Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Major machine tool company supporting next generation of industrial mechatronics technicians
Students Rebekka Neumann and Matthew Combs study toward their degree as a Mechatronics Technicians at Oakland County Community College and Henry Ford Community College, while working at manufacturing and machinery companies such as EMAG, under the MAT2 program
Farmington Hills, MI – EMAG L.L.C. is a major machine tool supplier to the automotive, off-highway and energy sectors of North American industry and has a very special connection it chooses to foster, thinking into the future of its industry. Based in the Detroit area, EMAG is currently participating in the Michigan Advanced Technician Training (MAT2) program with Oakland County Community College in Southfield, MI and Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, MI. This program offers high-school graduates a career in machine Mechatronics, the discipline that incorporates electrical, electronic and mechanical study, providing all graduates an Advanced Associate’s Degree through a multi-year program completely funded by employers such as EMAG, who offers the graduates career opportunities as well. The program began for EMAG in the Fall, 2013 school semester.
During three years of schooling, students have their tuition, all fees and even a laptop provided to them by EMAG. They take a combined classroom/work curriculum, with paid employment at EMAG during the last two years of their schooling.
Mechatronics technicians support the critical machining world in industry, as they work with engineers, modify machines, maintain all components, troubleshoot and provide service on all related equipment for advanced manufacturing companies.
MAT2 is officially sponsored by Orbitak International and a number of Detroit-area manufacturers and machinery companies, including EMAG.
EMAG L.L.C. CEO Peter Loetzner comments, “This program is very special for me, as I studied the then-new area of Mechatronics in school myself. I have always believed it is necessary that we help educate and train the next generation of engineering, operator and maintenance personnel. We at EMAG are very proud to participate in this important program for Michigan and our home Detroit area, in particular.”
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
Kristal Kilgore
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: kkilgore@emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
Kristal Kilgore
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: kkilgore@emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
15.3 million automobiles will be sold in the USA in 2013 alone. Even higher sales figures are anticipated for 2014. Manufacturers primarily want to meet the increased demand, including for automobiles with alternative drive systems such as hybrid drives and electric motors, by increasing their productivity. With its successful machine-tool concepts, EMAG has frequently demonstrated that productivity can be boosted above all by using state-of-the-art machine tools and the company wants to continue to do this on the market in the USA, a market that has been important traditionally. The EMAG branch in Farmington Hills in Michigan that has been successful for many years now offers an absolute guarantee of EMAG reliability and presence in America. This EMAG plant supplies a wide variety of customers throughout North America and thus makes a small but important contribution to boosting productivity in the USA. Let us convince you of the quality of our machines and the possibility of boosting production at WESTEC which is to be held in Los Angeles between October 15 and 17. You will find EMAG in the Convention Center at Stand 2820.
VT 2-4 vertical turning machine – shaft production for maximum productivity
Shafts are central components in an automobile’s powertrain. Thus, boosting productivity for this manufacturing process also has a clear effect on overall productivity. The vertical, 4-axis pick-up-turning machine VT 2-4 allows machining of shafts with a length of up to 400 mm and a diameter of up to 100 mm. Our consistent demand for maximum productivity is demonstrated by integration of the automation solution whereby the machine loads itself with raw parts using workpiece grippers. It takes approximately 6 seconds to change the workpieces and this thus leads to short idle times and, consequently, lower component costs. The actual turning process for which two tool turrets, each with twelve tool positions, are available (fitted with turning tools or driven tools) is performed at a speed of 6,000 rpm in extremely short cycles. The integrated automation system, combined with the compact vertical machine structure, allows you to configure production lines with a very small footprint. The VT 2-4 vertical turning machine is consequently ideally suited to integrating shaft production in existing manufacturing systems.
VL 2 – pick-up turning machine for small chuck parts
Besides the shafts, it is mainly chuck shafts which are involved in the production of automobiles. The fact that small chuck components need to be machined to an increasing extent in order to implement more compact and, thus, more lightweight parts is primarily due to the further developments in the field of boosting energy efficiency.
