Nagel and Gehring recently shared innovative technologies during AMB 2022 including new standards in efficient honing, maximum flexibility in the superfinishing of flat, concave, and spherical surfaces, and efficient internal and external honing of workpieces.

With the EcoHone HRX, Nagel offers efficient honing in the diameter range from 2 to 40 mm. Even multi-stage honing processes can be processed fully automatically on a high-end honing spindle. Measuring, brushing, cleaning, tool change in case of wear, or even a change from pre- to finishing honing tool, all this is handled by the integrated robot unit. An innovative and flexible fixture and clamping jaw concept, that can be adapted to any workpiece geometry, enables working with a wide range of workpieces. 

With the EcoHone, components can be cleaned in a controlled and automated manner using compressed air. Brushing of the workpieces as secondary operation during honing process—independent of the station the honing process. This means that secondary burrs can be removed almost without leaving any residue. 

The innovative tool management system includes complete inspection of the tools and fully automatic detection of wear limits. As soon as these are reached, the robot automatically replaces the relevant working tools. If it detects a workpiece pallet with new material, the machine is immediately adjusted to it fully automatically. At the push of a button, the new workpiece can be processed. The equipped workpiece workpiece is checked using permanent diameter control. Switching to different honing operations also takes place without manual intervention. For example, a pallet can be finish-honed immediately and fully automatically after pre-honing.

The NaSphere can machine flat, concave, and spherical surfaces and bores on multiple vertical or horizontal modular workstations. For standard tasks, it offers tool speeds of up to 12,000 rpm. The machine achieves maximum flexibility thanks to optimally coordinated process combinations of external and internal grinding, superfinishing, honing, brushing, and polishing. The workpieces are vertically positioned, transversely indexed under the spindles, clamped, driven, and swiveled. The new NaSphere or NaPlan series machines from Nagel can combine several operations in a single machine, resulting in cost reductions. The machining spindles can be finely adjusted (tilt and cross) to produce hollow and crowned surfaces without tools.

Gehring's deephone series of horizontal honing machines combines optimum performance with a well-balanced, compact design. The deephone 3000 stands for efficient internal and external honing of precision or telescopic cylinders and similar workpieces. Depending on the series, the honing diameter is up to 1,150 mm and the workpiece outside diameter is 65 to 1,200 mm. Honing ensures particularly high accuracy and very good tribological properties. In addition, a wider range of materials can be processed. This means that nothing stands in the way of machining thin-walled aluminum tubes. 

Powerful drive systems and a high-precision infeed device result in the perfect configuration for the lowest unit costs in production. A program wizard ensures simple operation. After entering a few relevant items of workpiece, material and tool data, the process and stock removal are determined so that honing can be started directly after positioning the tool.

www.nagel.com

www.gehring-group.com