Selling a used Klingelnberg machine, whether it carries the name Klingelnberg, Oerlikon or Höfler? We buy your machine. Which route depends on machine, condition and market. This covers bevel gear cutting and grinding machines of the C and G series, Höfler cylindrical gear grinders and P-series gear measuring centres. Send the designation from the nameplate, the build year and photos, and you get a first estimate. Below you find first what decides the value and how the sale works, then the names and series for reference. The overview of all processes and brands is on Sell gear cutting machines.
What decides the value of a used Klingelnberg machine
- Series, diameter and module class: the series tables further down show the span from the small C 15 to the RAPID 8000. The size class decides which workpieces the machine can still make, and therefore who can use it.
- Control and software level: whether the original control still runs or a retrofit has been done is a central point. The manufacturer’s retrofit offers show which controls are involved: Sinumerik 840D SL with PCU50 on the H 35, Fanuc components on the L 22 and L 50 lapping machines, NC control, operator panel and an operating system upgrade to Windows 7 on the G series.
- Proof of accuracy: a current test record documents the achievable gear quality. On P-series measuring centres the calibration status is an important value factor; Klingelnberg names calibration explicitly in its service offer.
- Retrofit history: documented overhauls and conversions are among the most important papers. Dealer pages describe third-party retrofits, for example on the AMK 400 (Sinumerik 840 D SL and Sinamics, the company that did the work is not named there), and describe a C 28 P as suitable for retrofit or partial modernisation.
- Condition of spindles, rotary table and drives: operating hours, play and smooth running of the workpiece and tool spindles influence the assessment more than the build year alone.
- Automation and accessories: loading devices, tool sets and workholding belong to the scope of supply and should be photographed completely.
- Weight and dismantling effort: for the C and G series the manufacturer pages give about 11 to 38 tonnes machine weight, and for RAPID grinders table loads up to 100,000 kg. Foundation, hall crane and access influence dismantling and transport.
- Manufacturer support: on its own service page Klingelnberg names spare parts (over 100,000 materials held in its warehouse, same-day dispatch), repair, overhaul, maintenance contracts, calibration, training and remote service. Whether and for how long support exists for your specific series, ask the manufacturer directly.
Retrofit or sell?
Klingelnberg offers retrofit packages for its own machines. For the C 27 series there are the packages Basic (ball screws, guides, bearings, belts), Quality (covers, C-axis rotary feedthrough, safety glass) and Electro (motors, measuring systems, cables) with 12 to 24 months of warranty on replaced parts. For the G series the retrofit comprises NC control, operator panel, installation material, a software update and the operating system upgrade; for the H 35 a new control cabinet with Sinumerik 840D SL and PCU50 plus new servo motors and drives; for the L 22 and L 50 lapping machines new Fanuc components. A used-machine offer from the manufacturer is not shown on the pages we checked.
If you want to keep using the machine in your own plant, a retrofit is often the better route. If you want to free the capacity, you can sell it: we buy your machine. The full checklist of value factors is in the guide What is my gear machine worth?.
What we need from you
- Nameplate designation exactly as printed, build year, control type and operating hours
- The latest test or calibration record, and retrofit papers if the control was replaced
- Photos of the overall machine, workholding, control panel and control cabinet
- Site details: foundation, door and crane access, whether the machine is still connected
How selling your Klingelnberg machine works
- Send details and photos.
- First estimate. We assess the machine. The offer usually follows 24–48 hours on working days after we have all the details. Where it is urgent we can visit on site usually within 48 to 72 hours on working days.
- Dismantling and transport. We organise both. For machines in the double-digit tonnes we plan lifting equipment and heavy-load transport. Whether the costs are included is stated in the offer upfront.
- Payment before pickup (direct purchase). No machine leaves your site without confirmed payment.
The whole process usually takes 7 to 15 working days on a direct purchase. Sale through our buyer network: commission stated upfront; you are paid before pickup. More on the process: How it works.
Sell your Klingelnberg machine: request a free assessment.
What we do not buy
- Finished gears and gearboxes, including the bevel gear sets of Klingelnberg Drive Technology
- Hobs, shaper cutters and other tools as single items
- Tool grinding machines without a gear connection that dealers list under the Klingelnberg name; they are not part of this gear machine offer
- Gear pumps, and woodworking and DIY machines
Klingelnberg, Oerlikon and Höfler: what is behind the names
According to its own account Klingelnberg was founded in 1863 in Remscheid. KLINGELNBERG AG is based in Zurich and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (IPO 2018); the manufacturer names the Klingelnberg family as anchor shareholder without giving a percentage. The operating KLINGELNBERG GmbH manufactures in Hückeswagen, Winterhagen and Ettlingen. For sellers of used machines these distinctions matter most:
- Oerlikon on a Klingelnberg machine is a brand of the bevel gear division. Klingelnberg acquired Oerlikon Geartec AG of Zurich in 1993, and the division is still called ‘OERLIKON Bevel Gear Technology’. It has nothing to do with the Oerlikon industrial group.
