Driven Toolholder Costs Halved By Repair Service

In response to requests from customers affected by the downturn in manufacturing, German lathe manufacturer, Index, has introduced a new refurbishment service for driven toolholders. A turnaround of 10 working days or less is being offered to machine shops throughout Europe. In the UK, the service is available through the sole sales and service agent for the company's CNC mill-turning machines, Gosport-based Geo Kingsbury Machine Tools.

Managing director Richard Kingsbury says that as a rule of thumb, a customer's toolholder can be repaired for typically half the cost of a new tool.

Alternatively, any similar used toolholder that has been refurbished by Index to virtually as-new condition and held in stock can be supplied at typically 25 per cent less than the price of a new tool. Delivery in this case is faster, normally within a couple of working days.

If this replacement service is chosen in order to minimise the time a machine is out of production, the user can still send back its own defective toolholder and receive a credit, providing that the tool can be made serviceable again.

Repair is not restricted to live tooling that Index manufactures for its mill-turning machines, and those made by its subsidiary, Traub, but extends to a number of other makes of toolholder, such as those from Gewefa and EWS. The only proviso is that the tool is designed for use on an Index or Traub machine, as such tools are the types that Index has expertise in manufacturing, and hence refurbishing and repairing.

A facility staffed by 10 qualified technicians has been created at Traub's lathe factory in Reichenbach to carry out the repair work. Only original spares are used, both for Index / Traub toolholders and for those from other manufacturers, whose component parts are bought in. After repair, the tool undergoes the same quality assurance process as every new holder and is covered by a 6-month warranty.

Toolholders undergoing repair at the new Index facility in Reichenbach.

Index toolholders that have been refurbished by the company.