RK International Machine Tools has become somewhat of a grinding specialist and showed off its vast grinding machine portfolio at MACH covering all aspects of abrasive machining through universal grinding, surface grinding, vertical spindle rotary table grinding and centreless grinding.
At MACH, RK International Machine Tools highlighted the latest development from Italian grinding manufacturer Robbi. Director Riccardo Robbi attended the Erith-based firm’s stand at MACH (pictured above) where two machines it supplies to the UK market were exhibited – the Robbi Omicron 1000R conventional universal grinder and the latest development, the Robbi Omicron T7 PLC universal grinder.
Speaking to Machinery at MACH, managing director John Schwarz notes the Robbi machines have been selling well and the relationship goes back more than 20 years. “It all started back in 1995 where they wanted a cylindrical grinder to manufacture the centre of rotor blades for large helicopters in the north of England so that is when we started working with Robbi.
“Since then, I don’t know the exact number, but I would think we have sold approaching 100 machines and one of the more recent ones was to regrind the legs for Airbus A330 aircraft so quite a large machine to swing the leg in the gap of the grinding machine.”
The Omicron 1000R is the smallest in the R-series with a between centre distance of 1000mm (600mm available on the smallest R Series model). Delivering high standards of precision, with roundness of 0.8 micron and cylindricity from 2 to 6 micron, its versatility and flexibility also make it ideal for small batch production.
The Omicron conventional universal grinder is also the only western European produced machine of this type. The Omicron T7 PLC featured the latest version of the company’s control system with touch screen interaction allowing ease of programming for operations such as wheelhead and table positioning multiple diameters in the same cycle; semi-automatic grinding cycles, with auto stop of the wheel feed once the programmed diameter has been reached; and automatic wheel dressing cycle with compensation of grinding dimensions.