- Höfler is the brand for cylindrical gear grinding (RAPID, VIPER, Speed Viper, HELIX). Klingelnberg took over the Zeiss industrial metrology business (‘Höfler’) in Ettlingen in 1996 and Höfler Maschinenbau GmbH, also in Ettlingen, in 2012. Höfler is a Klingelnberg brand, not an independent company.
- KLINGELNBERG Precision Measuring Centers is the division for precision measuring centres, with the P series.
- Klingelnberg Drive Technology sells spiral bevel gear sets from 500 to 3,000 mm, not machines.
- AG and GmbH: the listed KLINGELNBERG AG in Zurich and the operating KLINGELNBERG GmbH are two companies. In your enquiry write the name as it appears on the nameplate.
Ettlingen is also the home of the former Maschinenfabrik Lorenz, which later became part of Liebherr-Verzahntechnik. Klingelnberg (Höfler) and Lorenz or Liebherr are independent of each other; only the town is shared. For Liebherr machines see Sell Liebherr gear machines; Lorenz shapers are covered under gear shaping machines.
Introduction years from the manufacturer’s history
Klingelnberg gives these years in its own company history. They show when a series was introduced, not when your machine was built; the build year is on the nameplate.
- 1923: first gear hobbing machine, model FK 150
- 1997: introduction of dry cutting of bevel gears, with the Oerlikon C 28 named
- 2002: dry cutting programme with C 27, C 42 and C 60
- 2004: P 26 measuring centre
- 2007: C 50
- 2013: C 30 and VIPER 500 at EMO
- 2017: Speed Viper
- 2019: G 35
Klingelnberg series at a glance (as stated by the manufacturer)
The values below come from the Klingelnberg manufacturer pages (research as of 29 September 2026). Older machines for which the manufacturer publishes no data are deliberately listed without specifications, because dealer figures partly contradict each other. Ø means maximum workpiece diameter, module means the normal module range.
Bevel gears: Oerlikon C series (cutting) and G series (grinding)
| Series | Process | Max. workpiece Ø (mm) | Max. module | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C 15 | Bevel gear cutting, 6-axis CNC, dry | 150 (continuous) / 200 (single indexing) | 4 / 5.5 (min. 1) | Face width max. 40 mm |
| C 27 | Bevel gear cutting, 6-axis, dry | 270 | 6.5 (min. 1.5) | Face width max. 58 mm; approx. 11,200 kg; named in 2002 as part of the dry-cutting programme |
| C 30 | Bevel gear cutting, vertical, dry; optional power skiving of cylindrical gears | 280 | 6.5 (min. 1.5) | Face width max. 58 mm; approx. 20,000 kg |
| C 50 | Bevel gear cutting, vertical, dry | 500 | 9 continuous / 11 single indexing (min. 1.5) | Face width max. 90 mm; approx. 33,500 kg |
| C 60 | Bevel gear cutting (transmissions for trucks and tractors) | 630 | 10 (min. 3.5) | Face width max. 100 mm; approx. 35,000 kg |
| C 100 U | Universal system for spiral and hypoid bevel gears, soft and hard cutting | 1,000 | 15.5 continuous (min. 3.5), single indexing on request | Face width max. 160 mm; approx. 38,000 kg |
| G 30 | Bevel gear grinding | 300 | 0.7 to 8 | Face width max. 60 mm; approx. 16,300 kg |
| G 35 | Bevel gear grinding, two vertical spindles | 300 (350 optional) | 0.7 to 8 | Face width max. 60 mm (70 optional); approx. 37,000 kg |
| G 60 | Spiral bevel gear grinding | 600 | 2 to 12 | Face width max. 110 mm; approx. 22,900 kg; CNC path control |
| G 80 | Bevel gear grinding | 850 (ring gear) | 5 to 20 | Face width max. 125 mm; approx. 24,400 kg; CNC path control |
For the C series the manufacturer pages do not name the control. For your machine that is a detail only you can supply: a photo of the control panel and the control nameplate is enough.
