Index Demonstrates Strategies for Completing Every Job Faster at IMTS 2026
Index Corp. will present manufacturers with a variety of strategies to streamline production at IMTS 2026, taking place September 14-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Visitors to the company’s Booth #339119 in the South Building will witness the North American debut of multiple new machines, including an entirely new design concept tailored to small part production. The company will also demonstrate its full portfolio of proven advanced machine technologies, as well as provide insight into how manufacturers can produce every job faster to maximize profitability.
“When we say every job faster, we are talking about the comprehensive perspective that manufacturers need to embrace to ship good parts as quickly as possible,” Index President and CEO Michael Huggett said. “Cycle time reduction is a vital part of that, but it alone can’t get a company to maximum profitability. With the technologies and experts we’re bringing to IMTS, we’re asking attendees to tell us about the parts they need to produce, then demonstrating how they can achieve the mix of cycle time, quality, reliability and automation needed to get the best possible result.”
At the show, the Traub MS12-4 CNC multi-spindle will stand out as an entirely new machine concept making its North American debut. The machine effectively combines four Traub TNL12 single-spindle sliding headstock lathes into one machine with four primary spindles, four tool turrets, two or four counter spindles and up to four Flex-WT flexible tool carriers. A flexible, modular design enables the MS12-4 to be optimized for a manufacturer’s specific production needs.
The MS12-4 brings the low cycle times and reliably precise performance of CNC multi-spindles to applications that are poor candidates for a drum-style multi-spindle. Because the stations of the MS12-4 concurrently produce fully finished parts, the machine allows optimization of a broader variety of components. Additionally, the inclusion of sliding headstocks for each of the machine’s spindles allows the productivity of a multi-spindle to be achieved for long, thin parts, such as bone screws and small electrical components.
The Index G160 5-axis turn mill will also be demonstrated for the first time in North America. Built on a rigid, vibration-damping machine bed, the G160 incorporates a pair of highly dynamic direct-drive spindles, available with bar clearances of 1.64-inches (42 mm) or 2.56 inches (65 mm). An upper tool carrier with a B axis and direct-drive milling spindle enables full five-axis machining while two lower tool turrets are capable of serving either of the machine’s spindles. Manufacturers not requiring robust five-axis capabilities can optionally select to replace the milling spindle with an upper tool turret. The machine is easily integrated with a variety of automation solutions and offers an assortment of options. Together, these features allow the G160 to be optimized for a diverse range of small, complex parts across all industry segments.
Visitors to Index’s booth will have the opportunity to see its C200 production turning center from a new perspective. The machine will be on display with a plexiglass rear panel to provide visibility into its unique kinematics. Specifically, the C200 incorporates the Index SingleSlide system, which provides two degrees of movement in a single plane. This proprietary design enables high dynamic response while achieving exceptional vibration damping, resulting in shorter cycle times, excellent part quality and up to 30 percent increases to tool life.