The VL 2 is designed to machine chuck parts with a maximum diameter of up to 100 mm and a length up to 150 mm. At the same time, the VL 2 offers a whole range of clever design details and hi-tech components which allow high productivity. These include the pick-up spindle which loads itself with raw parts from the integrated conveyor and the tool turret equipped with 12 tool positions which allows diverse machining scenarios. To date, there has not been such a compact manufacturing solution for machining hard or soft chuck parts. The machine concept is supplemented by a machine base made of MINERALIT® polymer concrete that ensures high strength and excellent vibration damping.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: info@usa.emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
Attention: Peter Loetzner
Continue readingAnn Arbor, Michigan – GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema and WMZ. These machines are sold to the North American market by GMTA primarily for gear and spline production, as well as other power transmission applications. The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG and other heavy equipment manufacturing. Machines are provided for gear honing, gear grinding, Scudding®, polygon milling, turning, gear tooth pointing and multiple machining operations.
Maik Schminke is named Manager of Controls Engineering & Programming
In the news…
-Effective October 1, Maik Schminke was named Manager of Controls Engineering & Programming at the Ann Arbor facility of GMTA. According to GMTA President Walter Friedrich, “This appointment fills our need to provide and support customers with machine tool controls, SPS, PLC and CNC programming.” Schminke has worked for the past 12 years at the German partner to GMTA, Diskus, part of the large DVS Group in Germany). Prior to Diskus, he worked at Pittler, another GMTA partner company in Germany and also a DVS Group company. Schminke completed his apprenticeship program, while at Pittler.
-EMO was a BIG success for all the partners to GMTA. Walter Friedrich and Scott Knoy from GMTA attended the show and saw many North American customers and friends, then visited their partner companies. As it was Oktoberfest in Germany, Walter and Scott also sampled several local brews. A good time was had by all!
-Plans are underway to have an open house at the newly renovated GMTA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This expanded facility now houses parts and service, a full machine demo center, sales and corporate management for this growing machine tool company. GMTA is the exclusive North American distributor for leading German machine tool builders and tooling suppliers, concentrated in the gear and spline production machine markets.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone: 734-973-7800
Fax: 734-973-3053
Web: www.gmtamerica.com
Email: scott@gmtamerica.com
Attention: Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online: 
Visit us
TD Convention Center, Booth 701
Forecasted growth rates of 6.3% in sales of automobiles in the USA clearly demonstrate one thing: that the USA is and will remain one of the most important trading partners for Germany and German industry. The USA is traditionally an important market for EMAG, a leading machine tool builder in Germany. This is emphasized by the fact that EMAG has been present in Farmington Hills, Michigan, for many years now. Thanks to the deep roots that EMAG has in the USA, it is not only an important employer in the region near the “Motor City” of Detroit, but it is also a reliable business partner for numerous companies throughout North America. See the quality and reliability of our products for yourself at this year’s South-Tec show in Greenville, South Carolina. EMAG will showcase its machines in the TD Convention Center at Stand 701 at the trade fair to be held between October 29 and 31, 2013.
VL 2-P – productivity thanks to pendulum technology
When the aim is to shorten idle times, there are very few machines which can rival the EMAG VL 2-P. Workpieces up to 100 mm in diameter can be machined on the VL 2-P with unbeatably short cycle times. While there is a pause on other machines to allow the workpiece to be changed, the next workpiece is directly ready to machine on the VL 2-P. The key is that 2 spindles are used and these load themselves alternately while the tool turret swings between the machining positions. When machining is completed on one spindle, the tool slide moves to the second spindle to start a new machining process. Loading and unloading of the spindles which now occur in parallel with machining are virtually eliminated from the machining process and reduce idle times to an absolute minimum.
VT 2-4 – top-quality shaft machining
The vertical, 4-axis pick-up-turning machine VT 2-4 allows machining of shafts with a length of up to 400 mm and a diameter of up to 100 mm. Our consistent demand for maximum productivity is demonstrated by integration of the automation solution whereby the machine loads itself with raw parts using workpiece grippers. It takes approximately 6 seconds to change the workpieces and this thus leads to short idle times and, consequently, lower component costs. The actual turning process for which two tool turrets, each with eleven tool positions, are available (fitted with turning tools or driven tools) is performed at a speed of 6,000 rpm in extremely short cycles.
VL 2 – pick-up turning machine for small chuck parts
The VL 2 vertical pick-up turning machine is just the right choice for machining chuck parts with a maximum diameter of up to 100 mm and a length of up to 150 mm. At the same time, the VL 2 offers a whole range of clever design details and hi-tech components. These include the pick-up spindle which loads itself with raw parts from the integrated conveyor belt and the tool turret equipped with 12 tool positions which allows diverse machining scenarios. The machine body made of MINERALIT® polymer concrete ensures high strength and excellent vibration damping which is indispensable particularly when machining small chuck components.
