GRINDING, HONING & SURFACE FINISHING EAR TO THE GROUND
Stephan Rodrigue with
the Vgrind 160 at Apex
quality assurance capabilities through
software upgrades such as the KIMOS
(Klingelnberg Integrated Manufacturing of
Spiral Bevel Gears) software package from
Klingelnberg’s Oerlikon bevel gear
technology division.
KEY ENABLING TECHNOLOGY
Ricardo Performance Products managing
director Martin Starkey says: “The
investment in manufacturing technology and
software, including the purchase of the
Klingelnberg grinding machine, has
enhanced our capability to design, analyse,
manufacture and inspect bevel gears with a
closed-loop system. This new technology is a
key enabler in supporting customers with
more advanced solutions, meaning they can
look forward to even higher standards of
product quality and shorter lead times.”
The manufacture of cutting tools is a
further market segment adding to demand
for the latest CNC grinding solutions, as
Apex Cutting Tools can testify. Based at St
Catharines, Canada, the company produces
more than 2,000 PCD and solid carbide
tools each month, with more than 8,000
tools on a repeat cycle of re-grind, re-coat
and re-supply to clients. Notably, every tool
is a special, which makes production at
Apex Cutting Tools far removed from the
volume production market. The company
operates two-shifts, and if machines can be
loaded with a batch of tools for overnight
production at the end of the second shift,
they will be. This strategy sees machines
like a Vgrind 160 from Vollmer (https://is.gd/
kahuqu) running up to 24 hours a day.
CNC grinding department supervisor
Stephan Rodrigue says: “The breakdown of
our production is relatively equal between
PCD and indexable tools, with solid carbide
commanding the majority of production. Our
volumes are generally in the range of ve to
50 tools, with some runs occasionally
reaching a few hundred.”
Of critical importance to the prolonged
periods of unmanned running at Apex is the
auto-change six-wheel pack that is stored at
the rear of the Vgrind 160. Automatically,
the wheels are measured in cycle with a
probe, dressed and/or changed depending
upon the geometry of each tool. So,
regardless of whether the HP160 is loaded
with carbide blanks or re-grind tools, the
Vgrind will undertake complete uting,
geometry generation or re-grinding to exact
program speci cations.
“The nishing wheel will undertake
micron-precision grinding with outstanding
surface nishes, whereas the rough grinding
wheel can really rip the material off,” says
Rodrigue. “We are doing a 24 mm diameter
tool at present with a 12 mm core diameter,
and the Vgrind will produce the utes in a
single pass. The Vgrind is at least 30%
faster at roughing than some of our older
machines.”
Another specialist in the manufacturing of
cutting tools, Lincoln, California-based AB
Tools, has taken delivery of an ANCA
(https://is.gd/okiwoq) MX7 Linear grinding
machine with automation to help it produce
the company’s Shear Hog range of carbide
inserts. Existing machines and processes
were proving insuf cient to keep up with
demand.
ANCA’s engineering team worked closely
with AB Tools to nd a solution, as it can
custom-design mechanical, electrical,
software and process solutions to enhance
the standard product range and meet
speci c customer requirements. The
engineering team was requested to deliver a
solution that was able to automatically load
and grind the Shear Hog inserts, perform
grinding operations in one set-up and meet
cycle time requirements.
Developments included a modi cation to
the loading system, with custom pallets to
suit the inserts. The custom pallets can hold
up to 442 inserts, although this capacity can
be increased by ordering the four-pallet
upgrade option available on the MX7
Robomate universal loader. A modi cation to
the robot gripper head allows the robot to
52 March 2020 www.machinery.co.uk @MachineryTweets
/
/okiwoq)
/www.machinery.co.uk