SHOP SOLUTIONS Continued from P46
The modular, flexible arrangement of spindles enables the machines to be optimized for output volumes ranging from individual parts to large-scale production. The grinders also support integrated and autonomous loading systems. Ramirez said the CT450 is fitted with OD and ID wheels, enabling OD and face grinding as well as ID operations. The CT550 has two ID spindles and can run three separate inter- nal grinding procedures. “The concentricity or runout from one ID bore to another on consecutive operations is essentially zero. It’s very ac- curate,” he said, “which helps us produce load holding valves that have zero leakage.” Ramirez’s grinding challenges were greatly reduced because HydraForce can perform both OD and ID grind- ing on the same CT450 machine. Previously, when grind- ing the valve spools and guides, the OD and ID operations consumed about five minutes each per part, not counting the time lost transferring the parts between machines. And again, the need to fixture the parts twice also contributed to increased scrap rates. “Now, on the CT450, we complete parts in a minute and hold 0.0025-mm tolerances on both the IDs and the ODs. And we’ve reduced scrap by about 75%,” said Ramirez. HydraForce runs parts in batches of 500–10,000 pieces. Although Ramirez typically prefers to finish an order for one valve before beginning work on the next one, an immediate customer request sometimes requires a run to be inter- rupted. “Even though we switch back and forth many times and we may make four setups a week on the same Studer machine, we are still able to hold dimensions,” Ramirez said. For HydraForce’s CT450, experts from United Grinding and
robotic integrator Acieta, LLC worked together and provided turnkey automation, and, according to Ramirez, the system helps keep the machine constantly running. The automation loads a part in about six seconds, a loading speed of which an operator is incapable. HydraForce plans to also fit its CT550 grinder with a similar turnkey automation system. For more information from United Grinding North America Inc., go to
www.grinding.com or phone 937-859-1975.
In-Process Inspection Saves Powertrain Time
N
orthern Tool, a division of Star Cutter Co. (Farmington Hills, MI), is well-known for designing and producing
special carbide cutting tools—often for automotive pow- ertrain production—that accomplish more than one cutting operation in a single pass. With its CNC tool grinders, OD grinders, roughing OD grinders, and edge prep machines, plus blank prep machines and a cutoff and laser-etching machine, the company produces carbide drills, reamers, end mills, and form tools. An investment in in-process tool measurement devices from Zoller Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI) has enabled Northern Tool to achieve up to 90% savings in the time it takes to inspect the complex tools it makes compared to the previous optical comparator inspection. With Zoller in-process inspection, the toolmaker can assure a correct grinding process before production fully ramps up and guarantee the tools are ground as-designed or can even detect if a tool may not operate as intended. Matt Brothers, production supervisor, Northern Tool, is tasked with tool inspection for the busy shop. Always on the lookout for the latest and best technology available, Northern Tool recently installed a Zoller pomBasic universal tool inspection machine for process-oriented measurement and inspection of drills, milling cutters, and countersinks. pomBasic eliminates the need for the optical comparator and provides much greater precision—and more usable data. A compact bench-top device, pomBasic uses incident light for checking tool geometry and tolerances. It is installed on the shop floor—right next to the tool grinding machines. “pomBasic integrates the function of both CNC inspection machine and optical comparator in one platform and allows us to save and print data,” Brothers said. “We can also use it to determine why a tool may not be performing well enough. We recently created a measurement inspection program for a drill point that wasn‘t performing well enough in the field. The data we collected pointed to small ways we could improve tool geometry to get the desired cutting results.” All the grinding machine operators verify their initial pro- duction on pomBasic. The operator simply inserts the tool in a fixture, positions the tool according to directions on the device screen, initiates measurement, and quickly completes the collection of valuable tool data. pomBasic includes auto- matic cutting edge detection for high accuracy, wizard-guid- ed measuring processes, and test logs at the push of a but- ton. “We use our pomBasic for first piece and benchmarking, taking pictures, and documenting first piece inspections of step lands, radii, angles, and other 3D features,” Matt said. “Previously we had numeric data only, now we have a clear complete image as well,” Brothers said. “Having this
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