At the EMO Milano exhibition in October, Vollmer delivered the public premiere of its VGrind 360S grinding machine for the complete machining of carbide tools. This new five-axis CNC grinding machine can produce carbide tools with a diameter up to 25.4 mm and, depending on machine kinematics and the equipping of grinding wheel packages, it can even be used for tools up to 150 mm diameter. The VGrind 360S incorporates wear-free linear induction motors on the X, Y and Z axes to lower maintenance costs for the machine, while contributing to higher surface quality for the tool.

The tried-and-tested vertical double-spindle concept from Vollmer now features an oriented spindle stop for the first time. Also known as spindle indexing, this function always stops the spindle at a specific position, resulting in a reduction of axial run-out errors and concentricity issues, while offsetting wear in the HSK holding system. Another new feature is a heat plate exchanger to efficiently cool the motors and spindles, which in turn leads to increased thermal stability.

Simple and intuitive operation is at the core of the VGrind 360S and, for customers to fully exploit its potential, Vollmer has created an ergonomic platform whereby users can operate the control panel comfortably while having full visibility of the work envelope. Operation via the keyboard or touchscreen allows for precise machining of the tool, and the multi-function hand wheel ensures even more flexibility as operators can position it freely on the enclosure. This design allows the setting of a required axis without using the control panel.

The VGrind 360S incorporates Vollmer’s established operating concept and can be used unmanned around the clock thanks to automation features such as a pallet magazine, free-arm robot or chain magazine.

For further information
www.vollmer-group.com

The machine tool institute (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University and Rösler Oberflächentechnik/AM Solutions are co-operating on practical research for knowledge-based mass finishing processes. For the necessary processing trials, WZL not only uses its own equipment, but also the comprehensive range of mass finishing machinery at the customer experience centre of Rösler.

“With Rösler we have a partner who is highly motivated to further develop mass finishing technology,” says Marius Ohlert, project manager for grinding technologies at WZL. “As a result, we are constantly communicating with the company’s R&D department. From this information exchange about developments in the field of science and experience in the industry we frequently identify questions and subjects for future projects.”

For example, such projects deal with the post processing of components produced by either 3D printing or hybrid manufacturing technologies.

“The activities in this field, which Rösler pursues under the brand name AM Solutions-3D post-processing technology, are especially valuable for the co-operation with WZL,” states Ohlert. “They were also the reason for investing in two new finishing machines, which we purchased in close liaison with colleagues from a partner institute that deals intensively with additive manufacturing.”

Moreover, this investment allows the WZL institute to further demonstrate the possibilities of mass finishing technology for basic research, as well as for specific industrial projects. The institute purchased a surf finisher 700, a special rotary vibrator R 150 DL-2 and a semi-automatic centrifuge Z 800 K-HA Turbo-Floc for cleaning and recycling the process water from the mass finishing machines.

For further information
www.rosler.com

On the Haas Schleifmaschinen stand at the EMO Milano exhibition in October, the grinder manufacturer used its Multigrind machine to demonstrate the single-point grinding of a skiving tool to such close tolerances that it could produce gears to quality 2 to 3 (the accuracy class when skiving gears is traditionally 4 to 6). The sole sales and service agent for Haas Schleifmaschinen in the UK, Irish and Gulf markets is Kingsbury.

Wolfram Hermle, software department manager at Haas Schleifmaschinen says: “Today, dimensional tolerances of 2 µm are not uncommon. The production of such accurate profiles requires highly complex calculations. If we want to have that under control, we have to do the maths ourselves.”

Two years ago, when the project to develop the required software was initiated, there was no satisfactory method on the market for determining machining cycles to achieve the ever increasing gear precision being demanded by industry. The goal was to create a system that could calculate cycles for cutting a wide variety of gears.

Hermle does not want to divulge details of the newly developed calculation model in Haas Schleifmaschinen’s Multigrind Horizon software, but confirms that machining gears of accuracy class 2 to 3 is possible. However, he points out that it is only one element of the process, the other being the high precision which the grinding machine must be capable of achieving: alignment of the grinding wheel must be accurate to 0.0001°.

“As far as I know, this accuracy is achieved exclusively using Haas Schleifmaschinen production solutions,” concludes Hermle. “Only when software and hardware are ideally matched can a skiving tool be created for manufacturing a perfect gear.”

For further information
www.kingsburyuk.com