Precision and process reliability have characterised automotive engineering for many decades. With the establishment of e-mobility, however, these demands are increasing once again, because many e-motor components require surface finish in the micron range so that no loud running noises occur on gear components.

In this context, the technology of Emag is drawing the attention of many production engineers. Among other things, Emag develops high-performance solutions for gear grinding that offer short chip-to-chip times, intelligent axis concepts, thermal and mechanical stability, and a high degree of user-friendliness.

The company’s solutions for the field of gear profile grinding include the G250 and G160. The G160 is for components up to module three and with a maximum OD of 160 mm (250 mm G250). In this field of application, Emag says it is the fastest machine on the market, made possible by two parallel workpiece tables that move alternately at high speed to the grinding wheel. Thus, while one component is undergoing machining, the internal loading robot inserts a blank into the other spindle or unloads the finished component beforehand.

Notably, the G160 does not have a tangential axis, but instead the existing Y and Z axes generate a ‘virtual’ tangential axis through simultaneous movement. As a result, the distance between the A axis and the tool contact point is very small, which in turn prevents so-called ‘ghost frequencies’ on the part surface.

The possibilities this approach opens up for e-mobility are shown, for example, by an ‘intermediate shaft’ with 21 teeth and a normal module, where manufacturers using the G1160 can achieve a floor-to-floor time of only 33 seconds (including entanglement compensation and proportional dressing time) and a grinding time of just 25 seconds.

For further information www.emag.com

Anca, a specialist in precision grinding solutions, is opening a new state-of-the-art Technology Centre in Korea. The company has offered local sales and service to customers across diverse industries for more than 30 years in the Korean market, so the opening the new facility is a significant milestone for Anca as it expands its presence in the Asian market.  

Jake Farragher, general manager of Anca Asia, says: “Anca’s newest technology centre is a commitment to customers in Korea. This investment in our global infrastructure enables our team to deliver premium sales and service support to this important and growing market. We understand the importance of offering customers local support and, at our new facility, we can showcase the capability of our flexible grinding machines, software and automation solutions.” 

He adds: “Thanks to our long-standing partnership in with SH International in Korea we have a legacy of innovation with customers in the market and our local team at the new Anca office are poised to facilitate the success of Anca customers into the future.” 

For 50 years Anca has committed to providing cutting-edge grinding solutions worldwide. Anca Korea, located near Seoul, is equipped with the latest technologies, such as the company’s Ultra technology with nanometre resolution control. The demonstration facility provides the Ultra experience with Anca’s MX and FX Ultra machines, as well as automation solutions with Anca’s Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS). In addition, the facility includes support and training services. 

To celebrate the opening, Anca hosted a grand opening event on 5 March attended by key stakeholders and customers, industry partners and local dignitaries. 

For further information www.anca.com

The new Parts Finishing trade fair will take place for the first time at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre on 13-14 November 2024. The new format features a comprehensive focus on deburring, component cleaning and surface finishing, from stand-alone processes right up to networked production lines.

In order to be competitive in growth markets, companies are required to be more flexible and agile, and focus more sharply on process sequences and value chains. At the same time, industrial production has to fulfil ever-increasing demands in terms of component quality, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

“This leads to a steadily growing need for information and knowledge,” says Hartmut Herdin, managing director of private trade fair promoter fairXperts GmbH. “Technical trade fairs play an important role in this regard. However, the focus of respective exhibitions has thus far been limited to individual production steps, which means that several trade fair visits are required to obtain comprehensive information. Parts Finishing provides suppliers and users of solutions for deburring, component cleaning and surface finishing with an ideal platform under one roof.”

Suppliers from the quality-relevant fields of deburring technologies, industrial cleaning technology and surface finishing will present their spectrum of solutions at the new event. Beyond this, attention will focus on trends and innovations for automation, the digital

transformation, process networking and improving resource efficiency in these production steps. According to the organiser, the trade fair, with its integrated expert forum, is a unique platform for companies, experts and research institutions who want to showcase innovative solutions and technologies, exchange knowledge and experience, and discuss industrial trends.

For further information www.parts-finishing.de

Fritz Studer AG has awarded its research prize, the Fritz Studer Award, for the seventh time. Applicants from several European countries submitted their work, with Dr Emil Sauter proving victorious and claiming the prize of CHF10,000 (approximately €10,500).

The Fritz Studer Award is aimed at graduates from European universities and technical colleges. Studer was looking for creative ideas and solutions that would benefit the machine tool industry.

“The objectives of the research prize are, on one hand, to boost innovation in the machine tool industry with feasible solutions, and on the other, to promote young technical and scientific talents,” says Dr Frank Fiebelkorn, head of research and technology at Fritz Studer AG.

The focus for entrants had to be on: innovative machine concepts or components for machine tools used in precision machining; alternative materials in the machine tool industry; simulation models for the dynamic and thermal behaviour of machine tools; control and sensor concepts for machine tools; or new or evolved manufacturing techniques.

The Fritz Studer Award 2023 was presented to Dr Emil Sauter from the Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Machine Tools at ETH Zurich. He impressed the entire jury with his topic ‘Detection and avoidance of thermal damage for high-performance metal grinding processes using hybrid machine learning models’.

His work focuses on the development of an innovative condition monitoring system for external cylindrical grinding with metal-bonded CBN tools. The system recognises thermal damage in situ and predicts the remaining useful life of grinding tools. Process parameters such as structure-borne noise, spindle current, force characteristics and the use of time-frequency transformations generate the process features of a grinding process to detect different stages of thermal damage to the workpiece.

For further information www.studer.com

Now available from Vollmer is the new ultraTEC ultrasonic A25 deburring machine. As part of the Vollmer Group, ultraTEC is a company that has won a number of awards for its patented new ultrasonic deburring method, which only uses water. This proprietary technology utilises an ultrasonic horn that oscillates to generate soundwaves and cavitation which clean and deburr external and internal edges reliably.

This environmentally friendly solution provides burr-free parts that alternative processes cannot process. It eliminates common challenges when deburring parts such as deformation, discolouring and changes to the oxide layer on the component.

The ultraTEC ultrasonic A25 creates a formation and dissolution/implosion of bubbles in water that release an intense energy during implosion. This effect arrives courtesy of an ultra-high oscillation of 20 kHz with an oscillation width of ±80-120 µm, which far exceeds the amplitude of ultrasonic cleaning, cutting and welding technologies.

An ultrasonic horn (fully submersed in water) is set into resonant vibration via mechanical oscillations to transmit the extremely high forces into the water tank. With diameters from 1.2 to 14 mm, the ultrasonic horn remains in position in the water tank while components move robotically around it. The horn creates a cavitation jet from 250 to 270 m/s that breaks burrs from the parts.

The ultraTEC ultrasonic A25 is configured with an ultrasonic stainless steel 40 litre basin that can accommodate parts up to 150 x 150 x 150 mm and weighing up to 1.5 kg. Once processed, parts are moved to a compressed air drying station. A six-axis ABB industrial robot collects components from an external pallet.

For further information www.vollmer-group.com