INDEX will debut the next generations of its G220 turn mill center, MS32-6 CNC multi-spindle, and TNL12 sliding headstock lathe in North America at IMTS 2022.
They’ll also present information on the additions to its iX4.0 Industry 4.0 platform and demonstrate the metal 3D printer by its subsidiary One Click Metal.
TNL12 sliding headstock lathe
Redesigned from its previous iteration, the new TNL12 sliding headstock lathe offers value proposition to manufacturers of small parts, especially those serving the medical industry. Like its predecessor, it features four tool carriers that can be applied to a workpiece simultaneously. While the front-working attachment
and counter spindle were previously arranged on a single slide, they’re now housed on separate slides eliminating potential interdependence between front-end and counter spindle machining. This design reduces the mass of both elements, allowing for faster and more dynamic machine responses.
While the former model offered X-axis machining on the counter spindle, the new TNL12 provides full 3-axis machining in this position. A new back-working attachment offers six tool stations, with up to four allowing live tooling, as well as a flushing unit.
Overall tooling capacity has also increased, with the capability to house up to 40 tools with the use of double and triple holders allowing operators a greater degree of freedom to optimize machining of highly complex parts. Each of two 6-station tool turrets has its own servomotor and interpolated Y-axis, with chip-tochip tool change times reduced 0.3 seconds.
G220 turn mill center
The G220 incorporates design principles introduced via the larger G320, G420, and G520 machines. With twin spindles, dual tool turrets, a 5-axis milling spindle, and high-capacity tool magazine, the machine can easily produce a wide variety of parts in a single setup. The series’ design concept begins with a rigid, vibration damping machine bed in a mineral cast block design. Each machine in the series combines stability and damping properties with high dynamics and dimensioned linear guides in the X and Z axes.
The G220’s powerful milling spindle offers a hydrodynamically mounted Y/B axis arranged above the axis of rotation. Each of the machine’s turrets provides movement along the X, Y, & Z axes, and each of the turrets’ stations can be equipped with live tooling. Its workspace and internal layout enable simultaneous machining with the milling spindle and both turrets.
MS32-6 CNC multi-spindle
The new MS32-6 CNC multi-spindle features a modular design for flexibility and fast, user-friendly setups. Accommodating up to 32-mm bar stock, the MS32-6 handles a wide variety of complex parts, as the machine is equipped with two v-shaped cross slides at each spindle position. Each cross slide offers X and Z axes as standard. C and Y axes with live tools can also be implemented to allow for a broad range of machining processes, including off-center drilling, threading, contouring, hobbing, and polygonal turning. Each of the machines’ slides can be alternatively configured with a single NC axis for grooving or drilling. Each cross slide in the MS32-6 incorporates INDEX’s patented W-serration locating system that provide µm-accurate tool holder alignment. Coupled with the company’s newly developed quick clamping device, tools can be set up off of the machine and then quickly installed, reducing tool change times by 50%.
The machine incorporates the same W-serration system on its live units for drilling, milling, and polygonal turning. By presetting tooling for these operations off the machine, setup times can be reduced up to 92%. The MS32-6 allows users to apply twin turrets with rigid tools in up to five spindle positions. These hydraulically controlled units can alternate between tools in less than half a second, enabling efficient use of separate tools for roughing and finishing in the same position. The twin turrets can also be used to reduce tool changes by incorporating duplicate tools, an attractive option when working with difficult-to-machine materials.
iX4.0
iX4.0 is the company’s Industry 4.0/IoT platform. A wide variety of new apps have been added to the platform, giving manufacturers the tools needed to monitor, gather, and analyze data on machine performance. Each machine includes 12 months of access to iX4.0.
One Click Metal 3D printer
A subsidiary of INDEX, One Click Metal is an additive manufacturing solutions provider dedicated to the vision of making the technology user friendly and accessible to all manufacturers. Their new 3D printer will be on display.