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Center drive
Technologie Center drive

What it is all about?

Center drive technology is particularly advantageous when it comes to simultaneous machining, coaxialities and concentricity to each other at the workpiece ends. Because clamping and drive are located in the center of the workpiece, up to four tool operations can be performed simultaneously on one workpiece.

In order to clamp the workpiece in its center over a short length, a special arrangement of the bearing and the drive is required. Here you can see the basic structure of the workpiece clamping of a center drive head.

The workpiece is clamped either in one or two collets inside the center drive or alternatively in a jaw chuck.

The workpiece is clamped by springs as standard and thus mechanically with constant clamping force. WMZ has also developed a variant with which the clamping force is applied hydraulically. This enables clamping pressure to be reduced for finishing. In any case, the clamping is released hydraulically.

The good accessibility of the workpiece end also makes it possible to use different technologies of specialized tool carriers - besides turning, for example, deep hole drilling but also gear cutting and grinding. The center drive is therefore suitable for both hard and soft machining.

You can also combine several center drives for your production. This makes sense, for example, if you want to machine a workpiece family with parts of different lengths.

Textilwelle mit verstellbaren Mittenantrieben Workpiece textile shaft with two adjustable center drives for length compensation

Another application is the use of two center drives for end machining of very long, heavy shafts: The two center drives provide more stable and accurate support for the workpiece than is possible with conventional technology.

In combination with steady rests, you can also change the workpiece clamping so that you can completely machine the workpiece in one machine pass. This reclamping in one machine can also be achieved with a lowerable center drive.

Workpiece drive shaft with two adjustable center drives

In combination with steady rests, you can also change the workpiece clamping so that you can completely machine the workpiece in one machine pass. This reclamping in one machine can also be achieved with a lowerable center drive.

Workpiece transport roller with a lowerable center drive for complete machining