Product category:
Tool and cutter grinding
News Release from: Koerber Schleifring UK | Subject: Helitronic Power 5-axis CNC tool/cutter grinder
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 August 2007
Five-axis tool grinder works unmanned at
night
A 5-axis CNC tool and cutter grinder with pallet loader allows a tooling company to do 'specials' work on day shifts and 'routine' work on unmanned night shifts.
A Walter Helitronic Power five-axis CNC tool and cutter grinder with pallet loader is enabling a new cutting tool manufacturer and regrinder, Techgrind, to attract notable customers Installed in August, Techgrind operates the machine during the day, typically manufacturing carbide or HSS round shank tooling such as special step drills or cutters with unusual geometry in batches of 10 or 20-off
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 29 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Twenty four grinding machines displayed at EMO
At the EMO 2005 the Schleifring Group exhibited 24 grinding machines including a Studer single-pur-pose centre grinding machine for grinding chamfers and full angles on carbide metal blanks.
CNC grinder improves pump case quality
Jan-Oliver Roehrl speaks to the Schleifring's 'Motion' magazine about the use of a CNC vertical spindle internal grinding machine at the Bosch plant in Czech Republic, to improve performance and produ
At night, Techgrind fills the Walter Pallet Loader (which has a capacity of 280 tools up to 32mm diameter and 220mm long) iwith similar sized tooling to run unmanned on regrinding operations.
Batch sizes can be 200-off and consist of any type of tool, from ball nose cutters and end mills through to drills and step drills.
"Having the Helitronic with Pallet Loader has worked out really well," said owner of Techgrind, Byron Crowley.
Further reading
Compact grinding centre drills and mills too
Compact grinding center designed especially for the complete machining of relatively small parts features an automatic tool and wheel changer and can be used for drilling and milling tasks.
Grinding replaces broaching and milling
A cost-effective alternative - that replaces the broaching and milling with grinding - has been developed for the process used to manufacture a variety of steering gear racks.
User-friendliness won CNC surface grinder deal
The user-friendliness of a new surface and profile grinding machine, with Easy Drive and language-free, symbol-based operation, was the main factor that convinced a toolmaker to purchase it.
"We can manufacture hands-on 'specials' during the day then leave the machine overnight and at weekends to perform routine regrinding operations.
At present we are so busy that it operates nearly every night".
Crowley said the machine's ease-of-programming is a real benefit.
"I've always thought the Helitronic was great from a programming perspective - but since being introduced to Walter's Cyber Grinding tool simulation software I have never looked back - it's fantastic".
Walter's Cyber Grinding offers savings in tool design and production by allowing non-standard new tools to be designed and 'manufactured' off-line.
It therefore eliminates the making of time-consuming and costly prototypes, test batch work and interruptions to production.
This 3D software package simulates the grinding process on-screen, for verification and optimising the tool design, grinding result, operation sequence and grinding wheel paths.
The resulting 3D representation of the finished tool, with appropriate data, can be either emailed to the customer for approval - who can turn and view the 'virtual tool' from any direction - or transferred directly to the Helitronic's control, for immediate production.
Crowley is the young entrepreneur behind Rainham (Essex), UK-based Techgrind.
He had worked a number of years at his father's firm, a tooling specialist for the woodworking sector.
Later he had identified an opportunity to launch a small but flexible and dynamic company that could provide an innovative metal-cutting tooling service and regrinds on a rapid turnaround basis.
Crowley registered the company in May 2006, and invested in advanced tool and cutter grinding machinery.
Having used Walter models extensively while working for his father, there was only one real choice.
"I have always found the Helitronics to be extremely reliable and simple to use," said Crowley.
"The Helitronic Power is a good all-round machine offering a high specification for a reasonable price.
There is nothing else in the same bracket.
Also, the technical support available from Walter is excellent." The Walter Helitronic Power offers 11.5kW of power and rapid traverse rates of 15m/min in all linear axes plus 120 deg /s on the rotational axes.
The machine can accommodate tools up to 350mm long (300mm for face grinding) and 320mm diameter.
Installed in August, 2006, Techgrind operates the machine during the day typically manufacturing carbide or HSS round shank tooling such as special step drills or cutters with unusual geometry in batches of 10- or 20-off.
Techgrind plans to purchase another Helitronic from Koerber Schleifring UK of Honiley near Kenilworth within the next 6-8 months.
• Koerber Schleifring UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
