Editorial, News, and Products
Introducing the Next Generation of Turning Machines
IMTS 22: Index will debut the next generations of its G220 turn mill center, MS32-6 CNC multispindle and TNL12 sliding headstock lathe.
Sliding Headstock Lathe Designed for Small Part Machining
Index has updated its Traub TNL12 sliding headstock lathe, with increased tool capacity, fluid-cooled motor spindles and more.
Index Corporation Introduces Sliding Headstock CNC Lathe for Small Parts Machining
Index Corporation’s Traub TNL12 sliding headstock lathe features a variety of design changes to boost speed, flexibility and accuracy.
Index Corporation Expands into Virginia, North and South Carolina
The corporation has partnered with Machinery Solutions to expand distribution. Well-established in its region, Machinery Solutions celebrates 40 years in the machine tool industry this year.
Index Corporation Expands Distributor Network
Company has added Great Lakes Machinery as distributor for the northern New York area as part of its ongoing sales and service initiative.
Index Group Expands to Include Additive Manufacturing
Germany-based Index group has acuired a majority interest in One Click Metal GmbH, a Trumpf startup specializing in the entry-level segment for 3D printers.
Index President/CEO Retires, Announces Replacement
Cris Taylor will take over as the president and CEO of Index Corporation after Tom Clark retires at the end of 2020.
Index's MS32-6 Multi-Spindle Lathe Reduces Changeover Times
Index’s next-generation MS32-6 six-spindle automatic lathe is designed to bring the benefits of multi-spindle technology to a broader range of applications.
Index Traub's Data-Driven iX4.0 Software Connects and Monitors Machine Tools
Index Traub offers iX4.0, which integrates Index and Traub machines as digital twins.
Index's G420 Turn-Mill Designed with Ergonomics in Mind
Index’s G420 turn-mill features two identical 3,500-rpm spindles with 315-mm (400-mm optional) chucks as well as a five-axis milling spindle.
Index Hires 15 in Response to Growth in North America
Several of the hires are for newly created positions.
Eight-Spindle Automatic Lathe with Robot Load/Unload
Built for high-volume, high precision production of medium to complex parts, the unbeatably fast multi-spindle from Index will be demonstrated in IMTS booth #338136 with a six-axis loading robot, supporting lights-out machining.
Turn-Mill Center with Five-Axis Milling Spindle
The Index G220 Turn-Mill Center in IMTS booth #338136 includes a motorized five-axis 18,000-rpm milling spindle and a tool turret with Y axis, providing maximum machining flexibility for turning and milling complex parts in a single setup from barstock up to 90 mm in diameter.
Swiss Turning Center Demos New High-Speed Thread Whirling Process
Traub’s TNL20-9 Swiss-type turning center will demonstrate a new high-speed thread whirling process at IMTS 2018, Booth #338136.
Index Announces Suite of Online Support Tools
Index announces its online portal iXworld, which debuts at IMTS 2018 and launches in early 2019.
Multi-Spindle Lathe Completes Complex Parts at High Volumes
IMTS 2018: Index’s MS40-8 multi-spindle automatic lathe with eight CNC spindles has been designed for high-volume precision work in the automotive, fastener, connector and aerospace industries.
Swiss Turning Center with Automation Options, Four Tools in the Cut
A new sliding/fixed headstock Swiss-type turning center will show its wide range of capabilities at IMTS 2018, booth 338136.
Bar Loader Reduces Cycle Times, Increases Turning Quality
IMTS 2018: Index introduces its bar loader to pair with its multi-spindle machines for increased turning quality.
Multi-Spindle Automatic Lathe Debuts at IMTS 2018
Index will introduce its MS40-8 multi-spindle automatic lathe with eight CNC spindles, two back-working spindles for rear-end machining, deploying up to 18 CNC slides and additional Y axes if required.
Index Announces New Distributors
Sales territories are being realigned as four new distributors and the extension of one longtime distributor partnership bring greater service to U.S. Index and Traub customers.
Turning Center Features Built-In Robot Cell
Traub, a brand of the Index Group, has introduced the Traub TNL20 sliding/fixed headstock automatic lathe adding improvements in productivity, precision and automation.
Catch Up on PMTS 2017’s Live Demonstrations with This Video Playlist
Covering workholding, Swiss-type turning, multitasking machines and more, the seven talks in the YouTube playlist are a good recap of the latest in production machining technology.
Redesigned Turn-Mill Fits More Performance in Same Footprint
PMTS 2017: Index will demonstrate its G200 turn-mill, a compact machine offering as much as 30 percent greater productivity than its predecessor in the same footprint.
