Reishauer RZ 260

$800,000 - $1,200,000 Updated 2026-03-14

Key Specifications

Max Workpiece ⌀

260 mm (10.2 in)

grinding type

Continuous Generating Gear Grinding

max module

5 mm

min module

0.5 mm

max face width

80 mm (3.15 in)

gear types

External spur and helical gears

Overview

The Reishauer RZ 260 is a continuous generating gear grinding machine designed for high-volume production of small-to-medium external spur and helical gears. Reishauer, headquartered in Wallisellen, Switzerland, pioneered the continuous generating grinding process and has been the benchmark in production gear grinding for over 75 years. The RZ 260 targets the automotive transmission gear segment — planetary gears, sun gears, ring gear internals, and differential pinions with outside diameters up to 260 mm and modules from 0.5 to 5 mm.

Continuous generating grinding works by meshing a threaded grinding wheel with the gear workpiece, both rotating at precisely synchronized speeds while the wheel feeds across the gear face. This fundamentally different approach from discontinuous profile grinding means the RZ 260 achieves cycle times that are typically 3-5x faster than profile grinders on production gears. A typical automotive transmission gear in the 80-120 mm OD range grinds in 15-30 seconds, including loading and unloading. For shops grinding 100,000+ gears per year, the per-part economics are substantially better than any profile grinding alternative.

The machine features Reishauer's proprietary electronic gear drive system, which uses direct-drive motors with high-resolution encoders on the workpiece and grinding wheel spindles to maintain synchronization accuracy within fractions of an arc-second. The workpiece spindle handles speeds up to 6,000 RPM, while the grinding wheel spindle runs at speeds up to 5,500 RPM with 35 kW of continuous power. The dressing system is integrated and uses diamond dressing rolls to continuously maintain the grinding wheel profile during production, ensuring consistent gear quality throughout long runs without operator intervention.

Reishauer controls the RZ 260 with their proprietary control system built on an industrial PC platform. The gear grinding software handles all aspects of gear geometry definition, grinding cycle optimization, and quality monitoring. Integrated gear measurement capability allows in-process checking of gear topology, reducing dependence on offline CMM inspection. At roughly $800,000-$1,200,000 new, the RZ 260 competes with the Kapp Niles KNe 3P, Gleason 260GX, and Liebherr LGG 280 in the production gear grinding segment.

Full Specifications

Parameter	Value
Grinding Type	Continuous Generating Gear Grinding
Max Workpiece Diameter	260 mm (10.2 in)
Max Module	5 mm
Min Module	0.5 mm
Max Face Width	80 mm (3.15 in)
Gear Types	External spur and helical gears
Workpiece Spindle Speed	Up to 6,000 RPM
Grinding Spindle Speed	Up to 5,500 RPM
Grinding Spindle Power	35 kW (47 hp) continuous
Dressing System	Integrated diamond roller dressing
Number Of Axes	6 CNC axes
CNC Control	Reishauer proprietary (industrial PC-based)
Loading	Integrated ring loader or robotic loading
Cycle Time Typical	15 - 30 seconds (automotive gears 80-120 mm OD)
Quality Achievable	DIN 3962 Class 4-5 / AGMA Q12-13
Machine Weight	9,500 kg (20,944 lb)
Machine Dimensions	3,200 x 2,800 x 2,800 mm (126 x 110 x 110 in)

Specifications sourced from reishauer.com — verified 2026-03-28

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Continuous generating process delivers 3-5x faster cycle times than profile grinding on production gears, dramatically reducing per-part costs at volume
Reishauer invented continuous generating gear grinding and has 75+ years of process refinement — the company defines the state of the art
Electronic gear drive synchronization within fractions of an arc-second ensures consistent gear quality across extended production runs
Integrated diamond roller dressing maintains wheel profile during production without operator intervention, enabling unattended running
In-process gear measurement reduces dependence on offline CMM inspection and provides real-time quality feedback
15-30 second cycle times on typical automotive transmission gears make the economics compelling at 100,000+ parts per year

Limitations

$800K-$1.2M investment is justified only at high production volumes — shops grinding fewer than 50,000 gears per year may not achieve adequate ROI
Continuous generating grinding is limited to external spur and helical gears; internal gears, bevel gears, and worm gears require different machines
Threaded grinding wheels and diamond dressing rolls are expensive consumables that factor significantly into per-part economics
Specialized gear grinding expertise is required for process development, wheel specification, and dressing parameter optimization
Machine is optimized for gears up to module 5 — larger module gears beyond this range require the RZ 400 or RZ 1000

Best For

Automotive transmission manufacturers grinding planetary, sun, and pinion gears at production volumes exceeding 100,000 parts per year E-mobility drivetrain producers needing ultra-quiet gear quality (DIN Class 4-5) for electric vehicle reduction gears Tier 1 automotive suppliers with established high-volume gear production lines requiring maximum throughput per machine Industrial gearbox manufacturers grinding small-to-medium external gears in module 0.5-5 range at moderate-to-high volumes Gear manufacturers needing to achieve AGMA Q12-13 quality grades consistently across production batches Any high-volume gear production application where 15-30 second cycle times fundamentally change the per-part economics

Frequently Asked Questions

01 What does a Reishauer RZ 260 cost?

New RZ 260 machines typically price between $800,000 and $1,200,000 depending on configuration, automation, and options. The total investment including tooling, grinding wheels, dressing rolls, and workholding can add $100,000-$200,000.

02 What is continuous generating gear grinding?

Continuous generating grinding uses a threaded grinding wheel that meshes with the gear workpiece, both rotating at synchronized speeds. The wheel feeds across the gear face in a continuous motion. This is fundamentally faster than profile grinding, which indexes tooth-by-tooth, making it the preferred process for high-volume gear production.

03 How does the RZ 260 compare to the Gleason 260GX?

Both are continuous generating gear grinders targeting the same market. Reishauer has a longer heritage in continuous generating grinding and is often considered the benchmark. Gleason offers broader gear manufacturing solutions (hobbing, shaping, grinding) and a larger global service network. Both achieve comparable gear quality.

04 What gear quality can the RZ 260 achieve?

The RZ 260 routinely achieves DIN 3962 Class 4-5 (equivalent to AGMA Q12-13) on production gears. This quality level meets the requirements for quiet-running automotive transmissions, including electric vehicle reduction gears where NVH performance is critical.

05 Can the RZ 260 grind internal gears?

No. The RZ 260 is designed for external spur and helical gears only. Internal gear grinding requires a different machine architecture. Reishauer offers other solutions for internal gear applications, and manufacturers like Kapp Niles offer dedicated internal gear grinding machines.