MAAGCut - CNC Conversion for MAAG Gear Shaper

Shaping new life for Maag machines!

Maag - the Swiss machine tool manufacturer - was renowned for the quality of their machines which are very sought after even now, years after the production for these machines stopped. Function, flexibility and precision are just few attributes where Maag gear shapers are excelling. While the impact of the mechanical solutions on these machines is well alive even today, the electrical equipment is obsolete and was never a strong point on these machines. The change of the controller was unavoidable but the conversion to full CNC control was seen by many as not possible or as an act of great risk!

In 2007, CNC Design got their first order for converting to CNC on of the most popular Maag machines around - the SH250/300. The customer - Falk Australia, part of Rexnord Group - decided to give a new life to one of their key machine, entrusting CNC Design with an order for this mechanical and electrical conversion.

Sinumerik 840D CNC system offered the ideal platform for this solution as this involves much more than a simple retrofit. Siemens AC drives, servo-motors and spindle motor are now in charge eliminating the intricate maze of gears, clutches, levers, shafts and switches previously employed for cutting the gears and pinions.

The power and flexibility of this CNC platform has no rival when it comes to complex applications like this. Electronic gearbox functions, Synchronous actions, Asynchronous Interrupts, Fast CNC inputs as many other special CNC functions are now controlling the machine functions. Direct measuring system using absolute linear scales and encoders, on-board three dimensional gear measuring system.

Our intention from the start was to make this very easy for the operators to use with quick set up and no CNC programming required. We spent a lot of time working closely with operators to develop and refine a customized Human Machine Interface for this.  Other functions we have developed include air cutting optimization for reducing the air-cutting time, on board gear measuring and reporting, tool management and tool wear monitoring system, electronic crowning (without special attachment) and workpiece and machine protection at power failures. These are just some of the features the new features available using the power of the CNC technology. We are develping more and more of these. All original machine functions and modes are reproduced while many new gear setup and gear cutting specific functions have been implemented in close co-operation with our customers.

The introduction of the on-board gear measuring offered not just the chance to evaluate and report the quality of the end product but also open the door for implementing new functions for optimizing the gear cutting functions highly appreciated by our customers.

After the hit success with SH250/300 our solution was adapted to all models of Maag gear shapers family and is now running and available for all released models - SH250/300, SH450/500, SH600/735, SH100/1200. Inquiries from many reputed names in gear manufacturing industry encouraged CNC Design to market this solution on the world-wide market. The first SH600 on the American soil is now in production with a very happy customer. Quoting: "... most impressive was to see the professionalism of your team and the short time required for performing this conversion. It was great to see our operators embracing so quick your new machine operating system. To start the trials cut after just two weeks of machine shut-down was better than our most optimistic expectations!" 

The perfect match between the state-of-art original mechanical design from Maag and the Siemens latest CNC technology offers you not just a retrofit package but converts the Maag machines into a modern reliable and servicable CNC machine substantially their values and extending their productivity.