New Mägerle Grinder Takes on UtiliTrak® Linear Guide Systems

Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation, manufacturer of the original DualVee® guide wheel and industry leader in guided motion technology, announced today that it has added a Mägerle MGC-L-550.35.45 grinder to its state-of-the-art machine shop. The 50 ton, 5.5 meter X-axis travel grinder, is one of the longest in North America, capable of processing lengths up to 4.5 meters (14.8 feet). The equipment is currently dedicated to the company’s rapidly growing UtiliTrak product line, which is produced in 3.6 meter (approximately 11.8 feet) lengths, and in both steel and aluminum channels.

The company reports that the Mägerle has increased plant efficiency, due in large part to a unique articulating grinding head that allows the machine to grind both inside Vee running surfaces in a single setup. A hidden dresser in the head reshapes the grinding wheel intermittently or continuously, eliminating long interruptions in the process normally seen with a fixed table-mounted dresser.

Most importantly, the finished channels are well within production tolerance ranges, due to the high level of accuracy of the machine, according to Kelly Walden, Plant Superintendent at Bishop-Wisecarver.

“I’m very pleased with the quality of parts produced with this process,” says Walden. “Consistency from batch to batch has also greatly improved, with variation within a couple of ten-thousandths of an inch.”

This level of accuracy should make the UtiliTrak system suitable for even more demanding applications.

The Mägerle grinder is just Bishop-Wisecarver’s latest investment in its manufacturing capabilities. The company also recently purchased a Mazak HCN 5000 Horizontal Machining Center with a Palletech 6 pallet line. The Mazak provides high volume production capability with reduced setup times, faster cycle times, and improved part quality.

“We’ve made a solid commitment to anticipate and surpass customer needs,” says Pamela Kan, president of Bishop-Wisecarver. “Our investments in talent and equipment support that goal by achieving superior quality products, faster lead times, and the flexibility to produce custom parts to specification.”

Courtesy of Bishop-Wisecarver