Graff-Pinkert is the Best Place to Buy & Sell Used Rotary Transfer Machines

If you’re searching for a used rotary transfer machine for sale—or you’re selling a rotary transfer and want qualified buyers—Graff-Pinkert is a specialized marketplace built for high-production machining equipment. Rotary transfer machines are designed for speed, repeatability, and high-volume output, and our inventory makes it easy to compare machines, brands, and configurations in one place.

Browse current listings here: Rotary Transfer.

Rotary transfer shoppers frequently look for proven builders like HYDROMAT, SCHUTTE, HYDROMAT UNITS, BTB, MIKRON, PORTA, GNUTTI, and WIRTH & GRUFFAT. Inventory changes frequently—if you don’t see your exact model today, reach out with your specs and requirements.

What Is a Rotary Transfer Machine?

A rotary transfer machine is a high-production manufacturing system that moves a workpiece through multiple machining stations in a circular (rotary) indexing pattern. Instead of completing one part start-to-finish on a single spindle, the machine divides work across stations so multiple operations happen in sequence with minimal handling. The result is fast cycle times, high repeatability, and low cost per part for stable, high-volume production.

What Are Rotary Transfer Machines Used For?

Rotary transfer equipment is most commonly used to produce large volumes of complex parts with consistent quality. They’re widely used in industries like automotive, aerospace, hydraulics, medical device manufacturing, electrical components, and industrial hardware. Typical applications include drilling, tapping, milling, boring, reaming, and multi-step machining where the same sequence repeats across long production runs.

What Types of Rotary Transfer Machines Are Most Common?

Most buyers shop rotary transfer by machine style and station configuration. At Graff-Pinkert, one of the most common categories is:

Rotary, Trunnion (Horizontal & Vertical) Transfer Machines – combines rotary indexing with horizontal and/or vertical station capability to support complex, multi-face machining.

You’ll also see support equipment and related systems like Saw and Bar Feed in rotary transfer workflows, depending on whether the process is fed from bar stock or blanks.

Rotary Transfer vs CNC Machining Centers: Which Is Better?

This is one of the most common high-intent searches. In general:

Rotary transfer is ideal when you have a stable part family and need maximum throughput, consistent repeatability, and a low cost per part over long runs.
CNC machining centers are typically better for higher mix, frequent changeovers, and part programs that evolve often.

If your goal is to make the same part (or a small family of parts) efficiently at scale, rotary transfer often wins on productivity.

How Does a Rotary Indexing Transfer Machine Work?

In a rotary indexing system, the workpiece is clamped in a fixture (or held in a chuck/pallet), then the machine indexes to each station in a controlled sequence. Each station performs a specific operation (or a small set of operations), and the part advances until complete. By splitting the work across stations, you minimize tool changes and handling while maximizing station utilization.

What Makes Trunnion (Horizontal & Vertical) Transfer Machines Valuable?

Trunnion-style transfer machines can expose multiple faces of the part to machining stations, enabling more complex “done-in-one” processing. With both horizontal and vertical station options, they’re especially useful when parts require multiple angled operations, cross holes, multi-face drilling/tapping, or combined milling and drilling cycles without re-fixturing