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Emag’s VTC 100 GT hard turning center is said to integrate all hard processes, including turning and grinding (aluminum oxide or cubic boron nitride), in a single machine where they can be changed flexibly to suit production of different types of shaft components. This machine has a grinding wheel and a disk-type turret that can hold 11 tools, with the 12th tool place occupied by a loading gripper.

The machine can also be equipped with a live-tool turret with driven tools and a Y axis. For example, the gripper can take the component from the raw parts storage facility and transport it into the clamping position where the turret tools can then complete turning operations. Any grinding process will then take place immediately afterward with the same clamping operation. The single-clamping operation promotes shaft quality for high-performance parts with features such as cylindrical bearing seats, shoulders and grooves, avoiding accumulated geometry errors from separate clamping operations.

The machine’s motor, driving the spindle with 17 kW at 70 Nm of torque, provides power in reserve to perform difficult machining processes at high speed, the company says. The components’ vertical positioning helps chips fall freely out of the machining area during turning operations. The tailstock and steady rests can be moved under the control of the CNC, facilitating reductions in tooling/retooling times.