FEATURE ON WORKHOLDING

Hydraulic chucks win another design award

Mapal says its Uniq hydraulic chucks have secured a further design award. Following the IF Design Award 2020 and the Good Design Award 2021, the Uniq series has won the sustainability-oriented Green Design Award.

When Mapal completely revised its hydraulic chucks in 2020, the focus was on making the entire product range even more efficient and durable in daily use. The new hydraulic chucks were given a uniform appearance – the requirement being that the design should guarantee the greatest possible stability with optimum use of resources.

In collaboration with design agency Ottenwaelder and Ottenwaelder, product managers at Mapal developed a new design concept for the product family. In order to emphasise the uniqueness of the revised chucks, the naming was based on the English word ‘unique’.

The two hydraulic chuck series – Uniq Mill Chuck and Uniq DReaM Chuck – combine Mapal’s performance promise of quality and function, in particular through the interplay of geometric and functional properties. Thanks to a polishing process newly developed for the Uniq series, the high-gloss surface of the chuck is more resistant to dirt and corrosion.

Mapal also attached great importance to making the use of process reliability. Here, the blue colouring of the actuating screw provides a key contribution. Specially created signatures also contain handling instructions.

“We are proud that we have won several internationally recognised awards our Uniq,” says Tobias Bayerle. “The development of the series proves that you can not only win through practicality, but also thanks to product design and the added value it offers customers. If you can impress with performance and design, you’ve done a lot of things right.”

More information www.mapal.com

Centric vices for restricted vices now available

A new range of four double-acting, self-centring (centric) vices of particularly compact design for demanding clamping applications in restricted working areas – often found in milling, drilling, grinding, electric discharge machining and fixture building – is now available from Roemheld (UK).

The H 4.400 Power Clamp is available in two sizes of base, 64 or 100 mm square, which is contoured below the jaws to provide good accessibility to all five sides of a clamped component and promote free chip evacuation during machining. Jaw actuation is either hydraulic or pneumatic. The small and large hydraulic versions deliver 4.8 and 20.3 kN of clamping force respectively, while the pneumatic variants are rated at 4.0 kN and 14.0 kN.

The double-acting piston with backlash-free transmission of force to the two base jaws means that all models are suitable for internal or external work holding. Jaws move synchronously and concentrically, enabling precise workpiece positioning to within 5 µm. The high rigidity of the vices and their hardened surfaces ensure long-term wear resistance, minimising the need for maintenance.

A standard feature is a connection for positive air pressure to protect against the ingress of liquids and dirt particles. A comprehensive range of options is available, including various quick-change jaws and mounting options, monitoring of clamping stroke and part position, zero-point adaptation, sensors for process monitoring, a port for centralised lubrication, and RFID chip recognition for tracking and data management. These and other accessories allow customisation possibilities and integration into diverse production environments, including those involving automated part handling.

More information www.roemheld.co.uk

Quick-change system for static turning tools

A system for exchanging static turning tools quickly and easily in the turret of a fixed-head turning centre has been introduced by German manufacturer EWS Weigele, whose products are sold in Britain exclusively by GEWEFA UK. The new Varia.VXT quick-change system joins the Varia.VX range introduced a few years ago for the rapid exchange of driven tools in lathes. Existing users of the latter tool holders can utilise a special VXT interchangeable insert to allow the cost-effective incorporation of fast static tool changes into the same turn-mill centres and multi-tasking lathes.

Designed specifically for repeatability, precision and stability during turning operations, the VXT mechanism is particularly compact, enabling machining to take place very close to the turret and subsequently allowing extra flexibility when programming cutting cycles. The holder also exhibits high rigidity, which is important when cutting with the component rotating to prevent deflection of the tool tip and discourage chatter.

At the heart of the tool-holding innovation is a double-cone flex system with widely spaced support points. Elasticity designed into the second cone in the rear part of the adapter, combined with additional clamping screws in the shank area, gives the system its damping properties, minimising vibration and maximising tool life. The dual face and taper fit of the tool holder in the EWS interface, which is mounted in the turret, ensures not only high torque transmission but also precise orientation of the tool tip.

Repeatability of tool positioning is ±2 µm and transmissible torque is up to 160 Nm with the VXT3 interface, or 200 Nm with the larger VXT4, although these figures are likely to be revised upwards following ongoing tests. Maximum through-tool coolant pressure is 80 bar.

More information www.gewefa.co.uk

Work-holding specialist trials new cutting fluid

Industrial lubricants manufacturer Rocol has launched a new metalworking cutting fluid to help customers improve efficiency and cut costs. Tests show that TRI-Logic ATi eliminates all previous rework and scrap incurred due to corrosion and staining on complex components when cutting sensitive aluminium grades, even after 100 hours of continuous machining.

The removal of staining can save machine shops expensive man hours from having to rework parts or maybe even generate scrap or miss delivery deadlines. Furthermore, the optimised chemistry of Tri-Logic ATi now means that end users can cut aluminium, titanium and stainless steel from a single sump. The new cutting fluid achieves this without using traditional boron, chlorine and secondary amine chemistries, and is completely free from petroleum oils.

Field trials at work-holding manufacturer Brown and Holmes have delivered outstanding results, with positive feedback versus traditional metalworking fluids. 

Jamie Barton, product sales manager at Brown and Holmes, says: “We’ve been working with Rocol as a supplier for nine years and we continue to be impressed by their service and products. They beat our previous supplier on costs, service and sustainability, with the team available on demand for any issues.

“We’ve been trialling the ATi product in our new filtration system and the early results are superb,” he continues. “There’s been brilliant tramp oil separation, while the process has been a lot more efficient and the cleanliness of the coolant filtrating through the machine is also really positive. We’re machining a multitude of materials, including aluminium, titanium alloys, steel and stainless steel, and the product has performed well on all of them.”

More information www.rocol.com

Nikken helps unlock efficiency and precision

Last month, Nikken had the pleasure of welcoming representatives from Techpoint and DOF Tools to its European innovation centre in Rotherham for an exclusive hands-on experience with the company’s latest solutions for machine shops. Joined by Nikken’s export sales manager Iwao Miyahara, the visit provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen working relationships while showcasing the precision, reliability and performance of Nikken technology.

Throughout the day, guests witnessed live machining demonstrations, highlighting key areas of generating higher performance in processes like milling and drilling. Nikken says the demonstrations showcased how its solutions enhance productivity, improve tool life and deliver precision across a range of machining applications. Discussions with the Techpoint and DOF Tools teams provided valuable insight, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in driving engineering excellence.

To document the visit, Nikken put its new camera equipment to the test, recording the demonstrations in detail. From rapid tool changes to precision cutting, every moment was captured to showcase Nikken’s capabilities. The footage has now been edited into a video, giving a closer look at these technologies and techniques.

While the video provides a glimpse into what Nikken offers, nothing compares with seeing it first-hand. The company is therefore inviting manufacturers visit the Nikken Innovation Centre Europe (NICe), where they can experience these solutions in action, explore new machining strategies and work alongside the company’s expert team to enhance their production processes.

More information www.nikken-world.co.uk