Supfina Machine Company, Inc. has expanded its line of fine-grinding machines to include the Spiro F5 and the Spiro F12, each of which make its North American debut at IMTS 2018 in Chicago. Along with the Spiro F7, the three machines provide customized solutions for the “batch mode” processing of a wide variety of gears, among numerous other parts. At IMTS, Supfina will be in the North Building, Booth 236949.
From aluminum to steel, soft plastics to hard ceramics – no matter the material, the Spiro series can achieve highly precise plane parallelism (≤ 1.0 µm). Such precision is crucial for gearboxes and other gear applications. And because gears can be machined up to 20 times faster than lapping and with more precision than double-disk grinding, costs per unit are reduced substantially. Depending on the gear’s material, dimensions, starting surface finish, and removal requirements, a single Spiro can fine-grind several thousand per hour.
For plane-parallel fine grinding on both sides, gears are loosely placed in carriers that have teeth on the outside diameter. An inner pin ring rotates the carriers as they shift on a stationary outer pin ring in an orbiting manner. Machining takes place between two rotating grinding wheels (lower and upper). The optimal machining force is applied by the upper wheel.
The smaller F5 can process gears with diameters of 4 mm to 150 mm and thicknesses of 0.3 mm to 50 mm, while the larger F12 can accommodate gears with diameters of 6 mm to 420 mm and thicknesses of 1 mm to 100 mm. (The midsize F7 is suitable for gears with diameters and thicknesses of 5 mm to 220 mm and 0.6 mm to 80 mm, respectively.)
“We’re bringing to fine grinding the same process know-how — decades of research and development — that we’ve mastered in the field of superfinishing,” said Andrew Corsini, president and chief executive of Supfina’s North Kingstown, Rhode Island, manufacturing facility. (Supfina also has a plant in Wolfach, Germany.) “With the Spiro line we can offer reliable, economical machines that provide all of the best features for the fine-grinding, batch-mode process.”
Regarding maintenance, because the Spiro eliminates water from the cooling process, there’s no chance of contamination — thus drastically cutting costs (the coolant is also recycled). The machines’ sturdy bases keep vibration to a minimum, greatly reducing tool wear, while their modular, ergonomic design allows quick tooling changes and easy accessibility. For example, the upper part of the machine swivels completely out of the work area, allowing fast loading and unloading of parts as well as easy maintenance.
A high-precision, indirect measuring system (probe and anvil) guarantees optimal process results that can be duplicated from batch to batch, thus increasing yield. That’s because such factors as coolant temperature and abrasive contamination do not affect the measuring system.
In terms of service, Supfina assigns a dedicated senior project engineer who provides not only installation and training but also ongoing customer support for each machine that it sells. By combining all of these features with quality and reliability, Supfina is fast becoming the technology leader for surface-finishing
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