Spindle and Slide Case Studies

Multi-axis modules combine Gilman spindles and slides into a single engineered unit for machining cells, dial machines, and special machines. The projects below range from a turret head for a compact rotary cell to a dual-spindle boring machine and 3-axis modules for drilling, milling, and laser processing. Each design addresses specific requirements such as work envelope, rigidity, and cycle time.

Gilman's Spindle Service Center repairs, rebuilds, and modifies spindles, including proprietary and foreign-made designs. These projects cover the rebuild of a large motorized spindle used in brake rotor production and a modification that solved early bearing failure on a 30,000 RPM filament winding spindle. In both cases, the focus was longer spindle life and dependable production.

Gilman builds custom slide modules that provide rigid, repeatable linear motion in a compact footprint. The projects in this section show compound slide solutions for high-volume drilling operations in the truck and automotive industries, where cycle time, low profile, and positioning accuracy matter. Each solution was designed around the customer's part, process, and available space.

Gilman spindles are engineered for demanding materials and machine designs where speed, rigidity, and accuracy all count. One project replaced two belt-driven spindles with a single 25 hp CAT 50 integrally motorized spindle on Sundstrand Omnimills machining aerospace alloys. Another delivered a 3-axis laser machining module that improved volumetric accuracy by 300%.