Manufacture of circular knitting machines for medical compression stockings as well as contract manufacturing of complex 5-axis components.
Merz Maschinenfabrik GmbH
Hechingen (Haigerlocher Str. 44) · DENew on Amplifa
About Merz Maschinenfabrik
Merz Maschinenfabrik GmbH was founded in 1900 as a mechanical workshop in Hechingen and is a family-run business now in its 4th generation. Its core business is the development and manufacture of 4-feed single-cylinder circular knitting machines of the CC4 II and CC4 II-8 series for the production of medical compression stockings in compression classes I to III, also made to measure, as well as anti-embolism stockings, knee supports and women's fine pantyhose with reciprocated heel. More than 3,000 Merz machines are in operation in over 30 countries. In addition, the company offers contract manufacturing: ready-to-install machine components according to customer drawings by 5-axis milling, turn-milling, turning, sawing, grinding, machine deburring, part cleaning and assembly manufacturing. All common steels, cast iron and cast materials, forged parts, aluminium alloys, brass and bronze are processed. Around 70 employees work at the company's headquarters in Hechingen on approximately 6,400 square metres of production and office space.
- Site
- Hechingen
- Processes
- 5-axis milling (complex mechanical 5-axis drawing parts), Sawing, Turning (cycle-controlled lathe), Multifunctional turn-milling (automated turn-mill centres with bar loader and counter-spindle), Cylindrical grinding (combined internal-external grinding in one clamping), Surface grinding, Machine deburring (centrifugal finishing system / round vibrator), Part cleaning in the washing system
- Materials
- Steels (all common types), Tool steels, Stainless steels, High-alloy steels, Grey cast iron, Precision castings, Spheroidal graphite cast iron, Steel castings
- Certificates
- First-article inspection and sampling, Climate-controlled measuring room with 3D coordinate measuring machine, ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1900
- Employees
- 70
- Industries
- Medical technology, Textile machinery, Mechanical engineering supply, Medical technology / medical compression stockings, Supplier of mechanical parts manufacturing
- 01
CAD-CAM programming (STEP file)
- 02
Sawing
- 03
5-axis milling / turn-milling / turning
- 04
Grinding
- 05
Machine deburring
- 06
Part cleaning
- 07
First-article inspection and sampling
- 08
Assembly manufacturing
Materials and Processes
Common steels including tool steels
Base material for ready-to-install machine components in 5-axis machining.
Stainless and high-alloy steels
Corrosion-resistant materials for demanding component tasks.
Grey cast iron
Cast material for machine components in contract manufacturing.
Spheroidal graphite cast iron
Tough cast material for mechanically stressed parts.
Steel castings and precision castings
For complex-shaped castings according to drawing.
Aluminium alloys (including high-strength F53) and aluminium castings
Lightweight materials for all common alloys, incl. high-strength F53.
Brass and bronze
Copper alloys for special applications.
Forged parts
Pre-shaped workpieces for further machining on our own machine park.
4-feed single-cylinder circular knitting machine
Nominal diameter 3 ¾" to 6", gauge E14–E41, 4 piezo actuators.
4-feed single-cylinder circular knitting machine with 8 piezo actuators
Nominal diameter 3 ¾" to 7", gauge E14–E41, plush 2,00/2,50/3,00 mm.
