OMIL’s series of gripping systems is now available in the UK from Leader Chuck International.

Within the range there are newly developed and enhanced products that are designed to improve efficiency, productivity and accuracy in a number of sectors, including machine tools, assembly machines, transfer machines, gantry-robots, as well as bespoke machining solutions.
End effectors for industrial robots can grip parts weighing up to 500 kg and up to 1000°C for die casting and forging, while applications for grippers used on automated assembly lines include automotive, domestic appliance, pharmaceutical, electronics, food and beverage, and packaging.
The range of pneumatic grips offered is as diverse as the industrial applications supported, from two-finger parallel to three- or four-finger self-centring, and two-finger radial. As an example of the level of engineering applied to its products, the OMIL GSO range of two-finger parallel grippers is manufactured to facilitate protection class IP67 for use in harsh environments. An oval cylinder is used for higher gripping forces, between
123 N for the smallest unit with 5 mm stroke, and 1640 N for the largest with a stroke of 32 mm.
For applications where larger and heavier workpieces require gripping, OMIL has a number of ranges that provide strokes up to 400 mm and gripping forces of 10,000 N at normal workshop pressure of 6 bar.
With regard to milling machine applications, a range of chucks for round parts and vices for prismatic components are available, while special machinery applications can encompass punching and forming machines, as well as measurement and inspection systems.
“Any company looking at specifying a new automation system or upgrading an existing installation should look at OMIL as a viable alternative to Japanese and German suppliers,” concludes Jones. “Not only do they offer the same performance at considerable cost advantage and complete interchangeability, but the benefit of flexibility allows solutions to be customised in line with each application.”
For further information http://leaderchuck.com/

Clamping and gripping specialist Röhm has expanded its corporate executive board, effective from 1 April 2019.

Together with Gerhard Glanz, Dr Till Scharf has taken on the new role of COO/CTO. Dr Scharf is now be responsible for the logistics, development, construction and production business divisions.
After earning an engineering degree from the University of Stuttgart and collaborating on projects at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology, and the Institute for Combustion Engines and Vehicle Technology, Dr Scharf successfully studied for a doctorate at the University of Clausthal. Within the scope of his career Dr Scharf has held a variety of managerial positions with market-leading companies and corporations in the industrial and automotive sectors.
“We are pleased to welcome such an internationally experienced manager as Dr Scharf to our team,” says Glanz. “He has already proven himself to be a highly successfully leader, and we are confident that he will assist us in mastering the current optimisation tasks within our corporate group even faster and more efficiently.”
For further information www.roehm.biz

Roemheld’s range of die-clamping solutions for presses and injection-moulding systems has been supplemented with a newly designed series of robust wedge clamping elements.

A hydraulic model has been developed specifically for the fixing of upper dies that meets the highest safety requirements.
An additional locking cylinder holds the wedge clamping bolt in position and prevents any inadvertent retraction. Release of the clamping device is only possible once the locking mechanism has been opened, which ensures that the upper die is retained in position, even in the event of a pressure drop.
The wedge clamping element itself comprises a block cylinder with housing-guided clamping bolt. An angled contact surface creates a frictional connection in conjunction with angled die clamping edges. A position control is integrated as a space-saving measure to monitor the clamping and release position, as well as the status of the locking mechanism. Whenever there is no die available, a notification is issued.
Due to the Roemheld wedge clamps being constructed as a variant system, they can be adjusted in accordance with respective customer requirements. The standard range already includes seven designs with clamping forces of 25 to 630 kN, and cylinder dimensions of between 25 and 125 mm. Clamping strokes of 15 to 36 mm are available here, while the maximum operating pressure is 350 bar.
When elements are to be used for processes with high heat requirements, special designs are available which are temperature-resistant up to 300°C. In addition, there are versions for straight clamping edges, as well as models with clamping forces of up to 1250 kN, and even higher retention forces.
For further information www.roemheld.co.uk

Aimed at production shops where manual mills may still be in operation, but equally suited to use on a CNC vertical machining centre, a manually adjustable indexing head has been introduced by 1st Machine Tool Accessories.

RotaVice can be rapidly set to position a component at multiple rotary angles in the horizontal plane for milling and drilling.
Manufactured in the UK, the unit is designed to be secured in a One-Lok work-holding device manufactured by Chick in the US, for which 1st MTA is the sole agent in the UK and Ireland.
Costly fixtures and the need to change machine set-ups can be avoided, saving money and time. In smaller job shops employing four-axis VMCs equipped with a full or indexing rotary table, where there may be only one or two people able to program the machine, the load can be lightened by having an operator of a lower skill level set up a component manually for three-axis machining.
Everything about RotaVice is said to be fast. First, a One-Lok may be bolted quickly on to a VMC table. Next, positioning the moveable jaw using the integral time-saving ratchet mechanism leaves only a few turns of the handle to clamp the indexing head in a special RotaVice jaw, also made by 1st MTA, which replaces the standard One-Lok jaw. Lastly, the workpiece is secured in moments in a horizontal orientation using an array of work-holding options, which include a three-jaw chuck.
Adjusting the angle is also rapid and accurate, and is effected by turning a circular locating plate to the required angle and inserting a pin into the relevant hole, an array of which are pre-drilled into the plate at the most common angles.
For further information www.1mta.com

The upgraded KZS centric-clamping vices from Röhm are suitable for, among other things, six-sided machining involving two clamping operations on round or prismatic workpieces. KZS range vices deliver clamping forces of up to 55 kN, an increased clamping range of 20% and a reduced interfering contour for optimal chip flow.

For use in three-axis, four-axis and five-axis machining centres, as well as all the usual zero-point clamping systems, both of the products in the range can be operated either pneumatically or hydraulically. In particular, this fact also means they are suited to scenarios involving robot-assisted workpiece loading. Here, the cost-saving opportunities are large. For example, one or two KZS clamping blocks can replace a large number of manual vices in automated procedures.
KZS vices can be loaded directly into the machine by a robotic arm. This potential means that it is not necessary for an operator to pre-position the workpiece outside the machine with an extra clamping device. Furthermore, a separate manual vice needs not be available for each component. When combined with a zero-point clamping system, such an arrangement makes it possible to shorten cost-intensive set-up times. Röhm can even adapt its centric-clamping vices to other manufacturers’ zero-point clamping systems. The direct benefits for the user are shorter set-up times, better utilisation of machine times and higher productivity levels.
With KZS vices, the precision wedge hook system is said to result in superior part quality and a high level of process reliability. Furthermore, an improved lubrication solution ensures that the clamping forces always remain at their highest level. Consequently, the clamping blocks are also suited to sophisticated milling operations associated with high material removal rates, high cycle numbers and tight machining tolerances.
For further information www.roehm.biz