VL 5i – flexible and efficient
Be it small or large series production, the EMAG VL 5i is the ideal manufacturing solution for turned parts up to 250 mm. The VL 5i is an interesting manufacturing solution above all for small- and medium-sized component producers, thanks to its excellent characteristics (e.g. short retooling times and fast programming). An automation system functioning on the basis of the drag-frame principle is integrated to round off the equipment features. This automation system, combined with the pick-up technology from EMAG, is the basis for the high productivity of the VL 5i. The workpieces are conveyed to the inside of the machine via the revolving automation system. The pick-up spindle loads itself there and it also deposits the finished workpiece back on the conveyor after machining. The advantages are obvious: the revolving automation system allows simple and very reliable loading and unloading of the parts, while the self-loading spindle ensures maximum machining reliability since clamping errors are virtually completely eliminated.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: info@usa.emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
Attention: Peter Loetzner
No. 1021 is a 1250ºF high-temperature belt conveyor oven from Grieve, currently used for drying steel nesh (sieve) materials at the customer’s facility. Workspace dimensions of this oven measure 21” W x 38” D x 3” H. 40 KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven chamber, while a 1600 CFM, 1-1/2 HP recirculating blower provides vertical downward airflow to the workload.
This Grieve packaged conveyor oven features 10” thick insulated walls made from 8” of 1900ºF block and 2” of 10 lb/cf density rockwool insulation, aluminized steel exterior, Type 304, 2B finish stainless steel interior and an 18” wide, 1” x 1” stainless steel flat wire conveyor belt with 1/3 HP motor drive, variable from 0.05 to 1.20 feet per minute. The oven travel comprises a 30” long open belt loading zone, 38” long insulated heat zone with recirculated airflow and 30” long open unloading zone. 10” x 10” stainless steel mesh screens above the return ductwork below the conveyor are provided to collect debris from the workload.
Controls onboard No. 1021 include a digital indicating temperature controller, SCR power controller and wall mounted remote control panel (shown detached in photo).
For more information, please contact:
THE GRIEVE CORPORATION
500 Hart Road
Round Lake, IL 60073-2898
Phone: (847) 546-8225
Fax: (847) 546-9210
Web: www.grievecorp.com
Email: sales@grievecorp.com
Attention: Frank Calabrese, VP
Milwaukee-based commercial heat treater now a formidable player in the Midwest
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Complete Heat Treating, LLC today announces the completion of its acquisition of all assets and equipment of the former Wisconsin Steel Industries, Inc. Complete co-owners Jake and TJ Dolhun made the announcement from the company headquarters here. By this acquisition, Complete becomes a formidable player in the commercial heat treating market in the Midwest, as the combined companies boast 75 years of service to the metalworking industry, with substantial heat treating and related capabilities. The purchase of Wisconsin Steel was made by Complete in 2011, with the relocation of all equipment and key personnel having now concluded.
All equipment from both companies has been consolidated at the 65,000 square foot Complete facility in Milwaukee, where the highlight is a gas-fired car bottom furnace with a 53’ x 22’ x 14’ workspace, powered by 40,000,000 BTU’s with a 1,000,000-pound load capacity and operating temperatures to 2150ºF max.
The equipment and services now offered here include five car bottom furnaces, five box furnaces, heavy-duty polymer and water quench tanks, stress relieving, sand blasting, prime and finish painting, annealing, normalizing, BHN inspection, straightening, saw cutting of test specimens, tractor/trailer fleet and full compliance with ISO 9001 certification standards. Workpieces to 50 tons are routinely processed here, using existing and new crane equipment recently installed.
Customers for this commercial heat treater include many of the Midwest’s leading builders of farm equipment, mining equipment, materials handling equipment, rail systems, construction equipment, power generation, oil/gas and other machinery.
Wisconsin Steel was established in 1939 by Ted Dolhun, Sr., grandfather to the current owners of Complete.
For more information on this story, interested parties should contact:
COMPLETE HEAT TREATING, LLC.
125 East Greenfield Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204-2937
Phone: 414-643-5161
Fax: 414-383-8766
Web: www.completeht.com or www.wisconsinsteel.us
Email: rfq@completeht.com or jake@completeht.com
Attention: Jake Dolhun, TJ Dolhun or Catherine Mercuri
To guarantee perfect workmanship and the highest possible product quality, BMW uses five-axis machining centers equipped with Sinumerik 840D sl and a range of new user interfaces for machining operations in its Berlin motorcycle plant.