Cylindrical gear grinding: Höfler series
| Series | Process | Max. workpiece Ø (mm) | Max. module | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIPER 500 K / W / KW | Profile grinding (K), generating grinding (W), both (KW) | 500 | K 0.5 to 22; W 0.5 to 22; KW 0.5 to 13 | Manufacturer data with footnote |
| HELIX 400 | Profile grinding | 400 | 0.5 to approx. 15 | Table drive with servo/torque motor |
| Speed Viper 300 | Generating grinding | 300 | 1 to 5 (0.5 optional) | Touchscreen operation |
| Speed Viper² 180 | Generating grinding, twin spindle | 180 | (0.5) 1 to 3 | |
| Speed Viper² 80 | Generating grinding, twin spindle | 80 | 0.5 to 3 | |
| RAPID 650 / 800 | Profile grinding of large gears | 650 / 800 | 0.5 to 35 | Table load 3,000 kg |
| RAPID 1000 / 1250 | Profile grinding of large gears | 1,000 / 1,250 | 0.5 to 35 | Table load 8,000 kg |
| RAPID 1600 / 2000 | Profile grinding of large gears | 1,600 / 2,000 | 1 to 45 | Table load 14,000 kg |
| RAPID 2500 / 3000 | Profile grinding of large gears | 2,500 (the manufacturer’s data table says 2,600) / 3,000 (3,200 optional) | 1 to 50 | Table load 25,000 kg |
| RAPID 4000 | Profile grinding of large gears | 4,000 | 1 to 50 | Table load 40,000 kg |
| RAPID 6000 | Profile grinding of large gears | 6,000 | 1 to 50 | Table load 50,000 kg |
| RAPID 8000 | Profile grinding of large gears | 8,000 | 1 to 50 | Table load 100,000 kg |
For the process background see Sell gear grinding machines.
Gear measuring centres: P series
For measuring centres the diameter is the maximum clamping or test diameter of cylindrical gears between centres.
| Series | Process | Max. workpiece Ø (mm) | Module range | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P 26 | Gear and coordinate measurement | 260 | 0.30 to 16 | Centre distance 600/800 mm; workpiece weight approx. 80 kg |
| P 40 | Gear and coordinate measurement | 400 | 0.30 to 20 | Workpiece weight approx. 300 kg |
| P 65 | Gear and coordinate measurement | 650 | 0.20/0.30 to 35 | Workpiece weight approx. 500 kg |
| P 100 | Gear and coordinate measurement | 1,000 | 0.30 to 50 | Workpiece weight approx. 2,000 kg |
The manufacturer also lists further sizes (P 125, P 152, P 200, P 300, P 400); we have not checked their specifications and do not state them.
Names in listings and their pitfalls
Dealers spell Klingelnberg machines in different ways, sort them into different categories and sometimes give build years or modules that cannot be confirmed. The overview shows spellings we have seen in dealer listings and what they mean. We take no specifications from such listings.
| Designation in a listing | What is meant | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Klingelnberg Oerlikon’, ‘Oerlikon Klingelnberg’ | The same bevel gear division brand, only the order changes | Not the Oerlikon industrial group |
| German ‘Kegelradfräsmaschine’ or ‘Spiralkegelradschneidmaschine’ | Dealer names for the same machine class; for a ‘C 28 P’ different dealers use both | Cover all variants when searching and listing |
| ‘C 28’, ‘C 28 P’, ‘C28P’ | The manufacturer history names the Oerlikon C 28 in 1997; dealers list a ‘C 28 P’ | The manufacturer pages do not say whether both mean exactly the same version |
| ‘AMK 400’, ‘AMK 630’, ‘KNC 25 P’, ‘KNC 60’, ‘BF 203’ | Older designations that appear in dealer titles as bevel gear cutting machines | The manufacturer lists no specifications; classification only via nameplate and documents |
| ‘Höfler’, ‘Rapid’, ‘Viper’, ‘Speed Viper’, ‘Helix’ | Brand and series of the cylindrical gear grinding division | Höfler belongs to Klingelnberg |
| ‘HNC 35’, ‘HSS 350’ | Worm grinding machines in dealer titles | The manufacturer lists an H 35 series for worm grinding; the sources do not say whether ‘HNC 35’ belongs to it |
| ‘B 24’, ‘BC 10’, ‘CS 200’, ‘T 60 A’ | ‘B 24’ is a bar knife grinder according to a dealer; the manufacturer lists CS 200 under tool reconditioning and T 60 as a testing machine | Dealers sort BC 10 and CS 200 under measuring machines, T 60 A under gear testing machines |
| ‘GKP 90’, ‘GKC 60’, ‘PSKE 900’, ‘PFSU 1600’, ‘ZW 301’, ‘PNC 30’ | Testing and measuring machines | Categories are inconsistent among dealers |
| ‘SNC 30’, ‘AFS 250’ (with ‘SOLITEC’) | Tool grinding machines under the Klingelnberg name | Not gear machines |
When you search or list, try Klingelnberg, Oerlikon, ‘Klingelnberg Oerlikon’, Höfler, Rapid, Viper and the type designation, each with and without a space. A bevel gear machine such as the Gleason Phoenix is a product of Gleason (Rochester) and not a Klingelnberg machine; for the sequence Pfauter, Gleason-Pfauter and Gleason see Sell Gleason-Pfauter gear machines.
Other brands and machine types
If your machine comes from another maker, see Liebherr, Gleason-Pfauter, Kapp Niles and Reishauer. Overview of everything: Sell gear cutting machines. More German makers: Sell German machine brands.
Sources
All manufacturer data comes from the pages named here (research as of 29 September 2026):