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Schütte: Setting a new standard for machine acceptance testing

From bottleneck to success factor with automated measurements​
Technician operating a Schütte SC7-32 machine in a manufacturing facility.

Increasing component complexity, tight acceptance windows, and stringent requirements for statistical validation are putting greater pressure on measurement technology. Alfred H. Schütte GmbH & Co. KG has therefore fundamentally revamped its measurement process: with two ZEISS PRISMO coordinate measuring machines, automated handling, and a seamless data flow all the way through to statistical analysis.​ Today, production and quality assurance operate in sync. The measuring cell delivers reliable results automatically, reproducibly, and in a timely manner for machine acceptance.​

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When measurement technology determines the acceptance process​

Schütte develops and manufactures high-productivity multi-spindle automatic lathes and 5-axis CNC grinding machines in Cologne. Customers expect not only a high-performance machine, but also a demonstrably stable machining process.​

This is precisely where measurement technology was increasingly becoming a bottleneck. Components with gear teeth, polygons, worm profiles, and demanding form and position tolerances had to be fully evaluated. A single workpiece could have up to 125 features. For a machine capability study, 60 to 80 parts often had to be measured.​ The result: long measurement times, high manual effort, and a growing risk of delays in the acceptance process.​

ZEISS PRISMO navigator coordinate measuring machine with robot loading system.

End-to-end measurement cell with ZEISS PRISMO​

In collaboration with ZEISS, Schütte implemented an automated measurement solution that integrates seamlessly into the production process. Two ZEISS PRISMO coordinate measuring machines now form the core of the measurement cell.​ The workpieces are automatically fed in via a mobile robotic arm, clamped pneumatically, and then measured without any manual intervention. The measurement programs are created centrally in ZEISS CALYPSO. Features, serial numbers, and statistical evaluations are uniquely assigned.​

The results are automatically transferred to QS-Stat via a DFQ interface. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and additional data transfer steps. Complete measurement runs can be performed overnight without human intervention. “With this solution, everything now works in perfect harmony for us. Production runs at an automated cycle rate, and the measurement cell performs inspections at the same pace,” says Markus Krell, Technical Director at Schütte.​

Reliable measurement results in step with production​

The automated measurement cell reduces manual intervention, eliminates the need for re-clamping, and consolidates the inspection of complex geometries into a single, continuous process. For Schütte, this means shorter turnaround times, fewer sources of error, and significantly more stable acceptance planning.​

The advantage is particularly evident in machine capability studies. Instead of distributing measurement sequences across multiple systems, the data is now generated from a single, consistent process. Pass/Fail feedback is provided more quickly and directly supports machine setup.​

Falk Bruderreck holding a CMM part beside a coordinate measuring machine in a laboratory.

“In the past, we had to spread out measurement steps or distribute them across multiple systems. Today, we get everything from a single process and can use the results immediately.”​

Falk Bruderreck
Measurement Technology at Schütte​ 

Operator using a ZEISS coordinate measuring machine with robot loading to inspect parts.

Measurement technology is becoming an integral part of the production process​

Schütte has transformed measurement technology from a bottleneck into an integral part of the acceptance process. The automated measurement cell ensures that precise measurement results are available not only after long wait times, but in step with the production cycle.​ As a result, the solution supports not only quality assurance, but also on-time delivery, customer transparency, and process stability.​ Markus Krell summarizes “Process stability is the biggest benefit. Acceptance testing stays on schedule, and we can show our customers how the machine performs under realistic conditions, without wait times or interruptions.”​

Portrait of Markus Krell beside industrial machinery in a manufacturing facility.

“In the past, measurement technology was the bottleneck in the entire acceptance process. Our machines ran reliably, but it became increasingly difficult to prove it. When a customer is only on site for a day, you can’t afford to spend hours on measurement loops.”​

Markus Krell
Technical Director at Schütte​

Yvan Meyer in a suit standing in an industrial metrology laboratory.

Digital twins in machine tools​

UNITED MACHINING’s CTO Yvan Meyer shows how closing the loop from design to service boosts performance. In the video, he reveals how digital twins are reshaping the entire lifecycle of machine tools, from engineering to production and maintenance. The focus is on how precise virtual models support faster machine development, smarter design validation, and more efficient assembly.​

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