Cutting & Holding Products

Specialty gear chucks shift to quick change

N.A. Woodworth of Troy, MI, has introduced a series of specialized chucks for gear production: the advanced “Quick-Pitch” Diaphragm PLD (Pitch Line Diaphragm) Chucks featuring quick change, precision top jaw tooling sets.

These chucks, using radius diaphragm chuck technology, are for gear manufacturing, grinding and hard-part processing where low-to-medium volume runs are the norm. They provide 60-second changeouts whenever frequent part-to-part changeovers are required.

The system incorporates the use of fixed-length, interchangeable wedge pins that locate and lock on the gear’s pitch diameter, work with pieces having virtually any number of teeth and can compensate for varying teeth spacing and pitch values. The Quick-Pitch PLD models can be used on applications with sun, ring, pinion and output gears with spur and helical gear tooth forms.

Four Quick-Pitch chuck units are available, featuring three three-jaw versions with pitch diameter capacities of ø25 - ø100mm, ø100 – ø170mm, ø170 – ø245mm, plus a six-jaw unit having ø245 – ø350mm gear pitch diameter range.

The chucks’ operating features include pull-back action to fixed stops that helps maintain accurate and repeatable workpiece position along with centrifugal force compensation that eliminates the effects of running at today’s higher machining speeds.

The Quick-Pitch chucks also incorporate weight-saving engineering concepts that help minimize wear and tear on machine tool and grinding system spindles and bearings.

The key to the operation of the Quick-Pitch chuck is its simplistic locating wedge pin design, with each pin set in a jaw that snaps into place to orient and accurately locate each individual pins’ positions relative to the master jaw set.

Two half-turn clamp screws lock and hold the jaw in place, and just as easily the jaws are released, removed, changed over and retightened with no additional adjustments or setup procedures required. The pins are nitrided to provide a hard, long-wearing surface area for greater service life.

The Quick-Pitch Diaphragm chucks also feature a sealed design to withstand harsh work environments, including grinding sludge and coolants. The diaphragm mechanism has no sliding parts that can become contaminated, resulting in minimal maintenance requirements. Optional synchronizing pins are available to facilitate auto-load operations.

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N.A. Woodworth

Series of grippers ideal for medical applications to avoid contamination

DE-STA-CO’s Next Generation Direct Connect Double Wedge Parallel Grippers (DPD series) are designed for “clean room” applications.

The DPD-E sealed jaw boot is available with scavenge ports for applications where mechanism lubricant could cause contamination by grease exiting the gripper. For applications in hazardous or dirty environments that could cause damage to the gripper. The E-sealed jaw boot has a purge port option. It is to the advantage of the gripper to keep the customer’s finger’s weight and inertia to a minimum.

Also, in hazardous or dirty environments, it is recommended to plug all unused mounting hole threads in the jaws as some of these holes are drilled through to the internal mechanism of the gripper allowing particulate ingestion. The jaw’s end holes of the DPD-B bottom jaw option are supplied plugged for this reason.

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DE-STA-CO

REGO-FIX launches powRgrip PG collet system

REGO-FIX is now offering the powRgrip PG 32 collet system, the new industry standard for toolholding. It is designed to provide a greater clamping range for its customers.

REGO-FIX's system uses a toolholder and collet to generate high clamping force – higher than shrink-fit holders – while still maintaining a T.I.R of less than 0.0001".

The powRgrip PG 32 also gives customers the ability to clamp tool shanks ranging up to 1" in diameter, an increase from the previous maximum clamping capacity of .75". The toolholding system is ideal for high speed machining applications, and offers an extensive taper selection, including CAT, BT, HSK and TC versions. Like all powRgrip toolholders, the PG 32 is balanced by design, improving part quality and surface finish, and lowering manufacturing costs.

The PG 32 collet is inserted into the holder using a table-top mini-press that generates nine tons of force. Available in both metric and inch diameters up to 1" (25mm), the system relies on the interference between the holder and collet to create its clamping force.

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REGO-FIX

New Unilock starter kit immediately reduces setup time

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling introduces a workholding solution in the Unilock Starter Kit. The Unilock kit allows users to plug the components into their production cell, eliminating setup time and increasing productivity.

The clamping chucks in the Unilock kits are mounted to universal adapter plates, allowing them to be mounted into the cell for use. The kit also contains universal pallets that allow the user to attach and detach the positioning and clamping components used to hold that which needs to be exchanged in and out of the production cell.

Unilock can be used in virtually any process where change-time needs to be reduced. Unilock can be used to exchange work pieces in excess of 5,000lbs; however, these kits are designed for use with small parts and fixtures that can be shuttled by hand or robot from one process to another.

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BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling

Hydramax introduces double row workholding system

The Hydramax model Hydra-12 ST-D vise jaws fit onto a Kurt-type vise and, with a double row of pistons, allow the user to hold up to six longer parts at once. A common channel equalizes pressure against all the individual pistons so even pressure is applied to all parts.

Even though hydraulic pressure is used, there are no connections to make and changeover is fast and easy. According to the manufacturer, a changeover from the standard jaw takes less than 30 seconds.

The patented 12-piston system shown is one of 13 different configurations available.

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Hydramax Workholding Systems