BMW motorcycles enjoy an outstanding reputation around the world for their reliability, quality, performance and safety. This is not achieved by chance, however. BMW’s motorcycle plant in Berlin uses around 50 machine tools to create numerous key components on-site, from frames and valve shafts to connecting rods and cylinder heads. Among these tools are Grob’s horizontal five-axis G550 machining centers equipped with Sinumerik 840D controllers, which are used in the manufacture of cylinder heads for flat and 4-cylinder engines. Prices are obtained from suppliers at regular intervals, especially when the company is investing in new machining centers. The aim is to ensure that BMW can manufacture its components more cost-effectively than external contractors, while at the same time comparing the prices offered by the various machine suppliers. One of the major reasons for choosing the G550 was because it was equipped with a Siemens CNC.
The horizontal design of the Grob five-axis G550 guarantees the highest levels of rigidity, which keeps axial deviations below 10 µm.
Thanks to previous positive experience with Siemens, the BMW manufacturing specialists in Berlin already employ technology from Europe’s market leader for 90 percent of their controllers. This allows both operators and tool setters the flexibility to work on almost all the machines in the plant. Other key requirements noted in the specification were adequate space for manufacturing all relevant components, the highest levels of precision and surface finish, compliance with pre-defined cycle times, and the ability to reuse all current tools and equipment.
The highest levels of precision on even the hardest material
Before committing to the new investment, the responsible BMW production engineer worked with a colleague from process engineering to investigate the effectiveness of the Grob machines in cylinder head production. Initially, it was the G550’s near-identical sibling, the G350, that was under consideration. As a first traditional single-workplace machine tool, it already met almost all the main criteria, but the space available inside was deemed too small to accommodate all the required processing tasks. However, the G550 satisfied this requirement as well. Among other factors, the horizontal design of this five-axis machine, which has both rotary axes in the work area, contributes significantly to its outstanding rigidity. As a result, axial deviation remains process-compliant at values under 10 µm. The level of precision that can be achieved is correspondingly high, even when processing extremely hard materials, as with valve seat inserts, for example.
The machine also produces a high-quality surface finish, with roughness (Rz) of up to 2 µm. Christian Heiß, applications engineer at Grob, explains a further benefit of the horizontal design: “Tool life can be increased by approximately 30 percent compared with that of vertical machining centers. And the problem of jammed slivers is almost completely eliminated because they are not able to fall onto the workpiece in the first place, but instead fall right through to the ground.”
One of the G550’s strengths is its compact size, at only 3800 mm x 6300 mm. However, despite its size, it still features an extremely long z-axis stroke of 1020 mm, meaning that tools up to 500 mm long can be retracted completely out of the work area and into the so-called spindle tunnel. The swivel-mounted shuttle table is another feature that helps deliver high levels of productivity. While one workpiece is being processed, the next can be clamped and set, thus minimizing costly downtime. 
Programmed and set in no time at all
Employees find the new Sinumerik 840D sl CNC especially easy to operate because, in the production of BMW cylinder heads, only Siemens controllers are used. Despite this, the user interface presented on the Grob machines looks completely different from the others. Until now, operators and setters have been used to the DIN-based HMI Advanced user interface, but the new CNC on the G550 features the Sinumerik Operate animated graphical display. Siemens has integrated a new operation and programming structure, with practical functions such as copy and paste that are well known to users from their daily use of PCs. This allowed BMW employees to quickly adapt and master the new Sinumerik user interface in no time at all.
Thanks to its excellent usability and intuitive operation through various technology cycles, measurement cycles, and setting functionality, the new G550 machines can be set up for new batches much more quickly than before. As Heiß explains: “This means our customers are much faster than before. Previously, it might have taken several hours to set up the machine and the workpiece, now it can be done in just a few minutes.”
Highly trained employees and specialist suppliers help BMW motorcycles maintain their excellent reputation for reliability, quality, and safety.
Quick and reliable with remote maintenance
Along with the tools and equipment from the current machines, the German motorcycle manufacturer was able to reuse all its existing programs as well. It took a single employee only two days to upgrade these programs to be compatible with the latest software, which can be loaded onto the relevant machine as required either over the network or from a USB stick. The modern Windows Explorer-style program manager means that complex programs can be managed either on the CF (Compact Flash) card or directly on the CNC.
