Hold Your Own

SELF-ALIGNING FIXTURING ELEMENTS
Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. (AME; Rockford, IL) offers their Amflex® Modular Workholding – S.A.F.E. Self-Aligning Fixturing Elements. Amflex modular workholding components are designed to fit standard tombstones and grid bases, but may be utilized with other traditional workholding systems. The components are designed for optimal clamping of a wide variety of parts and can be used on a variety of machine tools, both manual and CNC. Users are invited to contact AME to see how these products can benefit their specific manufacturing process. S.A.F.E. elements use ball pads to support the workpiece. These ball pads are flexible and align themselves to the contour of the workpiece. The clamping bars also have ball pads, therefore distortion of the part is practically eliminated. When properly applied, the Amflex system guarantees flexible positioning and stress-free clamping.

The newly expanded Amflex Modular Fixturing product line includes hydraulic and pneumatic fixtures, modular components, S.A.F.E. grids, force cartridges, tombstones and high-density workholding systems for dedicated or manual fixturing. A variety of precision grid bases, ball elements, spring supports, V-block supports, locators and clamping components are also featured to meet all current fixturing needs.

AME also offers Amrok® brand tombstones in epoxy-mineral material, available in various standard shapes and sizes. Significant user benefits of this material include vibration damping rated at ten times that of cast iron and 100 times better than aluminum, measured by logarithmic decrement. These tombstones are lightweight, similar to aluminum and offer very stable thermal expansion characteristics, with low coefficient of linear expansion.

The epoxy-mineral material comprises quartz gravel, silica and crushed rock mixed with a high-quality epoxy resin binder. The finished product has a granite-like appearance. Originally, epoxy-mineral material was used in the machine tool industry to reduce thermal expansion and vibration in machine bases.  Today, it’s equally advantageous as a lightweight solution that allows users the ability to utilize the full envelope of the machine. Amrok epoxy-mineral tombstones are available with either molded steel plugs for tapped holes or ½ in inner diameter precision bushings with hardened, threaded inserts on a 2 in grid.

Advanced Machine & Engineering Co., 2500 Latham Street, Rockford, IL 61103, 815-316-5277, Fax: 815-962-6483, info@ame.com, www.ame.com.

SELF-CENTERING 5-AXIS VISE
Offering innovative workholding solutions for 3-, 4- and 5-axis machines, 5th Axis Inc. (San Diego, CA) introduces the small V75100 self-centering 5-axis vise that offers maximum rigidity and clamping force in a compact package. The V75100 is ideal for all 5-axis machining operations. Its compact footprint makes it ideal for smaller 4- and 5-axis mills. The V75100 pumps out 4,000 lb of clamping force at 45 ft-lb of torque. It provides access to five sides of the workpiece, featuring a built-in 45 deg dovetail and gripper teeth that bite into stock without the need for a stamping unit. Built from heat treated steel, the V75100 is milled and precision ground to exacting standards. With a centering accuracy of .0005 in, it is one of the most precise self-centering vises available.

The removable and reversible master jaws allow for an increased clamping range .05 in to 3.5 in. The jaws are simple to remove allowing for quick changeover between hard and soft jaws. When the V75100 was designed, the goal was to have quick and easy alignment features. Two precision threaded shoulder bolts secure and locate the jaws of the V75100. The vise also utilizes a threaded centering hole and two self-centering clocking holes at 30 mm. A coated lead screw provides lubricity and wear resistance.

5th Axis Inc., 7140 Engineer Road, San Diego, CA 92111, 858-505-0432 Fax: 858-505-9344, pr@fifthaxis.com, www.fifthaxis.com.

CUSTOM WORKHOLDING AND AUTOMATION
DE-STA-CO (Auburn Hills, MI) is expanding its custom manufacturing capabilities to provide OEM and end-users with application-designed productivity tools out of the box. Customers can work directly with company engineers to modify any of its clamping, automation and material handling solutions, to produce products that are perfectly matched to a specific application. “Standard tools often don’t fit perfectly in a manufacturer’s unique production line or OEM machine,” says Ken Hagan, the global product manager for DE-STA-CO. “In fact, about half of our customers modify the clamps they buy before putting them into use. We’ve expanded our custom solution programs to take that time-consuming process off the hands of our customers, letting them focus more on their core business instead of worrying about modifying each new tool purchase.”

