INDEX’s new G300 and G320 turn-mill centres are a welcome addition to the company’s product line. This size now completes INDEX's portfolio for high-performance turning and milling of medium-large components, with a turning length of 1,400 mm.
Complete machining is quickly gaining traction, particularly on turn-mill centres that can handle both technologies. One of the main motivations for the INDEX development department launching the G420, a turn-mill centre with a completely new design that was in a class by itself, was to address this. That was in 2018, and it wasn’t long before its popularity grew.
INDEX expanded the series the following year with the larger, more powerful INDEX G520 model, and has recently included the smaller INDEX G320 model as a logical next step. The new INDEX G320 turn-mill centre offers the best performance for customers from the mechanical engineering, automotive and aerospace industries, with high availability and process reliability- the complete solution when it comes to high-performance machining of medium-sized workpieces.
The successful machine design is still in place. The new G320 offers ideal stability and damping properties, as well as dynamic values, thanks to a rigid, vibration-damping machine bed in mineral cast block design and generously dimensioned linear guides in the X and Z axes. This ensures top machining results combined with high levels of productivity.
A fundamental component of the machine, as with the INDEX G420 and G520 models, is the motorised milling spindle situated above the axis of rotation with a hydrodynamically attached Y/B axis. Its powerful motors make it possible to perform a wide range of drilling and milling operations, including five-axis machining.
There are also 16.6 kW, 72 Nm, 12,000 rpm (100% DC) and 16 kW, 45 Nm, 18,000 rpm (100% DC) options. During machining, the motorised milling spindle makes use of a tool magazine that can hold up to 115 tools (HSK-T63 or Capto C6).
The two tool turrets located at the bottom of the INDEX G320 also aid in efficient machining. Each of their twelve stations can be outfitted with live tools at any time. Not only can the turrets move in the X and Z dimensions, but they can also move in the Y direction.
The INDEX G320 has a maximum turning length of 1,400 mm. The two fluid-cooled work spindles (main and counter spindles) have a spindle clearance of 102 mm at 4,000 rpm and are fluid-cooled. They have a lot of power and are quite energetic (44 kW; torque 525 Nm at 100 per cent DC). Simultaneous machining with the motorised milling spindle and the lower turrets at the main and counter spindles is achievable thanks to the large working surface and the distance between the main and counter spindles. To avoid clashes, the lower turrets can also traverse beneath the main and counter spindles.
A built-in 2-axis handling unit and/or the iXcenter robot cell are among the automation options available on the turn-mill centre. A customised version of the Siemens S 840D SL platform is used in their user-friendly INDEX iXpanel cockpit systems. In India INDEX is represented by Bengaluru based M+V Marketing & Sales Private Limited.
