PROFILE GRINDING IN GEAR MANUFACTURING

Generating grinding with tools that can be dressed is an established technology in gear production. ZF Steyr Präzisionstechnik GmbH uses this process for a wide variety of applications, from prototyping to series production. Flexible machines manufactured by Kapp Niles and available in the UK from the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) are said to be suitable for all applications, offering short set-up times.

ZF is a global specialist in driveline and chassis technology with around 230 sites in nearly 40 countries. One of these is ZF Steyr Präzisionstechnik GmbH in Austria. Approximately 500 employees produce components and gears for agricultural machines such as tractors, combine harvesters, forklift trucks and special machines, as well as steering gear components for the automotive industry. The company rarely produces a large series for this portfolio, but rather focuses on small-to-medium batch sizes with high part variance. Typical lot sizes are 200-500 pieces, but for some products, it can be as large as 5000 to 6000. Capacity utilisation is high with 17 shifts usually scheduled per week – three from Monday to Friday and two on Saturdays.

The major issue for ZF Steyr is the extraordinarily high precision. The noise emission requirements require immense accuracy for some components. Steering gears, which are located near the passenger compartment, are a typical example. ZF Steyr relies entirely on the products of Kapp Niles for grinding purposes. Some 15 different machines are in production, a number of which are brand new.

Otmar Schlachter, head of the production process and tools management at ZF Steyr, explains the long-standing co-operation: “With Kapp Niles, the combination of tool and machine works perfectly; the machines are always running. You don’t always find this interaction between machine and tool with manufacturers from whom you only buy one part.”

Lukas Aigner, deputy head of the profit centre Räder, adds: “The user interfaces are mostly the same, so an employee who is trained on one machine can also operate the others. In addition, many components are interchangeable, which facilitates easy maintenance work.”

In general, Kapp Niles tries only to use as many standardised parts in a machine as necessary to simplify the spare parts maintenance of various machines for the customer. The service also includes remote diagnosis, which allows a technician from Kapp Niles to get an impression of the machine in question before travelling to the site. At times, this might save a complete journey to the customer. Even service works, such as installing new software updates, are possible online.

The latest acquisition at ZF Steyr is the KX 260 Dynamic grinding machine. A smaller version, the KX 100 Dynamic, is already in use. Both are further developments of the multi-spindle design already realised with the KX 160 Twin. As a pick-up machine with integrated automation, it is characterised by very short set-up and process times. The optional automated clamping device makes these machines equally suitable for series production with large and small batches.

Kapp Niles’ KX 100 Dynamic has two separate mounted columns, whereas the KX 260 Dynamic has only one. The columns are fitted with a vertically moveable pick-up axis, each equipped with a workpiece spindle. While a workpiece is being ground, the other pick-up axis removes the finished workpiece and loads a blank part on the workpiece spindle. The workpiece is aligned outside the working space so that the workpiece spindle can be swivelled to the processing speed and synchronised into the workspace, reducing non-productive times. For the KX 260, this can be reduced to 3.8 seconds. The multi-functional axis is used for discharging measurement and test parts.

Only continuous grinding with adjustable grinding tools is used as the processing method. Depending on the application, both dressing tools with an integrated head dresser and flexible tools with an independent head dresser can be used on the dressing unit. The topological generating grinding option makes it possible to produce gear grinding with or without targeted entanglement. A major advantage of this machine concept is the full integration of automation functions, since the parts can be loaded and unloaded from a belt without further handling devices. Optionally, a measuring unit is available for measuring and evaluating all relevant gearing features.

The set-up operations on the Dynamic machines are also partially automated, such as the screw change function. For this purpose, only the interchangeable prism is manually swivelled out of the park position. The machine then places the tool securely at the push of a button, before the operator swivels the tool into an ergonomic position and changes the screw manually or with a hoist.

“The change can also be easily managed by new employees, as the machine shows the set-up sequence on the display and provides point-by-point instructions on what to do,” says Aigner. “In addition, the employee must acknowledge every step, so no mistakes occur.”

Adds Schlachter: “Quick machining times are important, especially for small components in large quantities. The pick-up procedure is a valuable tool for this purpose. For us, however, the fact that the diamond dressing rolls are interchangeable on all machines is also very important. When a machine is occupied, we can move to another machine for an order. It’s only thanks to this flexibility that we can manage our portfolio.”

Small and medium batch sizes are the core business at ZF Steyr. From time to time, however, prototypes are also required. In case of large series passenger car production, it is very difficult to organise such special orders. Nevertheless, the corporate group relies on these components.