Customized solutions and modification services include clamps, Robohand grippers, CAMCO indexers, and robotic end effectors. The modifications are organized into three levels for each product group to provide guidance for customers:

• Level one modifications include minimal changes like grip substitutions and plating/dipping for clamps; oil/grease changes and alternate mounts for automation products; and non-standard controls, custom mounts and special coatings for material handling equipment.
• Level two modifications include handle/arm extensions or reductions, drilled or tapped arms and custom hooks for clamps; port changes, finishes/plating, stroke adjustment and dial plates for automation products; and detailed concepts for material handling equipment.
• Level three modifications are custom-built designs and product combinations that are developed specifically for each customer application.

Quotes are available in one to two days for level one modifications, three days for level two modifications and five days for level three modifications. Each custom solution is given its own unique part number to make reordering easy, and to guarantee the same solution is produced the same way for future orders. Working directly with engineers and estimators, customers receive drawings of the modified product or solution before it is assembled to make sure application requirements are met.

DE-STA-CO has also upgraded its innovative 9500 series pneumatic swing clamp to make it more versatile and easier to install. The 9500 model features several mounting options that offer better placement opportunities in tight spaces and an additional bore size to meet the needs of more users. “The 9500 series swing clamp is already equipped with numerous features that make it ideal for crowded welding and assembly fixtures,” explains Hagan. “It is the only pneumatic swing clamp on the market that rotates on a single plane and it is built to provide consistent operation in tough conditions. The updates make it more flexible and adaptable to a wider variety of applications.”

A new optional flange kit enables the 9500 series swing clamp to be mounted to any face, including the front or side of a fixture, or even an inside corner. New tapped mounts are also available, which allow screws to be threaded directly into the clamp body. These two new mounts open up new positioning opportunities and can simplify the installation process. The company has also increased the 9500 series swing clamp’s capabilities by adding a 50 mm bore size. Other bore sizes include 22 mm, 32 mm and 40 mm, providing options to fit a variety of light-duty needs. Clamping forces vary from approximately 35 ft-lb to 200 ft-lb, depending on the bore size.

Since it was introduced in 2009, fixture builders and designers have relied on the 9500 series swing clamp’s patented arm motion to reach over obstructions. All 90 deg of rotation occur at the top of the stroke, so the arm travels straight down when clamping. Traditional pneumatic swing clamps “corkscrew” downward, which can limit their placement on the fixture or the materials they can be used to hold. The new 9500 series swing clamp retains this unique motion, plus the previous model’s standard piston rod cover. Since the rod is shielded during the entire stroke, it is less likely to be damaged by welding or shop debris.

DE-STA-CO, 1025 Doris Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48326, 888-337-8226, www.destaco.com/custom-solutions.

STEPPED HARD JAWS FOR GREATER GRIP ON WORKPIECES
Dillon Manufacturing, Inc. (Springfield, OH) offers a full line of standard and custom stepped hard jaws with a diamond serration pattern for greater gripping of the workpiece. Typically used for first operation work, these jaws feature a gripping surface that accurately contacts most of the workpiece length and diameter for maximum drive. Diamond shaped serrations increase the holding power, especially for rough, irregular and out-of-round components, reducing part slippage and pushback. All standard (catalog) hard jaws are produced using 8620 steel to provide a tougher core, then carbonized and hardened to Rc 52-55 for greater durability and corrosion resistance. These special top jaws are ideal for rough cast, forged, irregularly shaped, thin walled or extra-long workpieces which require special attention and handling.

Custom top jaws, manufactured to customer specification, center the workpiece and grip it equally. Extra wide jaws are available for a wider gripping surface. Dillon engineers work with customers to supply jaws that meet particular design and production requirements. Approval prints are supplied for each custom jaw order, and certification of materials and process, and heat treating are available upon request. All of these hard stepped jaws are available in various mounting configurations including serrated, T&G, Acme, and square serrated key types to fit all brands of chucks. With multiple radii for both inside and outside clamping, they are ideal for any size run. All of these products are made in the U.S. and Dillon is ISO 9000:2008 registered.

