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delarz  explains  the  advantages
            Challenge                                                 of the B-axis and stresses: “With
                                                                      the equipment we have chosen,
            Apex Tool Group GmbH (ATG) in Westhausen needed to grind motor and   the S31 cylindrical grinding ma-
            gear shafts to an accuracy of just a few µm and ensure the extremely
            quiet running and long service life of its screwdrivers. The only cylindrical   chine fully deserves the attribute
            grinding  machine  available  was  the  one  purchased  back  in  the  early   ‘universal’. If there is  one  cylin-
            1980s.  However,  that  needed  to  be  laboriously  reset  manually  over   drical  grinding machine  that
            and  over  again.  Also,  it  was  increasingly  uneconomical.  Set-up  times   deserves  the  name,  then  it’s
            generally took twice or three times as long as the machining times. It   the  Studer  S31.” After  nearly
            was also difficult to achieve the required accuracies in diameters and
            cylindricity, especially with long, thin shafts.          five months,  the S31 cylindrical
                                                                      grinding  machine  in  Westhau-
            Solution                                                  sen has proved that it completely
            The company invested in the Studer S31 universal cylindrical grinding   fulfills  the  tool manufacturers’
            machine.  The  production  engineers  in  Westhausen  are  now  able  to   extensive requirements.
            grind  the  entire  range  of  shafts  on  just  one  machine.  The  machine  is
            easily accessible for workpiece and grinding wheel set-up, despite the   Exemplary consultation
            complete enclosure. It offers excellent working ergonomics in particular.               The control
            The  production  engineers  benefit  from  much  shorter  set-up  times  in   and service  concept
            comparison to previous grinding machines due to the special Quick-Set   Mäule cites another important   of the S31
            function only available on Studer grinding machines. The user interface is   aspect when making invest-  cylindrical
            very easy to understand. Graphics and dialogs clearly guide operators and   ments in production systems:   grinding
            programmers through the input fields. The control also has a database   “For  a  special  technology  like   machine
            with all the necessary grinding parameters.               grinding, production engineers   also offers
                                                                      usually only have general ex-  exceptional
                                                                      pertise.  This  applies  particu-  advantages.
          grinding wheel profile. As Schin-  result. The experienced grinder   larly to innovative equipment   The user
                                                                                                    interface is
          delarz confirms, this reduces set-  can adapt the suggested param-  features on machines and their   very easy to
          up and non-productive times, on   eters at any time in order to fur-  specific advantages in relation   understand.
          the one hand. On the other hand,   ther optimize the grinding pro-  to individual requirements.”  As   Graphics
          it also ensures  higher  accura-  cess. “The S31 is, therefore, ideal   Schindelarz adds, researching   and dialogs
          cies  and  better  surfaces  on the   for use in the workshop. Any of   current grinding technology   clearly guide
          ground components.            our skilled workers trained in   was not so easy initially. “But the   operators
                                        machining can also work flexi-  Studer specialists advised us in   and pro-
          Ideal for programming in      bly  on  the  cylindrical  grinding   great depth and, above all, open-  grammers
                                                                                                    through the
          the workshop                  machine. They do not require   ly and honestly. We were able to
          For Schindelarz, the control   any specialized grinding knowl-  develop  our  optimal  cylindrical   input fields.
          concept of the S31 cylindrical   edge. This gives us maximum   grinding  machine  configuration   The control
                                                                                                    also has a
          grinding machine also offers   flexibility,” says Schindelarz.   together in just a few steps,” he   database
          exceptional advantages. As he                               continues.  This  built  the  neces-  with all the
          underlines, the user interface   Universal, thanks to B-axis   sary trust to confidently invest   necessary
          is very easy to understand.   The S31  cylindrical  grinding    in the expensive S31 cylindrical   grinding
          Graphics and dialogs clearly   machine  at  Apex  Tool  Group in   grinding machine. “It was also   parameters.
          guide operators and program-  Westhausen  has a wheelhead   important for us that service
          mers through the input fields.   with  a  B-axis.  The  wheelhead   and technical advisers are re-
          The control also has a database   can swivel in steps of 1°. It comes   gionally present and can advise
          with all the necessary grind-  with  two spindle  drives,  one   and support us directly in pro-
          ing parameters. “We call this   equipped with a grinding wheel   duction within a short period
          StuderTechnology Integrated,”   for straight plunging and the oth-  of time. This is essential to guar-
          explains Wecht. The machine   er for angular plunging. This also   anteeing that our current and
          operator selects the parameters   contributes to short set-up times   forward-looking investment in
          which the software suggests   and  maximum  flexibility. “We   the  S31 will prove profitable in
          based on the workpiece geom-  can  plunge-grind a workpiece   the long run,” emphasizes Schin-
          etries as well as  the required   straight  and  at an  angle  in  one   delarz. As he concludes, Studer
          accuracies and surface quality.   cycle  without any set-up  work.   has completely fulfilled all rele-
          These ensure that the cylindri-  This  means  we  can  completely   vant criteria with its specialists
          cal grinding machine always re-  machine  almost all  components   and the S31 universal cylindrical
          liably  achieves  a  good  grinding   in  a single  clamping,” Schin-  grinding machine.




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