“Gear manufacturers want new features every 3-4 years,” says Schlachter. “In the case of higher class vehicles, the demands on performance and gearing keep increasing while the installation space remains the same. We have to produce prototypes quickly. For this purpose, production with adjustable discs is unbeatably fast. You take a grinding wheel, pull the profile on it and you can grind within one day. I’d normally wait 8-10 weeks for a new tool. It’s then ground out of the full material. In the case of a prototype, it’s irrelevant if the machine runs for two hours.”

Ulrich Roos, regional sales manager for automotive sales at Kapp Niles, describes how the machines support this process: “Some machines must be programmed block by block. Our controls can independently generate programs. First, you simply enter the gearing and technology data. The latter can even be left to the machine. It then makes suggestions for the number of cuts and strokes, speed, and infeed depth. Therefore, you don’t need to know all the complex inter-relationships. If required, you can of course make corrections based on your own experience. Once the input is complete, the machine generates the program at the push of a button.”

For further information
www.engtechgroup.com

Fintek becomes exclusive Palms agent

A new electrochemical plasma process that reduces the surface roughness of 3D printed metal components is now part of Fintek’s subcontract services and machine sales in an exclusive agreement with Wallwork Heat Treatment. Palms, which stands for Plasma Additive Layer Manufacture Smoothing, was developed by Wallwork’s Cambridge R&D centre and its Manchester machine build division, which pioneers plasma coating equipment used by aerospace manufacturers, motorsport engineers and university R&D departments.

Wallwork director Simeon Collins says: “Despite the progress in additive manufacturing, the surface roughness of the parts produced can constrict their use in industries such as aerospace and medical. Having worked closely with Fintek we know that they are the UK’s foremost experts in meeting the real-world surface finishing needs of engineers. Palms gives them a new tool that is especially effective for metal parts made by 3D printing, as well as machined parts.”

For further information
www.fintek.co.uk/machines/palms

Taylor Made sees the light with new laser

A strong order book has led a Thatcham-based manufacturer to invest in new laser equipment and move to a new facility. Taylor Made Fabrication (TMF) has purchased a Mazak Optiplex Nexus 3015 III fibre laser to improve processing speeds, increase production capacity and meet growing demand.

Ray Baker, director at TMF, says strong demand led the company to approve the investment: “We’re always busy and felt it was important to upgrade our laser cutting technology. Our previous machine was becoming slower and needed more maintenance to remain operational. We can’t afford any downtime or let customers down, so the new investment, which coincided with our move to a new facility, was deemed very important for the future of the company. Mazak’s Optiplex Nexus ticked all the boxes for us in terms of price, performance and capacity.”

The Optiplex is equipped with a 3 kW laser that has improved production throughput.

“We’ve been able to make significant improvements in processing speed and begin cutting thicker aluminium, stainless and mild steel, which has opened doors for us with new customers,” says Baker.

Founded in 1992, TMF manufactures parts for multiple industries, producing components to order through its fully equipped CNC machine workshop and online CADCAM facilities, which ensure continuity and accuracy.

“One of the main things that stood out about the Optiplex Nexus was the flexibility offered by its twin-pallet design, as opposed to our previous machine, which was only equipped with a single pallet,” says Baker. “Being able to save time on loading sheets while we take out completed workpieces has made a significant improvement to our productivity.”

For further information
www.mazakeu.co.uk

Funding helps foundry expand

Grimsby-based specialist engineering company Fowler & Holden is set to expand its manufacturing facilities and invest in new machinery following a £250,000 funding package from HSBC UK. The support will allow the business to expand its facilities through the addition of new and repurposed factory space, with the additional space used to house a second moulding line and new plant room. This expansion will increase the privately-owned company’s production capacity by up to 80% and create up to 14 new jobs.

The HSBC funding will also enable investment in new equipment, which includes a sand recycling machine so that the business can re-use up to 95% of the sand from its casting process, substantially reducing waste. As a result, there will be a reduced need for sand quarrying, while fewer HGVs will be required for transportation.

For further information
www.bit.ly/3I8l0h2

37% increase in orders

Welshpool-based precision engineering firm Dawson Shanahan has seen phenomenal growth in the first two months of the year, with order intake of automotive components, particularly those for the e-mobility sector, up by 37% in comparison to the same period in 2021. The growth has come from a mix of new and long-standing customers that include OEMs and tier one automotive manufacturers.

As part of Dawson Shanahan’s investment plan and to help meet orders, a further two rotary transfer machines have been completely refurbished for CNC control and are arriving in April. These machines will meet increased requirements for electric vehicle parts in response to high consumer demand. Interestingly, sales for 2021 were 27% up on 2020 and 17% on 2019, so the latest figures point to yet more growth for Dawson Shanahan.

For further information
www.dawson-shanahan.co.uk