LGG 280 Gear Grinding Machine

With a one-table design and a new-design grinding head, the new Liebherr LGG 280 gear grinding machine greatly reduces grinding times for twist-free profile and generating grinding of workpieces to 280 mm diameter.

Presented for the first time in North America at IMTS, the machine is the second in the LGG series and is designed to deliver consistently high large-scale production quality in automotive applications, including conical gearing. With it, manufacturers can produce smaller gears with greater load-carrying capability. (See the full presentation of the machine at the website below). 

According to a Liebherr spokesman, "With this series of space-saving machines, vehicle manufacturers can develop a complete production line, in which all gearing components for a passenger vehicle transmission can be ground: planetary and sun gears, bore-type gears, as well as drive and pinion shafts with lengths up to 500 mm."

The advantage to the one-table solution is higher quality throughout the entire production. There is one clamping fixture, one geometry. Every machined part is manufactured under the same conditions for high reproducibility. The one-table approach provides the statistical capability and reliability in continuously producing controlled µ-range finish quality for gear noise optimization.

The new grinding head allows for rotation speeds up to 10,000 rpm and has spindle power of 35 kW. With this performance data, the head enables high cutting speeds and high feed rates.

The new grinding machine can exploit the considerable potential of the innovative 3M abrasive Cubitron II. Changing the grinding arbor with HSK-C 100 tool holder is a fast and simple process. Also available is a second grinding head for featuring a small worm diameter for collision-critical parts.

The machine will enable undulations to be applied specifically to gear wheel flanks for noise optimization purposes for the first time. The ability to produce sub-µ range waviness cost-effectively gives designers a whole new range of optimization options.

The touch screen user interface on the machine control permits easier, intuitive programming and machine operation and incorporates an integrated webcam. The control also can incorporate substantial additional documentation, such as fixture layouts and tool mounting instructions.

The LGG machines are easily coupled with Liebherr automation solutions to create a fully automated production line for the highest quality gears in the least possible cycle times.