Secondary Operations Become Primary

As a way to reduce production times, shops often look to bring secondary operations to the primary multi-spindle operation. Such a shift can help reduce errors from part location and keep the expense of damaged parts to a minimum. Some companies now offer attachments that are designed to allow the standard multi-spindle to produce parts complete, without the need for costly secondary operations.

Autor Engineering, of Bergamo, Italy (represented in North America by SPC Innovations Inc., Stevensville, Maryland), has introduced a flexible system for adding synchronous and live-spindle operations to the tool slide on multi-spindle automatics. With the system, the user can perform such operations as high-speed drilling, slotting and frontal milling, rotary broaching, groove milling and off-center drilling on the front of the workpiece in the primary operation. Spindle stopping is not required with these devices. These operations, often considered as secondary operations, can now be produced in the primary screw machine setup, thereby minimizing part handling, work-in-process, chances for errors, and production time.

The Universal Base Support

A long-time manufacturer of synchronous frontal devices, Autor has put together a package that is designed to enhance the flexibility of using these devices while substantially reducing the setup time and dollar investment.

The key element is the installation of a universal base support in a tool slide position. This base accepts many presettable modules for drilling, milling and broaching operations. Once the universal support is installed, the user can employ any of the presettable modules on that machine. The universal base support is interfaced to the particular machine’s tool spindle gear box to provide the rotational drive for any of the driven presettable modules. For many devices this is a 1:1 synchronous drive with the main spindles.

In addition to providing locating points for the modules, the universal base support also provides high- or low-pressure internal coolant supply for the machining operation.

Presettable Frontal Modules

The user may quickly mount any of the quick-change presettable frontal modules on any machine that has the universal base support installed. The modules are not machine dependent, so the user can purchase one single module and use it on any six- or eight-spindle machine in the shop.

Presettable modules are available for an assortment of frontal operations including normal stationary or rotational drilling with or without internal coolant, high-speed drilling with or without internal coolant, frontal milling of slots and flats, end milling of multiple axial grooves, rotary internal and external broaching (synchronous method) and drilling of multiple off-center holes.

For the multi-spindle shop that is looking to take advantage of the production benefits of making parts complete on the standard multi-spindle automatic, this modular system for frontal operations might be the answer.