A microfinishing machine and method especially adapted for processing of internal combustion engine crankshafts and other workpieces. Microfinishing is achieved by tooling having abrasive inserts or which present abrasive coated film against the journal to be machined. The tooling has a width less than one-half the length of the journal being machined. The narrow width tooling allows a range of workpiece configurations to be processed with common tooling, and through control of one or more of machining parameters including clamping pressure acting on the tooling, oscillation of the tooling, and stroking schedule of the tooling, desired journal contour profiles can be produced.

A microfinishing machine and method especially adapted for processing of internal combustion engine crankshafts and other workpieces. Microfinishing is achieved by tooling having abrasive inserts or which present abrasive coated film against the journal to be machined. The tooling has a width less than one-half the length of the journal being machined. The narrow width tooling allows a range of workpiece configurations to be processed with common tooling, and through control of one or more of machining parameters including clamping pressure acting on the tooling, oscillation of the tooling, and stroking schedule of the tooling, desired journal contour profiles can be produced.

A grinding machine for external cylindrical grinding of hollow shafts may include at least one grinding disc, at least one support disc, and at least two centrings for a face-side fixing of a hollow shaft. At least one of the at least two centrings may be configured as a point. A ruler may be arranged to adjust and hold a position of the hollow shaft during a grinding operation. A rotation axis of the at least one grinding disc and of the at least one support disc may be arranged parallel to one another and define a plane. A rotation axis of the hollow shaft to be ground may extend outside of the plane by a distance of a>12 mm.

A grinding machine for external cylindrical grinding of hollow shafts may include at least one grinding disc, at least one support disc, and at least two centrings for a face-side fixing of a hollow shaft. At least one of the at least two centrings may be configured as a point. A ruler may be arranged to adjust and hold a position of the hollow shaft during a grinding operation. A rotation axis of the at least one grinding disc and of the at least one support disc may be arranged parallel to one another and define a plane. A rotation axis of the hollow shaft to be ground may extend outside of the plane by a distance of a>12 mm.

A pipe conditioning tool comprising a drive unit to move the tool along a pipe and a work head rotatable about an axis of the pipe to condition a surface of the pipe, the drive unit includes a frame extending to opposite sides of the pipe, the frame having legs extending radially beyond the work head to provide support for the tool upon removal from said pipe.

Receiving arrangements for receiving camshafts and methods for grinding machining camshafts may be used with camshafts that have a shaft body that extends along an axis of rotation and includes functional elements. A gearwheel may be mounted on the shaft body, wherein a receiving body is provided, by means of which the camshaft can be at least partially received for purposes of performing a grinding machining process. The gearwheel may include a receiving means onto which the receiving body can be engaged and by way of which it is made possible for the camshaft to be received by the receiving body.

Receiving arrangements for receiving camshafts and methods for grinding machining camshafts may be used with camshafts that have a shaft body that extends along an axis of rotation and includes functional elements. A gearwheel may be mounted on the shaft body, wherein a receiving body is provided, by means of which the camshaft can be at least partially received for purposes of performing a grinding machining process. The gearwheel may include a receiving means onto which the receiving body can be engaged and by way of which it is made possible for the camshaft to be received by the receiving body.

A pipe conditioning tool comprising a drive unit to move the tool along a pipe and a work head rotatable about an axis of the pipe to condition a surface of the pipe, the drive unit includes a frame extending to opposite sides of the pipe, the frame having legs extending radially beyond the work head to provide support for the tool upon removal from said pipe.

A method of manufacturing a crankshaft includes the steps of: (1) forming a crankshaft blank via a first half and a second half; (2) measuring a plurality of surface variations between a predetermined surface in a first region and a corresponding predetermined surface in a second region of the crankshaft blank; (3) calculating centering offset data based on the plurality of surface variations; (4) machining a pair center holes based on the centering offset data; (5) machining a counterweight and a journal relative to the pair of center holes to produce a partially machined crankshaft; (5) milling and grinding the partially machined crankshaft to produce a finished machined crankshaft; and (6) rotating the finished machined crankshaft typically on the outermost main journals in a final balancing machine and then modifying the counterweights to eliminate undesirable vibration generated during the rotation and engine operation.

A finishing apparatus includes a workpiece-receiving device, a rotary drive configured to drive a workpiece in rotation about a workpiece axis and an oscillatory drive configured to produce a relative movement between the workpiece and a finishing tool in a direction that is parallel to the workpiece axis. A workpiece-conveying device has a workpiece holder that is moveable by a drive device between a working position in which the workpiece is in position to be machined and a loading/unloading position in which the workpiece is loadable/unloadable. The workpiece holder has a support device configured to support the workpiece. The drive device is formed as a swivel drive such that the workpiece holder is swivelable between the working position and the loading/unloading position along an arcuate swivel path.