Eifco CNC Gear Hobbing Machines
Eifco CNC gear hobbing machines cut spur gears, helical gears, splines, sprockets and worm wheels on workpieces from 150 to 630 mm (5.9 to 24.8 in) in the vertical HOBBER series, and from 90 to 300 mm (3.5 to 11.8 in) in the horizontal HOBBER 150H. The HOBBER 150 through 320/350 have direct-drive hob and table spindles and 7- or 8-axis CNC; the HOBBER 500 is offered geared or direct-drive and the 500 and 630 have 6 or 7 axes. Every model has an electronic gearbox and a Fanuc 0i-MF or Siemens Sinumerik CNC, specified at order. CTI-USA is the North American distributor and service contact for Eifco: we sell and support the machines, coordinate installation and training by Eifco technicians, and supply the CTI hobs that run on them, so one call covers the machine, the tooling and the resharpening.
Complete gear cutting, one source
Most shops buy a hobbing machine from one company, hobs from another and send regrinds to a third. CTI-USA puts all three under one roof. We help you choose the Eifco model for your part list, specify the CTI hobs and arbors it needs from your prints, deliver them with the machine, and resharpen and recoat them for the life of the machine. When a cycle time or a tooth-form question comes up, you call one number.
Vertical CNC gear hobbing machines
The vertical HOBBER series runs from the compact HOBBER 150 to the HOBBER 630 for large industrial gearing. Models through the 320/350 use direct-drive hob and table spindles; the 500 is offered geared or direct-drive, and the 630 is geared.
| Technical data | HOBBER 150 | HOBBER 180 | HOBBER 210 | HOBBER 250 | HOBBER 320/350 | HOBBER 500 | HOBBER 630 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spindle / table drive | Direct | Direct | Direct | Direct | Direct | Geared or direct | Geared |
| Max. workpiece diameter, mm (in) | 150 (5.9) | 180 (7.1) | 210 (8.3) | 250 (9.8) | 320/350 (12.6/13.8) | 500 (19.7) | 630 (24.8) |
| Max. module in steel | 2.5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Max. vertical slide travel, mm | 350 | 350 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Table diameter, mm | 150 | 180 | 210 | 250 | 320/350 | 500 | 630 |
| Hob axis to table surface, min/max, mm | 160/510 | 160/510 | 160/660 | 160/660 | 160/660 | 200/700 | 200/700 |
| Max. hob diameter, mm | 90 | 120 | 120 | 150 | 150 | 180 | 180 |
| Max. hob length, mm | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 230 | 230 |
| Hob head swivel | ±45° | ±45° | ±45° | ±45° | ±45° | ±45° | ±45° |
| Hob spindle speed, rpm | 3,000 | 3,000 | 2,100 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 400 | 400 |
| Hob spindle power, kW (hp) | 15 (20) | 18 (24) | 29 (39) | 29 (39) | 36 (48) | 15 (20) | 15 (20) |
| Total connected load, kVA | 30 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 70 | 60 | 60 |
| Machine weight, approx. metric tons (lb) | 7.5 (16,500) | 7.5 (16,500) | 10 (22,000) | 10 (22,000) | 12 (26,500) | 14 (30,900) | 16 (35,300) |
| CNC axes | 7/8 | 7/8 | 7/8 | 7/8 | 7/8 | 6/7 | 6/7 |
Axes and construction
- Precision roller-type linear guides on the Z, Y and V axes.
- Axial feed (Z), radial feed (X) and tangential feed (Y) are infinitely variable through precision ball screws driven by AC servo motors.
- Cutter helix compensation (A axis) is infinitely variable and servo driven.
- Servo tailstock with torque control (V axis).
- Precision direct-drive hob spindle (B axis) and work spindle (C axis).
Standard features
- 7-axis CNC system (8 with options) with electronic gearbox; no change gears.
- Fanuc 0i-MF or Siemens Sinumerik CNC (specified at order) with remote manual pulse generator (handwheel).
- Built-in power-failure module that retracts the hob safely if power is lost.
- Cuts spur gears, helical gears, splines, sprockets and worm wheels.