If problems arise while the machine is operational, BMW production engineer Taner Ögretmen and his colleagues use the network-based remote maintenance functionality provided by Grob. This has rarely been required so far – but when it has, it proved to be extremely smooth and efficient, stresses Ögretmen. Grob can also perform minor optimizations together with Siemens using the teleservice. This is usually done automatically and without any disruption to ongoing production. The Sinumerik-controlled Grob machines have met every expectation in full, which is why BMW has already ordered an additional four G550s.
Programming and operation using Sinumerik Operate
Sinumerik Operate provides several different programming methods to let users program and set the workpieces: ShopMill graphical user interface, programGUIDE for G-code with cycle support, and pure DIN/ISO programming. If the user decides to use ShopMill, he or she receives an animated graphical work-step programming environment for simple dialog programming. The interface is designed to
be clear and self-explanatory, so that even operators with no programming experience can learn the basics in no time at all. To write programs in programGUIDE, the operator will need some knowledge of G-code. The highlights here include new cycle support functionality and animated elements that can be used to represent the cycle graphically. Tooltip support is also provided.
For more information on this story:
SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
MOTION CONTROL
MACHINE TOOL BUSINESS
390 Kent Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: 847-640-1595
Fax: 847-437-0784
Web: www.usa.siemens.com/cnc
Email: SiemensMTBUMarCom.sea@siemens.com
Attention: John Meyer, Manager, Marketing Communications
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
Continue readingAnn Arbor, Michigan – GMTA (German Machine Tools of America) represents various top-quality German metalworking machine builders, including Profilator, Pittler, Praewema and WMZ. These machines are sold to the North American market by GMTA primarily for gear and spline production, as well as other power transmission applications. The company’s target markets include automotive, off-highway, OCTG and other heavy equipment manufacturing. Machines are provided for gear honing, gear grinding, Scudding®, polygon milling, turning, gear tooth pointing and multiple machining operations.
In the news…
– The renovation of the GMTA facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan is now complete with plans in the works for future expansion of the campus. Additional floorspace, showroom capacity and training facilities, plus more personnel, are planned, according to company VP Scott Knoy. In that regard, two personnel announcements were made by GMTA company President Walter Friedrich on August 1. Doug VanDeven is now GMTA Parts Manager and Shawn Wilkin is now GMTA Service Manager. As Friedrich remarked, “These two positions are essential parts of our business, as they reflect our company’s image to our customers.”
– GMTA will be exhibiting at Gear Expo in Indianapolis in September.
– All the member groups of GMTA will be exhibiting at EMO in Hannover, Germany in September. GMTA representatives Walter Friedrich and Scott Knoy will attend.
– A major sale was recently secured on the Chrysler nine-speed transmission program.
– GMTA will now represent K+G (Kristen + Goermann) carbide inserts, toolholders and cutters, plus offer a new line of GMTA Scudding® tools. An agreement negotiation to represent Naxos grinding wheels and hone rings is underway at this time, as well.
For more information on this announcement, please contact:
GMTA (German Machine Tools of America)
4630 Freedom Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
Phone: 734-973-7800
Fax: 734-973-3053
Web: www.gmtamerica.com
Email: sales@gmtamerica.com
Attention: Scott Knoy, VP
Connect with GMTA online:
No. 1017 is a 1000ºF high-temperature bench oven from Grieve, currently used for various heat processings at the customer’s facility. Workspace dimensions of this oven measure 22” W x 22” D x 13” H. 3 KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven chamber, while a recirculating blower provides airflow to the workload.
This Grieve bench oven features 5” insulated walls, stainless steel exterior with #4 brushed finish, Type 304, 3B finish stainless steel interior, integral oven stand and an 8” x 10” double-pane Pyrex/Vycor viewing window.
Controls onboard No. 1017 include a digital programming temperature controller and manual reset excess temperature controller with separate control contactors.
