The TX7 and TXcell Linear grinders from ANCA Inc. ave developed several accessories and options for punch grinding applications. Now available are the iPunch, which is a dedicated punch programming software gives the user complete flexibility on punch geometry and grinding process parameters. The iBalance is an on-machine wheel balancing software. 

Rotary wheel dresser units fully supported by ANCA dressing software delivers in-process dressing to keep your wheels running true and sharp. Auto adjusting coolant nozzles that change position as the wheel diameter reduces.

The TX7 Linear grinder is a 5-axis grinding machine, compared to the 3-axis grinder more traditionally used for punch manufacture. Having these extra degrees of freedom on your grinding machine translates to greater freedom in what applications you can put through it.

The TX7 Linear now offers you so much more. Punches will typically have a series of separate machine operations that need to be performed to complete the tool. 

After OD grinding a punch may require a roof-top or whisper shear on the punch. Additionally, a tool index mark or feature may also need to be included near the shank of the tool. Typical punches include a single radius dressed into the grinding wheel to create a gentle transition between punch section of the tool and its shank, but in some cases, additional reinforcement radii are added. Finally, there is the inclusion of ejector holes in the end face of the punch that requires not grinding but drilling operations. With two-wheel packs available on the 5-axis TX7 Linear, undertaking several of these operations in a single set-up is now possible. But take the next step to a TXcell, with its offering of nine up to 24-wheel packs, and all these operations can now be done in a single set-up, something that was never possible on a standard punch grinding machine. 

The TXcell robot used for changing wheel packs is also used for automated loading of tools, which means you can keep it running for those unattended shifts. Having more than one wheel pack on the machine brings other benefits too. By using different roughing and finishing wheels, grinding operations can now be optimized for stock removal or fine surface finish. The TX7 Linear and TXcell Linear are also ideally suited to the use of CBN grinding wheels. Using a much smaller wheel diameter (up to 200 mm (8”). on TX7 Linear and 300 mm (12”) on TXcell Linear), CBN not only delivers superior grinding feed rates compared to conventional abrasives, but also requires less frequent wheel dressing. Both properties ultimately save you time and money. 

The TX7 Linear and TXcell Linear machines can meets these demands easily to grind punches within 2-3 microns with a surface finish of less than 0.1 Ra (Roughness Average).

The TX7 Linear and TXcell Linear feature keyhole punches. These punches typically feature much more complicated OD profiles including concave forms and require a fundamentally different approach to grinding them. Small diameter wheels with form profiles and run at high RPM; the TX Linear machines handle this with ease.  Dedicated keyhole punch software allows you to control every detail of the keyhole punch geometry and grinding process.