Accura Technics announces advancements in precision grinding applicable to aerospace, automotive, bearing and optics manufacturing. In capability tests, Accura's Model 1210G CNC grinder produced 0.000010in (0.25 micron) roundness in ball bearing outer races and 0.000006in (0.15 micron) roundness in inner races. This multi-surface grinder was delivered to the USA's Adcole Corporation (Marlborough, Massachusetts; Pompano Beach, Florida) for grinding spindle components for camshaft and crankshaft measuring machines.

Roundness of these components directly impacts axial and radial run-out of the assembled spindle.

Excellent run-out is crucial to the measuring machines' performance.

Upon inspection of the first spindle processed on the 1210G, Adcole's general manager, Patrick Cole, said, 'Needless to say, we are impressed.

And it will only get better from here.' The 1210G is equipped with a hydrostatic bearing workhead, and two wheelheads: an air bearing ID/OD spindle, and a ball bearing rotary surface spindle.

The two wheelheads are mounted on independent CNC axes.

These axes are driven by ball screws and servomotors while the X-axis is driven by a linear motor.

The three slides are mounted on a thermally stable, natural granite base.

'Customers turn to us for creative solutions to their precision grinding needs,' said Patrick Hurst, president of Accura Technics.

'We work with our customers to develop robust processes that deliver higher precision at a competitive cost which saves them time and money.' The 1210G has a 12in (300mm) swing and 10in (250mm) workpiece height capacity.

Standard X-axis travel is 14in (350mm).

Standard Z-axis travel is 12in (300mm).

The machine can be fully automated with robot loader, conveyors and gauging.

Optional features include C-axis for non-round grinding and acoustic emission monitoring system.

Accura Technics other products include the MicroTol - a machine tool platform suitable for optics machining, hard turning, shoe centerless ID grinding, and miniature bore grinding.

Accura is also developing a larger vertical grinder with 30in (750mm) diameter capacity for applications in the aerospace, bearing and heavy equipment industries.

* About Accura Technics - Accura Technics designs and builds super-precision machine tools at their factory in Keene, New Hampshire, USA.

Co-founders, Don Brehm and Patrick Hurst are engineers with extensive backgrounds in high-performance CNC machine tools.

Accura Technics' staff has expertise in grinding, parts handling, optics, hydrostatic bearings, CNC and motion control.