Edge Quality Without Compromise – How SAMSON VETEC Optimized On-Machine Deburring
Precision, process reliability, and quality are not optional but mandatory for safety-critical industrial valves. VETEC Ventiltechnik GmbH in Speyer, a subsidiary of SAMSON AG, has been developing and manufacturing high-quality rotary plug valves and custom valves for industrial applications for decades. As a supplier of high-end components for critical fields such as petrochemicals, food processing, or power plant technology, every production step must meet the highest standards—including deburring. In one specific case, an inconspicuous burr put the entire component finish at risk. The solution: the ibex deburring system from KEMPF.
"Engineering Excellence" in Machinery and Plant Engineering
VETEC Ventiltechnik GmbH, with approximately 115 employees, is part of the SAMSON Group and is globally recognized for its custom-manufactured rotary cone valves, pneumatic actuators, and special valves. The key distinction: instead of serial production, VETEC consistently focuses on tailor-made individual solutions precisely aligned with customer requirements—often made from difficult-to-machine materials such as cobalt-based alloys, titanium, or zirconium.
The various components are produced on a modern fleet of CNC machines featuring machining centers from Heller, DMG, Index, and others. Thanks to a fully digitized shop floor—including COSCOM integration and info terminals—processes run efficiently and transparently.
Burr Formation on Stainless Steel Flange Components
One issue repeatedly caused delays: deburring through-holes in stainless steel housings used as flanges. The core of the problem was flanges made from sand casting, where the undefined bore exit edges caused by the casting process led to clearly visible burrs on the flange bores.
The consequence: high manual rework effort or use of rigidly clamped chamfer cutters. This resulted in uneven, inconsistent chamfers and edges on the undefined raw surfaces. Process times also varied, and repeatability was not ensured. “The burr was small, but it disrupted the entire process,” explained a production manager. Particularly critical: for safety-relevant components, a defined edge contour is often mandatory—manual rework therefore not only causes time loss but also uncertainty in quality inspection.
Unmachined and thus undefined backside of the flange. The massive burr formed at the bore edge during drill exit is clearly visible. The position and topography of the surface cannot be clearly defined, and this deviation from the theoretical position causes uneven orientation when machining with a rigidly clamped deburring tool. The ibex compensates for these dimensional variations and produces uniform chamfers or contours.
The contour does not have to be undefined; the ibex deburring system can also be used on defined edges. Here is a flange made of stainless steel.
Solution: The ibex Deburring System from KEMPF
With the ibex deburring system from KEMPF, VETEC was able to significantly optimize burr removal. The system combines a compensating holder with special Cross-Cut cutters and enables defined, process-reliable deburring directly on the CNC machining center – even with complex geometries and dimensional deviations.
ibex offers particular advantages in single-part production: Deburring is integrated directly into the NC program and runs automatically, inline, and independently of operator intervention. Manual rework is eliminated, even with frequently changing component geometries. The compensating holder, available in Soft, Medium, and Hard hardness levels, compensates axial deviations of up to 10 mm and is suitable for front- and back-side deburring of bores. In combination with the preloaded, tapered deburring cutters, radial dimensional deviations are also compensated. The result is uniform chamfers and consistently high machining quality – all without manual intervention.
Shown in the image:
Clamped flange component made of sand-cast steel for a rotary cone valve and the ibex deburring system used, consisting of the ibex compensating holder “Medium” and the ibex forward and backward cutter with a diameter of 16 mm. After the machined and thus defined front side of the bore is deburred, the cutter plunges through and machines the unmachined and therefore undefined back side of the flange bore.
Reproducible Quality Instead of Rework
Shown in the image: The defined backside of the flange made of stainless steel before and after deburring with the ibex deburring system.
By using the ibex tool from KEMPF, SAMSON VETEC was able not only to optimize the machining process for specific components but also to improve the quality level and surface appearance— a significant improvement in the highly specialized world of custom part manufacturing. Since then, the entire machining process including the deburring operation is performed directly in the CNC machine (“From spindle to shipping!”)—even with varying component geometries, as frequently encountered at VETEC due to high customization. Manual rework is completely eliminated.
Valve Technology Down to the Last Detail
The tool has become an integral part of several machining processes and is planned to be expanded to additional components in the future. This ensures that VETEC remains true to its own standard: valve technology at the highest level – down to the last detail.
The project team behind the solution: KEMPF’s technical field service, Marcus Schneider, CNC machine operator Fritjof Grimpe, CNC machine operator Konstantin Klaus, and machine setter Mario Lieger in front of the massive CNC machining center where the heavy flange components are machined.
