The Bourn & Koch “composite platform” machine resulted from an effort to replace the legacy lines of Motch and Bullard turning centers, Springfield vertical grinders, Blanchard vertical rotary surface grinders, and Fellows mid-range mechanical stroking gear shapers. The new machine is a low-cost, common building block with innovative no- or low-maintenance technologies, and integral and linear motors with high-precision feedback.
A composite platform machine can be configured as: a vertical grinding machine with hard finish turning capabilities; a vertical turning center; a vertical gear shaper; a rotary surface grinder; or any combination of these configurations. Initially, Bourn & Koch will offer the machine in four application configurations, which are a vertical OD/ID grinding machine with hard finish turning capabilities, a CNC vertical turning center, a CNC gear shaping machine and a combination work center.
For Bourn & Koch, the new machine platform allows the company to stock composite base units and columns, which are typically the longest lead and most expensive components of the old legacy designs. Stock base units and columns take at least six weeks out of the build cycle for any configuration machine. Further, advantage include a dramatic reduction in total assembled part count, composite components, less assembly time, no maintenance and faster installation and startup times.