Locations
Hechingen
DECompany headquarters, production and administration
- Lot size
- 5-axis milling: 20–500 pieces
- Materials
- Steels, cast materials, aluminium alloys, brass, bronze
- 5-axis machining centres (X=630, Y=800, Z=850 mm, up to 360 tool positions)
- Multifunctional turn-mill centres with bar loader up to Ø75 mm and chuck up to Ø700 mm
- Cycle-controlled lathe up to Ø570 mm, L=2000 mm
- Cylindrical grinding machine internal-Ø20 to external-Ø498 mm
- Surface grinding machine up to 1200×400 mm
- Saws up to Ø250 mm
- Kuka KR500 R2830 F industrial robot
- Centrifugal finishing system/round vibrator
- Washing system
- CNC 3D coordinate measuring machine (climate-controlled measuring room)
- CNC 3D measuring microscope
- Measuring projector with image-processing measuring system
Components and Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-axis milling (complex mechanical 5-axis drawing parts)Machining | – | X=630mm × Y=800mm / Z=850mm | – | 20 pieces – 500 pieces | Steels, Tool steels, Stainless steels, High-alloy steels, Grey cast iron, Precision castings, Spheroidal graphite cast iron, Steel castings, Forged parts, Aluminium alloys, High-strength F53, Aluminium castings, Brass, Bronze |
| SawingMachining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Turning (cycle-controlled lathe)Machining | – | L=2000mm | – | – | – |
| Multifunctional turn-milling (automated turn-mill centres with bar loader and counter-spindle)Machining | – | Bar loader up to Ø75mm / chuck up to | – | – | – |
| Cylindrical grinding (combined internal-external grinding in one clamping)Machining | – | Internal-Ø20mm to external-Ø498mm | – | – | – |
| Surface grindingMachining | – | 1200mm × 400mm | – | – | – |
| Machine deburring (centrifugal finishing system / round vibrator)Surface treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Part cleaning in the washing systemSurface treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Surface coating (externally via service provider on commission)Surface treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hardening (externally via service provider on commission)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly of assemblies in various areasAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ready-to-install machine components according to customer drawingMachining | – | – | – | 20 pieces – 500 pieces | – |
| First-article inspection and sampling (quality assurance)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| In-house toolmaking for fixturesEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| CAD-CAM programming (solid model STEP file)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Production of medical compression stockings (compression classes I to III, alsoForming | – | – | – | – | – |
15 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-axis machining centre | – | – | X=630mm Y=800mm Z=850mm, up to 360 tool positions | – | Hechingen |
| Multifunctional turn-mill centre with bar loader and counter-spindle | – | – | Bar loader up to Ø75mm, chuck up to Ø700mm | – | Hechingen |
| Cycle-controlled lathe | – | – | up to Ø570mm, L=2000mm | – | Hechingen |
| Cylindrical grinding machine for combined internal-external grinding | – | – | Internal-Ø20mm to external-Ø498mm | – | Hechingen |
| Surface grinding machine | – | – | Parts up to 1200mm x 400mm | – | Hechingen |
| Saws | – | – | up to Ø250mm | – | Hechingen |
| Industrial robot (transport of machine and raw material pallets between set-up stations and | Kuka KR500 R2830 F | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| CNC 3D coordinate measuring machine | – | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| Measuring projector with image-processing measuring system | – | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| CNC 3D measuring microscope | – | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| Depth gauge for surface profile measurement | – | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| Centrifugal finishing system / round vibrator (machine deburring) | – | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| Washing system (part cleaning) | – | – | – | – | Hechingen |
| Single-cylinder circular knitting machine CC4 II (4-feed, reciprocated heel) | Merz Maschinenfabrik CC4 II | – | Nominal diameter 3 ¾" / 4 ¼" / 4 ¾" / 5 ½" / 6", gauge E14–E41, 4 knitting systems, 4 | – | Hechingen (manufacturer) |
| Single-cylinder circular knitting machine CC4 II-8 (4-feed, reciprocated heel) | Merz Maschinenfabrik CC4 II-8 | – | Nominal diameter 3 ¾" / 4 ¼" / 4 ¾" / 5 ½" / 6" / 7", gauge E14–E41, 4 knitting systems, 8 | – | Hechingen (manufacturer) |
Additional services
Quality
Quality is assured by first-article inspection and sampling. The climate-controlled measuring room is equipped with a CNC 3D coordinate measuring machine, a measuring projector with image-processing measuring system, a CNC 3D measuring microscope, a depth gauge for surface profile measurement and other measuring equipment.
| Evidence | Hechingen |
|---|---|
| First-article inspection and sampling | |
| Climate-controlled measuring room with 3D coordinate measuring machine | |
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1900
Founded as a mechanical workshop by Carl Merz in Hechingen (service of SINGER sewing machines and bicycles, construction of circular knitting machines)
- 1948
Construction and first export orders for double-cylinder circular knitting machines for socks
- 1955
Series production of circular knitting machines for nylon stockings
- 1962
Move to Haigerlocher Straße, Hechingen (210 employees)
- 1970
Development and manufacture of circular knitting machines for medical stockings
- 2000
100th anniversary
- 2003
MBS – Merz Body Seamless machine in cooperation with Mayer & Cie, Tailfingen
- 2009
MERZ acquired by the brothers Hans-Ulrich & Siegfried Carl Keck
- 2011
ITMA Barcelona – presentation of the CC4 II knitting technology
- 2014
World's leading manufacturer of knitting technology for compression stockings
- 2015
ITMA Milan – presentation of the CC4 II-8
- 2025
125 years of Merz