Columbia Gear Expands Grinding Capabilities with Danobat WT-72-1000 Universal OD Grinding Machine
Category
Grinding Technology Insights
Year
2026
Avon, Minnesota I Published February 2026 — Precision gear manufacturer Columbia Gear Corporation has expanded its grinding capabilities with the addition of a Danobat WT-72-1000-B8 universal OD grinding machine, installed and commissioned at the company’s Avon facility in late 2025.
The machine complements an Overbeck IRD-400 ID/OD grinder delivered earlier the same year, strengthening Columbia Gear’s internal grinding capacity for high-value, precision components.
While both machines represent strategic investments, the WT-72-1000-B8 installation marked a particularly important step for Columbia Gear’s external cylindrical grinding operations, supporting both current production requirements and long-term manufacturing flexibility.
Engineering and Quality Driven Machine Selection
The WT-72-1000-B8 project was approved and sponsored by Columbia Gear’s Executive Group. From the outset, the evaluation focused on process capability, integrated measurement, and the ability to maintain consistent quality across a wide range of part sizes, part weights and geometries.
The Columbia Gear Project Team defined the technical scope of the project, evaluated machine concepts, and were directly involved throughout the selection, factory acceptance, and final commissioning phases. Columbia Gear participated in the factory run-off and pre-acceptance testing at Danobat, followed by final acceptance testing at Columbia Gear’s Minnesota facility.
“Quality assurance has always been integral to our success. Columbia Gear being an early adopter of ISO 9001 and IATF 16949, to maintain a comprehensive quality system built around Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and Value Stream Mapping – drives how we evaluate new technology. The WT-72-1000-B8, combined with its integrated measurement capabilities, supports the rigorous standards Columbia Gear maintains for our customers, including leading OEMs.”
Heavy-Duty Platform for Precision OD Grinding
Designed for large, high-value components, the Danobat WT-72-1000-B8 supports workpieces up to 1,000 mm (40”) between centers, with a maximum swing of 1,040 mm (41”) and workpiece weights up to 1,500 kg (3,300 lbs.). This capacity enables Columbia Gear to process a wide range of gear and shaft components on a single platform.
The machine is built on a stress-relieved cast-iron base optimized for rigidity and thermal stability. Hydrostatic slideways on both the X and Z axes provide smooth motion, high damping, and consistent positioning accuracy, supporting tight tolerance requirements.
One of the many defining features of the platform is its B8 swiveling wheel head, which provides automatic rotation from –30° to +210° with ±1.5 arc-second positioning accuracy. This enables multiple OD features – including shoulders, tapers, and diameters – to be ground in a single setup, reducing part handling and improving repeatability.
“From a manufacturing standpoint, the WT-72-1000-B8 gives us the flexibility we were looking for,” said Columbia Gear Manufacturing Team. “The machine capacity, wheel head configuration, and overall rigidity allows us to run a wide range of parts efficiently while maintaining consistency across setups.”
Integrated Part Measuring System as a Decisive Factor
One of the most influential factors in Columbia Gear’s selection of the Danobat platform was the integration of the MDM Multi-Diameter Measuring system.
The MDM system is an absolute measuring solution capable of pre-process, in-process, and post-process measurement of multiple diameters within a single setup. This allows critical features to be measured directly on the machine, supporting closed-loop control of the grinding process without removing the part.
One of the many defining features of the platform is its B8 swiveling wheel head, which provides automatic rotation from –30° to +210° with ±1.5 arc-second positioning accuracy. This enables multiple OD features – including shoulders, tapers, and diameters – to be ground in a single setup, reducing part handling and improving repeatability.
“The integrated MDM measuring system was a key factor in our decision,” said Columbia Gear’s Technical team. “Being able to measure parts pre-process, in-process, and post-process – directly on the machine – gives us better control of critical features and greater confidence in the results we deliver to our customers.”
Installation & Regional Support
The WT-72-1000-B8 was installed at Columbia Gear’s Avon facility in late 2025 following successful factory acceptance testing. On-site activities included machine alignment, system integration, operator training, and validation grinding trials.
Throughout the project, Columbia Gear was supported by Rey Technologies, the exclusive Danobat distributor for Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. Founder Daniel Rey worked closely with the Columbia Gear team alongside Jim Beavers, Regional Sales Manager at Danobat Inc..
“This project was driven by Columbia Gear’s engineering and quality teams from day one,” Rey said. “They were very clear about the process capability, measurement requirements, and long-term flexibility they needed. Our role was to help align those requirements with the right Danobat platform and ensure the execution matched expectations.”
With the WT-72-1000-B8 fully commissioned, Columbia Gear continues to strengthen its position as a trusted manufacturing partner for high-value, precision components across industrial, OEM, and defense markets.
One of the many defining features of the platform is its B8 swiveling wheel head, which provides automatic rotation from –30° to +210° with ±1.5 arc-second positioning accuracy. This enables multiple OD features – including shoulders, tapers, and diameters – to be ground in a single setup, reducing part handling and improving repeatability.
