Dental application uses bespoke work holding

Headquartered in Austria, Amann Girrbach manufactures equipment to produce not only dental prostheses such as abutments, crowns, veneers and bridges, but also dentures. In its latest production system, the Ceramill Matik, the company is using a zero-point clamping system from Roemheld group company Stark Spannsysteme. The solution ensures enhanced repeatability when positioning raw material for five-axis milling of the complex profiles that characterise the prostheses. The products are available in the UKand Ireland through Roemheld UK.

Intended for extended periods of unattended production overnight and at weekends, the new machine is an intelligent solution that combines three operations in one: milling at up to 100,000 rpm, cleaning and automatic storage.

Marcel Humml, senior manager operational excellence, says: “The Ceramill Matik incorporates a five-axis machining centre with a 36-workpiece changer, whereas other products on the market have a maximum of 12 workpiece positions and are considerably more expensive.”

He adds: “When testing the Stark zero-point system, we concluded that we would like to have a few modifications. We did not want any visible screws and we preferred exposed sides so that water and dirt could run off better.Due to our compact holder size, we also requested a smaller support surface to save space. Stark undertook all of these modifications in the customised solution they provided to us.The co-operation with Stark during the development phase of Ceramill Matik was unbeatable; the relationship really couldn’t have been better.”

Stark says that its zero-point product is for metal machining on a factory floor and not originally intended for a small production centre producing fine, delicate parts.However, the company was happy to make the necessary adaptations to support automation in the dental sector.
For further information www.roemheld.co.uk

ITC unveils Big Kaiser Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through

Run-out can be relatively low on some hydraulic chuck systems, and diminish further after intensive use. However, it is now possible to take advantage of a significant improvement in this situation with the Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through, which in now part of the Big Kaiser HDC series of hydraulic chucks available in the UK from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC).

Hydraulic chucks compress an internal membrane in the holder body to apply uniform pressure around the cutting tool that optimises concentricity and minimises run-out. Clamping with the Big Kaiser Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through chuck series is easy, fast and safe, making it simple to change tools in the machine. With no heat-shrink clamping machines required, users can extend the life of the tool holder indefinitely, saving money and reducing the environmental impact of holder replacement when compared with shrink-fit counterparts. The through-coolant chuck provides precise clamping in the 4 to 12mm diameter range with the accurate Big Capto interface.

Giampaolo Roccatello, chief sales andmarketing officer for Europe at Big Kaiser, says: “Our jet-through hydraulic chucks are ideal for applications that would benefit from improved coolant delivery. By directing coolant to the cutting edge, you can improve surface finish and extend tool life.”

The chuck is suitable for all small to large machine shops that undertake precision milling where the lowest possible run-out is required. It combines a sleek contour and through-coolant capability to deliver significant improvements for the end user. Big Kaiser’s Hydraulic Chuck Jet Through is available for Big Capto C5 and C6 machine spindles, as well as the BBT 30/40/50, BDV40 and HSK 63 spindle interfaces.
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk

Bowers addsdigital inspection to portfolio

Bowers Group is entering a new partnership with Ireland-basedASH, allowing the company to offer a range of digital inspection solutions.UK sales manager at Bowers Group, Ryan Kingswell, says: “ASH has already assisted many manufacturers around the world to protect quality, minimise risk and advance their capabilities. We’re confident that these advanced products will complement our product portfolio and prove extremely popular within the UK metrology and manufacturing market. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with ASH.”
For further information www.bowersgroup.co.uk

The Hainbuch approach to zero-defect manufacturing

Work-holding specialist Hainbuch takes a comprehensive approach to zero-defect manufacturing. Stefan Nitsche, director main products, describes the basic requirements for clamping devices: they must be impervious to dirt and require almost no maintenance. Furthermore, they must offer very high rigidity and holding forces, with high concentricity accuracy offering deviations of no more than 5 µm, and minimal centrifugal losses.

Nitsche also recommends that users always use the right clamping device for the workpiece, even if this increases the set-up effort. For example, ID clamping is the best solution for five-sided machining. However, if the workpiece does not have the necessary clamping bore for this strategy, Nitsche believes that OD clamping with chucks is the ideal solution.

Says Nitsche: “We make use of our Centrotex quick change-over interface and Docklock zero-point clamping system to keep manual set-up times to a minimum – under one minute with our system instead of 30 minutes or so using conventional means – and change-over accuracy down to no more than 3 µm.”

Hainbuch’s measuring intelligence, which enables in-line process control, has been in successful use for over 15 years now; the company describes it as its third ‘zero-defect’ component. It checks the pre-machining clamping diameter down to the nearest micron, and detects the workpiece system.

“In addition, the actual clamping force on the workpiece is measured continuously,” says Nitsche.“As components gain in complexity, this represents a crucial process stability factor. We’ll be showcasing all three technologies and products live at the EMO 2023 exhibition in Hanover in September. Using Centrotex or Docklock, it’s child’s play to change over our clamping devices in seconds with microscopic precision, or use our IQ clamping devices for high-precision clamping while simultaneously performing various measuring operations.”
For further information www.hainbuch.com

Simple tool changes in a matter of seconds

With its new CMS, Schunk is launching a user-friendly manual change system for the rapid replacement of components. As well as simple and convenient operation, the extensive range of optional modules and complementary end effectors is also notable with the CMS.

Schunk’s CMS manual change system enables rapid, process-reliable changeover at the robot front end, or also on stationary systems such as in fixture construction. The manually operated system consists of a CMS-K interchangeable head and a CMS-A interchangeable adapter, handling payloads of up to 58 kg. Users can flexibly combine the system with handling or machining components from the extensive Schunk portfolio – from grippers to machining tools from the R-Emendo series, for example, for automated deburring, polishing or filing.

The CMS is the further development of the SHS changing system, which is already an established part of the Schunk portfolio, and can replace it 1:1 due to its having the same height and screw-on patterns. According to the company, the successor version now offers decisive optimisations in terms of operation, design, process reliability and usage options.

Tried-and-tested push lever technology makes operation of the CMS extremely simple and convenient. It is possible to lock the interchangeable head by hand with the adapter without the use of any additional tools. Integrated air ‘feed-throughs’ via sealing pins with cylinder seals support manual locking, so that only minimal force is required. In addition, the thrust lever has a new, cranked shape that does not conceal any of the numerous connections. As a result, all system connections are also now suitable for radial use.The CMS manual change system is available in six sizes from 40 to 125.
For further information www.schunk.com