Full Grip Jaws Minimize Distortion for Thin-Walled Parts

Aluminum full grip jaws from Dillon Manufacturing, Inc. (Springfield, OH) are available from 5 in to 24 in diameter and are ideal for machining of thin walled parts. These cast aluminum (356-T6) wrap-around type top jaws can provide minimum jaw force and distribute the gripping pressure over more of the work piece’s surface, helping to maintain repetitive accuracy. This type of jaw reduces distortion and provides more friction for drive during turning operations. With close tolerances and concentricity easily maintained, they are ideal for applications such as valves, cylinders, specialty wheels and gears, housings and enclosures, adaptors and connectors,  aluminum and steel shells, flanges, retainer rings, and other thin-walled parts such as automotive smog control air pump rotors, gas turbine parts, thin-wall tubing and cylinder liners for diesel engines and more.

These aluminum full grip top jaws feature excellent corrosion resistance, with very good machining and welding characteristics. They are available from stock in both standard height and extra high jaws. The “A” in front of an alloy designation denotes a higher purity version of the chemical compound. They can be adapted to mount both manual and power chucks. Lighter weight full grip top jaws reduce mechanical stress, for improved machine and tool life.

Dillon also offers Special Top Jaws that grip a component’s ID, OD, or a combination of both to suit any workholding application. Available in soft or hard jaws for virtually any chuck manufacturer, Dillon manufactures special top jaws from 1018, 1045, 4140, 8620, A-2, 6061 aluminum, and stainless steel. A 4- page, full color catalog provides complete details and includes an “easy quote” format with “fill-in-the-blanks” convenience. Dillon standard and custom chuck jaws and collet pads and jaws are ideal for high speed machining, as well as precision boring, tapping, drilling and finishing across virtually all industrial markets.

Dillon also offers Jaw Nuts and Keys manufactured from certified 4140 heat treated steel and shipped with an MSDS to verify. They provide superior wear resistance, impact resistance, higher tensile strength, and extended jaw nut life compared to jaws made from case hardened 1018 steel. These ISO 9000-2008 certified Jaw Nuts, T-nuts, and Keys are available to fit all popular power chucks from 6 in diameter to 24 in diameter, including Forkhardt, Gamet, Howa, Kitigawa, Matsumoto (MMK), Nikko, Pratt Burnerd, Rohm, Samchully, Schuck, SMW, SMW Autoblok and more. Standard sizes are stocked for immediate shipment and are ideal for workholding applications requiring durability and high strength, such as high speed machining. Dillon also offers a special T-Nut design and manufacturing service for custom workholding requirements.

Dillon also offers new Jaw Force Gauges that allow users to accurately measure the force applied to each chuck jaw independently so that problems can be diagnosed and corrected before a failure occurs. This reading (in pounds of chucking force per jaw) is the holding force available for that specific jaw (rather than a total force of two or three jaws as other gauges measure). While poorly gripped parts can be dislodged by tool pressure, resulting in production losses and an unsafe operation, the Jaw Force Gauge allows manufacturers to cut production losses by verifying rated jaw force, identify potential safety hazards, and establish a maintenance schedule. With a force range from 0 to 30,000 lb, simple-to-install and easy-to-use Jaw Force Gauges are ideal for chucks from 6 in to 18 in (other chucks to maximum 25,000 lb rated force per jaw).

With this proven product, measurements can be taken with results compared to determine if, for example, the chuck does not meet manufacturers established jaw force ratings because they require lubrication, or a drawbar/drawtube adjustment. It also helps to identify if internal chuck parts are worn or broken or, if chuck jaws are not obtaining full travel, and may need disassembly and cleaning. It also helps users determine if an air or hydraulic actuator requires adjustment to correct leakage or bypass, or if line pressure needs adjustment for proper part chucking. Ideal for use with chucks from a wide variety of manufacturers, these Jaw Force Gauges keep chucks operating at full force for maximum production, and service life. Each Jaw Force Gauge includes detailed instructions for proper set up and use.

All collet pads and collet pad jaws from Dillon are specially designed, quick-change tooling for machining small diameter parts. Collet pads can be changed quickly maximizing production time and the jaws can be adapted to many styles of chucks – making them ideal for machining of stems, spools, crimp assemblies, manifolds for high pressure air systems, medical parts, miscellaneous fittings, mechanical and transmission components and specialty valves, and more. Metal-to-metal fits maintain accuracy. A collet pad top jaw system increase a chuck’s range of workholding capabilities, allowing more varied part geometries to be machined with the same jaw system. With optimized collet pad jaws and collets, machining routines can be more aggressive, resulting in shorter cycle times and more consistent quality output as well.

Changing over to collet pad jaws is easily accomplished and requires just a jaw change. The time required to change jaws and collets is generally accomplished in a few minutes and is  much quicker than changing entire chucks which may take as long as several hours to complete the changeover.  Machinists using collet pad jaws are able to maximize their chuck capabilities and investment by taking advantage of both chuck and collet pad work including the ability to run material that is hex or square in shape.

Dillon also provides Chucks and Jaws HPG500, a premium boundary lubricant that prevents metal-to-metal contact under high load and slow speed conditions and is ideal for either high-end manual chucks or power chucks. This premium, high-performance NLDI Grade 2 lubricating grease has exceptional mechanical stability, very high load carrying capacity, and excellent water and moisture resistance. It has a water washout rating of less than 3 percent, making it one of the most water resistant products available. Its unique formulation gives it outstanding rust and corrosion resistance, even in the presence of a synthetic and oil based coolant environment. This chuck lubricating grease handles high loads, and provides long term corrosion protection under the most hostile conditions. Economical HPG500 is available in 14 oz tubes and can be purchased in 10-tube or 50-tube cases, or as a greasing set containing two tubes of grease, a grease gun and a grease adaptor.

The environmentally friendly formulation contains no heavy metals or other environmentally undesirable materials such as compounds containing antimony, barium, lead, chlorine, phenols, or phosphorus. This lithium-free formula does not react negatively when contacting the water contained in water based coolants – as opposed to lubricants with lithium which cause lithium build-up on the internal workings of the chuck. An all-purpose industrial lubricant, HPG500 can be used in bearings, bushings, slides, pivots, tracks, etc., the all-important engineering components of manual and power chucks. It is recommended wherever high lubricity, EP (Extreme Pressure) properties, mechanical stability, rust and corrosion protection, water washout protection, and good oxidation stability are required. Essential for the safe operation and maintaining maximum gripping pressure of chucks, HPG500 is also safe to use in your machine centers that require EPI grease.

All Dillon Manufacturing products are made in the U.S.

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