- Automatic pressurized lubrication.
- Software modules: lead correction, measurement-over-pins (MOP) and span correction, lead crowning and taper hobbing, cluster cycle for multi-gear blanks.
- Automatic thermal compensation on the X axis.
- Spindle load monitoring.
Horizontal CNC gear hobbing machine: HOBBER 150H
The horizontal HOBBER 150H suits shaft-type parts and smaller gears, with between-centers distance built to your part.
| Technical data | HOBBER 150H |
|---|---|
| Max. workpiece diameter, mm (in) | 90 / 120 / 200 / 300 (3.5 / 4.7 / 7.9 / 11.8) |
| Max. module in steel | 4 |
| Distance between centers | Built to order |
| Max. hob diameter, mm | 90 / 120 / 150 |
| Max. hob length, mm | 180 |
| Max. hob shift length, mm | 180 |
| Hob head swivel | ±45° |
| Hob spindle speed, max., rpm | 1,200 (infinitely variable) |
| Rapid traverse, axial and radial | 5,000 mm/min (197 in/min) |
| Hob spindle power | 15 kW (20 hp) |
| Total connected load | 50 kVA |
| CNC control | Fanuc 0i-MF |
What comes off the machine
Direct-drive spindles, the electronic gearbox and the lead and span correction modules produce consistent tooth form and finish across a production run. Pair the machine with a CTI powder-metallurgy hob in a dry-cutting coating such as Altensa and the combination runs at the speeds the machine was built for.
Tooling the machine on day one
A hobbing machine without the right hobs is an expensive table. When you order an Eifco through CTI-USA we review your part list and specify the hobs, arbors and workholding for your first jobs so they arrive with the machine. CTI hobs cover module 0.1 to 40 in DIN 3968 class AA, A or B, in M2 through S390 with TiN through Altensa coatings, and we resharpen and recoat them for the life of the machine. See gear hobs.
Support in North America
CTI-USA is your US-based point of contact for Eifco: application review, quotation, installation and training coordination, spare parts and escalation to Eifco engineering. Before you buy, we put the support commitments in writing. Read our guide, what to ask before you buy a CNC gear hobber.
Request a quote or a demonstration
Send us your part list (outside diameter, face width, module or DP, material, annual volume) and we will recommend a model, quote the machine with its tooling, and arrange a demonstration. Email sales@cti-usa.co, call 330-962-8160, or use the request form. For a quick cycle-time estimate on your parts, try the free hobbing estimator.
Frequently asked questions
Which Eifco model do I need?
Start with the largest gear you will cut: its outside diameter sets the model (150 through 630 mm), and its module in steel must be within the model's maximum (2.5 to 10). Then confirm hob diameter and length, and face width against vertical slide travel. Send us your part list and we will recommend a model.
What control is on the machine?
Fanuc 0i-MF or Siemens Sinumerik CNC, specified at order, with a conversational hobbing interface, an electronic gearbox in place of change gears, and a remote manual pulse generator. Lead correction, span correction, crowning, taper and cluster-cycle modules are included.
Can it hob helical gears and worm wheels?
Yes. The electronic gearbox provides the differential for helical gears, the hob head swivels ±45°, and the machine cuts spur gears, helical gears, splines, sprockets and worm wheels.
Does it hob dry?
Direct-drive spindles and the available hob speeds support dry hobbing with coatings such as TiAlN and Altensa. Confirm chip handling and guarding for dry cutting when you specify the machine.
Who is the Eifco distributor in the United States?
CTI-USA in Hudson, Ohio is the North American distributor and service contact for Eifco machines: the point of contact for application review, quotation, installation and training coordination, spare parts and escalation to Eifco engineering. Support commitments are put in writing before purchase.
Can CTI-USA supply the hobs too?
Yes. CTI hobs, arbors and workholding for your first parts are specified from your prints and delivered with the machine, and we resharpen and recoat them afterward.
Related pages and guides
Send us your part list and we will recommend a machine.
We quote the Eifco model, the CTI tooling for your first parts and the support plan together, and arrange a demonstration.