Tool Grinders Equipped with Tubular Shaft Linear Motors

ANCA’s FX Linear series of cutting tool grinders are said to provide higher grinding accuracy while reducing maintenance within a smaller footprint. The machines are compact but offer large working envelopes with the grinding wheel positioned on the C-axis centerline to reduce the effects of temperature, the company says. Combined with the polymer-concrete base, the design results in a thermally stable and rigid machine. The FX grinders are equipped with a new generation of RN33 software was well as automation technology developed by subsidiary ANCA Motion. Added features include the new touchpad user interface, high-performance CNC, remote pendant, AMD5x servodrives and IO box, all with Ethercat technology.

The series machines are equipped with LinX tubular shaft linear motors coupled with linear scales for X- and Y-axis motion, while the vertical Z axis uses a preloaded ballscrew. The linear motors provide a rapid speed of 50 m/min. and are said to avoid issues associated with ballscrew wear and loss of preload or rigidity while promoting smoother axis motion and eliminating backlash. The motor design isolates heating effects from the machine elements and enables the use of grinding coolant for temperature control. No separate coolant and chiller system is necessary.

Three models are offered: the FX3 Linear, FX5 Linear and FX7 Linear. The FX3 Linear is an entry-level machine without any automation. The FX5 Linear offers an automated two-wheel changer and optional automatic headstock clamping and compact loader for unattended operation. The FX7 Linear features a 19-kW wheel spindle, high-performance servodrives, an automatic headstock and a range of options including a robot loader, wheel changer and laser probe. The FX series covers applications ranging from light manufacturing to regrinding to full production. According to ANCA, its best performance is in tools ranging to 12 mm (¹/₂") in diameter. The machines offer grinding capabilities for tools ranging to 200 mm in diameter, and the maximum wheel diameter is 8".