Category: Fixturing

Andretti Autsport Reduces Set-Up Time by 80% with Big Kiaser Unilock Workholding

9/21/2022

Charlie Mitchell, machinist for Andretti Autosport, discusses how Unilock pallets reduced his setup time by as much as 80%.

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Jergen's 5-Axis ER Collet Fixtures Provide Simple Clamping of Cylindrical Parts in a CNC MIll

4/12/2022

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Looking for a simple and low profile solution for clamping cylindrical workpieces and round bars? Do you ever need to hold a round shank workpiece and machine it in a CNC Mill?

The Jergen's 5-Axis ER Collet Fixtures could be the best economical solution to this workholding problem .

These hardened alloyed steel fixtures have a direct interface with other Jergens Fixture-Pro® products and have multiple mounting styles available.

The ER Collet Fixtures provide a simple and low profile solution for clamping cylindrical workpieces using the same technology you are already familiar with in your rotary toolholders.

Single piece, hardened alloy steel body
Accepts standard ER40 collets
Includes spanner style collet nut
Includes (4) pull studs installed
Left hand thread prevents back off when tightening collet nut

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The Anti Lift Jaw System for a 5th Axis Vise & a Comparison between 5th Axis and Lang Workholding

2/18/2020

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The anti-lift jaw system from 5th Axis is available for those customers requiring higher precision and accuracy during secondary operation machining.

The system uses a cleat and angled soft jaw to pull the jaw in and down when torque is applied to the lead screw.

Step 1
Loosen shoulder bolts and remove the standard master jaws from the vise base.

5th Axis AL75A anti jaw lift installation

Step 2
Take the shoulder bolts and utilize them to bolt the cleats onto the vise base. Torque shoulder bolts to 20 ft lbs. (27.11 Nm)

5th Axis anti jaw lift shoulder bolts AL75A

Step 3
Take anti-lift soft jaw and insert the soft jaw into the cleat. It helps if you insert the soft jaw at a 45 degree angle. Ensure that soft jaw seats properly into cleat.

5th Axis anti jaw lift installation AL75A

Step 4
Take soft jaw covers and place them on the backside of the jaw. Tighten bolts to secure covers to the soft jaw. These covers ensure that no chips on debris enter the anti-lift soft jaw.

Comparison of Jaw Lift on
5th Axis & Lang Workholding

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Use Clamp Confirmation to Safely Load and Unload Your Unilock System

11/15/2017

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Guest Blog: John Zaya
Product Manager
#Workholding
john.zaya@us.bigkaiser.com
Tel; 224.770.2930

Clamp confirmation for any system, UNILOCK or otherwise, is a sound design criterion when building any workholding system.

It is very common to see clamp/un-clamp confirmation in many automated loading systems as safety interlocking of the CNC machine, robot, robot EOA (end-of-arm) tooling, and workholding can all be integrated to a single master control.

Un-clamp confirmation does have a place in manual situations as well, mostly in large part processing, where cranes are used to lift parts off.

When a clamping system is not directly visible underneath a large part, then this requires an external indicator confirming that the system has successfully un-clamped and that it is safe to lift.

The indicators and sensors can be pneumatic switches which are offered by BIG KAISER or electrical proximity switches as offered by many other companies.

Unilock zero-point automation systems can be implemented at various points of any automation cell.

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Next Generation Tooling Now Offers Technical Training!

6/14/2017

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We are very excited to announce that we are now able to offer on-site technical training to YOUR machinists at YOUR location! This is offered at no charge to customers who use any of the manufacturer's whom we represent in California and Nevada.

However, just because you don't purchase things from us, don't feel left out! We also offer on-site topic specter training on any of the following topics for $150/hour.

Each presentation lasts about 2 hours. The presentations last approximately 45-60 minutes with the remaining time for Q&A and discussion about unique applications in your facility.

Training Classes Available:
Machining 101

Basic Boring
Basic Chamfering
Basic Drill Training
Basic End Mill
Basic Indexable
Basic Tap Training
Basic Tool Holders
Basic Work Holding / Fixturing

Advanced Part Manufacturing:

Programming Tool Path – Climb versus Conventional
Material Machinability – Cubic Inches of Stock Removal
Part Set Up / Work Holding / Fixture
Tool Holder Selection, Collet, Solid, Hydraulic, Shrink Fit
Cutting Tool Selection – Substrate, Geometry, Coating, Speed and Feeds
Estimating Part Cycle Time

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Blue Photon Labor Saving Chart

2/15/2017

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Complex part shapes have time consuming part loads to assure the part is properly nested before machining. Blue Photon makes a hard to load part easy and reduces the number of loads.

