ITM RTG

The ITM RTG is a rotary transfer grinder: several CNC grinding stations arranged around an index table, each working on a different tool at the same time. It makes complete drills, end mills and similar tools from 1.5 mm (1/16 in) to 32 mm in diameter and up to 300 mm (12 in) long, in one clamping.

The arithmetic is what sells it. Because every station grinds at once, the time per tool is the longest single operation plus a 3-second index, not the sum of all operations. A single machine that finishes a tool in one clamping normally has to add the operations together, and a cell of separate machines is fast but reclamps the tool at each step. The RTG gives the output of the cell and keeps the single clamping.

ITM lists up to 5 workstations and 1 loading and unloading station, which can be arranged for OD, flute, flat, relief, land and point grinding, or for polishing, honing, milling and marking. Tools are held in collet workheads mounted vertically on the index table with the collet facing downward, and can be ground in stationary precision bushings or between centers. Fluting and OD-relief stations take wheels of 200 mm – 250 mm (8 in – 10 in), end work stations 100 mm – 150 mm (4 in – 6 in).

With motor-spindles of up to 40 HP (29.8 kW), the machine weighs 10,700 kg (23,500 lbs) and occupies 2,870 mm (113 in) by 3,098 mm (122 in). Each station can have its own CNC diamond roll dresser as an option. Loading is by cassette loader, hopper or robot, and the control is a Fanuc CNC with a built-in PC.