Liebherr will demonstrate its new single table gear grinding machine, a new range of gear cutting tools and a compact automation solution.
Gear Grinding Machine
With a one-table design and a newly designed grinding head, the new Liebherr LGG 280 gear grinding machine is engineered to reduce grinding times for twist-free profile and for generating grinding of workpieces to 280 mm diameter.
The machine is the second in the LGG series and is designed to deliver consistently high large-scale production quality in automotive applications, including conical gearing. "With it, manufacturers can produce smaller gears with greater load-carrying capability," said a company spokesperson.
"With this series of space-saving machines, vehicle manufacturers can develop a complete production line in which all gearing components for a passenger vehicle transmission can be ground: planetary and sun gears, bore-type gears, and drive and pinion shafts with lengths up to 500 mm," continued the spokesperson.
The advantage to the one-table solution is higher quality throughout the entire production. There is one clamping fixture, one geometry. "Every machined part is manufactured under the same conditions for the highest reproducibility," said the spokesperson. "The one-table approach provides the statistical capability and reliability in continuously producing controlled µ-range finish quality for gear noise optimization."
The new grinding head allows for rotational speeds of up to 10,000 RPM and has spindle power of 35 kW. With this performance data, the head enables high cutting speeds and high feedrates.
"The new grinding machine can exploit the potential of the 3M abrasive Cubitron II. Changing the grinding arbor with an HSK-C 100 toolholder is a fast and simple process," said the spokesperson. Also available is a second grinding head featuring a small worm diameter for collision-critical parts.
"The machine will enable undulations to be applied specifically to gear wheel flanks for noise optimization purposes for the first time," said the spokesperson. "The ability to produce sub-µ range waviness cost-effectively gives designers a whole new range of optimization options."
The touchscreen user interface on the machine control permits easier, intuitive programming and machine operation and incorporates an integrated webcam. The control also can incorporate additional documentation, such as fixture layouts and tool mounting instructions.
The LGG machines are easily coupled with Liebherr automation solutions to create a fully automated production line for high quality gears in shorter cycle times.
Gear Shaping Tools
Liebherr Gear Technology will show a range of new gear shaping tools with replaceable inserts. The gear tool division of Liebherr recently developed its gear cutting tool innovation as a result of its gear machine development. Previously Liebherr showcased shaping tools in Triple-A quality.
Aside from gear shaping cutters and galvanized CBN grinding tools for generating and profile grinding, Liebherr's product range also includes shaving cutters for all current shaving processes, rolling tools such as rolling discs and rolling racks, deburring tools for press deburring, master gears and rack-shape cutters, all in a wide range of custom specifications.
After-sales service includes re-grinding and re-coating of gear cutting tools to return products to original manufacturer quality, as well as the reprocessing of CBN grinding tools by qualified specialists in the company's own electroplating facility. Galvanic coating of CBN grinding worms and profile discs is customized to specific requirements. Re-coated tools undergo a strict quality control procedure, meaning clients can rely on consistent quality.
The division designs, develops and produces quality gear cutting tools at facilities in Ettlingen, Germany, and Turin, Italy. Gear cutting tool services include solution proposals and custom designs for specific client requirements.
Compact Automation Solution
Liebherr's Rotary Loading System (RLS) is designed to provide cost-effective entry into high-efficiency production with one or two machining centers - promoting machine utilization of more than 90%, according to the company. The system is designed for workpiece weights of up to 800 kilograms (RLS 800) or 1,500 kilograms (RLS 1500) and dimensions up to 1,300 mm.
"Using the RLS to extend a machine's running time makes investing in an additional machine completely unnecessary in certain cases," said a Liebherr spokesperson. This solution is more effective than marginal increases in productivity that could result, for example, from optimizing CNC programs or the tools of machines that are manually fed or partly automated. One or two machining centers can be docked to the system."
For batch size one and above, the RLS is designed to provide considerable efficiency potential. The operator can use the machine's running time to perform other production tasks; set-up costs thus do not enter into the machine costs/hour equation.
"Optimum machine utilization and reduced staffing requirements result in decreased unit costs of up to 20%, so the investment can pay for itself in less than two years," said the spokesperson. "Moreover, the system improves delivery capability and facilitates rapid, flexible responses to changes in customer demand."
For more information contact:
Liebherr Automation Systems Co.
1465 Woodland Drive
Saline, MI 48176-1259
734-429-7225
info.lgt@liebherr.com
www.liebherr.us
IMTS 2016 Booth #N-6930