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Dave Petersen had a grinding problem. Mr Petersen is product improvement coordinator of Sauer-Sunstrand, a manufacturer of axial piston pumps and motors for off highway vehicles-backhoes, tractors and road building equipment for the likes of John Deere and Caterpillar. His three vintage grinders, circa early 1970, were difficult set up. Holding tight tolerances had increasingly become a "hit or miss" proposition.
Mr Petersen wanted more than just ensured close-tolerante grinding. He wanted inprocess gaging systems that would do 100% part inspection with feedback that would ensure process control and verification in real time.
Enter AirTronics, Elgin, IL, manufacturer of gaging and control systems, and compensation and other systems for centerless grinders. While the AirTronics name is well known in gaging and control systems, the company has expanded to include the remanufacturing of centerless grinders-primarily Cincinnati machines-- for much the same reason that Petersen wanted a turnkey supplier.
The AirTronics' strategy: Adapt well-accepted gaging systems to an AirTronics remanufactured grinder, offering a complete turnkey package.
For Sauer-Sunstrand, the result is two remanufactured Cincinnati 340-20 Twin Grip centerless grinders, adapted with AirTronics precision Inchworm compensators. They are also equipped with AirTronics gaging and control systems.
The way it works
According to Petersen,...