Owing to their high rigidity and damping properties, Index Werke says its machines are suitable for the complete machining of complex workpieces, including the integration of gear teeth. The Czech Linde Pohony plant knows this all too well, recently decommissioningits existing Index G400 turn-mill machines, after 20 years of service, and investing in six new Index G420 models. The new turn-mill centres should achieve amortisation within three years. Index machines are available in the UK via Kingsbury.

Head of production and technologyPetr Vitásekand his team tested various offers and decided once again to go for Index.

“Few suppliers were able to offer a machining centre that is equipped with two turning spindles, two turrets and a powerful motorised milling spindle that masters power skiving technology,” he says.“This gives us decisive advantages, particularly since we are able to achieve complete machining with our new Index G420 machines. Before, we had to use a lathe, a milling machine and a gear cutting machine.”

The investment allowed Linde Pohony to increase the productivity of its machines and, at the same time, save space in the production hall and thus increase productivity per unit area.

A special Indexpower skiving cycle and user-prompted input screens for workpiece, tool, process and correction data ensure easy operation.

Miroslav Vařečka, head of production engineering, mentions dry machining as a further advantage: “Compared with the former machining technique, it’s no longer necessary to clean off any oil residues on the workpieces, which implies time and financial savings.”

He adds: “We can use our turn-mill centres not only for shaft production, but also for other tasks, such as manufacturing transmission housings.”

For further information www.index-werke.com