFID System increases output by 35%, replacing two machines

To expand automation into regrinding, Spreyer implemented RFID-enabled Dynamic Tool Loading on the MX7 Linear in combination with ANCA’s RoboMate loader. This system replaces fixed pallet assignments with on-the-fly tool recognition via RFID chips embedded in the tool carriers.

In dynamic mode, each carrier contains a miniature RFID tag that stores a unique ID. When the RoboMate robot picks up a carrier, it passes it across a SICK RFID reader, which transmits the carrier ID to the CNC. The control then retrieves the corresponding tool file and loading parameters from the Dynamic Toolgroup Manager (DTM) database. The robot docks the carrier, loads the tool into the collet, and begins grinding. The empty carrier is parked while the next one is fetched — maintaining a continuous, collision-free workflow.

“RFID removes the need to pre-program pockets or fixed tool groups,” explains Stepanow. “Mixed tools can be placed in any order, and if an urgent job comes in, it can be inserted straight into the queue without re-teaching the pallet.” For Spreyer, the impact was tangible. “The RFID system was a decisive step,” says Baldus. “We replaced two older machines with the MX and increased tool output by around 35 percent. We can now run mixed batches completely unattended — at night and on weekends — and insert urgent orders on the fly.”

Capturing Expertise with ANCA Scripting

Beyond machine automation, Spreyer uses ANCA Scripting to automate programming and standardise tool logic. Scripting allows engineers to encode geometry rules, apply parameter dependencies, and create custom wizards in ANCA’s iGrind environment.

“Scripts capture the logic behind how you grind a particular tool family,” says Stepanow. “They allow automation of repetitive programming tasks and ensure that company know-how is consistently applied.” At Spreyer, scripting automates recurring geometries and prepares jobs for the loader automatically. “We’ve shortened programming time considerably,” says Baldus. “Each tool now carries a Data Matrix code linked to its geometry and parameters, so it can be reproduced exactly. Consistency between shifts has improved significantly.”

Proven, Quantifiable Results

After three years, the collaboration between Spreyer Werkzeugtechnik and ANCA has delivered measurable, verifiable results:

• +35 % tool-output increase through RFID-enabled multi-shift operation
• >20 % shorter setup times via in-machine measurement and correction
• Virtually zero scrap, maintaining micrometer-level precision
• Surface finish < 0.2 Ra, runout < 2 µm on blanks ground with CPX Linear
• Reduced programming time and higher process repeatability through scripting

“These technologies enable us to run production continuously with minimal manual involvement,” says Baldus. “We’ve shortened delivery times, reduced rework to almost zero, and achieved the process stability we need for future growth.”

Shared Innovation, Objective Outcomes

For ANCA, the project demonstrates how integrated automation translates directly into business performance. “Spreyer’s results show what happens when measurement, RFID and software automation come together,” says Stepanow. “They’ve built a process that produces complex tools with the same confidence as standard ones — faster, more flexibly, and more efficiently.”

With its modern grinding technology setup from ANCA, Spreyer now operates a high-precision manufacturing environment that combines flexibility, consistency, and traceability — proof that automation and craftsmanship can coexist to drive sustainable competitiveness.