Hamar Laser Instruments
Hamar Laser Instruments’ L-703S four-axis lathe and turning-center spindle alignment system.

Lathe and Turning Center Alignment System

April 13, 2023
New model laser mounts directly into spindle chucks and collets for aligning headstock spindle axes to guideways, sub-spindles and tailstocks on lathes, OD/ID grinders, turning centers, and similar machines.

HAMAR LASER INSTRUMENTS released the L-703S four-axis lathe and turning-center spindle alignment system, featuring the “S” variant of the compact and versatile, next-generation L-703 laser.

The new L-703S laser mounts directly into spindle chucks and collets for aligning headstock spindle axes to guideways and sub-spindles and tailstocks on lathes, OD/ID grinders, turning centers, and similar machines. The L-703S also may be used for guideway straightness checks during preventive maintenance and assembly, and for checking surface plates.

“Hamar Laser’s next-generation L-703 Laser design features significantly higher accuracy and several notable improvements over earlier models,” according to president Rod Hamar. “Our team’s design allowed us to reduce size, cost, and complexity, increase accuracy, and get rid of annoying wires by adding Bluetooth communications.

“With a 40% reduction in axial space over our previous L-700 model, the L-703S is much better suited for smaller lathes and turning centers,” he added. “To top it off, the price of the new system is significantly less than our older L-700 spindle kit.”

Small and lightweight, the L-703S laser is suitable for all kinds of turning applications, from small CNC turning centers and Swiss-type machines to large-bed lathes. With a range of up to 50 ft. (15 m), the laser can also quickly and easily check the alignment of even very large lathes.

The L-703S system features Hamar’s next-generation T-1296 five-axis wireless spindle and scan target, which can easily check all four alignment axes of a headstock spindle relative to the tailstock. The T-1296 offers a center resolution of .00001 in. (0.00025 mm) and angular resolution of up to .00002 in/ft (0.002 mm/m). This high level of accuracy can significantly improve machine performance, reduce scrap rates, and increase productivity.

The T-1296 target’s data updates in real time, so alignment errors can be fixed easily and quickly without changing the setup. The new system aligns machines up to 70% faster than conventional methods, such as use indicators and alignment bars. Setup is simple and only minimal training is required.

The L-703S system package typically includes Hamar Laser’s T-1296 target with 3 in. (75 mm) angular lens and new S-1408 Lathe10 alignment software for lathes and turning centers. Windows-based Lathe10 uses an Easy-Guide system that walks users through spindle alignments in six steps and has a four-axis spindle alignment screen to re-align spindles in real time. L-703S kits can be customized for users’ requirements with a variety of accessories and fixtures.

Learn more at www.hamarlaser.com

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