The customer magazine of the I NDEX Group Issue 11 2024 /25

Productive manufacturing solutions The next evolutionary step: With the productivity of eight spindles— INDEX MS24-8 multi-spindle automatic lathe Two new turn-mill centers— now with a swiveling turret and reduced space requirements New products and innovations: TRAUB TNA500—now also available in a long version and with more tools 22 Innovative technologies INDEX Refit— machine overhaul to manufacturer quality Rotational non-round turning— achieve ten times the productivity with the innovative process technology Successful together Precise. Fast. Complete. — CGR Cristin manufactures precision...

Reiner Hammerl, Dr. Dirk Prust and Roberto Deger INDEX Group executive management (from left) Dear customers and friends of the company: Quo vadis, economy? This question has been on the minds of everyone in the metalworking industry for many months now. And indeed, there are currently very tangible signs of economic recovery. Besides the stabilization and reduction of key interest rates, which will have positive effects even at the consumer level, the stock markets have been trending upward for some time, and industries such as aerospace and defense are prospering. Even in the automotive sector,...

110 years of production turning—made by INDEX This year, INDEX celebrates its 110th anniversary. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their loyalty and the trust they have placed in us. Together with them, we have developed our core competency, turning, to its current level of excellence. Their success is our motivation.

INDEX-Werke was founded in 1914 by Hermann Hahn, who began production of automatic turret lathes that year. As a true Swabian entrepreneur, his creative ideas and commitment to quality laid the foundation for an impressive evolution. To this day, the field of automatic lathes has been continuously developed and optimized with complex manufacturing solutions to meet all the demands of modern machining technology. INDEX offers a wide range of machines for machining processes, including universal lathes, production turning machines, Swiss/fixed headstock lathes, and multifunctional production centers,...

At the heart of the INDEX MS24-8 is the compact spindle drum with its eight integrated fluid-cooled motor spindles. With up to 16 tool carriers and one or two synchronous spindles, it enables a wide range of machining strategies.

The next evolutionary step: with the productivity of eight spindles Right on time for AMB 2024, we present the new eight-spindle automatic lathe, the INDEX MS24-8. As the successor to the successful MS22-8, this eight-spindle machine incorporates the proven innovations of the INDEX MS24-6, along with an energy-efficient cooling lubricant system and several detailed improvements. The new INDEX MS24-8 multi-spindle automatic lathe is a logical progression, extending the strengths of the MS24-6 to an eight-spindle version. Building on the MS22-8, it now features 24 mm spindle clearance on eight...

CGR Cristin positions itself as a competence partner for the aerospace industry. Components and assemblies must meet the highest technical and quality standards. (Photo: CGR Cristin)

Precise. Fast. Complete. CGR Cristin, a manufacturer of precision parts for the aerospace industry, primarily specializes in electrical discharge metalworking. In recent years, the company has also increasingly focused on traditional machining. CGR Cristin has been particularly successful with the INDEX C200 automatic production lathe, which has ensured fully automated, process-secure, and highly precise turning for over a year, eliminating the need for subsequent grinding operations. CGR Cristin is located in Grisolles, southern France, near Toulouse, the heart of the French aerospace industry....

In front of the INDEX C200 automatic production lathe with WHU workpiece handling unit: Gilles Golse (right), Managing Director of CGR Cristin, and Bruce Joulia (left), Sales Manager for the Southwest sector at INDEX France With automation, we’ve managed to machine workpieces for up to seven hours without operator intervention Gilles Golse is Managing Director of CGR Cristin 18 minutes; today, it takes only 11.” He explains: “On our previous lathe, we had to adjust the settings for each workpiece to ensure the required dimensions. That’s now a thing of the past. With the INDEX C200, we achieve...

employee training at the beginning. This took place several times on-site, as well as at INDEX France’s facilities. Gilles Golse himself even participated, actively contributing to the development and implementation processes. As he says, “The INDEX France team has always supported us, whether with trainers, setup technicians, or via the hotline. We also take advantage of the convenience and speed of ordering consumables and spare parts from the iXshop.” Currently, he is considering a maintenance contract to secure manufacturing processes in the long term. Gilles Golse also emphasizes another...

The upper tool carrier of the new INDEX G200.3 now features an optional B axis. This allows for inclined drilling and milling operations.

Keeping an ear to the market— innovations in turning and milling With the expansion of the G-series through the new INDEX G320 compact turn-mill center and the additional B axis in the INDEX G200.3 turret version, we will be able to meet customer needs more effectively in both economic and technological aspects. “Turn-mill machines have been a core competency of ours for years,” says Ralf Stark, Project Manager for new turning and milling machine developments at INDEX. “They became real game-changers in 2018 when we launched the first completely redesigned G-series turn-mill centers. Since then,...

INDEX G200.3— now with a swiveling turret The INDEX G200.3 was previously equipped with an upper turret that could move in the linear X, Y, and Z axes. To enable inclined drilling and milling operations, it now features a B axis. This means the turret now has a dual-supported Y/B axis of the latest generation, mounted on the Z axis slide positioned above the axis of rotation. Ralf Stark explains: “This setup appeals to customers who need to perform a moderate number of inclined drilling or milling operations in addition to turning for the complete machining of medium-sized parts. For these users,...