Automatic Lathe Comes “Industry 4.0-Ready”
The new generation of Index’s ABC automatic lathe is designed for turning simple to moderately complex parts in cycle times as much as 15 percent faster than the previous generation, with rapid spindle acceleration (8 G), shorter spindle ramp-up times, higher rapid traverse rates and quick chip-to-chip times.
Turn-Mill Includes Motorized, Five-Axis, 18,000-rpm Milling Spindle
Index’s G220 turn-mill includes a motorized five-axis, 18,000-rpm milling spindle and a tool turret with Y axis.
Automatic Lathe Features Front-Working Attachment
The Traub TNL31-11 automatic lathe available from Index features a front-working attachment on an additional cross-slide moving in the X and Z axes, providing freely positionable tools.
Six-Spindle CNC Lathe Features Modular Design
Index’s MS16 Plus six-spindle CNC lathe features a modular design.
Dynamic, Productive Sliding/Fixed-Headstock Lathe
Sponsored Content
11-Axis Automatic Lathe to Be Demonstrated
Sponsored Content
New Compact CNC Multi-Spindle Lathe
Sponsored Content – IMTS 2016 Technology eNewsletter
Lathe More Efficient with Eight Spindles
Sponsored Content - IMTS 2016 Technology eNewsletter
New Turn-Mill with Bevel Gear Capability
Sponsored Content – IMTS 2016 Technology eNewsletter
Turn-Mill Cuts Cycle Times
Sponsored Content - IMTS 2016 Technology eNewsletter
Turning Center’s Dual Drive Train Speeds Tool Transitions
The Traub TNL32-11 sliding/fixed headstock automatic lathe has a headstock movable in the Z axis, an upper and identical lower turret with X, Y and Z axes, and a counter spindle movable in the X and Z directions.
Six-Spindle Turning Center Provides 27 NC Axes
Index’s MS16 Plus lathe accommodates parts as large as 22 mm in diameter and is capable of turning, drilling, milling, tapping, deep-hole drilling or slotting in each of its six CNC spindles.
Hobbing Bevel Gears on a Turn-Mill Center
After deciding to manufacture bevel gears for its own purposes in-house, Index developed a “gear hobbing package” that transforms its R200 and R300 turn-mill centers into gear cutting machines.
Investing in Tech Is a Strategy, Figuring ROI Is a Strategic Tool
This short article by Jeff Reinert, president of Index Corp., outlines the multi-step process for justifying an investment in the latest CNC machining technology. Calculating the return on investment (ROI) is a useful step in this process, but only one of the factors a manufacturer must consider in the decision to buy a new machine. Read the article here.
Modular Turning Center Equipped with Eight Spindles
Index will demonstrate its MS22C-8, a modular eight-spindle automatic CNC turning machine suitable for fast machining, especially of complex parts.
Index Adds Northwest Distributor
The distributor will serve Oregon and Washington customers.
Index Adds Northwest Dealer
A new distributor will serve Oregon and Washington.
Automatic Lathe Promotes High Production Rates
Developed for high-production turning, the 42-mm TNK42 fixed-headstock automatic lathe from Traub produces complex workpieces in large and medium volumes ranging to 250-mm long.
Index Announces North American Sales Manager
Former Tornos Technologies sales and marketing manager will oversee sales for Index and Traub across three countries.
The Automotive Industry is Booming in Germany
Before heading off to Esslingen, Germany (near Stuttgart) to help Index celebrate its 100th anniversary, my publisher told me that the area is “the Detroit of Germany.” I soon found that to be an apt description as a large number of shops I visited were heavily vested in automotive manufacturing. What’s even more noteworthy is that business was booming.
Index/Traub Celebrate Anniversary with German Open House
The event highlighted new machines at three Germany facilities.
Index to Celebrate Anniversary with April Open House
The company is celebrating anniversaries of its parent company and subsidiary.
Vincennes University Supports Manufacturing Education
VU has established relationships with Hurco and Index to provide real-world tools and experiences for its students.
Control Package Helps Speed Production
After cutting precision parts in one third of the original time, Task Force Tips was able to justify its initial investment in an Index automatic production lathe fitted with a Siemens control package.
Universal Turning Machine Enables Simultaneous Machining
The Index IT600 65-mm universal turning machine is designed for machining small to medium batch sizes of workpieces including automotive parts, mechanical parts and other job shop assignments.
