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A simple way to improve tool life: Replace the ER's with DNA's

10/19/2011

DNA Collets (Dead Nuts Accurate) from TechniksUSA are proven to improve carbide tool life significantly.

If you are using carbide drills 1/8" (6mm) and smaller and getting inconsistent tool life, it's more than likely that your collet is the problem. The reason is because standard collets at these drill sizes do not provide consistent T.I.R., so wear is increased. Studies have proven that T.I.R. is a major factor in tool life for small diameter drills, end mills and routers. TechniksUSA created DNA Collets to fix this problem and extend the life of small diameter carbide tools.

Here's some of the major differences between a standard ER collet and a DNA collet:

ER collets 1/8" and smaller allow 40% of the collet to extend out of the collet pocket of the toolholder. This means that 40% of the surface area of the jaws in the collet do not collapse properly on the shank because they are not supported byt the ID tapered walls of the toolholder pocket.
Small diameter ER collets have a large counterbore in the ID at the bottom. So the bulk of the holding power of a standard ER collet is only in the area where the toolholder wall, the collet an the tool shank for a semi-solid connection. (that's the orange area in the picture a the right) As you can see from the picture, when you insert a tool into a standard collet the center of the shank becomes a fulcrum point depending on the OAL of the cutting tool. Because the DNA collet has more Holder-collet-shank engagement area it's less prone to deflection
The DNA collets have 6 slits compared to 8 slits in a standard ER collet. Less slits mean larger surface area for the collet jaws to engage the shank of the tool.

"Dead on balls Accurate"

The unique design of DNA collets provides the customer with consistent T.I.R. of .0002" readings and accuracy that boost the life of carbide drills. The beauty of this system is that it is used with any standard ER11, ER 16, ER20 & Er32 collet chucks.

Collets can be used in any CNC Milling Rotary toolholder that accepts ER collets, it's the same taper ID taper angle, as well as any standard collet holder in a CNC lathe. It's especially useful for swiss style turning machines, and mill-turn machines that require a higher level of part accuracy.

You Can download more information about DNA collets as well as size ranges here: TechniksUSA%20DNA%20ER%20collets.pdf

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The UNILOCK modular workholding system: A real time saver in cycle time

10/19/2011

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Have you seen the Big Kaiser UniLock? It's a great modular workholding system for quick changeover and quick location. We're finding that alot of our customers who are using it are telling us that it's been a real time saver for workpiece set-up and changeover especially in the short delivery small lot size repeat jobs. The great thing about it is that it can be moved from a CNC Vertical Mill to a CNC lathe and then onto a Horizontal CNC with no real loss of data points from re-clamping.

How it works

UNILOCK utilizes spring pressure to drive wedges against a tapered wedge lock (clamping knob). Air pressure is used to compress the springs, releasing the wedge lock.

Clamping is achieved by bleeding the air pressure out of the chuck. To facilitate palletization, the clamping knob is attached to a base plate, fixture or directly to a workpiece. The result is quick and repeatable clamping.

The UNILOCKis not restricted to one clamping knob. When the fixture or workpiece exceeds the work range of a UNILOCK chuck, additional clamping knobs and chucks can be used to provide the necessary support and stability required for the process.

There are few limiting factors in the size of an array of UNILOCK chucks or in the weight of a workpiece. Undersized knobs provide clearances for large parts or out of position locations. SBCC 0.6 0.024

Single chuck applications

The UNILOCK clamping knob mates with the center taper in the chuck to establish the centerline location (XY reference in a Cartesian coordinate system).

A timing pin or key locates in a notch or bushing to orient the coordinate system relative to XY and to restrict rotation.

The Z reference in this same coordinate system is established by the bottom of the fixture or workpiece contacting the top ground surfaces of the chuck.

These same mating surfaces (bottom of the fixture and top of the chuck) will control axial alignment.SBA Establishes centerline SBB Orients about centerline SBC Clamp only, no positioning Diametral Clearances.