West Manufacturing News • February 2024 • Gear Hobbing Machine Offers Versatility

Affolter Group offers the AF160 8- axes CNC gear hobbing machine featuring different spindle configurations. The AF160 can produce a wide variety of gears and worm screws with a module of up to 2 mm (DP 12.7) and is suited for manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, aircraft, gearbox, medical and robotics industries.

Vincent Affolter, Managing Director of the Affolter Group, said: “The AF160 is designed for high precision manufacturers that need flexibility and efficiency. With its eight axes, sophisticated automation solutions and an innovative quick-change system, the machine provides exactly that.”

With the optional quick-change system, machine operators can switch from one configuration to the next in 30 minutes. In configuration I, both the C-axis and the C’ prime axis are equipped with driven spindles. This set-up leads to an increased cutting quality, more torque and more rigidity. This set-up offers the A-axis +/- 50° swing. “This configuration is suited for the production of spur, helical, bevel, crowned and face gears.

With a tailstock on axis C and a spindle on C’ prime (configuration II) the operator gets more flexibility. The A-axis can move from -50° to +115°, making worm milling possible. This configuration can also be used for all gear types mentioned above. In configuration III, the C-axis remains empty, and the C’ prime axis is equipped with a driven spindle. This configuration is designed for the power skiving of internal gears. The production of face gears is possible, too.

The part loader AF72 has been specifically designed for the AF160. With its double gripper system for parallel loading and unloading and a telescopic arm, different configurations depending on the volume, product and application can be chosen for an easy and efficient loading of the parts. The AF72 can be equipped with up to five feeding rails, enabling operators to preload more parts and let the machine work autonomously for more than 24 hours, with a proper configuration. The telescopic arm helps ensure that the working area in the machine remains clear. The arm retracts after loading the parts, giving the operator a good view of the processes during machining.”

The AF160 is configurable for a variety of applications. Hobbing options include skiving by sensor detection, integrating the deburring process into the gear production with the addition of the AF54 deburring unit, as well as part orientation and part presence control. Different clamping systems, customizable coolant systems and chip extraction conveyors provide for added versatility.

The digital CNC control Pegasus offers fast regulation and integrates IoT. The intuitive Pegasus controls all machine axes as well as a variety of peripherals for various options and automations. Programming is user-friendly with a 19” touchscreen. Data can be shared on the cloud, streamlining after-sales service support and preventive maintenance, and therefore minimizing downtimes. Software updates can be done remotely.