UK-based PTG Holroyd Precision is to supply one of its ultra-precise Zenith 400 helical profile grinding machines to a Chinese manufacturer of helical components. Developed to precision-grind components weighing up to 700 kg and measuring up to 420 mm in diameter, 2.2 m in length and with a maximum 100 mm profile depth, the Zenith 400 combines high stock removal rates with aggressive semi-finishing. It offers production rates and accuracies tailored to the most demanding of manufacturing strategies.

Scheduled for installation at the Chinese company’s Chongqing-based production facility this summer, the Zenith 400 is equipped with PTG Holroyd’s proprietary dual grinding wheel system. This capability will enable operators to use either a 500 mm vitrified, dressable aluminium oxide grinding wheel for exceptional versatility in production strategies and product development, or diamond-hard plated CBN roughing and finishing wheels for cost-effective volume production.

“With the advantage of two grinding wheels, our customer will be able to complete both rough-grinding and finish-grinding in one seamless operation,” says PTG Holroyd Precision’s sales director Mark Curran. “By using CBN grinding wheels for both grinding processes, they will benefit from significantly reduced cycle times and improved heat dissipation. Thanks to the greater resistance of CBN, the customer will also enjoy extended wheel life, with no need for dressing, even at high stock removal rates.”

He adds: “In addition to the Zenith 400’s well-proven capabilities, its dual grinding wheel capability was clearly a major attraction to the customer in view of the efficiencies this will bring to their production processes.”

More information www.holroyd.com

Mirka is expanding its product portfolio with the launch of the Mirka Cafro Ultra-Flute grinding wheel range for the precision grinding of solid-tungsten carbide tools. The new product line offers users a selection of durable and precise grinding wheels, engineered to withstand the demands of large-scale production runs.

Cafro Ultra-Flute is engineered as a single-piece construction and features an abrasive rim that has a porous structure that optimises the power transfer from the grinding machine to the material. This design ensures high stock removal rates in less time, which leads to an increase in the overall efficiency of the process, reports Mirka.

The product has been developed with durability at the forefront of the design process, highlighted by its edge retention that aids in the delivery of fast, efficient and consistent performance. Cafro Ultra-Flute grinding wheels also help increase productivity as there is less downtime due to the dressing intervals being longer.

The range also provides the user with a quiet operation, no vibrations when in use and stable power absorption for reduced energy consumption during the time it is working. Additionally, when paired with automatic tool loaders, it performs at an optimal level and leaves a consistently fine surface finish.

Kevin Jackson, business development manager – superabrasives and automation at Mirka UK, says: “With the launch of our Cafro Ultra-Flute, we’re providing tool manufacturers with a cutting-edge solution that enhances productivity and reduces costs. This new grinding wheel range also highlights our commitment to providing high-quality, performance-driven grinding solutions that will be an asset to the customer from the first use to the last.”

More information www.mirka.com

Everything relating to grinding technology for experts from all over the world – that is what GrindingHub will offer in Stuttgart from 5 to 8 May 2026. After two successful editions, the organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) will continue the trade fair’s success story in co-operation with Messe Stuttgart and the Grinding Conference.

Dr Markus Heering, managing director of the VDW, says: “GrindingHub has become established as the central hub for the grinding technology industry. The energy and commitment of every participant in the previous editions of the trade fair were overwhelming.”

Marie-Sophie Maier, managing director of Adelbert Haas GmbH, has been an exhibitor from the very beginning: “This trade fair is the ideal platform for our company: internationally oriented, technologically leading and tailored precisely to our industry. At GrindingHub we meet the right trendsetters with whom we can jointly shape the future of grinding technology.”

Markus Kiffe, managing director of Kiffe Engineering GmbH and a visitor to GrindingHub 2024, shares this enthusiasm: “We’ll definitely come back again because you always see interesting things here and obtain exciting ideas, establish numerous contacts and hold a large number of discussions.”

In 2026 GrindingHub will again feature a wide range of grinding machines, abrasives, software tools, process peripherals, and measuring and test systems. Companies wanting to exhibit their innovations and products at the leading trade fair for grinding technology can now register online.

Heering concludes: “It’s always inspiring to see how the industry – despite and even because of the economically challenging times – comes together and plays a mutually supporting role. We’re convinced that GrindingHub 2026 will again be a great success.”

More information www.grindinghub.de/en

A UK filtration expert has launched new dust and fume extraction technology from sister company Absolent. Filtermist, which specialises in ensuring workshop air is clean and safe to breathe, is now offering the AD range of dust extraction units, which maximises the advantages of Absolent’s ‘True Downflow’ technology.

“Several pain points were identified and addressed during the three-year development project,” explains Robert Wiktorén, Absolent Air Care Group’s chief product officer. “As an existing manufacturer of dust collectors under our Absolent, Dustcheck and Diversitech brands, we knew there was a need in the market for a new way of thinking about dust and fume extraction. Traditionally, dust collectors have been sized using generic data to select suitable filter type, filter area and air speeds between filter elements. The resultant footprints have been comparatively large.”

He continues: “When filters need changing, even the best current designs require the filter-retaining mechanism and moving parts to be in the ’dirty side’ of the unit, exposed to contamination. This is not a great environment for moving parts and requires a tool to reach the filter elements furthest away. Our True Downflow technology combines the verticality of the filter elements with a top to bottom air flow. This combination optimises the effect of gravity and ensures that dust coming out of the filter elements during pulse-jet cleaning is forced down to the disposal solution in the hopper.”

The roll-out of the first AD phase includes three models: the 0.5 (which holds two deep pleat cartridges); the 1.0 (four filters); and the 1.5 (six deep pleat filter elements).

More information www.filtermist.co.uk