FEATURE ON WORKHOLDING

Ceratizit delivers productivity gains for Bedford CNC

Ceratizit UK & Ireland’s technical sales and applications teams work in partnership with customers to ensure maximum productivity, whether that is with the latest in cutting tool technology, or with advice on manufacturing efficiency. The latter was the case when Bedford CNC was looking to improve throughput of some aluminium blocks.

While the productivity of these blocks was already good, machining four per cycle using two Ceratizit ZSG 4 vices on a four-axis machining centre, a suggestion by Ceratizit would double throughput and, by default, reduce manufacturing costs.

“When Ceratizitrecommended manufacturing a bespoke fixture that would accommodate four ZSG Mini vices, with each vice holding two components, it was an easy decision to make, as we can now produce twice as many parts in a single cycle, with reduced set-up time and costs,” says Andy Soos, managing director and owner at Bedford CNC.

Ceratizit designed and manufactured the fixture in-house at its technical centre in Sheffield, where the applications team has a range of CADCAM suites and an array of machine tools on which to produce projects such as this, or simply to provide customer training. From concept to manufacture, Ceratizit managed thewhole fixture project in-house with the completed fixture available within two-weeks of order placement.

“Having this capability adds another level of service that we can offer to customers, where we are able to develop manufacturing solutions quickly to assist them as they look to increase efficiency and profitability,” says Ceratizit technical sales engineer Nev Frisby. “When I put the idea to Andy at Bedford CNC, his reaction was how soon can I have it?To turn it around in such a short space of time was a major advantage to him.”
For further information www.ceratizit.com

High-performance AMRC aerospace projects

Tripartite collaboration between project enabler/integrator, machine tool supplier and tool-holding specialist is continually pushing the boundaries of high-performance machining and increasingly reducing machining lead times and production costs for a major aerospace company.

The ongoing work between the project lead – the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) – and machine tool specialist Starrag UK, plus the tooling expertise of Nikken Kosakusho on a variety of aluminium and titanium aerostructure workpieces is cutting piece part costs through the creation of improved machining routines.

“Although not directly targeted by the projects, in some cases reductions in cycle times are a rewarding by-product of the work; in certain instances of more than 50% compared with ‘conventional’ machining processes,” says Starrag UK’s director for sales and applications, Lee Scott.

Among Nikken’s tool-holding solutions is the Slim Chuck, a high-accuracy collet chuck that boasts minimal runout – 3 µm at 4xD– leading to higher component precision and improved tool life. Also, its maximum gripping torque of more than double that of traditional ER alternatives, not only complements the Heckert X40’s rigidity/stability to permit more aggressive machining parameters, it also improves process security and therefore leads to reduced scrap.

The workpieces – of titanium and aluminium – all fit within the machining envelope of 700 x 750 x 750 mm.

Tom McCready, engineering and operations manager at the AMRC’s Machining Group, says: “With all three partners collaborating closely, we have so far collectively achieved some incredibly successful results by pushing the limits of the machine and the tooling for increased metal removal, without jeopardising quality, on these workpieces.”
For further information www.starrag.com

Robo-Trex boosts Oberon’s performance

Established at the dawn of the millennium, Oberon Performance has gained a global reputation for the premium quality of its range of motorcycle accessories, which include adjustable levers, billet headlights, brake and clutch lever protectors, clutch slave cylinders, mirror extenders, foot-peg kits, and handlebar risers.

To ensure that the company’s busy Haas multi-axis CNC milling machine was able to reach its full productive potential and keep pace with demand, Oberon Performance director Steve Evans recently investigated machine tool automation aids. Having compared the products of several leading providers, the company purchased a Robo-Trex automation system from Lang Technik UK.

“When compared with the new machine tool we contemplated, our recently installed Lang system occupies a much smaller footprint,” says Evans. “Furthermore, it cost a fraction of the price and it has helped us to achieve the same increase in production as the new machine would have.”

