Walter Helitronic Micro

The Walter Helitronic Micro is a tool grinding machine for very small tools: workpiece diameter runs from 0,1 - 12,7 mm (0.004 - 0.5 inch) and workpiece length reaches 220 mm (8.66 inch). Everything else in the table follows from that range. The grinding wheel is at most 150 mm (5.91 inch) in diameter, and the spindle delivers 7 kW (9.39 hp) at up to 10,500 rpm.

Seven kilowatts would be modest on a machine for large cutters. Here it is in proportion, because a tool of 12,7 mm (0.5 inch) or less has little material to remove and the grinding forces have to stay low anyway to keep a thin blank from deflecting. The Walter Helitronic Raptor, with 11,5 kW (15.42 hp) at the same 10,500 rpm, is the machine in the range for bigger stock.

The working volume is compact. Travels are 385 mm (15.16 inch) in X, 320 mm (12.59 inch) in Y and 320 mm (12.59 inch) in Z, and each of the three linear axes has a maximum travel speed of 30.000 mm/min (1,181.10 inch/min). The Walter Helitronic Raptor shares the 320 mm (12.59 inch) Y travel but has 660 mm (25.98 inch) of Z, about twice the Micro's figure, so the Micro's working volume is the smaller of the two by a wide margin.

Two swiveling axes complete the kinematics. B covers +/-150 ° and C covers +200 /-20 °. The C range is not symmetrical, so check with a simulation that the geometries you grind, ball noses and corner radii in particular, can be reached from the side the machine favours.

The table lists no workpiece weight, machine weight or footprint. For tools this small the first hardly matters, but the last two are needed for installation and should be requested with the quote.