Zagar Inc. recently built the 142 spindle drill station that is shown on this page. The shipment before it was another station, the same size, but with 133 spindles. In both cases, the hole patterns in large, high volume castings, are machined complete in a single operation. Cycle times range from 10 to 15 seconds including material handling. The drilling operation is fast, simple, and efficient.

Hole machining operations and part processing are centralized in a small area. Manual operation and part handling to and from the machine, requires fewer operators. Robotic or automated handling systems are simpler and more affordable because of the small work area. In comparison, rows of machining centers, a crew of operators or a monumental automation system, are required to achieve the same production rates. Moreover, the machining center alternative is at a cost that’s many times that of a Zagar drill (or tap) multi-spindle station.

What makes it work

Gearless multiple spindle drive—

The mechanical operating principle of Zagar, gearless multiple spindle heads, is the crank drive. For over sixty years, Zagar Inc. has applied a unique crank drive design to operated multiple spindles without gears. Individual spindle cranks are inter-changeable thru out a spindle pattern for a simple, dependable, and easy to maintain drive train.

How dependable? Just recently we heard from a local customer who is still running a 21 spindle drill head that we built in 1956. Later the same week, we heard from another customer who is still machining hole patterns in ceiling tiles with a 529 spindle drill head shipped in 1953 from Zagar Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.

What it can do

Close centers - The 142 spindle drill head shown on this page, is a good example of the close or minimum center distance that is available with the gearless crank drive design. Our smallest spindles fit on .10” (2.54mm) centers. Spindles in the adjacent photo range in diameter from .50” (12.7mm) to .75” (19mm) Standard spindles range in size from .10” (2.54mm) to 2.50” (63.5mm) Tool holding options for drills and taps include Zagar standards along with ASA, ABS, HSK, and ER single angle standards. The Zagar standard tool holders shown at right on 142 spindles, enable pre-setting an extra set of tools off-line from the station. The drills are changed-over systematically and quickly with one set-screw to lock or release the pre-set tool holder at each spindle position. The end results are high up-time percentages and 142 holes drilled to size and on position in one cycle.