Product category:
Workholding - miscellaneous clamping systems, components
News Release from: Craftsman Tools | Subject: T-bracket style cubes
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 May 2003
Cubes' rigidity determines successful
cutting
The rigidity and robustness of heavy duty T-bracket workholding cubes is critical in order to resist the high cutting forces required to cut titanium and exotic steel alloys.
Otley-based Craftsman Tools, leading manufacturer of tool and workholding systems, has received an order from GKN Aerospace Services for five heavy duty T-bracket style cubes The cubes are to be used on three new Mazak Integrex 1060V horizontal turn-mill machining centres equipped with a Palletech system located at their Machining Centre of Excellence facility in St Louis, Missouri
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 2 Oct 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Mazaks are being used to make critical parts for both military and civil aircraft.
The cubes have been manufactured to fit the 800mm pallet on the Integrex machine and to hold modular fixturing parts in conjunction with standard clamps to cut titanium and exotic steels.
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Craftsman were selected as the supplier because of its high level of expertise and experience in the design and manufacture of cubes for a wide variety of applications.
The cubes are of T-bracket conformation in order to provide the rigidity and accuracy necessary for the type of workpiece.
The rigidity and robustness of the cubes is critical in order to resist the high cutting forces required to cut materials such as titanium and other exotic steels.
Precision is essential because the parts have a high value even before machining and because the cubes are in use in a primarily unmanned system so each cube can be presented to any of the three machines in any orientation.
Manufactured from close grain BS1452 grade 250 cast iron, the cubes are stress relieved after casting and also during manufacture to ensure they can accommodate the forces applied to which they are subjected.
Internal ribs give additional strength.
Each cube has a grid formation of holes, with 248 in each face, each hole having a location diameter and hardened threaded insert.
Craftsman Tools is well known for supplying an extensive range of high quality cubes both as standard or as specials.
It offers a range of cube-type workholding, designed to provide the maximum productivity from a machining centre or cell.
The recently expanded range now includes a range of extended T-brackets which allows the clamping of larger components and the new cruciform cubes which allow spindles to gain access to 3 sides of smaller workpieces.
Design work is undertaken in house, and a close relationship with the foundry producing the castings has been developed so customers receive the most appropriate workholding system for their production requirements within the shortest possible lead time.
Standard cubes are normally supplied ex-stock.
GKN Aerospace Services (GKNAS) is the aerospace operation of GKN, one of the world's largest engineering companies.
GKNAS has a turnover in excess of GBP 866 million and over 58,000 personnel employed in 11 centres of manufacturing excellence around the globe.
Over the last five years the company has achieved sales growth in excess of 300% principally through acquisition in certain key technology areas.
The company specializes in the supply of lightweight metallic and high performance composite structures, equipment and engineering services to prime airframe manufacturers.
In a number of its fields of expertise GKNAS holds the world lead, including the production of composite assemblies for airframes and engines, specialist metallic processes and the manufacture of advanced cockpit transparencies and coatings.
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