Five years ago, when the engineering team at STOBER Drives opted to install a Hainbuch centroteX system on their new Nakamura WT300 lathe, it would have been impossible to tell how successful that decision would be in meeting the latest customer requirements. Located in Maysville, Kentucky, STOBER Drives is the American division of an 85-year-old German manufacturer of high-quality gear boxes serving a diverse customer base, including manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, medical, food processing, beverage, and semiconductor industries. The gear boxes range in size from hand-held units to a 30" × 30" (762 x 762 mm) cube. Landon Garrison, manufacturing engineer, explained, “Our servo planetary series is our most popular. It’s an extremely rugged design known for precise performance and long life and is an especial favorite of the machine tool industry.”
As demand increased, STOBER engineers saw the need for greater flexibility and increased production, while at the same time maintaining the required precision. Parts involved include machine castings that require a heavy-duty three-jaw chuck, as well as 3.75" (95.25 mm) Durabar that is fed through the collet. Materials include 4142 steel, 17-4 stainless, and others. Part runs are typically in the range of 100 pieces. The engineering analysis identified the need for reduced changeover times—especially in the mid-size range.
Gary Meyer, manufacturing engineer, stated, “Our original system incorporated two lathes equipped with standard tooling and traditional chucks. It absorbed a large amount of time. We realized that what was needed was a workholding system that could accommodate collets, as well as a standard three-jaw chuck, and that offered the ability to change quickly while still meeting our required tolerances and finish.”
At IMTS, the STOBER team saw a demonstration of the Hainbuch centroteX, a unique workholding system designed primarily for larger parts but capable of accommodating dozens of workholding configurations. Current workholding devices can also be integrated as part of the system. Jaw clamping diameter extends to 256 mm, clamping head chucks up to 100 mm, and Mandrel clamping from 8 to 200 mm.
The heart of the centroteX system is a precision-machined adaptor plate equipped with coupling receptors. When mounted on the spindle of the lathe, it can accommodate a wide variety of sizes that interface with the coupling and can be quickly attached with rapid-action screws.
Al Dopf, national sales manager for Hainbuch America, explains, “centroteX is more than just a workholding system. Every aspect has been carefully engineered to ensure precise performance over a long service life. Realizing the importance of user-friendly ergonomic design to speed accurate setup and to preclude operator injury from handling heavy chucks, centroteX includes the Monteq mounting aid, a specially engineered arc-shaped holder suspended from a spring mounting attachment equipped with quick-action bolts. The Monteq reduces changeover time to a matter of minutes. Precision is assured by clamping devices designed to exclude chips and other foreign materials from the clamping surfaces. To provide a safe, contamination-free environment for chucks and other components, as well as to enhance operator convenience, a specially designed wheeled cart is provided.
“The chucks used in conjunction with the system are likewise configured to provide the highest degree of precision. Hainbuch is unique in building chucks from two specially machined metal components. The dual design provides our customers with the means of establishing ultra-precise calibration—a feature offered by no other manufacturer.”
The original centroteX system was installed on a new Nakamura WT300 lathe. According to Landon Garrison, “The system exceeded our expectations and enabled us to perform operations that had previously required two lathes. Chuck exchanges that formerly took two hours are now accomplished in as low as five minutes. Training was also accomplished by a video and individual instruction, and our operators appreciate the ease of use.”
“Initially, the system was involved in the manufacture of 10 to 12 part numbers, ranging from two-inch diameter couplings to 10-inch housings—all of which meet our high accuracy standards,” Garrison said. Equally important was the system’s ability to adapt and maintain exacting tolerances as materials offer greater machining challenges. “It is up to us to anticipate and meet our customers’ needs as their products and demands evolve,” said Garrison. “This has especially been the case with changes in the food service industry. Due to FDA regulations, parts that were formerly constructed of conventional steel now require stainless. Thanks to the accuracy and repeatability of the centroteX system, we meet that challenge while maintaining production thanks to fast changeover times. In fact, our business has grown, and last year we hit a major sales milestone. We will shortly be installing another Nakamura/centroteX combination to keep up with demand. We also installed Hainbuch chucks on other machines including a new dual-spindle lathe. We found that Hainbuch outlasts competitive workholding products by a factor of two to one.”
Rick Tillberry, regional sales manager-East Central region for Hainbuch America, commented, “Much of the success enjoyed by Landon and the team at STOBER Drives comes from their using superior analytic skills in developing a manufacturing strategy. By pinpointing the need for fast changeover while maintaining high repeatability, they chose a workholding system that could deliver both. The Hainbuch centroteX system is likewise the result of strategic thinking in that the design encompasses not just the mechanical requirements but the comfort and safety of the operator. Working with Landon and his people at STOBER proves the value of long-term strategic thinking on both their side and ours and makes for a truly successful team effort.”
For more information, contact STOBER Drives at 888-786-2371, or sales@stober.com, or visit their website at www.stober.com. For more information about Hainbuch America Corporation, call 414-358- 9550, or email at sales@hainbuchamerica.com, or visit their website at www.hainbuchamerica.com.
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