CNC contract manufacturing of complex 3D-milled parts, jig and fixture building, testing devices and own products from Reutlingen
bf-tech (Inhaber Bernd Fromm)
Reutlingen (Germanenstr. 6+8)New on Amplifa
About bf-tech
bf-tech is a company founded in 1998 in Reutlingen, specialised in the precise and fast CNC contract manufacturing of complex 3D-milled parts. Prototypes, single parts and small series up to 2,000 pieces are produced on modern 3- and 5-axis machining centres (including DMG MORI DMU 85 monoBLOCK, DMU 75 MonoBlock, DMU 50, CMX). All plastics and metals are machined – from aluminium through non-ferrous metals and stainless steels to high-strength steels. In addition to contract manufacturing, the range of services includes jig and fixture building, test adapters and customer-specific testing devices, detector plates (engraving/laser marking), component marking by fibre laser as well as product development and custom-made products. bf-tech also develops and sells its own products such as VarioGrid, QuattroFlex, SoftCone, VarioBrush, NC-PRESET and EFK100. Customers come from the automotive industry (design model making/cubing), the electrical industry, mechanical and plant engineering and mould making. Development and manufacturing take place entirely at the Reutlingen site (Germanenstraße 6+8).
- Site
- Reutlingen
- Processes
- CNC milling / machining 3- and 5-axis (complex 3D-milled parts), 5-axis simultaneous machining (CNC milling), 5-axis CNC milling (up to 900x900x600 mm), Laser marking / laser labelling of components and detector plates, Engraving of detector plates, warning signs, information signs, Trowalising, Anodising (silver/black), Jig and fixture building (custom jigs and fixtures)
- Materials
- Aluminium (high-strength), AlMg4,5Mn, Non-ferrous metals, Stainless steels, High-strength steels, Stainless tool steel, Case-hardening steel, Plastics
- Certificates
- Internal inspection / test laboratory, 5-axis measuring machine (Mora Primus), Laser measurement of tools
- Founded
- 1998
- Industries
- Automotive industry / design model making (cubing), Electrical/electronics industry, Mechanical and plant engineering, Mould making
- 01
Enquiry & quotation (within 24 h)
- 02
Product development / design (CAD/CAM)
- 03
Data set review & production optimisation
- 04
CNC milling 3-axis/5-axis
- 05
Laser marking / surface technology
- 06
Measurement (5-axis measuring machine) & internal inspection
- 07
Delivery
- 08
Service, maintenance & repair
Materials & Processes
Aluminium (also high-strength, AlMg4,5Mn)
Main material of contract manufacturing, e.g. for housings, heat sinks, tool carriers and cubing parts; optionally anodised or trowalised.
High-strength steels
Machining of demanding steel components on 3- and 5-axis machining centres.
Stainless tool steel
Used e.g. for the tank flap made of stainless tool steel (DMU 85 monoBLOCK).
Case-hardening steel
Used, among other things, for a tool carrier made of case-hardening steel.
Stainless steels
Milled stainless steel components for customers from mechanical and plant engineering.
Non-ferrous metals / brass / copper
Machining of non-ferrous metals, e.g. brass for the EFK100 motor ball valve.
Titanium (wire)
Processing of titanium wire, e.g. in the semi-automatic wire cutting jig.
Plastics
Machining of engineering plastics for housings, jigs and printed circuit board holders.
Fibre laser component marking
Permanent marking of components and detector plates on two fibre laser systems.
