Saacke carbide worm wheel hobbing cutter
Liebherr Gear Hobbing Machine LC 100
"With a rapid machine loading and unloading capability, the Liebherr LC 100 can achieve chip-to-chip times of three seconds - impressive for a machine with only one work table - and still meet gear quality requirements," said Dr.-Ing. Oliver Winkel, Head of Application Technology at Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH.
The Liebherr LC 100 is designed to machine small, mass-produced components, and conventional automatic gearbox applications such as planetary and sun gears. The fast swivel loader produces short chip-to-chip times and therefore high productivity. Set-up flexibility is enhanced by exchangeable quick-change gripper inserts requiring no tools.
At a recent trade show the machine was exhibited in partnership with the precision toolmaker Gebr. Saacke GmbH of Pforzheim, Germany, producing worm wheels in short cycle times of 8 seconds.
"At its home plant, Saacke will use the LC 100 to machine carbide worm wheel hobbing cutters that provide a range of benefits - significantly higher hobbing speeds are feasible resulting in minimum machining times. Furthermore the increased rigidity and cutting-edge reliability of the Saacke carbide tools delivers a higher level of surface quality than conventional HSS tools. Further, the hardness and the edge strength of the carbide tools support long tool life," said a company spokesperson.
"The great results achieved are based on joint development and testing work performed by both Liebherr and Saacke. Our close worm wheel hobbing machine partnership is based on each company's core skills and enables users to manufacture worm gearing with good roll performance characteristics and optimum power transmission in the shortest possible time. The engineering platform for this is provided by Liebherr machines with a high degree of reliability and tools with precision profile geometries," said Oliver Winkel.
Since tools with a diameter of as little as 20 to 30 mm are comparatively thin in relation to length, conventional tools would tend to vibrate. Given its high modulus of elasticity, carbide is less prone to vibrate and rattle. At tool diameters of between 20 and 30 mm and cutting speeds of more than 250 m per minute, hobbing speeds of more than 3,000 to 4,000 RPM can be achieved.
"Not many machines are capable of that speed range. Users can exploit the LC 100's technological potential using carbide tools. The machine enables us to achieve cycle times of approximately 5 seconds - just 20% of the time such a process usually takes," said Mr. Winkel.
For more information contact:
Liebherr Gear Technology
1465 Woodland Drive
Saline, MI 48176-1259
734-429-7225
info.lgt@liebherr.com
www.liebherr.us