For more than 75 years, Kammerer Gewindetechnik has specialised in high-precision ball screw drives, linear guides and customised screw drives. The 150-strong family business supplies the automotive, medical, mechanical engineering and packaging sectors and has relied on WFL MillTurn multi-tasking machine tool technology for several years. 

Following positive experience with an M40 MillTurn installed in 2021, Kammerer invested in an M30-G with automation and a Kardex storage tower. 

Says lean manager Martin Huber: “The tolerance between the thread pitch and the deflection system is a real challenge. Here, hundredths of a millimetre determine whether a part works or is rejected.” 

The M30-G machines ball screw nuts from 100CrMo7 and 1.4112 stainless steel, combining turning, drilling, thread cutting, milling and deburring in a single process. Tolerances of ±0.015 mm must be maintained across multiple features. 

Automation is central to the system. An articulated robot removes finished components and transfers them to the storage tower, which accommodates up to 300 workpieces across 28 shelves. Automatic jaw changes allow different part types to be processed without manual intervention, while production can run autonomously for up to 21 hours. 

The results demonstrate the machine’s repeatability: of 600 components manufactured to date, just six have been scrapped. The automated system also enables production from a batch size of one, while typically handling Kammerer’s batches of 10 to 15 components. 

“The WFL gives us the stability and accuracy that we wouldn’t otherwise achieve,” states Huber. “Tools that don’t work on other machines run smoothly here.” 

The partnership extends beyond machine performance, with Kammerer also praising WFL’s process expertise, customer service and rapid availability of support and spare parts. 

More information www.wfl.at/en

At AMB 2026 earlier this month, Index presented Traub MS12-4 multi-spindle sliding/fixed-headstock turning machine for the first time. Designed for small workpieces from 3 to 13 mm diameter, its new concept delivers up to four times the output of a single-spindle machine, making it suited to high-volume production of components such as pins and screws for medical technology, watchmaking and electrical applications. 

Unlike conventional multi-spindle machines, the MS12-4 dispenses with the spindle drum and sequential machining. Based on the TRAUB TNL12 concept, it combines four main spindles, four tool turrets and two or four counter spindles, enabling four workpieces to be machined simultaneously and up to eight spindles to operate at once. 

The machine’s modular design allows its configuration to be matched precisely to production requirements. Flexible tool carriers can accommodate operations including whirling, polygon turning and gear cutting, while more economical configurations are available for simpler parts with limited back-end machining. 

The tool turrets feature eight live stations and the KPS36 compact tool holder interface, while cooling lubricant is supplied at pressures up to 120 bar using energy-efficient, frequency-controlled pumps. 

Compared with four single-spindle machines, the MS12-4 requires fewer machine components, less floor space and only one set of peripheral equipment, including the control system, bar loader and chip conveyor. 

It also offers advantages over conventional multi-spindle technology. Each spindle position operates independently, eliminating waiting times when individual operations have different cycle lengths. Programming is simplified, with the control system handling the remaining positions. 

Automation is integrated, with a patented four-channel bar loading magazine, automatic chip removal and options for flushing or robotically transferring finished parts. 

More information www.index-group.com 

Jiangyin Wilson Precision Equipment (Wilson) has strengthened its precision machining capabilities and expanded into wind turbine component finishing through a long-standing partnership with Starrag. 

The Chinese manufacturer, which supplies the wind power, compressor, machine tool and textile machinery industries, first collaborated with Starrag in 2013. Faced with increasingly demanding shape and positional tolerances, Wilson invested in a 4m-diameter Dörries vertical lathe, establishing a foundation for its wind power activities. 

“The excellent output of the Dörries machine far exceeded our expectations,” says Gao Wenjie, deputy CEO of Wilson Machinery (Taixing). “In 2024, we immediately chose Starrag again and ordered nine machines, including Dörries vertical lathes and Heckert horizontal machining centres.” 

The Dörries machines combine hydrostatic guides, high rigidity and thermal stability with multifunctional tool heads and magazines for turning, cutting, drilling and grinding. Machining efficiency has increased by more than 25% compared with similar machines, reducing component lead times. 

Complementing the vertical lathes, Heckert horizontal machining centres handle workpieces weighing up to 13 tonnes, achieving straightness and flatness deviations below 7 µm and positional deviations under 0.02 mm within a 2 m machining range. Tower magazines accommodate tools up to 950mm in diameter, 800mm long and weighing 50 kg. 

Wilson’s stable foundation structure and precise temperature control further support demanding machining operations. 

“The excellent machines from Starrag are the driving force behind the improvement of our machining performance,” concludes Wenjie. “Their outstanding reliability and stability in long-term operation allow us to be optimistic about future development.” 

The companies intend to continue their collaboration, combining Starrag’s machining expertise with Wilson’s commitment to innovation, quality and long-term growth. 

More information www.starrag.com