Product category:
Tool and cutter grinding
News Release from: Anca Pty | Subject: TX7+ universal grinder - P-axis
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 02 January 2008
Adding accuracy to long tool grinding
jobs
To increase rigidity and accuracy when grinding long tools on a universal grinding machine, a P-axis that includes two travelling steadies and a CNC tailstock.
Australian CNC grinder manufacturer ANCA has developed a P-axis to increase rigidity and accuracy when grinding long tools on its TX7+ universal grinder Three different configurations include two travelling steadies using either fixed bush or an Arobotech hydraulic follow-down steady and a CNC tailstock
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 29 May 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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The three configurations are interchangeable as they use the same P-axis bed, so support can be maintained across a wide range of applications, and each type can specified as an option on new machines or retro-fitted to any ANCA TX7+ or TX7+Xchanger.
ANCA International Marketing manager, Duncan Thompson, believed the new steadies will address the strong demand for long tools and provide extra versatility to ANCA TX7+ operators.
Thompson explained to manufacturingtalk: "We have seen renewed interest in the long drill grinding application.
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This has been driven by the superior performance of twist drills over traditional gun drills for making deep holes in automotive components such as cam shafts".
* Bush-type traveling steady - ANCA originally introduced the travelling steady on past models such as the TG7 and TGX machines.
The new bush-type for the TX7+ represents a technological enhancement of the concept with greater length capacity.
The best place to support a tool during grinding is the point of greatest load, directly under the grinding wheel.
The CNC-controlled steady travels underneath the tool to provide this support for operation such as fluting on long tools and then is programmed to move to the end of tool during point grinding operations.
The tool is supported by a circular bush, which exposes the top 45% of the tool to the grinding wheel.
The bush is very easy to set-up and change between tool types.
The bush-type steady is proving particularly successful for straight-flute reamer production.
* Arobotech hydraulic 'follow-down' steady - tools with back taper on the diameter generally present a problem for bush type steadies because of the gap between the bush and the tool back taper.
The Arobotech follow-down steady provides a solution by following the taper to make sure that the three-point contact is maintained over the entire tool length.
Eliminating the gap makes sure that support under the tool is continuous.
This is particularly important in ensuring the best possible consistency in core diameter.
One set of support pads can adapt to a wide range of tool diameters, with only three sets of pads needed to cover all diameters from 3mm to 26mm.
This saves in set-up time and increases machine productivity, said ANCA.
The Arobotech clamping force can also be varied depending on tool diameter.
* CNC tailstock - this latest tailstock has been redesigned to provide more rigidity where needed.
Used for holding tools between centres, the tailstock is CNC operated and features ANCA developed programmable force control.
So users can vary the force depending on tool diameter and rigidity required.
It uses common tooling to the bush-type traveling steady, which makes changing between the two quick and easy.
These new developments mean that fluting operations on long, slender tools over 350mm in length are not only possible, but can now be done with an accuracy normally associated with shorter tools * About ANCA - ANCA was founded in 1974 to design and manufacture high technology computer numerical controls (CNCs) for the machine tool and metal-based industries.
Today, ANCA has become a leading designer and manufacturer of complete, high precision CNC grinding machines in a global niche market, and exports more than 98% of products to customers around the world.
With its core values of precision, innovation, quality and technological excellence, ANCA is today an international organisation of more than 350 employees with a robust set of technological and entrepreneurial skills.
Offices are located in major cities in Europe, North America, South America and Asia; with dealerships represented in over 25 countries.
ANCA continues to understand market demands and produce products and services to benefit its customers.
ANCA has experienced an average annual growth rate of 30% since 2005 and continues to set new production and sales records each year.
Over the past six years, ANCA has sold A$500 million in exports for Australia and is number one in the US, UK and China markets for CNC grinding machines.
Approximately 7% of ANCA's revenue is ploughed-back into development of new technologies.
In the past 3 year period, A$11 million has been re-invested in the Bayswater plant in new equipment to ensure the company stays at the leading edge of production efficiency and product quality.
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