Innovations in Workholding
Workholding must be updated to make full use of the small lot flexibility that machine tools now offer so that the same part cost can be achieved in much shorter production runs. Here are some of the latest advances in workholding technology for shops to consider.
Posted: February 4, 2016
Upgrade Easily to Smaller Lot Sizes
These quick change chucks and clamping systems from SCHUNK make full use of the flexibility that machine tools now offer so that the same part cost can be achieved in much smaller production runs.
Front-End Spring Clamp Power Chuck
The BIG BORE BB-EXL-SC2G air chuck from SMW Autoblok is a front-end spring clamp power chuck provides an extra-long jaw stroke and increased safety monitoring that is ideal for oil and gas applications.
Quick Change Collet Chuck
The Low-Profile 65 mm Dead-Length FlexC Quick Change Collet Chuck from Hardinge can be customized to fit any spindle for better tool clearances compared to similar alternatives.
Power Chuck Packages
Each chuck system from TMX Workholding Solutions is customized with high tensile drawtubes to maximize the through bore capacity for each machine tool.
Powerful, Versatile Solutions for Demanding Applications
The Unilock ESM 138 Turbo and ERGO 138 chucks from BIG KAISER provide quick and easy setup and loading, self-guided top-side mounting and zero-point clamping.
Manual Power Clamp for Prototype Fixtures
The 52H-3E adjustable manual power clamp from DE-STA-CO has a completely closed aluminum housing that protects the inner mechanical parts from weld splatters.
Full Grip Jaws Minimize Distortion for Thin-Walled Parts
Aluminum full grip jaws from Dillon are ideal for machining thin-walled valves, cylinders, specialty wheels and gears, housings and enclosures, adaptors and connectors, aluminum and steel shells, flanges, retainer rings, smog control air pump rotors, gas turbine parts, thin-wall tubing, cylinder liners for diesel engines and more.
Universal Multi-Functional Vacuum System
The Multi-Power Vac workholding system from Mitee-Bite can hold one to four small parts or one large part for machining.
Synthetic Gripper for Complex, Sensitive Workpieces
The RRMG Synthetic Gripper 3 from Röhm uses free-form surfaces that adapt to different workpieces geometries, whether they be round or prismatic in shape.
Mix and Match Modular Clamping
SnakeClamp workholding systems are used in medical, aerospace, automotive and other applications.
The Freedom of Magnetic Workholding
MagVISE workholding chucks from Techniks are used for face milling, edge milling, drilling, and even boring operations on all four sides and the top of thick or thin workpieces.
Versatile Workholding Workhorses
Versatile Stallion Hybrid trunnions from TrunnionTable.com accommodate a variety of vises, fixtures, 3-jaw and 4-jaw chucks and collet chucks for flexible job shop workholding.