WORKHOLDING GRIPPING TALES
closure. The whole arrangement is mounted
horizontally on a fourth CNC axis comprising,
in this case, a Haas HRT210 rotary table and
Chick tailstock.
Most notable among the benefits is that
the operator is now able to fixture eight
plastic billets at a time, close the machine
doors, walk away for an hour to do other
jobs, and return to unload eight parts
machined on three faces, ready for a second
operation to mill away material from the back
face. The previous strategy of using three
individual vices meant that the operator had
to be in almost permanent attendance to
open the doors, reset the components and
close the doors, to be able to extract one
finished part every 15 minutes.
Production output is thus doubled,
despite the cutters being in contact with the
material for a similar length of time. The
saving comes purely through less handling of
the components, coupled with the need to
program fewer tool changes.
Jonathan Caple, managing director and
joint owner of Stratos Engineering, says: “We
are delighted with the efficiency of the new
Chick workholding system and so is our
customer. They visited to see the new
process and were so impressed that it
prompted them to award us additional work.”
In Deutsch Kaltenbrunn, Austria, contract
manufacturer Schittl, which specialises in
the production of one-offs and small series
projects, is making good use of toolholding
chucks from Big Kaiser. The UK agent for Big
Kaiser is Industrial Tooling Corporation
(https://is.gd/etamit).
Schittl needs many kinds of tools for the
Austrian firm Schittl praises the Big
Kaiser Hi-Power Milling Chuck
smooth operation of its extensive machine
shop, which is why the company works
closely with solution-focused, multi-brand
dealer Metzler.
Take the critical fit of bored holes, for
example. In the past, Schittl produced these
bores with reamers secured in precision
collets. Although this approach proved to be
accurate, it also required a great deal of
maintenance. Tools needed to be cleaned
after each use, which, due to the long slots,
could become relatively costly. Also, when a
chip became jammed inside, the production
process could suffer significant disruption,
as clamping force and concentricity were
impaired.
CHIP JAMS NO MORE
To remedy the situation, Metzler
recommended the Big Kaiser Hi-Power Milling
Chuck, which provides high concentric
accuracy, due to its design and mode of
action. Defined slots in its body ensure even
deformation of the chuck and thus guarantee
uniform and strong clamping force. The key
benefit: handling becomes far easier, since
chips can’t jam inside the chuck.
“At first, I was sceptical whether the
concentric accuracy of the power chuck
would be sufficient for our precise fits,”
admits managing director Roman Gradwohl,
adding: “However, when we tested it, the
repeatability and handling were more than
convincing.”
Another company investing in toolholding
technology is Holtex Engineering Solutions,
based in Holmfirth, which has installed a
heatshrink system from Haimer (https://
is.gd/ugivij).
“We have an ethos of investing in new
technology, including some of the latest
multi-axis turning machines, as well as
3- and 5-axis mills,” says Ben Robinson,
director at Holtex. “This technology is
supported by high quality tooling that is
complemented by the Haimer Power Clamp
special edition heat-shrink system for the
milling section and the Haimer UNO20/40
Microset tool pre-setter for the turning
department.
“We invested in Haimer because a lot of
the jobs we do are relatively high precision
and we’re using quite delicate tooling at
times,” continues Robinson. “Additionally,
the machinery we have is only as good as
the tooling we use, and the more accurate
our tooling, the better off we are from the
start.
“Today, we’re setting tools off the
machine and for longer-run jobs. We’re also
setting the next tool while existing tools are
running on the machine, which reduces
downtime. In addition, the tooling is lasting
considerably longer as it’s running at muchimproved
accuracy and run-out.” ■
Latest workholding products in brief
■ The established Hainbuch Centrotex quick-changeover
interface is now available in a version for smaller spindles. The
company says that Centrotex S is the smallest system available
on the market for setting up clamping devices in a matter of
seconds. With its diameter of just 224 mm, Centrotex S is suited
to quick-changeover systems for machines with a small work
space. Offering repeatability to ≤0.002 mm on the interface –
without need to align – the latest version of the Centrotex quick
changeover system is built to withstand rigorous operating
environments. https://is.gd/aguzon
■ Schunk has developed the Vero-S NSE-A3 138 automation
module specifically for automated machine tool loading, as well as
for applications in handling, assembly and automation technology.
For process-reliable workpiece and clamping device changes, the
automation component is equipped with a blow-off function that
cleans the interface surface during changeover. In addition, a
spring-actuated cone seal prevents the penetration of chips or dirt.
A pull-down force of 8,000 N or 28,000 N, along with activated
turbo function and high dimensional stability of the module body,
benefit the rigidity of Schunk’s latest automated quick-change
solution. Thus, even high tilting moments and shear forces can be
absorbed reliably, it says. Depending on the application, modules
can be combined in any quantity. https://is.gd/faguhi
54 www.machinery.co.uk @MachineryTweets November 2019
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