Dillon Manufacturing, Inc., 2115 Progress Drive, Springfield, OH 45505, 800-428-1133, sales4@dillonmfg.com, www.dillonmfg.com.

PRICE-PERFORMANCE CLAMPING
The new Orange Line from Röhm Products of America (Lawrenceville, GA) includes standardized lathe chucks and machine vises with several valuable advantages, including excellent price-performance ratios, high availability and fast repair services. In the manual lathe chucks category, the Orange Line offers the ZG geared scroll chuck that features a high-value, vibration-dampening cast iron body and one-piece jaws. ZG chucks are available in six standard sizes, each in 3-jaw and 4-jaw versions. These jaws move across the entire clamping range so that users can clamp workpieces of different diameters without having to change or shift the jaw.

Based on a modular design platform, the Orange Line’s new RB machine vise is available as a mechanical (RB-M) or power intensified (RB-K) solution. The vise provides long guidance of its moveable jaw and accurately covers a wide clamping range with quick adjustments. All of the vise’s wear parts, primarily the jaw guides, are hardened and ground to provide long-lasting durability. To ensure its accurate positioning, the vise’s longitudinal grooves precisely match the t-slots of a machine tool table. Furthermore, the vise works with rotation plates to achieve angular settings for increased part machining flexibility.

Röhm Products of America, 5155 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite K, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, 770-963-8440, Fax: 770-963-8407, www.rohm-products.com.

SINGLE-ACTING CLAMPING VISE
The KSO is a specially-developed single-acting clamping vise from SCHUNK, Inc. (Morrisville, NC) that can be easily adjusted to customer-specific specific requirements. Its basic principle incorporates an encapsulated spindle drive which prevents the accumulation of chips, dirt, or dust. This modular clamping system has a comprehensive range of jaws, an aluminum quick-change jaw system, and is easy to adjust because the clamping ranges can be moved without remounting the jaws.

The large range of modular jaws makes the KSO perfect for small, large, and circular parts, as well as parts that are unfinished and finished. The jaws are quickly and easily moved to the desired clamping position by the spindle drive. The appropriate tightening torque ensures work pieces are held securely for both OD and ID clamping. Lifting of the jaws under clamping force is reduced by the long jaw guidance. The KSO is the affordable solution for single and multiple piece applications. It works ideally on tombstones and pallets.

SCHUNK also offers the VERO-S NSE mini module with a module height of 20 mm that provides ideal conditions for retrofitting existing machines, making full use of the engine room, and direct clamping of small workpieces. The patented drive concept consists of a fast stoke and a clamping stroke, ensuring that the compact module has a highly compact performance. At a module diameter of 90 mm and a clamping pin diameter of only 20 mm, the NSE mini also has an integrated turbo function and enormous pull-in forces up to 1500 N. Locking is done mechanically via spring force. The large contact surfaces between clamping slide and pin minimize the surface pressure in unclamped condition, and the wear of the module.

Even small workpieces can be directly clamped and are completely machined from five sides without restricting accessibility. This is done by screwing the clamping pins of the Quick-Change Pallet Systems directly into the workpiece. The components are quickly exchanged in the machine and are positioned, fixed, and clamped in the Quick-Change Clamping Modules at a repeat accuracy of less than 0.005 mm. In order to optimize accessibility, the clamping height of the workpieces can be adjusted with module height extensions, so the machine spindle can reach all five sides of the workpiece without needing special tools. The NSE mini is fully equipped to maximize service lifetime and process reliability. All functional components, base body, clamping pin, and clamping slide are made of hardened stainless steel and are completely sealed to protect against chips, dust and coolant. To prevent chips from jamming in the module during workpiece change, the base plate can be provided with a bore hole for an air feed connection for blow off.

SCHUNK, Inc., 211 Kitty Hawk Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560, 919-572-2818, Fax: 919-572-2818, info@us.schunk.com, www.us.schunk.com.