Viper grinding seminars, demonstrations planned

To launch the Makino-NCMT Grinding Division, the division will host the biggest ever Viper (very impressive performance extreme removal) grinding UK seminars and demonstrations.

The Japanese machining centre manufacturer, Makino, recognises that its UK agent, NCMT, is probably the world leader in the application of 'Viper' grinding for the production of nickel-based components up to eight times faster than when using a conventional, plated CBN (cubic boron nitride) wheel.

Makino-NCMT Grinding Division has therefore been set up in the UK to market the technology throughout Europe, principally within the aerospace and power generation industries, but also in the motorsport and medical sectors.

To launch this initiative, the division will host the biggest ever Viper (very impressive performance extreme removal) grinding seminars and demonstrations on 14th and 15th June 2006 at its Middlemarch technical centre near Coventry, England.

Guest speakers will include a representative from existing user, Rolls-Royce, as well as from grinding wheel manufacturer, Tyrolit.

Anyone interested in attending or receiving more information should contact Sam Matthews at Makino-NCMT Grinding Division.

Manufacturers from across Europe will be able to learn more of the latest Viper developments.

The technology, which employs small, vitrified aluminium oxide wheels in creep-feed grinding mode, offers not only a major advance in productivity, but also significantly reduced consumable costs and lead times.

The Makino range of Viper grinding machines is the first to combine creep feed grinding with milling and drilling in a true multi-processing environment, reducing the number of separate operations and set-up times.

Six Makino machining centres, each with seven computer-controlled axes, will be made available for the seminars.

One A99-5XR-CD will demonstrate single-hit manufacture of a turbine disc including grinding the complete form of the root slot (a world first), spiral milling the air cooling holes, grinding a precision face coupling, grinding the OD (outside diameter) journal, and turning of a hook groove on the same machine using a static tool.

A similar machining centre will show the ease with which grinding wheels, continuous dressing rolls and NC coolant nozzles may be exchanged automatically, and will also demonstrate the speed of swapping between grinding and milling.

Another machine will demonstrate the approach to machining a large blade for land-based power generation.

Two smaller machines will grind and mill a compressor blade root form, and grind a fir tree root form, radial seal slot and involute gear form.

At the other end of the scale, a Makino A100-5XR-CD with 1700 x 1350 x 1400mm travels will show how a large casing can be machined using a combination of grinding and milling.

Related software developed by Makino-NCMT Grinding Division will also feature, including a module for manufacturing ultra-quiet ground gears.

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