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News Release from: Kurt Manufacturing | Subject: VB 5AX100 Schenke 5.1 Clamping System
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 29 February 2008
Clamping system ousts special holding
fixtures
Kurt Manufacturing describes how a specialised work clamping system has eliminated special holding fixtures and allowed single set-up 5-axis milling, drilling and face-milling.
Kurt Manufacturing has supplied a specialised VB 5AX100 Schenke 5.1 Clamping System to eliminate special holding fixtures used in low batch aerospace component machining It allows single set-up 5-axis milling, drilling and face-milling of 'exotic' metals using high workpiece clamping rigidity
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 29 Sep 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Falcon Precision Industries in the USA specializes in machining complex aerospace components in prototype and low production quantities.
To do the needed 5-axis work on these parts required making special fixtures for holding the workpiece in a fixed position so the cutting tool could get at pockets, contours and all sides of the part.
The company uses three Mazak Variaxis 630 machining centres with full 5-axis machining capabilities and is expecting its fourth one.
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At Falcon Precision, John Blankenship, manager of manufacturing engineering, explained: "To do the required 5-axis machining of our aerospace parts on these machines, we designed custom clamping devices to hold these complex parts.
We didn't use conventional vices and workholding as the primary holding device because it restricted the machining centre to just 3-axis".
To do this, the machine shop had to set up the part and run the machining centre in a 3-axis mode, then stopping to reposition the part for running the last operation in 2-axis mode.
It rather defeated the purpose of having 5-axis capability.
That was too slow and tedious, said Kurt to manufacturingtalk.com, which was why Blankenship and his toolmakers came up with special dedicated holding fixtures to allow for the 5-axis work".
Blankenship said: "This was a more productive way to machine in all five axes, until we discovered Kurt's 5-axis vice.
It gave us a more flexible and faster way to set up and clamp parts for our demanding 5-axis work".
* 5-axis vice (vise) spotted - Blankenship said that Scott Lundin, senior manufacturing engineer of Falcon Precision, saw the new Kurt 5-axis vice at a recent US Mazak open house.
The vise was mounted on one of the pallets of a Variaxis machine.
Blankenship said: "While the vice did not have a part in it, Lundin could easily see several benefits of this type of clamping system.
Lundin brought back the literature on the vise, which we reviewed together, saw the benefits and immediately ordered one".
* Complex aerospace machining projects - Falcon Precision Industries said it is championing 'true' 5-axis contour machining for its growing list of aerospace customers.
The company has a 20 year history in contract precision parts manufacturing.
Accredited to ISO 9001:2000 and AS9100 Rev B, Falcon Precision Industries recognises the long-term growth opportunities in serving aerospace and other demanding industries with the latest, most cost effective technology available, said Kurt.
* Simultaneous 5-axis machining has numerous benefits - Blankenship said: "It provides continuous, high speed 5-axis imaging which is ideal for profiling parts.
It's perfect for machining deep cavities and corners.
Plus, it is highly consistent for tighter tolerances while surface finishes are better.
And you can accomplish all this in a single machine set-up".
Falcon Precision machines virtually all materials used for aerospace parts, everything from Inconel and titanium to various grades of aluminum.
Clamping rigidity is of concern for both extremes: smaller parts machined from harder materials and larger parts machined from softer material.
Using its custom clamping devices held in standard vices and/or mounted directly on the Mazak Variaxis table which rotates 380 deg (C-axis) and tilts 150 deg (A-axis), Falcon Precision's set-up technicians devised appropriate rigidity and clamping pressure basically using set screw devices.
* Faster setrr-ups - workable as Falcon Precision's method was, the addition of the Kurt 5-axis vice provided a much faster part set-up with more consistent and predictable clamping pressures.
The vice also provided the rigidity needed for small and large parts of hard and soft metals.
This versatility was especially helpful with the low batches and frequent set-ups Falcon Precision experienced with its aerospace orders.
* Kurt 5-axis Schenke Clamping System - "Once mounted on the machine worktable, the Kurt 5-Axis vise sets up for different jobs in just 10 to 15 minutes compared to as much as 2-1/2 hours using our custom clamps," reported Blankenship.
"We use the two sets of supplied Kurt jaws (round and flat), set the movable and stationary jaw, and we're ready to run the job.
It's really versatile.
Our set-up man loves it".
The Kurt 5-axis vice (vise) is adjustable to handle any desired clamping width, so it is limited only by the size of the Mazak's machine table.
With two clamping jaws, one stationary and one movable, the jaws can be positioned at any desired distance from each other.
Features of the Kurt 5-axis vice are as follows.
* Actual clamping width for this Kurt system is 0.079in to 9.29in (2mm to 236mm), which can be extended with optional spindle screws.
* A clamping depth of 0.32in (8mm).
* Height above the machine table of 6.89in (175mm) with extended height options to 7.87in (200mm) and 8.86in (225mm).
A typical job using the new vice runs at up to 12,000 rev/min and at 130in/min, depending on the tools used, said Blankenship.
Running time varies from prototypes at 15 min to production quantities up to 5h.
The Kurt 5-axis vice is designed to mount easily on standard T-slot tables, location grid machine tables or custom fixtures.
For Falcon Precision, it sets up like a standard vice on the Mazak's tilting rotary table in about the same amount of time - less than 15 min.
The 5-axis vise stays mounted on the table with the second pallet used for secondary operations or other projects.
The big thing with Falcon Precision's application is that it can handle virtually all of its complex aerospace parts without any add-on jaws, spacers or devices with set screws.
* Kurt 5-axis vice amortises in the first month used - Blankenship and his highly skilled machinists, Joe Kenyon and Glen Balon, said they really like the rigidity of the Kurt 5-axis Schenke clamping system, which was proven on the first project.
Blankenship reported that the operators were getting +/-0.001in (+/-0.03mm) angularity tolerances running carbide and other standard tool inserts up to 12,000 rev/min with cuts up to 130in/min (3.3m/min).
We've never had a problem with tool chatter or part misalignment at these speeds.
The rigidity with this vice has exceeded our expectations, and we're finishing jobs in half the time or less compared to before.
The vice paid for itself the first month we used it".
* Rigidity - the reason for this vice's rigidity is that the Kurt 5-Axis Schenke clamping system's design eliminates jaw deflection and/or part misalignment during these high speed operations.
By locating the tension spindle directly under the workpiece, the clamping system's jaws do not flare out under tension and the machine table does not distort like conventional workholding.
Also, the system handles a full range of workpiece configurations with equal rigidity including blank, machined, round and irregular shapes with repeatable accuracy.
Blankenship said that: "The Kurt 5-axis Schenke clamping system has been an important upgrade for our overall machining operations.
We've eliminated the need for all of those special clamping devices and we've reduced production time by as much as half with no scrapped parts.
And we're finishing jobs in half the time or less compared to before".
He concluded: "The vice paid for itself the first month we used it.
We've ordered our third Kurt 5-axis vice and are planning to use the two in tandem for holding even larger parts".
* About Kurt Manufacturing - in addition to the 5-axis Schenke clamping system, Kurt provides integrated custom engineered workholding systems and custom gauging systems for automated manufacturing.
Both workholding and gauging are designed around a customer's requirements with systems available for many industries including automotive, medical and aerospace applications. Request a free brochure from Kurt Manufacturing ...
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