Standardized, high-quality A Brand tooling enables efficient production of stainless steel components
Andi Näf | Vischer & Bolli AG
Meiermech GmbH is a Swiss, family-owned precision engineering company specializing in CNC machining, mechanical manufacturing and assembly production. Based in Bühler, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, the company serves industrial customers across Eastern Switzerland and neighboring regions, with a focus on precision, reliability and flexible production.
The Meiermech manufacturing facility in Bühler, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland.
Founded in 2009, Meiermech employs 5 staff and operates a 460-square-meter manufacturing facility. Its core competencies include CNC milling and turning. The company manufactures single components, prototypes and small- to large-sized series, supporting customers from development through series production. All parts are produced to tight tolerances and monitored to ensure consistent quality.
With more than 16 years of experience, Meiermech produces customer-specific components from steel, aluminum and plastics for a broad range of industries, including medical, pharmaceutical, food processing, agricultural technology and automotive manufacturing.
With more than 16 years of experience in precision machining, Meiermech manufactures customer-specific components from steel, aluminum and plastics, ranging from prototypes and one-off parts to small- and large-scale production runs.
A key production objective is to minimize setup costs while maintaining consistently high quality. To achieve this, Meiermech relies on reliable, versatile tooling and a strict zero-defect strategy. Standardized tools are used wherever possible to reduce complexity and setup times, ensuring all employees work with the same tooling and can assess tool condition and performance with confidence.
OSG Group company Vischer & Bolli AG has been a long-standing and trusted tooling partner of Meiermech. In the past, tools from various manufacturers were used, often resulting in tool breakage and inconsistent machining results. High tool wear, particularly when machining stainless steel, was a recurring challenge that negatively affected tool life and process stability.
These issues were sustainably resolved with the introduction of OSG’s A Brand tools. Today, Meiermech primarily uses OSG’s A Brand multipurpose, high-efficiency A-Tap series and the ADO-SUS carbide drill series for machining materials such as stainless steel, POM, aluminum, PEEK and Vespel SP-21. OSG’s A Brand tools are distinguished by their high quality, long service life and broad range of applications.
OSG’s A-Tap from the A Brand is an all-purpose tap series designed to simplify tool management and deliver reliable performance across a wide range of materials and applications. Achieving trouble-free chip evacuation with spiral taps in blind holes is a common challenge for manufacturers. To address this issue, OSG’s A-Tap A-SFT features a variable helix flute design that promotes stable chip evacuation. The helix angle changes from the chamfer, where chips are formed, to the flutes, where chips are discharged. This geometry enhances chip control and helps form compacted chips that can be easily evacuated from the hole.
The A-Tap series is recognized for its superior chip evacuation performance. Designed as an all-purpose tapping solution, it accommodates a wide range of materials and machining environments, helping manufacturers streamline tool management.
To accommodate a wide range of cutting conditions, the A-Tap series uses powdered metal HSS and OSG’s V coating to deliver excellent wear resistance. Designed with a cutting edge that prioritizes sharpness, the tool maintains stable chip formation even when cutting speeds vary, making it suitable for high-speed machining. The A-Tap performs reliably not only in general steels but also in difficult-to-machine materials such as stainless steel and mild steel. Compatible with equipment ranging from manual machines to advanced machining centers, the A-Tap is available in spiral flute (A-SFT) and spiral point (A-POT), making it a highly versatile, high-performance tapping solution.
The ADO-SUS coolant-through carbide drill is one of OSG’s latest innovations engineered to excel in stainless steel and titanium alloy applications.
The A Brand ADO-SUS coolant-through carbide drill is one of OSG’s latest innovations engineered to excel in stainless steel and titanium alloy applications. This drill series has adopted a tool geometry that emphasizes sharpness to reduce work hardening, thereby prolonging tool life for post-processing including reaming and tapping. Its unique flute form encourages the creation of small cutting chips, which is essential for trouble-free chip evacuation. Furthermore, the ADO-SUS has employed a unique oil hole design “MEGA COOLER” for diameter sizes above 6 mm to suppress heat generation and to facilitate smooth chip evacuation. With the addition of OSG’s WXL coating, which has strong adhesion strength, high resistance against welding can be achieved. Utilizing OSG’s latest cutting tool technology, the ADO-SUS series is capable of drilling stainless steel and titanium alloy with predictable and consistent tool life, making efficient machining of difficult-to-machine materials a reality.
Since standardizing on OSG’s A-Tap and ADO-SUS from the A Brand series, Meiermech has reduced setup costs by at least 15%, as the tools perform reliably in stainless steel as well as steel and aluminum. At the same time, tool life has increased by approximately 30%. In particular, the process-reliable OSG A-POT spiral point tap and A-SFT spiral flute tap have delivered noticeable improvements in daily production.
Since standardizing on the OSG A-Tap series, Meiermech has reduced setup costs by at least 15%, as the tools perform reliably in stainless steel, as well as steel and aluminum.
“When machining blind holes with the A-SFT, the chips do not get stuck. As a result, the process no longer has to be interrupted,” said Meiermech owner Christoph Meier.
Even in demanding applications, tool breakage is no longer an issue due to the tools’ robust design. Reduced machine stoppages and shorter setup times have led to a significant overall increase in efficiency and process reliability.
In addition to consistent tool performance, Meier values the high product availability and dependable delivery service. He also cites the Vischer & Bolli web shop as a decisive advantage.
“The e-shop is outstanding. I can place orders after work and am not restricted to office hours. With its intuitive design, comprehensive filters and direct access to cutting data, I quickly find the right tool every time,” he said.
According to Meier, Vischer & Bolli is the only supplier for which a printed catalog is no longer required, as all relevant information is readily available online. He also highlights the personal support provided by Vischer & Bolli field engineer Markus Signer.
Close customer proximity, fast response times and expert technical advice ensure that both management and production staff feel well supported. The tools are also highly regarded by employees, who value their reliability and the added confidence they provide in daily operations.
For Meiermech, Vischer & Bolli delivers an ideal balance of quality, service and value.
From left, Meiermech owner Christoph Meier and Vischer & Bolli field engineer Markus Signer pose for a photograph at Meiermech’s manufacturing facility in Bühler, Switzerland.
“Standardized, high-quality tools bring us a big step closer to our zero-defect strategy,” Meier said. “For us, it’s not just the price that counts, but the overall performance in terms of quality, service and reliability—and that’s exactly what we get here.”
For more information on OSG’s multi-purpose and high efficiency A-Tap series, OSG’s ADO-SUS carbide drill for stainless steel and titanium alloy, and Meiermech GmbH
About Vischer & Bolli AG
Founded in 1957 and headquartered in Dübendorf, Switzerland, Vischer & Bolli AG is a supplier of high‑precision cutting tools, clamping technology and machining solutions. Over the years, Vischer & Bolli cultivated long-term supplier partnerships, including becoming one of OSG’s first European partners in the 1970s. Since January 2016, the company has been part of the OSG Group, benefiting from a global production network and the expertise of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of shank‑type cutting tools.
OSG Group company Vischer & Bolli AG headquarters in Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Through the OSG Group, including OSG GmbH in Göppingen, Germany, Vischer & Bolli has access to advanced technology centers used for training, testing and application development for both employees and customers.
Vischer & Bolli’s warehouse facility.
Vischer & Bolli employees pose for a group photo at the company’s technology center.
As a member of the OSG Group, Vischer & Bolli offers high‑performance drilling, milling and threading tools, along with tool holders and clamping systems, supported by comprehensive engineering and application consulting.
Learn more about Vischer & Bolli AG
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