FEATURE ON WORKHOLDING

Work-Holding Upgrade Doubles Productivity

At the Elland, West Yorkshire factory of Archway Engineering, which manufactures drilling equipment for site investigation, mineral exploration, water well construction and environmental monitoring, a Leadwell V-50L three-axis vertical machining centre performs some of the shop floor’s more arduous machining operations. Remarkably, the company has seen a doubling of component productivity on this machine simply by changing the method of workpiece clamping.

The transformation is courtesy of investment in three US-made Chick OneLOKs from sole UK agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories. One of the units remains permanently at one end of the machine’s 1420 x 610 mm table, where it has been clocked into a known position to within 10 µm across the 152 mm face of the clamp’s fixed hard jaw. The other two OneLOKs are removable to make room to mount a 4th-axis indexer, but they are quick to set up again relative to the permanently-positioned clamp by means of a parallel bar.

During frequent small-batch runs, it is a simple matter to secure three parts side by side, write a sub-program to machine the workpiece in the permanent One LOK, probe the position of the parts in the other two clamps, repeat the sub-program twice at the appropriate offsets, and run the complete cycle in one go.

Danielle Toner, production manager at Archway Engineering, says: “The quicker set-up times using the Chick OneLOKs and the faster machining cycles that their secure clamping allow means we can produce a typical short batch of parts on the Leadwell in two days, compared with up to one week previously.Overall, our investment in Chick work-holding solutions has been a fantastic success and the advice and service provided by 1st Machine Tool Accessories have been first class.”

More information www.1mta.com

Blue Photon adhesive work holding at MACH

Exhibited on the stand of NCMT at last month’s MACH 2024 exhibition in Birmingham, UK, was the Blue Photon photo-activated adhesive system. According to the company, this technology is ideal for securing awkwardly shaped parts while allowing maximum access to tools for tight-tolerance machining or inspection.

The process involves applying an adhesive that is cured by UV light via an LED spot-curing system. After machining is complete, users can shear the adhesive contact points to free the workpiece by rotating the gripper pins in the fixture plate with a spanner. Any residual adhesive is removeable by applying hot water.

Use of the technique will likely grow due to its ability to hold components securely with a shear resistance of up to 200 kg per gripper point, while allowing cutters all-round access for machining on five sides. Unlike magnetic clamping systems, it is suitable for securing non-ferrous metallic parts, including composites.

Blue Photon is suited, for example, to clamping a turbine blade for the one-hit machining of the fir-tree and wedge face on the root, as well as the shroud end features, without tolerance build-up. Traditionally, due to clamp interference, multiple operations are necessary.

NCMT has designed a novel turbine blade fixture incorporating four gripper inserts that, once adhesive has been applied and cured, holds a blade securely by one side of the aerofoil. Tests show that the clamping force produced by the fixture can easily withstand the rigours of machining. The material removal rate actually exceeded that achieved when the blade was mechanically clamped as, in the latter case, the pressure had to be limited to avoid component distortion and marking.

For further information www.ncmt.co.uk

Simple finger change during an ongoing process

With its new BSWS-R quick-change jaw system, Schunk enables automated finger changes during an ongoing process. The system consists of just a few components and is compatible with all grippers featuring the PGN-plus-P screw connection diagram.

In many sectors, production is increasingly moving in the direction of high-mix/low-volume. This is where being able to produce a wide range of variants without any manual set-up, even with the smallest batch sizes, is becoming a great advantage for companies. The BSWS-R jaw quick-change system makes this possible with its flexible solution.

The latest evolutionary stage of the BSWS series enables robots to change their gripper fingers automatically in-process – in under three seconds. Until now, automated changes have only been possible when replacing the entire gripper. Meanwhile the BSWS-R can accomplish this task with a minimum of components.

A quick-change system base, two adapter pins and a deposit station are the only parts needed for each gripper finger. The base screws into the workpiece-specific gripper finger and the adapter pins fasten to the base jaw of the gripper. When the base moves into the deposit station, the locking pin actuates and the form-fit mechanism unlocks. The robot moves upwards out of the jaw quick-change system, while the fingers and base remain in the deposit station. No additional work is necessary as the robot performs the change independently. The new design eliminates the need to drill through the finger. Only threaded holes are required, giving users more freedom when designing fingers.

The BSWS-R is available in nine sizes. In smaller versions up to size 100, the support stations feature elastomer bearings, making them suitable for use with collaborative robots (cobots).

For further information www.schunk.com

Heimatec extends combi multiple turning holder range

Heimatec, the trusted partner of UK work-holding specialist Hyfore, has expanded its product range of combi multiple turning holders. The precision tool manufacturer now offers a selection of holders with internal coolant and wedge-clamping features in various sizes for a variety of machine brands, with the range undergoing continuous expansion to include other machine manufacturers. All are available in the UK from Hyfore.

The internal coolant allows for a continual, optimal supply of cooling lubricant that directly targets the cutting edge of the tool. It removes any chips generated by the machining process quickly and easily, avoiding problems caused by chips collecting in the machine. As with other Heimatec holders, the combi multiple turning holder is also suitable for machining operations that use an external coolant supply, or those which require a combination of internal and external lubricant.

Notably, Heimatec also refined and adapted the clamping feature on the new turning tool-holder models during the development process. The new range of combi multiple turning holders utilises an optimised wedge-style clamping approach, which replaces the selective hexagonal screws seen on previous models with clamps that grip the turning tool over its entire surface. According to Hyfore, the result is a quick and easy assembly and disassembly process when changing the turning tool.

Hexagonal screw clamping tool holders are still available to order as an accessory from Hyfore.

For further information www.hyfore.com

Lang Technik in partnership with racing team

What connects motocross and the machining industry? More than many might think at first glance. In fact, some of the most important components for bikes in the world’s biggest racing series are manufactured in German machine shops.

Performance and comfort play a decisive role on the race track when it comes to victories and podium places. Precision machine tools that meet the high demands of motorsport are essential here. When talking about reliable clamping systems, which are also of fundamental importance in this production process, Lang Technik says there is no getting around its MakroGrip five-axis vice.

According to Lang Technik, the MakroGrip’s technical and physical features enable the production of precision racing components that can withstand the extreme stresses of the race track. The company is proud to have been supporting racing customers for many years and is now also supporting the Kosak KTM Racing Team with immediate effect.

The fact that links between Lang Technik and motorsport go far beyond manufacturing is primarily due to managing director Günter Lang, who once actively raced motocross himself. His passion for horsepower and gasoline, as well as his contacts in racing, never waned. He still regularly attends motocross events.

Lang’s long-standing acquaintance with Herbert Kosak, a veteran of German motocross racing, finally got the partnership rolling. At the end of 2023, Lang Technik agreed with team manager Kevin Gödderz and Sylvia Kosak, daughter of team boss Herbert Kosak, to support the KTM Kosak Racing Team and from now on will be cheering them on week after week.

For further information www.lang-technik.de