en.Wedoany.com Reported - Italian surface grinder manufacturer Delta S.r.l. has launched the new Mini 20 grinder, further expanding the processing capacity range of its Mini moving column series.

This fully automatic grinder is marketed in the UK and Ireland through RK International Machine Tools Ltd, targeting high-precision machining applications. Its maximum grinding length is 2,100mm, with a maximum grinding width of 600mm, reaching 650mm when using a 100mm grinding wheel.

The Mini 20 caters to both batch production and single-piece precision machining needs, featuring a rigid moving column structure designed to maintain stable flatness and repeatable positioning accuracy. Key machine components, including the bed, worktable, column, and grinding head, are made from stress-relieved Mechanite cast iron.

The structural design was developed in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Polytechnic of Milan, aided by finite element analysis to maximize system stiffness and vibration damping while addressing overhang and stability issues in the moving head design.

All three machine motion axes utilize hydrostatic guideways, supplied by a closed-loop pressurized oil system. This design eliminates sliding friction and wear, allowing the machine to maintain geometric accuracy over the long term. According to the company, the absence of "stick-slip" ensures smooth axis movement and high repeatable positioning accuracy. The fully supported guideway design ensures that the 2,000mm x 500mm worktable is fully supported throughout its entire stroke, allowing the machine to handle workpieces weighing up to 1,500kg.

At the core of the grinding system is a Mackensen-type hydrodynamic spindle, featuring oversized bearings on the grinding wheel side. By avoiding metal-to-metal contact, the hydrodynamic principle extends spindle service life, reduces operating noise, improves surface finish, and eliminates wear within the spindle assembly.

The Mini 20 offers three control level options: Diastep, CN Plus Touch Screen, and full CNC. The standard Diastep version uses a control system developed in-house by Delta, providing a teachable and intuitive interface for managing continuous or step grinding cycles, plunge grinding, roughing, and finishing, with infeed increments as low as 0.001mm. Automatic wheel dressing with compensation is also standard. The company states that only half a day of training is required to fully operate the machine.

Delta has a long history in grinding technology. The company was founded in Pavia in 1955 by Oreste Marchesi and Pietro Ceri, evolving from a precision metalworking workshop into a specialized surface grinder manufacturer. Key milestones include standardizing the Mackensen hydrodynamic spindle in the late 1960s and pioneering the moving column design in large machines in the early 1980s. In 2005, Delta launched the Mini series, introducing the moving column concept to more compact models. Currently, manufacturing operations are conducted at the company headquarters in Cura Carpignano, near Pavia, and the company remains under the leadership of the founding families.

Regarding the launch in the UK market, Simon Rood, Director of RK International Machine Tools, stated: "Delta and RK International Machine Tools have had a 15-year partnership. We are seeing an increasing number of customers recognizing their manufacturing quality and attention to detail. When customers demand higher precision from a grinder, the Delta series demonstrates the highest level."

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