For more information, please contact:
THE GRIEVE CORPORATION
500 Hart Road
Round Lake, IL 60073-2835 USA
Phone: (847) 546-8225
Fax: (847) 546-9210
Web: www.grievecorp.com
Email: sales@grievecorp.com
Attention: Frank Calabrese
The advantages for the user are obvious. In the past, it was necessary to decide in favour of one of the three technologies. Now, with the VTC 315 DS, it is possible to choose the technology that best suits individual applications. Dr. Guido Hegener, the executive responsible for grinding technology at EMAG Salach Maschinenfabrik GmbH, comments on the diverse applications: “We are consistently following the path of combination machining. As a rule, our customers manufacture different workpieces on the machine. We intend to offer them the best technology for every application.” The VTC 315 DS is of interest to those engaged in the manufacture of medium and large batches of high-quality components such as gear shafts, rotor shafts, pump shafts, motor shafts or cardan shafts. The machining technology is chosen accordingly. Sturdy workpieces are machined using the scroll-free turning technology. The grinding technology is preferred for smaller, less stable components. “This makes us more flexible and allows us to choose the right technology for every individual requirement”, explains Dr. Guido Hegener the advantages. The machine can be used as a fully-fledged grinding machine, or a fully-fledged turning machine, or a combination of both. When choosing a technology one should take a closer look at the cycle time and, in particular, at the tooling cost. Unit production costs are usually higher with hard turning and scroll-free turning than with grinding, although CBN grinding wheels – in absolute terms – are rather expensive. It is for this very reason that the user has to decide on a case by case which manufacturing technology to use.
Different technology modules for different workpieces
The developers of the VTC were also considering the machine as an investment in the future. Should production requirements change, the machine can be equipped – at very little expense and effort – with different technology modules that make it suitable for machining of the new workpiece. At present, the technology modules available are:
This guarantees flexibility in the use of the machine and opens up a wide range of applications, especially as all the technologies can be applied also in combination.
VTC production lines
The VTC 315 DS is ideally suited for complex manufacturing processes. Whether the job includes the high metal removal rates of turning and milling or the gentler grinding process – the VTC series of machines offers the possibility to integrate most of the metal cutting processes. This allows for the creation of complete VTC production lines for soft and hard machining. Turning, milling, drilling, grinding and gear hobbing have already been modularised for this particular machine platform. It provides the VTC with an extensive field of application. “We have already installed complete production lines of VTC machines for the soft machining of crankshafts. Almost all of the operations could be accommodated on machines from the VTC series”, this is how Markus Woitsch, chief of the production team for shaft machines, explains the production line concept of the VTC. Naturally, subjects like spare part stocks and unified machine operation also play a decisive role in the eye of the customer. With a production line that interlinks a number of different VTC machines and utilises different manufacturing technologies, spare part stocks can be drastically reduced, as 80% of the VTC machine components are the same. Only the technology modules change, when a VTC has to be adapted for a new machining requirement. 
Complete-machining through technology combination
The VTC 315 DS accommodates turning as well as grinding technologies. For example, the turret carries out all turning operations, while the second station is used for the grinding work. This way, shafts can be complete-machined: the cylindrical bearing seats, the shoulders and the grooves – all machined in a single set-up. “Clamping errors play a particularly important part when it comes to high-performance components. Radial runout can be much reduced when a workpiece does not have to be re-clamped several few times”, elucidates Dr. Guido Hegener on the quality of the machine. To keep downtimes caused by tool changes to a minimum, sister tooling is provided for all turning operations. And the tool life of grinding wheels is so high that the time taken up by a wheel change is of no consequence.
The VTC 315 DS design
A distinguishing feature of the VTC 315 DS is its sturdiness and rigidity. At its heart is the machine base in Mineralit® (polymer granite). The damping properties of this material is 8 times that of grey cast iron, which makes it particularly well suited for hard machining operations like grinding or hard turning. The results are improved tool life and a better surface finish. The vertical design also aids unhindered chip flow. Manual removal of chips is hardly ever necessary. This is particularly important in soft machining, as it often involves volume-intensive chipping operations. The vertical construction is also of advantage where the footprint is concerned. Machines with horizontal spindle and tailstock take up a lot of space width-ways. That raises floor space requirements and costs money. Vertical machines develop upwards, and that – as we know – costs nothing. Automation on the VC 315 DS lies in the turret. A gripper, housed in the turret, collects the raw-part from its storage section and transfers it to the clamping position. Once the workpiece is machined, it is transferred out of the machine the same way. And thus the machine automates itself. The generously dimensioned machine assemblies, such as the work spindle with 330 Nm constant torque, and the grinding spindle with a power rating of 30 kW, have so much reserve capacity that even heavy metal removal work can be carried out on the machine. The control system used is a Siemens 840 D with EMAG grinding software that simplifies programming and operation.
The advantages of the VTC 315 DS:
For more information:
EMAG LLC
38800 Grand River Avenue
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
Tel: (248) 875-0313
Fax: (248) 477-7784
E-mail: info@usa.emag.com
Web: www.emag.com
Attention: Peter Loetzner