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Accessory Speeds Centering Align Drills on CNC Multi-Spindles

The CenterMaster accessory is designed to streamline the setup and changeover process for CNC multi-spindle lathes.

Angela Osborne

Managing Editor, Production Machining

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With CenterMaster, the user simply clamps a radio dial gauge into the workspace and sets it to the quill. Photo Credit: Index Corp.

With CenterMaster, the user simply clamps a radio dial gauge into the workspace and sets it to the quill. Photo Credit: Index Corp.

Index’s CenterMaster accessory is said to reduce the time needed to align a drill by up to 90%. The accessory is part of the company’s sustained investment in R&D focused on streamlining the setup and changeover process for CNC multi-spindle lathes.

Previously, center alignment of a drill required specialized knowledge by the operator and a challenging, manual process that could take up to 30 minutes per holder. With CenterMaster, the user simply clamps a radio dial gauge into the workspace and sets it to the quill. The gauge and machine wirelessly communicate, automatically adjusting the holder along the X axis. The system then guides the operator through adjusting the Y axis via the machine’s touchscreen display.

The CenterMaster system enables operators with no specialized knowledge or experience to set up a drill in 2-3 minutes. Additionally, it provides a repeatable accuracy of <5 microns.

“Over the past several years, we have introduced multiple innovations to make CNC multi-spindles more flexible,” says Cris Taylor, Index president and CEO. “We had already taken a lot of the time out of setups and changeovers via presetting and our quick clamping system with W-serration locating. CenterMaster eliminates another time-consuming aspect of setups, so that customers can truly optimize their machine utilization.”

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