With the recent announcement of Hyfore Workholding as the exclusive UK distribution partner for the Heimatec brand of precision tools and systems, Dirk Hund, head of sales from Heimatec Germany recently visited Hyfore Workholding in the UK to deliver in-depth product training.

Specifically, Hund visited Oli Riley, standard workholding product manager at Hyfore Workholding, to deliver in-depth product training on Heimatec tooling. The presentations and training included solutions for static and driven tooling for fixed-head and Swiss-type lathes.

Before the UK visit, the Hyfore UK team underwent comprehensive training sessions in Germany at Heimatec’s headquarters in Renchen. The programme consisted of in-depth training on how the manufacture, assembly and testing of Heimatec tool holders.Rileyalso had time to discuss the latest developments from Heimatec, gaining a deeper understanding of the behind the scenes processes and building relationships with the Heimatec team in Germany.

Commenting upon the exciting new partnership, Riley says. “I gained a great insight into the structure of the tool-holder units and their impressive build quality. I’m looking forward to imparting my new Heimatec product knowledge to new and existing customers throughout the UK.”

Hund adds: “Oli is a fast learner and picked up quickly on the advantages the Heimatec product portfolio offer, such as high-speed, advanced speeder technology, internal cooling solutions, high pressure versus standard pressure, customised solutions, Heimatec quick-change systems and more. We’re happy to collaborate with Hyfore Workholding and strongly believe we have found the right partner for future success in the fast-growing UK market.”
For further information www.hyfore.com

Machinists obviously demand accuracy and repeatability, but according to Mate,these demands also extend to the vice that holds the workpiece. For this reason, Mate workholding functions as a system. A highly accurate and repeatable base needs a highly accurate and repeatable self-centring vice for the system to provide best-in-class operation. Here, Mate reports that its DynoGrip vices shorten set-up time and reduce process variability.

DynoGrip self-centring vices clamp parts to within 15 µm of perfect centre, repeatable to within 10 µm. These results are due in part to Mate manufacturing the lead screw in-house, using tool steel that is properly hardened and coated with titanium carbo-nitride. The screw has a fine 1.5 mm pitch and a trapezoidal thread yielding a strong, steady push.

Perhaps the most important feature is that Mate machines both the right and left sides of the lead screw from the same top dead centre. This process is how the company controls where the lead screw starts and stops. Mate does the same for the internal thread of the pusher to know the top dead centre. Since the company controls every element of the manufacturing process, it eliminates variability and makes it easy to get to the vice to centre accurately and in a repeatable manner.

DynoGrip self-centring vices also have an anti-lift design to counteract natural physicsthat will cause a part to rise up. The pushers and jaws work together to exert a downward force on the workpiece equal to the clamping force. Furthermore, the quick-change jaws feature a serrated tooth geometry which generates a downward force on the workpiece and a deliver superior ‘bite’ into the workpiece.
For further information www.mate.com

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

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