Flexible Swiss Turning with B Axis
Index’s Traub TNL18 sliding-/fixed-headstock automatic lathe is equipped with seven linear axes and an additional B-axis on the upper tool turret.
Universal Turning Machine For Simultaneous Machining
The Index IT600 universal turning machine is designed for small to medium batches of automotive and mechanical parts.
Compact CNC Multi-Spindle Lathe Performs Turning Center Operations
The Index MS16C compact six-spindle CNC automatic production lathe is designed for the cam-driven multi-spindle market.
Sliding/Fixed Headstock Lathe Adds B Axis for Complex Machining
Index’s Traub TNL18-7B sliding/fixed headstock automatic lathe features seven linear axes and an additional B axis for particularly challenging machining tasks.
Eight Spindles for Complex Parts
Index’s MS22C-8 from its Multiline series is a modular eight-spindle machine that is designed for machining complex parts.
Road Report: Wish You Were Here, Day 3
Where in the world is Chris Koepfer, editor-in-chief of Production Machining? Today, he's learning about the latest manufacturing technology in southern Germany.
Why Shops Are Looking More to Swiss-Types
These days, more traditional job shops are installing—or at least eyeing—Swiss-types. Here are some reasons why.
Sliding Headstock Automatic for Swiss and Production Turning
The TRAUB TNL18 production turning machine is capable of five-axis machining of 20-mm-diameter bar for long and short parts in a single setup.
Sliding Headstock Automatic for Swiss and Production Turning
The Traub TNL18 P production turning machine is capable of five-axis machining in a single setup.
Turn-Mill With New Fanuc CNC
The C100 series of production turn-mill centers features the Fanuc 31i CNC option. With three 14-position tool turrets and identical main and counterspindles, the centers are designed for fast, cost-competitive production of medium-complexity turned parts from barstock ranging from 30 to 42 mm diameter, the company says. Said to be ideal for small- to medium-lot sizes, the three-turret machines deliver high performance within a small footprint, and are targeted to handle fixed-headstock work often run on Swiss-type machines.
High Production Turn-Mill Centers
The C100 series of production turn-mill centers are versatile, high production machines linked in real-time to the company’s Virtual Machine programming and simulation suite. Virtual Machine includes user software that is a mirror of the real machine configuration. The data allow users to program, set up and operate the “virtual machine” in exactly the same way as the real machine.
Consider L:D When Choosing A Lathe For Small Parts
Should shops always defer to Swiss-type lathes to process small, long and often complex parts? Not necessarily. As a general rule, a Swiss-type is most appropriate for machining workpieces with L:D ratios of 4 to 1 or greater. Parts with lower L:D ratios may be machined economically on turn-mills.
Double-Sided Productivity
Having a bar feeder on one side and a parts carrousel on the other side ensures that a turn-mill machine will achieve maximum productivity, whether the workpieces are mostly milled or mostly turned. In general, smaller parts are machined from bar stock, even if only milling operations are involved. Larger parts are loaded an unloaded by a transfer device fed by the carrousel.
More Turrets, More Tools, Less Cycle Time
On this model, the builder is arranging spindles and tool turrets to reduce cycle time, although flexibility stands to gain as well. The result, the company says, is a turn-mill that can offer cycle times comparable to those acheived on a multi-spindle automatic.
Seeing More For CNC Multi-Spindles
Motor technology, machine design and software possibilities all improve the economies of these sophisticated high-volume machines.
Unattended Honing On A Vertical Chucker
An air-gage-monitored honing system added to an inverted vertical spindle chucking lathe allows unattended turning, boring and honing on one machine for greater process flexibility.
Swiss-Type Turning Without A Guide Bushing
The traditional CNC Swiss-type machine is well suited to parts that are long and slender. Here is an alternative for other types of turned parts.
When Does Hard Turn/Grind Make Sense?
Combining different operations on a single machine tool platform is an attractive and increasingly popular idea. It is in practice, however, not always a plug and play substitution. Optimizing distinct metalcutting operations into a single cycle takes planning and a good understanding of the pluses and minuses of each.
Thermally Stabilize Spindles With Air
Heat is the number one enemy of machine tools. The machine tool spindle is one of the prime sources for generating heat in a machine.
Turning Turned On End
Inverted-spindle vertical turning machines take on horizontal chuckers for turning cell applications.
Scope Maker Sights-In Turning Process
Working toward goals of improved efficiency and quality, this Oregon rifle scope maker looked holistically at their manufacturing operation and matched appropriate processes and technology to each operation. Some improvements arevery simple, and some are quite sophisticated.