At the EMO show in September, Hardinge Kellenberger will showcase a raft of new grinding technology and automation solutions.
With the new Voumard 30 internal grinding machine, Swiss grinding specialist Hardinge Kellenberger developed a machine for all industries whose main focus is on simple internal grinding operations in small to medium batch sizes.
The Voumard 30 is designed for workpiece lengths and diameters up to 150mm. With a footprint of 1.8 x 1.80m, this compact machine offers an excellent price to performance ratio and is ideal as an entry-level machine.
Depending on the application, either one or two parallel internal grinding spindles can come into operation. These high-quality internal grinding spindles ensure the best grinding results with short cycle times. They are available with speeds of 45,000 to 120,000rpm. Other outstanding features are the high-precision work headstock and a high-precision X/Z cross table.
The machine is equipped with Fanuc 0i control with the latest Blue Solution software generation, which is now standard on all Voumard and Kellenberger grinding machines. Blue Solution is characterised by simple, fast and intuitive touch operation with the operating elements designed so they can be quickly grasped and logically selected.
During data entry, the operator is optimally supported by an intelligent control system equipped with a plausibility monitor that indicates incorrect entries so they can be corrected. For automatic loading, the Voumard 30 can be equipped with a robot which can be optionally integrated into the machine enclosure.
A new version of the well-established Voumard 1000 high-end internal/external cylindrical grinding machine will be shown at EMO with a grinding length up to 600mm and an extended table with the possibility of using a steady rest – ideal for machining long shafts and spindles with high requirements for concentricity.
The kinematically flexible machine design of the Voumard 1000 features two linear and two rotary axes. The hydrostatic linear axes with newly developed Hydrolin guides are backlash-free for positional accuracies in the nanometre range.
The high-precision hydrostatic B-axes handle all necessary movements of the dressing and measuring devices offering flexibility that makes a large number of machining operations possible in addition to shortening set-up times. The spindle turret on the B1 axis is equipped with a compact grinding spindle head with flexible internal grinding spindle arrangements for a maximum of four grinding spindles.
Structure-borne sound sensor
The Kellenberger 100 and 1000 universal cylindrical grinding machines exhibited at EMO are equipped with many new features for excellent grinding results. The 100 comes with the innovative gTouch integrated structure-borne sound sensor system – a further development of the proven Kel-Touch sensor system, which will in future be known as gTouch.
The gTouch integrated was developed at Kellenberger’s request in cooperation with the manufacturer specifically for the design conditions of the Kellenberger 100, whose spindle motor is equipped with a direct drive.
Noise from the motor can impair the sensitivity of the sensors mounted on the spindle so the sensitive gTouch integrated sensor system has been integrated into the grinding wheel flange and is now located at the closest point to the source of structure-borne noise, directly on the grinding wheel.
The new flange nut can be used for both old and new flanges and retrofitting is possible at any time, even on old machines. The gTouch integrated sensor system is suitable for use with synchronous and asynchronous motor spindles. The reliable and effective noise shield prevents the passage of background noise, and guarantees highly sensitive signals even on small grinding sections, such as shoulders or phases. The gTouch integrated is particularly suitable for scratching and/or dressing with special grinding wheels with carbon or plastic bodies.
Wide range of new automation solutions
Kellenberger product specialists have expanded the existing product portfolio of automation solutions and added the newly developed Automation Fly to the Flex and Step automation solutions that have proven themselves on the market.
The Kellenberger 100 will be shown at the EMO with the new Automation FLY, which offers the ideal entry into machine automation in the basic segment with its compact, modular design.
The Fly loader is designed for shaft parts up to 60mm diameter, length up to 600mm, as well as chuck parts up to 100mm diameter and workpiece weights of 5kg maximum in alternating mode (length up to 280mm) and 10kg in single part mode. Due to its compact size of 1,200 x 1,400 x 2,200mm (L x W x H), it can be easily integrated into any production environment.
The Kellenberger 100 is available in centre widths of 1,000 and 600mm with centre heights of 200/250mm and is designed for workpiece weights up to 150kg. High drive power of the grinding wheel ensures high productivity and the new Z-guide offers high profile accuracy. The C-axis with direct drive brings higher accuracy for non-circular grinding.
The machine was developed for the precision manufacturing of prototypes as well as small and medium series such as in tool and die making, the automotive and electrical industry and the aircraft industry. The solid machine table with a reinforced machine bed guarantee high rigidity and stability – prerequisites for high precision. Workpieces up to 300kg can be machined.
Over 30 grinding head variants with external and internal grinding spindles are standard on the machine. The optional centre heights of 200/250 and 300mm and centre widths of 1,000/1,600mm expand the machining possibilities significantly and allow a wide range of application-specific configurations. At the EMO, the Kellenberger 1000 will be shown with the Flex automation solution.
Integrated Z2 axis for automatic length compensation
Automating grinding processes on workpieces of differing lengths is a challenge. The design engineers at Kellenberger have developed an integrated positioning axis (Z2 axis) for this task for the Kellenberger 1000, which ensures automatic length compensation during fully automatic loading by a robot or gantry loader.
Previously, the workpiece headstock or tailstock had to be repositioned manually for the necessary length compensation during workpiece change. The Z2 axis reduces the changeover time by around 80%.
The Z2 axis moves on the Z-axis with the automatic zero-point shift performed via a longitudinal probe. Workpieces up to a diameter of 300mm can be machined and a steady rest can be clamped for longer workpieces. Non-circular parts can also be ground which are orientated automatically on the C-axis.
At EMO, the Hardinge Group will also be exhibiting the new Weisser MultiCenter MTS 1200/8 horizontal machining centre, two new Bridgeport milling machines and complex ceramic turning on a Hardinge Super Precision T51 lathe. The Forkardt brand, which also belongs to the group, will present solutions from clamping technology.
In the UK, DF Precision Machinery is the exclusive distributor for Kellenberger products.
Hardinge Kellenberger
www.hardinge.com/product-brand/kellenberger
Hall 11, Stand E64
DF Precision Machinery
https://dfpmach.com