Traditional workholding does not usually utilize a machine’s full capabilities because of limited machining access therefore multiple workholding fixtures and process steps are required.

*Labor cost per part was calculated @ $50.00 per hour, based on 21 hours run time per (3) 8 hour shifts/5 day work weeks. 6,240 total hrs. per year

Blue Photon Workholding Labor savings chart

How the blue photon system realized reduce labor cost

With Blue Photon workholding technology, once the part is bonded to the transfer tool it can be loaded into all machines using the same machine mounted workholding fixture system such as Erowa, System 3R etc. The workpiece loads in seconds.

The ability of Blue Photon workholding technology to hold the workpiece on one side providing 5 and in some cases 6 side machining access is unheard of when machining castings and other near-net shape parts.

There is also reduced foot print for this cell and reduced capital investment to create the cell because multiple operations can be done in one workholding.

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Use Guide Pins to Assist in Loading of Fixtures to Protect Your Investment

12/14/2016

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john zaya Big Kaiser unilock workholding

Guest Blog
John Zaya
Product Manager
#Workholding
john.zaya@us.bigkaiser.com
Tel; 224.770.2930

The concept of using guide pins to load large fixtures has been around for a long time, and it even applies when incorporating Unilock zero-point clamping systems in your fixturing.

The main Unilock clamping knob is very robust, i.e.: very hard, and as such it can cause damage to a Unilock chuck if a fixture is very heavy or large.

Guide pins are set up on the base, and their corresponding holes or notches located on the edge of the fixture pre-position the fixture so, that as it is being lowered, the knobs do not impact the critical location faces of the clamping chuck.

This also has the added benefit of keeping operators in a safe location not having to use their hands & fingers to fine-adjust a slightly out-of-place fixture being lowered.

Unilock Guide pins installed on a sub-plate

1. Guide pins installed on a sub-plate

Unilock Corresponding guide holes notches on fixture plate

2. Corresponding guide holes notches on fixture plate

3. Fixture plate being lowered on to sub-plate

4. Guide pins and guide notches aid to perfectly align the fixture and sub-plate

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Everything you wanted to know about the Microconic #Workholding System

10/12/2016

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Matt Saccomanno, the inventor of the Microconic Workholding system discussed how it works at IMTS 2016.

Masa Tool has developed the Microconic™ system specifically for holding workpieces from Ø0.15mm to 10mm (Ø0.006" to 0.390") in any machine that has a collet-type chuck.

The system consists of two major components: The Microconic™ cartridge, which fits into your CNC machine spindle replacing the standard 5C, TF20 or TF25 collets, and the Microconic™ collet, which fits in the Microconic™ cartridge.

The Microconic™ system has unsurpassed concentricity: Our manufacturing tolerance is 3µm (.0001") and we guarantee our cartridges to be within 5µm (0.0002") in production use in your machine.

The Microconic™ system works with either draw-type or push-type standard collet systems that are in any machine.

The Over-grip collet capabilities of Masa Microconic™ System, introduces a whole new world of time saving opportunities awaiting. Our Overgrip Collets open up to 4mm (0.157") diameter larger than the clamping diameter.

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<<Previous

Andretti Autsport Reduces Set-Up Time by 80% with Big Kiaser Unilock Workholding

Jergen's 5-Axis ER Collet Fixtures Provide Simple Clamping of Cylindrical Parts in a CNC MIll

The Anti Lift Jaw System for a 5th Axis Vise & a Comparison between 5th Axis and Lang Workholding

Comparison of Jaw Lift on
5th Axis & Lang Workholding

Use Clamp Confirmation to Safely Load and Unload Your Unilock System

Next Generation Tooling Now Offers Technical Training!

Blue Photon Labor Saving Chart

How the blue photon system realized reduce labor cost

Use Guide Pins to Assist in Loading of Fixtures to Protect Your Investment

Everything you wanted to know about the Microconic #Workholding System

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