Helios Gear Products exclusively offers the Helios Hera 200 CNC gear hobbing machine. This machine, manufactured by YG Tech, provides gear manufacturers a vertical hobbing solution with its siblings, the models 150, 350, and 500. The model 200 completes the fine- to medium-pitch range of the Hera series with the same standard of proven technology. Adam Gimpert, president of Helios, remarked, “We are excited to bring the new Helios Hera 200 to North American gear manufacturers who need an updated, cost-effective, profitable hobbing platform for gears up to about 8 inches – all with 30+ years of domestic support expertise.”

The Hera 200 offers 6 axes (7 with automation) of Fanuc CNC, a 4 module (6.35 DP) pitch rating, and 1,200 rpm maximum hob speed. This combination comes on a base that handles parts up to 200 mm (7.874 in) diameter and 530 mm (20.866 in) length with up to 250 mm (9.840 in) axial travel. With hob shifting up to 180 mm (7.087 in), this machine offers versatility for short- or long-run jobs. Said David Harroun, vice president of Helios, “The Hera 200 offers many of the great features found on a Hera 350, but in a more compact size with a smaller financial footprint.” The machine offers safety features such as electro-mechanical interlock and a splashguard door. The machine’s cast iron base provides superior dampening and stability for extreme cutting conditions.

Software on the Hera 200 provides gear manufacturers simple dialog programming with visual examples to help guide operators and accelerate training. Cycles include cutting of one or two gears on a single workpiece using single- or two-cut cycles with radial, axial, climb, or conventional hobbing (or any combination thereof). Additionally, crowning (lead modification) and automatic shifting over a damaged hob section are included in the machine’s base package.

With Helios and YG Tech, the Hera series comes with over a half-century of gear machine tool expertise. For gears under 1 m (39 in) diameter, Helios solutions equip manufacturers to be more productive, profitable, and secure for future demands. Gear manufacturers use the Hera 200’s friendly programming and flexible capabilities to produce globally competitive gears, and for demanding production, the Hera 200 also offers unified automation options to suit pre- and post-operations as well as a variety of part types.