How important are expertise and flexibility in finding effective technical solutions?

Let's find out how it was possible to solve a critical application problem to the rotary joint of a workhead spindle

Thanks to the expertise and competence of Johnson-Fluiten engineers, an effective solution was developed for a major company that was complaining of continuous problems with the rotary joint used in the workpiece spindle of their new machine tool.

The context

The company is a solid historical entity that has been producing a wide range of machine tools for about 50 years, its main field of activity is finishing and surface processing of gears used in machine building, aerospace, automotive and robot industries.

The high-tech features of their products show the company’s very high standards, which is now part of a multinational group renowned worldwide for the efficiency and eco-sustainability of their machines.

For their latest project, a technical solution used seemed to compromise further development of the entire machine. In particular, the new machine could not be brought to market because the two-pass rotary joint used for the workhead spindle was continuously subject to failure.

The problem

The mechanical component originally used was a two-pass rotary joint, supplied by a third-party company, which was supposed to work with hydraulic oil and, as designed, was expected to seal at a high pressure.

After several attempts, all of which ended in component failure, the machine tool designers approached the experts at Johnson-Fluiten to find a solution that offered the expected results and did not involve redesigning the entire mechanical assembly.

By analyzing the data, drawings, and gathering as much information as possible, with a hands-on approach in the field, the group led by SALES DIRECTOR Marco Golla was able to come up with an accurate diagnosis of what was going on.

The operating conditions of the component were immediately rated as being particularly demanding; in particular, the application required the rotary joint to work with a pressure of 70 bar in both passes. In addition, the machine design tied the workpiece spindle to a specific dimension that could not be changed.

"It was immediately clear that it would not be possible to meet the customer's requirements with a standard product, even a high-end one, and developing a component from scratch would not be a workable solution in terms of time and especially cost.

A solution had to be found with the same dimensions as the product used, but with superior performance..."

Marco Golla - SALES DIRECTOR

The solution

Thanks to the expertise and direct experience in the machine tool industry of the in-house R&D department, it was possible to engineer an existing rotary joint: starting from a G series custom design made previously for the same application, substantial modifications were applied to achieve the necessary performances for the correct operation of the work head spindle. Specifically:

 - The inner rotor of the joint was modified to fit special bearings

 - Standard bearings were replaced with special type bearings capable of carrying higher loads

The benefits of the offered solution are clear:

1 - Kept required size standards

2 - Achievement of required performance level

3 - Containment of cost per development

4 - Increase in overall system quality

5 - Timing for supplying in line with needs

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The experience

After testing the prototypes at our in-house laboratory, with the operating conditions provided by the customer, the first samples were delivered for a trial on the actual machine.

The tests performed were passed successfully and the rotary joint supplied by Johnson-Fluiten was validated for final production, setting a new quality standard for this type of machine tool.

In this way JF has become over the years a benchmark in the rotary joint market; experience, flexibility, customization and the highest quality standards are the key features to be able to provide products and services in highly competitive sectors.

Contact our customer service to request guidance from our experts or fill out the form to request a quote, if you need information we are also available at +39 02 3394091