LEAX Group > Processes > Soft and Hard CNC machining

Soft and Hard CNC machining

In all products delivered by LEAX, CNC machining is an important part of the production processes. It is the base from where we search for new challenges.

LEAX has over 500 CNC machines and expert knowledge in all the aspects of CNC machining, such as:

  • Design for Manufacturing. Technical reviews and design adjustments for fast implementation and the most cost-effective production.
  • Cutting technology
  • Clamping design and manufacturing
  • CNC machines
  • Control systems and programming
  • Automation
  • In-production quality assurance

A wide range of parts are produced for automotive, mining and construction, agriculture and general industry, demanding competence for machining of shafts, wheels, thin rings and housings. Advanced geometries and demanding tolerances for dimensions and surfaces. For example gears and splines and bearing surfaces. Blanks from castings, bars, tubes and forgings. All sizes from a few grams up to 1250 x 1250 x 1000 mm in machining centers and diameter 650 and length 2500 mm in turning machines. Max. weight 2200 kg. The most common products within LEAX are between 2 kg up to 30 kg. Blank materials vary from copper and aluminium to steel and stainless steel where hardened steel and aluminium stands for the majority.

To be competitive LEAX continuously develops the processes internally as well as in cooperation with leading suppliers and research centers regarding cutting technology and machinery. An important part of metal cutting production is the so called extra operations like deburring, marking and cleaning in an accurate and efficient way. LEAX is well prepared to manage all the aspects with simple solutions when sufficient and advanced solutions when necessary. In process measuring is used with statistical follow up and control.

Example of machine types and processes:

  • Machining centres for milling and drilling with 3, 4, and 5 axis. With and without pallet changer.
  • Machining centres with FMS setup.
  • Machining centres with high speed spindles for efficient aluminium machining.
  • Horizontal turning machines with and without tailstock, 1 or 2 turrets. 1 or 2 spindles.
  • Vertical turning machines.
  • Turning machines with barfeed.
  • Multifunctional turning machines with large storage of tools and milling spindle head with Y- and B-axis and sub spindle.
  • Longhole drilling machines, for gun- and ejector-drilling.
  • Broaching of splines & keyways, internal and surface.
  • Coldforming machines for splines, both Grobe and rolling.
  • Gear-cutting machines for milling, shaping and shaving.
  • Gear-grinding, generative and profile grinding
  • Hard drilling.
  • Hard-turning machines.
  • Combi-machines for grinding and hard turning.
  • Grinding, ceramic and CBN. External and internal.
  • Centerless grinding.
  • Honing, holes and external.

LEAX has the ability to refurbish and rebuild machines to fit new tasks, for example gear cutting machines.

LEAX builds robot cells and other automated solutions.

The production setup is totally dependent on given pre-conditions like geometry, volumes and quality demands.

For prototyping and low volume production we have workshops with highly skilled personnel and flexible machines arranged in a functional workshop.

Low to medium volumes, 2 000 – 70 000 units per year, there are flexible production cells and “mini-flows”, sometimes with robot handling of parts, automatic measuring and automatic side operations.

Medium to high volumes, 70 0000 – 1 000 000 units per year, there are standard machines in automated cells, sometimes connected with conveyors or other automated part carriers. The part is handled manually as little as possible.

In the real high volume segment, 1 000 000 units and more per year LEAX has one purpose special designed machines with highest possible capacity.