STUDER revolutionizes thread grinding

This will now change with the introduction of an A-axis on the STUDER S41 and S22 cylindrical grinding machines. Thanks to the new A-axis it will be possible to grind recirculating ball screws, thread gauges or thread rolls with large pitches perfectly in the future.
STUDER is revolutionizing thread grinding on cylindrical grinding machines with the new A-axis on the STUDER S41 and S22 cylindrical grinding machines. Whereas users previously had to take recourse to high-investment special grinding machines in order to grind recirculating ball screws or worms for example, these can now be ground on the STUDER S41 and S22 grinding machines. This is made possible by a newly integrated A-axis, which has been available as an option since September 2013. This is a big step towards efficient complete machining in a single clamping.
Not new - just different
Thread grinding on STUDER grinding machines is not new. The Thun grinding machine manufacturer has been proficient in this process since 1997 and has perfected it in recent years. The difference in the new process with A-axis: STUDER previously used axis-parallel thread grinding processes. Around 75 percent of all desired thread types can be covered with this process, but for the remaining 25 percent a tilting grinding wheel (A-axis), adapted to the thread pitch angle, is necessary.
Investment in a special machine was not cost-effective
In the past, the Studer specialists constantly received enquiries about thread types with a large pitch. The reason was that many customers did not have large enough batch sizes for these specific threads. An investment in a special thread grinding machine was not cost-effective. There were no alternatives on the market. Antonio Bottazzo (Sales Manager): "We had been planning the A-axis for a long time. It was then developed within a year, due to the increasing market requirements. Successfully - since EMO 2013 the STUDER S41 and S22 grinding machines have both featured an additional A-axis module for complex thread grinding."
However, Erhard K?mpf (Head of Form and Thread Grinding) is aware of the concerns of a number of customers: "The question now arises: 'Can the cylindrical grinding machine with modular A-axis compete with a special machine?' We work on the assumption that there there will always be skeptics." "It is up to us to convince these users", continues Antonio Bottazzo. "That's our job."
Decisive advantage

Erhard K?mpf highlights the advantages of universal machines here: "The decisive advantage over special machines is that these are universal cylindrical grinding machines. Not only can they perform thread grinding perfectly, but they can also – depending on the grinding head variant (S41) – perform complete machining operations. In other words, the work pieces are completely manufactured in a single clamping. This means that in most cases the process is more precise on the one hand, and quicker on the other."

Previously four – today one machine
To give an example. One of the first STUDER-A-axis users is a manufacturer of cutting tools. These were previously manufactured in a complex production process on four grinding machines. Today the same processes are performed on a STUDER S41 machine with a swiveling wheel head and integrated A-axis, so a combination of cylindrical and thread grinding, extremely quickly within the specified tolerance limits.
Not only does this increase precision and productivity, but it also significantly reduces the processing time of the tools in production. Other positive effects are the reduction in machinery and the smaller space requirement.
Two A-axes for the S41
Productivity is the catchword when it comes to cost effectiveness. The S41 scores double points here: It can even be equipped with two A-axes. A huge advantage for high-productivity applications: one grinding wheel can be used for rAIr Jordan Outdoor Basketball Shoes