New "Indexing" Angle Head

[Ox]

In April 2018 Modern Machine Shop mag, page 110, but I am not linking it here - b/c MMS doesn't have the full April issue online yet.
I kan't even find a worthy pic to post....


So I went to the Koma site directly, but their online info is piss poor at best.

So I went to Youtube, and found an only slightly more informative vid.


Anyhow - what this appears to be is a gear driven angle head, that can be indexed by means of the C axis of your spindle (if you have one) and then powered via your S axis, by means of an air powered internal clutch system in the head.

I cannot believe that someone would $pend all those bucks R&D'ing a product like this, then start an advertising campaign for such unit, and not have your site and youtube presence already in place.

I know that there is coolant driven units that will doo this - as that is much easier, but this one is gear driven.


I am actively searching for a job that will justify purchasing this unit as it's got a cool factor in the double digits!

Index Heads

36 Index Heads - YouTube



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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[Ox]

KOMA PRECISION INTRODUCES NEW LINE OF ALBERTI ANGLE HEADS - Practical Machinist : Practical Machinist



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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[huskermcdoogle]

The concept isn't really all that new. That is how right angle heads on bridge mills have indexed for ages. They just have a more solid/integrated lockup method. Good to see a product like that on the market. As long as you can index your spindle to any desired rotation position, you are in business. Of course you would also need clamping and unclamping the coupling integrated into the machine. I wonder if they would make a BT30 version of this to put into a robodrill.

 

[Vancbiker]

I don't know if they were using the same tech or not, but Makino was offering similar appearing indexable angle heads on their MAG series machines at least 6 years ago. The purpose was primarily for drilling cross holes in ribs of airframe structures being machined. IIRC they were pretty crazy money....

 

[thermite]

I cannot believe that someone would $pend all those bucks R&D'ing a product like this, then start an advertising campaign for such unit, and not have your site and youtube presence already in place.

Happens a lot, just not always visibly so.

On the evidence, the Product Marketing Manager (or functional equivalent) either doesn't yet have ULM buy-in on his J-curve.. or hasn't yet gathered enough hard info to even present one.

Still in pilot production and test-market stage IOW.

No assurance - yet - they even WILL go into full-gallop series production - AND sustain that - either.

Yeah. It's we GD "bean counters". Again.

The ones as try to keep the rest of you lot from starving to death on neat ideas that don't get paid (enough) soon (enough) for. AND/OR turn out to have Warranty costs as eat the firm's hard earned seed corn. Or the whole firm.