United Grinding Group CNC Grinding Machines

Mägerle MGC

$1,500,000 – $4,000,000 Updated 2026-03-17

Key Specifications

Machine Type

CNC profile/surface grinding machining center (creep-feed and reciprocating)

Table Length (X-axis)

Up to 2,500 mm (model dependent)

Table Width (Y-axis)

Up to 800 mm

Vertical (Z) Axis Travel

Up to 800 mm

Max Grinding Wheel Diameter

610 mm

Max Grinding Wheel Width

120 mm

Overview

The Mägerle MGC is a high-performance CNC profile and surface grinding machining center from United Grinding Group's Mägerle division, designed for creep-feed and reciprocating surface grinding of complex profiles in hard and difficult-to-machine materials. The MGC platform is a true grinding machining center — featuring automatic wheel changer, CNC dressing, and tool change capability — making it the preferred choice for aerospace turbine blade grinding, automotive form grinding, and precision component profiling.

Mägerle, a Swiss grinding brand with over 70 years of history, built the MGC around a high-rigidity column-type structure that supports large-diameter grinding wheels (up to 610 mm) driven by high-power spindles (up to 65 kW). This power and wheel mass combination enables aggressive creep-feed grinding — removing large amounts of material in a single slow pass — which is the preferred strategy for nickel superalloys, titanium, and hardened steels that cannot be efficiently machined by reciprocating grinding.

The integrated automatic wheel changer stores multiple dressed wheels, allowing the machine to switch between profile grinding wheels within a cycle without operator intervention. Combined with CNC diamond roll dressing on-machine, the MGC can maintain complex form accuracy across extended production runs. Post-process gauging integration with Marposs or Renishaw systems closes the loop for automatic size compensation.

Aerospace is the dominant application: fan blade root grinding, turbine blade fir-tree root form grinding, vane segment profiling, and blisk grinding are all within the MGC's capability. Defense, energy (power turbine components), and automotive high-performance engine component grinding are additional major markets.

Full Specifications

Parameter	Value
Machine Type	CNC profile/surface grinding machining center (creep-feed and reciprocating)
Table Length (X-Axis)	Up to 2,500 mm (model dependent)
Table Width (Y-Axis)	Up to 800 mm
Vertical (Z) Axis Travel	Up to 800 mm
Max Grinding Wheel Diameter	610 mm
Max Grinding Wheel Width	120 mm
Spindle Power	Up to 65 kW
Spindle Speed	Up to 10,000 RPM
Wheel Changer Capacity	Up to 20 wheels (automatic)
CNC Dressing	Diamond roll dressing, on-machine
Number Of CNC Axes	Up to 5 simultaneous (X, Y, Z, B tilt, C rotary table option)
Achievable Form Accuracy	< 5 µm (profile form error)
Achievable Surface Roughness	Ra < 0.2 µm (application dependent)
Control System	Fanuc 31i (with Mägerle MGCplus HMI)
Machine Weight	Approx. 25,000 – 35,000 kg (model dependent)
Travel X	1300 mm (51.2 inch) / 2100 mm (82.7 inch) / 2600 mm (102.4 inch)
Travel Y	650 mm (25.6 inch) / 900 mm (35.4 inch)
Travel Z	500 mm (19.7 inch) / 750 mm (29.5 inch)
Spindle Speed Max	8000 /min (8000 rpm)
Spindle Power	75 kW (100 hp) / 115 kW (154 hp)
Table Size	760 x 325 mm (29.9 x 12.8 inch) / 1000 x 440 mm (39.4 x 17.3 inch)
Rapid Traverse X	20000 mm/min (787 inch/min)
Rapid Traverse Y	20000 mm/min (787 inch/min)
Rapid Traverse Z	20000 mm/min (787 inch/min)
Max Tool Diameter	500 mm (19.7 inch) / 600 mm (23.6 inch)

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

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

Up to 65 kW spindle power enables aggressive creep-feed grinding of nickel superalloys and titanium
Automatic wheel changer with up to 20 wheels eliminates operator intervention between profile changes
Integrated CNC diamond roll dressing maintains complex profile accuracy across full production runs
True grinding machining center architecture — profile grinding, dressing, and gauging in one cell
Proven in the most demanding aerospace turbine blade grinding applications worldwide

Limitations

Very high capital cost — requires aerospace/defense-level production volumes to justify
Large machine footprint and significant foundation requirements
Specialized application — not suitable for general cylindrical or tool grinding

Best For

Aerospace tier 1 and OEM suppliers grinding turbine blade fir-tree root forms and fan blade roots Energy sector turbine component manufacturers requiring complex profile grinding in superalloys Automotive high-performance engine component producers needing complex cam and form grinding Defense contractors grinding precision aerospace structural and engine components

Frequently Asked Questions

01 What is creep-feed grinding and why is the MGC designed for it?

Creep-feed grinding is a strategy where the grinding wheel is plunged deep into the workpiece (full profile depth) and traversed at a very slow feed rate in a single pass, rather than making many shallow reciprocating passes. It is more efficient for hard materials like nickel superalloys and titanium because it minimizes thermal damage to the workpiece surface. The MGC's high spindle power (up to 65 kW) and large-diameter wheels are specifically designed to sustain the high forces generated in creep-feed grinding.

02 What materials can the Mägerle MGC grind effectively?

The MGC is optimized for difficult-to-machine aerospace materials: nickel-based superalloys (Inconel, Waspaloy, René alloys), titanium alloys, hardened steels, and ceramics. It is also used for form grinding of hardened tool steels in die and mold applications. For softer materials like aluminum, the machine is technically capable but significantly over-specified.

03 How does the automatic wheel changer work on the MGC?

The MGC's automatic wheel changer stores pre-dressed grinding wheels in a magazine (up to 20 positions). When a wheel change is commanded — either programmatically or due to wheel wear — the machine shuttles the current wheel out and retrieves the next one automatically. Each wheel can have a different profile pre-dressed, allowing the machine to switch between different grinding operations without operator setup.

04 Is the Mägerle MGC suitable for blisk (integrally bladed rotor) grinding?

Yes. With the optional B-axis tilt and C-axis rotary table, the MGC can be configured for blisk (integrally bladed disk) blade form grinding. This is one of the most demanding aerospace grinding applications, requiring simultaneous 5-axis motion to grind the complex airfoil and root profiles on titanium or nickel blisks.

05 What CNC control does the MGC use?

The MGC uses a Fanuc 31i series CNC as the underlying motion controller, with Mägerle's proprietary MGCplus HMI running on top. The MGCplus interface provides application-specific grinding cycles, dressing management, and production reporting tailored to creep-feed and profile grinding workflows.