Zagar Inc. Multi-Spindle Drill & Tap Heads

Written by Gary Zagar 4/25/2020

Edited by Jo Gardner 4/27/2020

Zagar Inc. has been designing and producing solutions for years. When you need mass production of holes, clustered or widely spread, large or small, we have the drill head or tap head for that.  Drilling and tapping is our way of life and it’s been our purpose since 1938. Today, Zagar machines have evolved, but our equipment still provides the speed, reliability and endurance to stay the course, drilling hole after hole, tapping again and again.

Just as we are devoted to hole creation, we know you are devoted to capitalizing on your production line, and we believe Zagar machines can help you improve output and your bottom line.  One of our all-time best selling machines for production enhancement is the multi-spindle drill and tap head.

Zagar Gearless Multi-Spindle Drill and Tap Heads

Our engineers can design or modify a multi-spindle drill and tap head for any and all hole making needs. You need close centers?  Zagar does that.  Need a proprietary pattern?  Zagar does that.  Does your material have exacting specifications?  Zagar does that, and we do that with machinery you can depend on to continue delivering performance, day after day, year after year.

Multi-Spindle Drill and Tap Head Proven Job Features:

  1. Closest possible centers for greatest production rates.
  2. Fixed spindle construction for better spindle/drill bushing alignment, better tool life, lower maintenance.
  3. Minimum backlash for improved tapping and prolonged tool life.
  4. Simultaneous multiple pitch tapping.
  5. Spindles can be added or relocated reducing future retooling costs.
  6. Spindle locations are not restricted to gear train configuration allowing for completely random patterns. Spindle patterns can be combined to reduce cost and minimize changeover time.
  7. Spindle lengths accommodating varying part elevation and facilitating use of standard length cutting tools vs expensive nonstandard cutting tools.
  8. Comes assembled, reducing set up costs.

Let the Zagar team calculate your increased productivity potential with Zagar equipment. Contact us at Zagar.com/contact or call us at (216) 731-0500.

How Does it Work?

Zagar’s special gearless technology allows the spindles, on the Zagar multi-spindle gear head, to be located on the closest possible centers.  Like a train wheel, the spindles are going around in  a circular fashion moving all the spindles at one time versus a regular geared drill head that accommodates the size of the gears in the head.

The machine spindle turns a driver on top of the head which in turn handles a crank in the multiple spindle head. The crank then is attached to an oscillator, which then turns a base plate that has control of the spindles in set patterns. The oscillator then controls the speed through the base plate. Our feed units then handle the rate of feed and the speed of the drill head. This is computer controlled, creating a precise hole and pattern every time over and over.

How to Size and Select the Right Head and Accessories for the Job

Zagar catalog holds a comprehensive guide on selecting the right head and accessory. The basic steps include:

  • Select the spindle series –
    1. The largest hole in the spindle patter should not exceed capacity of Basic Spindle of series selected
    2. EXCEPTION: Larger drill sizes are permissible if lesser than normal feed rates are used due to smaller drills on other spindles.
    3. For Heavy duty production, use series one size larger if spindle sizes required are available in the larger series.
  • Select the Spindle Size – Use the basic spindle whenever center distance between holes is not limited. If limited, select spindle size to suit. When tool sizes vary, proportion spindle sizes accordingly. If tool size exceeds capacity of small spindles, analysis of the problem is necessary (consult factory).
  • Select the head size – The outside of extreme spindles in the hole pattern must be within the maximum spindle area of head. Select head with style of drive suitable for speed and torque requirements of operation.
  • Select the spindle accessories – by using the following guidelines
    1. TANG COLLETS are preferred to insure against slippage when drilling, reaming, etc.
    2. THREADED NOSES and Z-LOCK DRILL HOLDERS are desirable when using a large number of one drill size and/or for rapid changeovers.
    3. SOLDERED TYPE DRILL HOLDERS are required with spindle sizes .187 and .218. They can also be used on .250 and .312 spindle sizes for tool shank diameters exceeding available collets.
    4. TAP COLLETS are used for convenience of changeover from drilling to tapping with the same spindle. Use tap Collets when float on tap is undesirable.
    5. TAP HOLDERS are available in all spindle sizes and accommodate greater tap capacity than tap collets for the same spindle size. QUICK-RELEASE TAP HOLDERS are necessary on tapping operation where return stroke is not positive (No lead screw or cam). SLIP LOCK OR Z-LOCK TAP HOLDERS are ideal to use with lead screw tapping.
  • Call (216) 731-0500 for help in evaluating the correct head and accessories for your job.

The selection of a proper drill or tap machine for your job is important. The Drill press must have adequate HP, thrust, gap between table and Quill and the proper throat. Press mounting dimensions are required. On popular machines, we need only to know the make and model number, in order to calculate the rest. The head must be tied in with the fixture for the job. Pattern orientation to the head and the guide pin locations must be specified.

Send our application data sheet to formalize information on mounting the head and the proper tie in of tooling.

The data presented in our catalog for multiple spindle drill head applications should be used as a guide only. Please click for the Zagar Drill Head Catalog,

Want to see it?  To access the Zagar Inc. YouTube Channel, please click the link below: Zagar_YouTube

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