He adds: “Operating unattended and fed by the Lang Robo-Trex system, our Haas machine now runs unattended through each shift. Then, when required, at the end of a working day, we’re able to restock our Robo-Trex trollies with batches of workpiece blanks, allowing the machine to maintain unmanned production in lights-out mode through the night.

The Lang Robo-Trex robot system uses two high-capacity trollies that act as mobile storage mediums for multiple Lang vices which hold workpiece blanks. Notably, the system’s operation is logical and trouble-free: a robot picks a vice from the trolley, loads it into the machine tool and,once machining is complete, returns the vice holding the completed component to the trolley. When filled with fully machined parts, the trolley is removed and a replacement loaded with ready-to-machine workpiece blanks is added.
For further information www.lang-technik.co.uk

Floyd Automaticgets a grip on small components

Now available in the UK from Floyd Automatic Tooling is the expanded range of MASA Microconic over-grip spindle collets. The precise and stable clamping of small workpieces in the sub-spindle of sliding-head machines has long been an issue for turned part manufacturers; MASA says it has revolutionised this ‘pain-point’ for manufacturers to deliver precision work-holding operations.

Until now, this solution has been available primarily on 20 and 32mm capacity sliding-head machines. However, MASA is now expanding the series to cater for manufacturers working on 10 and 12mm diameter capacity models.

To truly understand Microconic, manufacturers must first consider that only three things are in physical contact with the workpiece, the cutting tool, coolant/cutting fluid and workholding. MASA’s Microconic over-grip collet system ultimately allows manufacturers to rethink what is possible. This work-holding system consists of a cartridge and precision collet. The over-grip collet fits inside a cartridge and allows accurate adjustment before fitting directly into the existing collet sleeve with no machine adaptations required.

The patented over-grip collets can open up to 4mm larger than the clamping diameter and can also incorporate an ejection guide sleeve blank, which helps the end user to solve the difficulty of ejecting parts from the collets after machining. This allows manufacturers to reach behind flanges, parts with heads or any other enlarged feature.

Suitable for processing components with stepped features such as connectors, screws or other common parts, the over-clamp system can clamp over the protruding features and securely clamp on the main body of components. The collets are available with clamping diameters from 0.2 to 10mm, offering concentricity of 3-5µm.
For further information www.floydautomatic.co.uk

Chucks and reduction sleeves cut tool-holding hassle

Manufacturers must overcome specific machining challenges cost effectively. With this goal in mind, Seco offers its comprehensive range of hydraulic chucks and accompanying reduction sleeves in three versions, each able to accommodate several tool shank size variations for reduced tooling inventory. With 360° tool-shank holding strength and precise centring, the hydraulic chucks and expansion sleeves ensure reliability, along with exceptional machining performance and maximised tool life, reports Seco.

For simple, easy-to-use, versatile tool holding, the three versions of Seco hydraulic chucks include the HC Conventional, HCR Reinforced and the HCS Slim. The HC Conventional delivers precision holding for drilling, reaming and light milling. As a universal solution, the HCR Reinforced provides effective holding for all applications from HSM to HPM and for all kinds of tool shank types like cylindrical, weldon and whistle notch. The HCS Slim is suitable for accessing deep, narrow part cavities during five-axis machining at high speeds. Seco’s hydraulic chucks support all of the company’s round tools.

“Complicated tool-holding systems not only require special care and training to avoid operator injury, they add extra time and costs,” says Seco product manager Yves Heitz. “Seco hydraulic chucks and reduction sleeves eliminate the risk, as well as any extra maintenance,so users get in-cut faster while gaining tool-holding versatility with less required tooling.”

For added flexibility to accommodate a wide range of cutting tool sizes, 05FHC slotted reduction sleeves allow one holder to handle various shank diameters. They provide through-tool or peripheral cooling capabilities and work with either metric or inch-size tools.
For further information www.secotools.com