A family-owned precision engineering company from Otley is celebrating the milestone of producing 10,000 high-quality Craftsman Capto tool holders for CNC lathes, the majority of which are exported around the world.

Many engineering companies around the UK have found themselves having to adapt to the challenges surrounding COVID-19, but Craftsman Tools has remained open for business, with a number of its products going towards vital industries fighting the virus.
Key to the company’s product line is the Craftsman Capto tool holder. Allowing quick tool changes for different operations, users of Craftsman Capto benefit from reduced machine downtime and increased productivity.
Craftsman Tools’ licence to manufacture the tool holders was awarded by multinational tooling giant Sandvik Coromant, first within the UK, then in the US, and finally worldwide in 1998. Today Craftsman Tools exports over 80% of all Craftsman Capto tool holders it produces, including to markets such as China, India and Brazil.
Coinciding with the milestone of producing 10,000 Craftsman Capto units, 2020 has also seen the company in a rejuvenated push to develop new products and partnerships around the world.
Managing director Robert Johnson says: “In these challenging times it is wonderful to be able to celebrate such a milestone. The proven Craftsman Capto technology is exported to dozens of countries around the world, each unit proudly labelled ‘Made in Otley’.”
Commercial manager Tim Thorburn adds: “By partnering with large multinational companies, Craftsman Tools continues to punch well above its weight, and we have become an established industry name all over the world. Despite the uncertain economic times, we’re confident that we’ll soon be able to celebrate our 20,000th unit.”
For further information www.craftsmantools.com

Nikken has launched what it is describing as “the ultimate shrink-fit solution”.

Designed to meet the demands of the most competitive markets, Nikken’s latest tool-holding range has been developed and manufactured using carefully selected materials and processes to suit the majority of machine, tool-shank and other application requirements.
Based on a mono-block body design with a precise bore to grip the cutting-tool shank, the range is 100% ground with options available to suit any length, diameter and clearance requirement. Nikken can also supply from stock various options for coolant control to meet the specifics of the respective machining operations.
The company’s precise manufacturing process is said to allow for a superior tool run-out of less than 0.003 mm, as well as providing high-quality surface finish and increased speeds.
When the body is heated, normally by a magnetic induction coil, the main bore expands to allow the cutting tool to be loaded. Once the process is complete and heat is no longer being applied, the holder cools and contracts to accurately grip and retain the shank. In general, shrinking can provide greater contact when compared with a standard tool holder or collet system, says Nikken, with the tool shank gripped at 360° for the whole bore length.
For further information www.nikken-world.co.uk

SMW Autoblok has introduced its HFKS-2G weight-optimised power chuck with flats and large through-hole for minimising inertia, maximising part accessibility, and saving wear and tear on the spindle.

Suitable for high-volume lathe and turn-mill centre applications, the HFKS-2G is optimised for the heavy-duty precision machining of easily deformed workpieces, including the gripping of both ID and OD part geometries. As a result of specially designed flats on the chuck body, the ability to use shorter tools to gain closer access to workpieces provides added part precision and cost efficiency.
The HFKS-2G features a proprietary wedge hook mechanism combined with a multi-jaw guide, which multiplies the points of contact and provides added surface connection and stability. In addition, the specially designed guidance system features inclined geometry that locks the master jaw mechanically after clamping against the chuck body and reduces jaw movement.
This multi-jaw control, along with the integrated centrifugal force compensation, enables significantly higher speeds and delivers twice the grip force at maximum RPM compared with other industry three-jaw chucks, reports the company.
Direct lubrication channels and grease reservoirs integrated in the jaw guideways ensure constant clamp force and improved accuracy and durability, even in harsh industrial environments. The specially designed lubrication system also minimises downtime and reduces maintenance costs.
HFKS-2G chuck body and internal parts are case-hardened and polished for increased life. Available in a variety of sizes from 210-320 mm, the power chuck accepts all inch serrated top jaws.
For further information www.smw-autoblok.de

Roemheld has introduced pneumatically actuated swing clamps incorporating a mechanical locking action, whereby the full holding force – between 200 and 600 N – is maintained in the case of air-pressure reduction or loss, ensuring operator safety and avoiding the production of scrap. Operating pressure is between 2 and 6 bar.

The clamp is a pull-type cylinder with a piston that is automatically locked when the workpiece height is within the designated clamping range, after which the air line can be depressurised or uncoupled, for example during pallet change. For unclamping, which is monitored, only the minimum pneumatic pressure is needed.
A feature of the clamps is a pair of flow control valves that can be easily adjusted from above. The valves allow the speed of the sturdy swing mechanism to be reduced if the flow rate is too high or when the clamping arms are of larger mass. This functionality also enables synchronisation or sequencing of the closure of several connected clamps. The swing angle is normally 90° clockwise or counter-clockwise, although it can be 60°, 45° or absent (0°).
If machining dry or with MQL, the ingress of small particles can be prevented by the use of an additional wiper ring.
For further information www.roemheld.co.uk

At this year’s MACH exhibition at the Birmingham NEC, which has now been postponed until January 2021, Schunk had planned to demonstrate its expertise in gripping systems and clamping technology with live demonstrations of a robotic cell co-ordinated with a machining centre featuring robotic loading, unloading and measuring.

The automated machining cell would have seen components loaded into a FANUC RoboDrill machining centre from a racking system via a FANUC robot, and subsequently removed from the machining centre and loaded to a Renishaw Equator gauging system. On the bed of the FANUC RoboDrill would have been Schunk’s Vero-S zero-point clamping technology, clamping components for the machining process.
The base table of the Renishaw Equator was due to be fitted with a Schunk NSL Mini 100-2 clamping station, a compact stationary clamping system that has an area of 199 x 99 x 30 mm. Despite the compact design, the Schunk NSL Mini offers a clamping force of 1000 N, which is extended to 3,000 N with the Schunk NSL Mini Turbo variant.
The multiple components in the automation cell would have been clamped in pallets all fitted with Schunk NSR robot modules. NSR is a maintenance-free robot coupling system for pallet handling that provides easy adaption to robot arms of all kinds. The compact, quick and easy-to-integrate pallet-handling system allows automated loading extremely close to the machine table, robot module and loading station. NSR robot modules can be operated with a system pressure of 6 bar, which ensures that additional pressure intensifiers are not required. From a positional and repeatability perspective, the NSR has been designed with an easy joining process that ensures a repeat accuracy of 0.005 mm.
For further information www.schunk.com