Motion control solution provider CGI Motion has updated its gear shaping department's manufacturing capabilities.
"CGI's gear components encompass a wide range of sizes and types, such as ultra-fine-pitch (e.g., 120 DP) internal and external gears, helical gears and segment gears, and require advanced CNC machining capabilities," said a CGI Motion spokesperson. "To meet these challenges while investing in a shaping machine for the future, CGI chose a CLC 100-SZ CNC gear shaping machine from Koepfer America."
Tim Pirie, Director of Manufacturing Systems and Technology at CGI, said, "We use the CLC 100-SZ CNC to produce higher-volume runs of several thousand parts at a time, and also to output low-volume prototype parts. This is possible due to the machine's ease of set-up and programming."
CGI's machine has customized input screens to ensure programming is as intuitive as possible. "We are happy with how the 100-SZ CNC has improved CGI's ability to serve customers, from prototyping through final production," said Adam Gimpert, Business Manager at Koepfer America.
The CLC Multirun option has two work spindles, which allow easy loading and unloading of a part simultaneously with the shaping of another workpiece. Because loading and unloading occurs during cutting, machine idle time is reduced, allowing CGI to maximize productivity for large-volume work. The machine also has a moving saddle, which allows CGI to move the cutter stroke to the workpiece. This eliminates complicated fixturing, allows easier and faster changeovers and enables cutting multiple gears with multiple cutters on a single set-up.
The machine has advanced CGI's gear manufacturing, which includes nearly 20,000 parts per year cut on the CLC shaper. These parts cover a wide range of sizes and types due to the CLC shaper's flexibility. CGI utilizes the machine for gears as diverse as an 18 DP, 6" pitch diameter part to a fine pitch, 96 DP, 0.125" pitch diameter part.
CGI's productivity has increased in two ways: first, the CLC shaper has roughly halved cycle times to shape a gear; and second, the machine's Multirun feature has reduced machine idle time, resulting in greater throughput. An additional benefit is extended tool life. Previously, a cutter needed to be sharpened every 150 parts; with the CLC shaper, sharpening has been extended to 1,500 parts, or 10x the previous requirements.
For more information contact:
CGI Motion
3400 Arrowhead Drive
Carson City, NV 89706
800-568-4327 / 775-882-3422
www.cgimotion.com
Koepfer America LLC
635 Schneider Drive
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-931-4121
www.koepferamerica.com