Studer exhibits precision grinding

At the Schleifring Grinding Symposium, Studer showed the machining of large components using a plate cylinder for the printing industry as an example of precision grinding using Maegerle systems.

When handling large components, the hydrostatic guidance systems of the Maegerle machine range offer high levels of precision.

The task of grinding needs precise machining of the start and end of print line, which is longitudinally arranged on the chrome-plated plate cylinder.

In components of this size and weight (the cylinder measures 500mm in diameter, is 1,600mm long and weighs 1,000kg), special strategies are necessary for machining.

Due to its weight and forces on machining, the workpiece bends and gets out of shape.

Where high levels of accuracy are demanded, there must be precise compensation for these sources of error.

For this purpose, Maegerle has developed a compensation algorithm that measures the deflection of the workpiece in the machine, and together with the processing forces calculates appropriate corrections.

In the grinding process that follows, the machine then travels automatically and precisely in accordance with the values given.

The hydrostatic guidance concept makes it possible to move heavy workpieces almost without friction, which makes a decisive contribution to the quality of the surface finish.

The combination of machine concept with hydrostatic guidance, integral measurement and fully automatic compensation offers the customer an optimum result, even for the heaviest components.

However, modern Maegerle grinding centres don't just solve pure grinding tasks in a reliable manner; they can also handle complex combination machining with geometrically defined cutting edge such as hard turning, hard milling or drilling.

Machining the workpieces in single clamping also has decisive influence on productivity and on quality of the component.

An example of such a combination machine is the Maegerle MGC-L-330.

The grinding centre comprises a fully automatic tool-changing system, a horizontal grinding spindle and a table dressing device.

Machining with geometrically defined cutting edges is carried out with an additional vertical direct drive spindle, which can be swivelled through 90deg.

Due to the rigidity of the large area hydrostatic guides, impressive cutting values can be achieved, according to the company.