Chick work holding offers productivity and accuracy

Shipley-based TecnAir designs and manufactures an extensive variety of pneumatic cylinders, valve assemblies, linear drives, handling equipment, controls and other products.

What characterises this manufacturing activity above all else is the large amount of machining involved to produce the high-accuracy components. To this end, since the early 2000s the manufacturer has entrusted component clamping on its machining centres to Chick work-holding products, supplied through sole UK agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories.

Steve Watson, CNC operations manager at TecnAir, says: “Fixturing is crucial, as we cannot tolerate any movement or vibration. Chick products underpin the required level of accuracy in our factory. Not only do we get rigid work holding, which incidentally also prolongs tool life, but a high level of interchangeability of the various Chick clamping units also helps to minimise investment in the equipment.”

Supporting prismatic machining operations on the shop floor are 15 Chick QwikLOK units, which find employment on five vertical machining centres: three from Haas and two from Mazak. Six of the units are dedicated to pendulum machining of relatively short pneumatic cylinder bodies from aluminium extrusion in three operations – rear end cap machining, front end cap machining, and inlet and outlet port machining – on a Mazak VTC-530. The resulting high-density work holding has the effect of maximising the use of the available machining area and reducing the overall number of tool changes required.

In addition, there are 11 MultiLOK towers deployed across three twin-pallet, four-axis, horizontal machining centres: a stand-alone Doosan HC400 and two Mazak HCN-4000s linked by a Palletech automated storage and retrieval system for 16 machine pallets. Materials processed are mainly aluminium and stainless steel, plus some brass, with castings accounting for 30% of throughput. The company produces the remainder from either billet or extrusion.

For further information www.1mta.com

Adapter jaws drive Schunk range compatibility

With new adapter jaws, Schunk has established compatibility between machine vices and the world’s broadest portfolio of top jaws from Schunk/Gressel. These useful connecting elements offer new and flexible clamping options for any machining task.

The interface between the machine vice and top jaws for a specific clamping task depends on the manufacturer. Until now, users have been bound to the respective vice manufacturer’s jaw portfolio. This is now a thing of the past with the new Schunk adapter jaws. They enable Schunk to create compatibility between the vice and its top jaw portfolio, which the company says is the most extensive on the market. Therefore, users are no longer tied to a specific system, but can now significantly expand their clamping options.

The potential of the adapter jaws for machine vices with a jaw width of 125 mm is considerable. This is because they offer concrete advantages for stationary workpiece clamping in vices, especially on milling machines: the Schunk adapter jaws open up any top jaw variation for virtually infinite clamping possibilities.

Due to this flexibility, it is possible to achieve many different clamping options and cost advantages. After the initial investment for the adapter jaws, Schunk says amortisation arrives very quickly by using the top jaws from the Schunk portfolio, since the top jaws are less expensive than comparable competitor products. Another advantage is the set-up time savings and process optimisation thanks to the quick-change function on some variants of the top jaws from the Schunk portfolio. Screws only require loosening slightly instead of completely, with easy removal of the jaw upwards along the grooves.

For further information www.schunk.com

30th birthday for MecWash

MecWash Systems, a specialist in industrial parts washing technology, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Working alongside some of the most prominent names in manufacturing, such as Rolls-Royce, Brompton Bicycle, BAE, Eaton, JCB, Husco, Renishaw and Jaguar Land Rover, MecWash has developed component cleaning systems for the most complex applications. The UK based manufacturer says it has built unique insight and expertise for parts cleaning challenges across a spectrum of industries, including aerospace, automotive, fluid power, defence and medical.

For further information www.mecwash.com

Sales manager appointment

GF Machining Solutions, a milling, EDM, laser and additive manufacturing machine and automation systems supplier, has appointed Gary Purcell as its new sales manager for the whole of Ireland (Republic and North). Purcell was previously applications engineering manager at Waterford-based Schivo Medical, a contract manufacturer specialising in the medical device and life sciences sectors. Although already established as a key partner with Irish medical component manufacturers, Ireland’s med-tech sector provides GFMS, through its latest appointment, with significant business opportunities.

For further information www.gfms.com

ETG raises standard with ISO certificates

The Engineering Technology Group (ETG) has made it a double whammy by becoming ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified. ETG, a machine tool and turnkey solution provider, has implemented the accreditations to demonstrate its commitment and compliance to environmental and quality standards. The company has also established a Quality & Environmental Management System (QEMS). ETG’s managing director Martin Doyle says: “ISO certification is a marker of our commitment to customer excellence and it will help identify opportunities to enhance our already impeccable service levels.”

For further information www.engtechgroup.com