Housings and Flanges - Precision Machining for the most demanding Requirements 

EMAG offers solutions for machining housings and flanges in coordinated operations on link-up machines. The components are fully machined in this process. Each operation performs a defined machining step, such as internal or external turning, drilling, or finish-machining. The machines are connected via automation systems. This results in compact production lines with short cycle times and high repeatability. 

Housings such as differential housings are geometrically complex and require precision machining of the internal and external surfaces on multiple planes. Different component variants - e.g., full-sphere or hemispherical housings - require flexible machine concepts. Added to this are high production volumes combined with tight tolerances, making automated processes with integrated measurement technology indispensable. Reclamping errors must be reliably eliminated through suitable clamping concepts. 

Depending on the workpiece, EMAG employs turning (soft and hard), milling, drilling, and grinding - even in combination on a single machine. For flanges, the VL series with soft and hard machining in a cell-based line is ideal. For housings with complex internal and external contours, vertical turning machines such as the VL 4, VL 6, and VT 4 are ideal. Precision components such as rolling rings or pump rings benefit from the combination of turning and grinding on the VL GT series. 

Complete-machining of flanges typically takes place in three setups. In OP 10, the end faces, bevel, and bore are machined; OP 20 handles the internal contour and face turning; OP 30 performs finish-machining on the external contours and end faces. Three VL 2 lathes are linked-up for this purpose via automation systems and a turner. 

Depending on the requirements, EMAG uses different machine types for housing machining. The VL 4 and VL 6 are used for turning and drilling operations on differential housings, while the VT 4 enables 4-axis external machining in a single setup. For large components such as azimuth drives with a diameter of up to 520 mm, EMAG offers specially designed large-scale machines with an integrated tool changer and measuring station. 

The achievable tolerances depend on the workpiece and the technology used. Machining in a single setup eliminates reclamping errors, enabling particularly tight positional tolerances. For questions regarding specific tolerance values, EMAG will provide you with advisory service as part of an individual process design. 

Flanges and housings are used across a wide range of industries. In automotive manufacturing, the focus is on differential housings and joint cages; in the wind power industry, it is on azimuth drives and pitch gearboxes. Hydraulic and compressor manufacturing requires precision pump rings, while general mechanical engineering utilizes a wide range of flanges and housing components. All these applications share the requirement for high repeatability and cost-effective batch production. 

The greatest potential for improvement lies in reducing non-productive times, setup operations, and lead times. EMAG achieves this through integrated automation, short chip-to-chip times, and the use of combined technologies on a single machine. Compared to automated horizontal lathes, the VL series increases productivity by approximately 15 percent. For rolled rings, the VSC DS process has reduced the total machining time from several hours to just a few minutes.