Locations
Reutlingen
DEHeadquarters, development, manufacturing, sales
- Part weight / size
- Components up to 900 x 900 x 600 mm
- Lot size
- Single parts to small series (2,000 pieces)
- Materials
- Aluminium, high-strength steels, tool steel, case-hardening steel, stainless steel, non-ferrous metals, titanium,
- DMG DMU 85 monoBLOCK (5-axis, 900x900x600 mm)
- DMG MORI DMU 75 MonoBlock (5-axis)
- DMG DMU 50 (5-axis, 120 tool pockets)
- DMG CMX machining centre
- CNC 3-axis machining centre (800x600x600 mm)
- Mora Primus 5-axis measuring machine
- 2x fibre laser system
- Laser system for detector plates
- Tool shrink-fit and presetter machine
- CAD/CAM systems
Components & References
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC milling / machining 3- and 5-axis (complex 3D-milled parts)Machining | – | 800 mm (3-axis machining) × 600 mm (3-axis) | – | 1 piece (single parts) – 2,000 pieces (small series) | Plastics, Aluminium, Non-ferrous metals, Stainless steels, High-strength steels |
| 5-axis simultaneous machining (CNC milling)Machining | – | 600 mm × 500 mm | – | – | Plastics, Aluminium, Non-ferrous metals, Stainless steels, High-strength steels |
| 5-axis CNC milling (up to 900x900x600 mm)Machining | – | 900 mm × 900 mm × 600 mm | – | – | Aluminium, Tool steel, Case-hardening steel |
| Laser marking / laser labelling of components and detector platesSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engraving of detector plates, warning signs, information signsSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| TrowalisingSurface | – | – | – | – | AlMg4,5Mn |
| Anodising (silver/black)Surface | – | – | – | – | Aluminium, AlMg4,5Mn |
| Jig and fixture building (custom jigs and fixtures)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Test adapter assemblies and customer-specific standalone testing devicesTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Product development / custom-made products / design (CAD/CAM)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Repair, maintenance & service for products (VarioGrid, QuattroFlex etc.)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
9 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-axis machining centre | DMG DMU 85 monoBLOCK | 1 | up to 900x900x600 mm | 2017 | Reutlingen |
| 5-axis milling centre | DMG MORI DMU 75 MonoBlock | 1 | – | 2022 | Reutlingen |
| 5-axis machining centre | DMG DMU 50 | 1 | – | 2026 | Reutlingen |
| CMX-series machining centre | DMG CMX | 1 | – | 2018 | Reutlingen |
| CNC 3-axis machining centre | – | 1 | 800 x 600 x 600 mm | 2002-2011 | Reutlingen |
| 5-axis measuring machine | Mora Primus | 1 | – | 2019-2020 | Reutlingen |
| Fibre laser system (component marking) | – | 2 | – | 2023-2024 | Reutlingen |
| Laser system for detector plates | – | 1 | – | 2012-2016 | Reutlingen |
| Tool shrink-fit and tool presetting machine | – | 1 | – | 2021 | Reutlingen |
Additional services
Quality
bf-tech ensures quality and precision through internal inspections and its own test laboratory; since 2019-2020 a 5-axis measuring machine (Mora Primus) has been in use. All machines are equipped with 60-pocket tool changers and laser measurement, and data management is handled via an in-house CAD/CAM system.
| Evidence | Reutlingen |
|---|---|
| Internal inspection / test laboratory | |
| 5-axis measuring machine (Mora Primus) | |
| Laser measurement of tools |
History
- 1998
Founded in January by Bernd Fromm in Pliezhausen near Stuttgart
- 2002-2011
Relocation to Reutlingen/Rommelsbach, Germanenstr. 8; first CNC 3-axis machining centre; innovation awards of the Kreissparkasse Reutlingen (ASE cut-off shear 2002, TEACON 2003, Painterboy 2004); 2004 discontinuation of the power tool trade
- 2008
Start of marking detector plates for fire alarm systems
- 2012-2016
Purchase of the neighbouring building Germanenstr. 6; investment in CAD/CAM and two 5-axis machining centres; establishment of the contract manufacturing business unit for complex 3D CNC parts; laser system for detector plates
- 2017
Expansion of the production hall; 3rd 5-axis machining centre DMG DMU 85 monoBLOCK; components up to 900x900x600 mm
- 2018
Investment in a machining centre of the DMG CMX series
- 2019-2020
5-axis measuring machine (Mora Primus) and new parallel-running CAM software
- 2021
New tool shrink-fit and presetter machine
- 2022
Second 5-axis milling centre DMG DMU 75 MonoBlock
- 2023-2024
Second fibre laser system for component marking
- 2025
Virtual post-processors, expansion of CAD/CAM software
- 2026
Integration of a third 5-axis machining centre (DMU 50) with 120 tool pockets